Last Night

Well I stopped at Wal-Mart after work for a few "last minute" items (I can't believe I forgot the marshmallows for the candied yams!) I knew I would be too tired if I waited until after school and if I went Wednesday the stores would be a real busy mess. I ended up loading my car up with 8- 12 packs of diet Pomegranate 7-Up to add to the 4 cases I already have stashed at work (what can I say but I really love that stuff and it stinks its a Christmas season only product!)

Even though I took my time I still arrived at school 45 minutes early, so I went to my classroom and started reading chapter 1 in my advertising design textbook. Actually it was a very interesting read, and I was really getting into it when my instructor walked in and started taking attendance. He looked around at us for a moment, got a dry eraser and then wrote on the board "Read Chapter 1 over the weekend. Go Home."

Well the other guys quickly grabbed their stuff but, being Shawna, I just had to ask what the reasoning was behind the super-early release (seriously, we'd only been in class 5 minutes). Turns out there were 14 people scheduled for class but only 4 of us turned up! I stuck around for a few minutes talking with the instructor about our syllabus before leaving, but I think I am really going to love the material in this class.

Well since I had a lot of time on my hands now I decided to buy some jeans, and just grabbed my size off of the rack since the place was just about to close when I got there. Driving home I suddenly decided to pull into the Scera and see if I could catch a showing of "Twilight". Sure enough, the previews were just starting so I had time to get popcorn and a bottled water before the movie started. I found a seat pretty much dead center (where I love to sit), sat back and lost myself in the movie. I love this theater...amazingly popular movie, 7 pm showing, and yet the theater wasn't even a third of the way full!

You know, not having a lovesick teenager gabbing and giggling throughout the movie really does make a difference. I completely enjoyed the movie...even more than I had the first time around. I will definitly be buying this one on DVD.

Headed home, read for awhile, and then it was off to bed.

The only downer? This morning I went to wear my new jeans only to find out these things ride seriously low! sigh. So I am wearing my khaki Dockers today....I'll take the jeans back after work (before class) tonight and exchange them for a pair that will actually cover my tush and tummy, because trust me, no one wants to see that stuff hanging out! What is it about lowriders anyway? They don't look good even on skinny girls and yet some marketing "genius" decided fat chicks wanted in on the new hip style?!? Some genius.....

Thoughts in the aftermath....

Well I survived the Twilight experience. Actually the show we went to was expanded to a second screen (which not many people realized). While they were crunched into every seat in the first section, our theater still had about half of the seats available. There was no line...in fact we were through the concession stand, bathroom and into our seats in about 5 minutes. I wish I could say the same for the next batch of customers--we left the theater to see huge lines of teens and parents and you could hardly exit the building with as many bodies as were packed into that lobby!

As for the sighs and screams..I am sad to say they only came from the teenager I accompanied to the theater. Seriously, everytime Edward was on-screen she was all sighs, giggles, squeals and commentary about if it was just like in the book or if they had changed something.

Frankly, the giggles, etc I didn't mind so much...in fact it was cute in a teenybopper kind-of-way, but then I am biased because I really adore the teen I was with. Now the commentary I most certainly could have lived without because it was incredibly distracting!

Enough prologue you say? Get to the review? Okay.

Guys...don't go unless you are dragged by a chick because I can guarantee you will not like it. Yes, the special effects are hokey and Edward gives Bella some of the cheesiest come-on lines ever spoken ("you are my own personal kind of heroin" amongst them). The cuts are pretty lame and there are some additional characters thrown in that are incredibly pathetic ("butt crack Santa"...need I say more?) I think several of the townspeople are actual Forks residents being extras, rather than actual actors, but then what do you expect from a movie with a very tiny budget. Anyone who has seen the previews all over Youtube is going to know that this isn't a first-rate, high-budget production.

Gals. You're probably going to like this one...goodness knows I did. Some scenes are rushed and a few of the actors seem tossed in just because they were in the book, but you can't have it all. Edward may have some lousy lines to toss at Bella, but you kind of melt anyway....especially when he throws her THAT LOOK. Goodness knows the teen beside me was a melted puddle by the time the film ended. And Dr. Cullen is pretty hot too...I just wish they could have left him a brunette rather than that bleach job. And the actor playing Charlie was dead on....he was hysterically clueless about what to do with a teen in the house....the bit with Edward and the shotgun was priceless. Oh, and there is a nice blink-and-you'll-miss-it homage to the book's cover (see above) that was a nice touch.

So...teen flick or chick flick? A little of both.

Would I see it again in the theater? Maybe....it would be nice to see it without running commentary sitting alongside me.

Will I get the DVD? I have to say yes.

But then don't take my word for it...as Miya likes to point out, I think "30 Days of Night" was a scary and amazing piece of work; and I am probably one of a very limited few who not only enjoyed "Blood and Donuts", but actually ran out and bought a copy when it was finally released on DVD.

So bone-deep tired....

And its pretty much all my own darn fault.

Let's face it, I am in school full time and I work full time. That doesn't leave much in the way of "free time" and yet, every night when I come home from school at 10 I sit on the couch, turn on the boob tube and lose myself in two episodes of "House M.D." (its pretty much a nightly occurance on cable). So its midnight before I slog off to bed, where I inevitable pick up a book and read a few chapters before drifting off to sleep somewhere around 1 in the morning. 7 am comes all too soon and then I am up, getting ready for work and the cycle starts all over again.

#1 No matter how much I love that show I really need to not turn the tv on so late at night.

#2 I need to stop reading in bed, unless I choose to read a few chapters rather than rot my brain out in front of the tv.

#3 I need to get some sleep, and start getting up earlier in the morning.

I admit I am looking forward to a 4-day weekend next week, safe in the knowledge that I will not be getting up at the crack of dawn to slave over a turkey and all the fixings.

Lets hope I can recharge somewhat, get some crafting done (I WILL have something on Etsy for sale by the end of the Thanksgiving weekend! Be it notecards only, or perhaps a few bracelets as well) and just enjoy the holiday weekend. No black friday early morning crowds (its going to rain anyway with a chance of snow)... just me, my crafts and cats, and maybe a warm mug of cherry chocolate cocoa.

Mmmmmmmmm Good!

Nothing says fall like a bowl of homemade chili!

By the time I got off of work and home from the store last night, sliced up chunks of beef, sauteed them and simmered up a large saucepan of that fragrant goodness it was 9 p.m.

Much too late for eating a bowl of chili.

I ate it anyway with cornbread and followed it with a cherry coke...and(miraculously) did NOT have heartburn all night long.

You know you've made a great batch when you end up eating a bowl of chili for breakfast the next morning because you just can't wait for lunch!

Oh. My. Goodness.

I can't wait for this.....oh who am I kidding, of course I will have to wait for this, its not as if I have other options.

Teenyboppers all over the world are getting frantic for Twilight.....

Here's what I am slavering over.

Spring seems so far away......

But hey, there is always the new Underworld movie in January to help tide me over!

They've killed a classic....

I just found out that the original series of Star Trek has now been corrupted!

Okay, lets pause long enough to acknowledge the fact that I am a dweeb for being a Star Trek fan and an even bigger dweeb for thinking the original series is the best of the bunch....accept it and lets move on.

The show has been digitally remastered...which I am okay with....a little cleanup of old film stock is not necessarily a bad thing.

The films opening song was re-done...which doesn't thrill or upset me since it sounds close enough to the original, which seems a bit stupid then to re-record it, but whatever.

No, the part I have a problem with is that some idiot thought "hey, look at this cool effect I can do so the phasers look awesome", changed a few things and then showed it to his computer geek buddies. Well they got so excited that they started looking around some more to see what else they could "improve".

The result?

A completely CG ship exterior...which looks hideous. I admit, the planets they orbit look great, but additional smoke and explosions and adding a CG layer to nearly everything not nailed down is just plain wrong. The actors (cleaned and brightened up as they are) look hideously outdated and out of place in this new environment. The fact that every ship you see has been replaced with a digital replacement sucks and looks like a kid did them, and these jerks think they have done the world a great service in "fixing" everything that made the show cheesy in the first place! Doesn't anyone understand that the cheese is what made that show so much fun to watch in the first place?

I can guarantee you that this kid will not be dumping her hard earned money into such garbage....even Lucas had the sense not to touch everything about Star Wars...he just cleaned it up and tweaked it a bit...he didn't reinvent the freaking wheel!

Is it Friday yet?

Okay, not to go all girly giggly and Beatles/Ed Sullivan screaming hysterics, but I really am looking forward to the premier of "Twilight" this Friday. My wonderful friends, the Smiths, bought me a ticket when they were getting some for themselves. Hopefully, since we are seeing this in Spanish Fork rather than the uber-packed mall the crush won't be quite as bad.

I admit that I have not re-read the book lately so that while I remember all the major plotlines, the small stuff isn't clear (goodness knows its probably been a year since I read the thing!) Heaven forbid I should be one of the gals in the audience who gets nitpicky because the movie does not follow the book word-for-freaking-word. I still remember a guy at the premier of the first star wars movie (yes I can remember that far back). Rather than just enjoy the movie for what it was he was standing in the back of the theater, holding his novel up as the movie played; following the story as it unfolded on the screen.....weird!

Judging from the previews, I have a sneaky suspicion that the movie is going to be nowhere as good as the book (frankly, I have yet to find a movie that surpasses the book though I have been informed that the musical for "Wicked" is far superior to the ick-filled mess the author churned out). With all the publicity this thing has gotten about mobs of girls out of control, trampling eachother to get a glimpse of the movies' stars it would be a shame if they are met with a dud of a film...especially since the sequel is pretty much ready to film with the 3rd book's script already underway!

Here's hoping the movie was worth all the hype.

Oh to be in Las Vegas....

Bet you never thought you'd hear THAT from me! I suppose I should explain.

I saw a picture.

What? you think....a picture makes her want to go to Vegas?

Yup.

It was a promo picture for the latest Cirque du Soleil show, Chriss Angel's believe....a dark trip through this magician's brain. Now I find magic absolutely fascinating (yes I've seen David Copperfield and loved the movies "The Illusionist" and "The Prestige"). This show looks to be some sort of cure music video inspired trip through a very dark Wonderland...which puts it fairly well right up my alley. I don't know what appeals about this style but appeal it does.

Of course it wasn't a strong appeal.....until I saw the costumes of a trio of characters....



Have I mentioned before just how much I love crows?

Of course since the show just opened it'll probably be sold out for awhile but I would love to go see this for my birthday next year if I can't manage to go sooner.

I've a little fantasy running through my brain of incredibly freaking kewl Halloween costumes......

I should probably squash that one right now....

Another tag game...with music

Actually Dani did one of these awhile ago....Miya and Lucie both finished it so I thought I would give it a shot.

RULES:
1. Put your music player on shuffle.
2. Press forward for each question.
3. Use the song title as the answer to the question even if it doesn’t make sense. NO CHEATING!
4. Tag 5 people.
5. With the answers, give your own comments on how it relates to the questions.

HOW ARE YOU FEELING TODAY?
Great Southern Land (Icehouse)- honestly, is my butt really that big?

WILL YOU GET FAR IN LIFE?
Where the River Meets the Sea (Icehouse--yes its on shuffle!) -well I hope to live on the coast someday so maybe there is some hope for me!

HOW DO YOUR FRIENDS SEE YOU?
Apologize (One Republic)- whatever it was I am sorry, unless you think I apologize too much...in that case then I ain't sorry at all!

WILL YOU GET MARRIED?
Dance Dance (Fall Out Boy) -apparently there will be a party afterwards!

WHAT IS YOUR BEST FRIEND'S THEME SONG?
Pure Energy (Information Society) - well she doesn't share it with me...between work and school I am bushed!

WHAT IS THE STORY OF YOUR LIFE?
Kodachrome (Paul Simon)- well it IS a song about life and actually it does fit me....

WHAT WAS HIGH SCHOOL LIKE?
Satellite (Dave Matthews)-if only high school really could have included Dave Matthews!

HOW CAN YOU GET AHEAD IN LIFE?
The Authority Song (Jimmy Eat World)-RESPECT MY AUTHORITY!

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR FRIENDS?
So much to say(Dave Matthews again) - Hmmmmm, never noticed they were the gossiping type

WHAT IS IN STORE FOR THIS WEEKEND?
I don't want your love (Duran Duran)- guess I am not meeting Mr. Right this weekend.....

THE BEST THING TO DESCRIBE YOUR GRANDPARENTS?
(What's the Story) Morning Glory (Oasis)-not sure if that is good or not

HOW IS YOUR LIFE GOING?
Big Machine (Goo Goo Dolls)-goodness knows I am feeling the grind right now...sing it Johnny!

WHAT SONG WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Simon (Lifehouse)-not sure the lines really fit for a funeral....

HOW DOES THE WORLD SEE YOU?
Chasing Cars (Snow Patrol)-honestly people, as if I don't have better things to do!

WILL YOU HAVE A HAPPY LIFE?
Stand (Eli)-so that's where those varicose veins are coming from!

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS REALLY THINK ABOUT YOU?
My Sundown (Jimmy Eat World-yes I know my random sucks)- guess they think its the end of the trail for me! Maybe its on to greener pastures?

DO PEOPLE SECRETLY LUST AFTER YOU?
Viva La Vida (Coldplay)-hmmmmmmmm, guess just when I used to rule the world

HOW CAN I MAKE MYSELF HAPPY?
Liberties of Love (Breathe)- NO COMMENT!

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO WITH YOUR LIFE?
All I Want (Toad the Wet Sprocket)- I can do anything I want and I want it all!

WILL YOU EVER HAVE CHILDREN?
Far Away (Nickelback)- Not anytime soon I guess....

WHAT SONG WOULD YOU STRIP TO?
Monday Morning Blues (Breathe)- nothing starts the week off right like a good strip! At least its got a good beat...

IF A MAN IN A VAN OFFERED YOU CANDY, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
Mint Car (the cure) - that's right kids, toss that candy right back at him!

WHAT DOES YOUR MOM THINK OF YOU?
The Perfect Girl (the cure) -HONESTLY ITS ON SHUFFLE!

WHAT IS YOUR DEEP DARK SECRET?
Something So Strong (Crowded House)- oh yeah, I can benchpress a buick folks!

WHAT IS YOUR MORTAL ENEMY'S THEME SONG?
Good Vibrations (Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch)- well at least this assures they have rhythm

WHAT IS YOUR PERSONALITY LIKE?
Yeah, Whatever (Splendor)- uh, yeah....whatever......

I am not tagging anyone...do it if you want or not.....

Talk about being aSupermom....

check out this amazing costume a gal made for her son....she is not only super-talented but she must have a lot of time on her hands to work this one up!

No one is being tagged...but this one is fun.

Dear Kris,

I don't really know how to tell you this but your nostrils are insulting. I think I realized it when we skinny dipped outside of Chicago and I saw you drive out my father. I'm sure you're scarred enough to understand that Extreme Home Makeover sucks. I'm returning your memories from the military service to you, but I'll keep your collection of butterflies as a memory. You should also know that I never liked the incarnation as an Eskimo.

Greetings to your freaky fam,

Shawna



RULES:
Do the Letter Meme. Tag no less than 5 other people, and leave them a comment, informing them that they have been tagged. Then copy the "How-to" Letter Meme, and finish your Blog.

-> How you do the Letter Meme:

Dear (the last person who left a comment on your blog):

I don't really know how to tell you this, but ___1___. I think I realized it ___2___ ___3___ and I saw you ___4___ ___5___. I'm sure you're ___6___ enough to understand ___7___. I'm returning ___8___ to you, but I'll keep ___9___ as a memory. You should also know that I ___10___ ___11___ .

___12___,
-Your name-

1. What's the color of your shirt?
Blue - Our romance is over
Red - Our affair is over
White - I'll join the monastery
Black - I dislike you
Green - Our horoscope doesn't match
Grey - You're a pervert
Yellow - I'm selling myself
Pink - Your nostrils are insulting
Brown - The mafia wants you
No shirt - You're a loser
Other - I'm in love with your sister


2. Which is your birth month?
January - That night
February - Last year
March - When your dwarf bit me
April - When I tripped on sesame seeds
May - First of May
June - When you put cuffs on me
July - When I threw up
August - When I saw the shrunken head
September - When we skinny dipped
October - When I quoted Santa
November - When your dog ran amok
December - When I changed tennis shoes


3. Which food do you prefer?
Tacos - In your apartment
Pizza - In your camping car
Pasta - Outside of Chicago
Hamburgers - Under the bus
Salad - As you ate enchilada
Chicken - In your closet
Kabob - With Paris Hilton
Fish - In women's clothing
Sandwiches - At the Hare Krishna graduation
Lasagna - At the mental hospital
Hot dog - Under a state of trance
None of the above - With George Bush and his wife


4. What's the color of your socks?
Yellow - Hit on
Red - Insult
Black - Ignore
Blue - Knock out
Purple - Pour syrup on
White - Carve your initials into
Grey - Pull the clothes off
Brown - Put leeches on
Orange - Castrate
Pink - Pull the toupee off
Barefoot - Sit on
Other - Drive out


5. What's the color of your underwear?
Black - My best friend
White - My father
Grey - Bill Clinton
Brown - My fart balloon
Purple - My mustard soufflé
Red - Donald Duck
Blue - My avocado plant
Yellow - My penpal in Ghana
Orange - My Kid Rock-collection
Pink - Manchester United's goalkeeper
None - My John F. Kennedy-statue
Other - The crazy monk


6. What do you prefer to watch on TV?
Scrubs - Man
O.C. - Emotional
One Tree Hill - Open
Heroes - Frostbitten
Lost - High
House - Scarred
Simpsons - Cowardly
The news - Mongolic
Idol - Masochistic
Family Guy - Senile
Top Model - Middle-class
None of the above - Ashamed


7. Your mood right now?
Happy - How awful I've felt
Sad - How boring you are
Bored - That Santa doesn't exist
Angry - That your pimples are at the last stage
Depressed - That we're cousins
Excited - That there is no solution to this.
Nervous - The middle-east
Worried - That your Honda sucks
Apathetic - That I did a sex-change
Ashamed - That I'm allergic to your hamster
Cuddly - That I get turned on by garbage men
Overjoyous - That I'm open
Other - That Extreme Home Makeover sucks


8. What's the color of your walls in your bedroom?
White - Your ring
Yellow - Your love letters
Red - Your Darth Vader-poster
Black - Your tame stone
Blue - The couch cushions
Green - The pictures from LA
Orange - Your false teeth
Brown - Your contact book
Grey - Our matching snoopy-bibs
Purple - Your old lottery coupons
Pink - The cut toenails
Other - Your memories from the military service


9. The first letter of your first name?
A/B - Your photo
C/D - The oil stocks
E/F - Your neighbour Martin
G/H - My virginity
I/J - The results of your blood-sample
K/L - Your left ear
M/N - Your suicide note
O/P - My common sense
Q/R - Your mom
S/T - Your collection of butterflies
U/V - Your criminal record
W/X - David's tricot outfits
Y/Z - Your grades from college


10. The last letter in your last name?
A/B - Always will remember
C/D - Never will forget
E/F - Always wanted to break
G/H - Never openly mocked
I/J - Always have felt dirty before
K/L - Will tell the authorities about
M/N - Told in my confession today about
O/P - Was interviewed by the Times about
Q/R - Told my psychiatrist about
S/T - Get sick when I think of
U/V - Always will try to forget
W/X - Am better off without
Y/Z - Never liked


11. What do you prefer to drink?
Water- Our friendship
Beer - Senility
Soft drink - A new life as a clone
Soda - The incarnation as an eskimo
Milk - The apartment building
Wine - Cocaine abuse
Cider - A passionate interest for mice
Juice - Oprah Winfrey imitations
Mineral water - Embarrassing rash
Hot chocolate - Eggplant-fetishism
Whisky - To ruin the second world war
Other - To hate the Boston Celtics


12. To which country would you prefer to go on a vacation?
Thailand - Warm regards
USA - Best regards
England - Good luck on your short-term leave from jail
Spain - Go and drown yourself
China - Disgusting regards
Germany - With ease
Japan - Go burn
Greece - Your everlasting enemy
Australia - Greetings to your frog Leonard
Egypt - Fuck off now
France - In pain
Other - Greetings to your freaky fam

Weekend

Well this last Friday I flew to Spokane for my brother, Yancy's wedding. I'd flown up in June for Lucie's graduation and was able to have a quick visit then, but it was wonderful seeing everyone again. We arrived to a lot of fog and rain (and me with no proper jacket! Ah well....)

We arrived safely, waited for the bus and rode it to the downtown bus depot. While we waited for Enterprise Rental to come "pick us up" I went into the bus coffee shop and ordered a green apple jet tea (something I haven't found down here yet and had loved when I lived in Washington). It still tasted good but was far too sweet....guess I won't be missing those anymore! I also grabbed Jase and I each a M&M sugar cookie that I used to get often, but those too just weren't the same yumminess as I remember. I guess its true what they say...you can't always go back home.

Enterprise showed up and drove us to their lot; turns out they were short on cars and boy were they really pushing for us to take a huge red pickup. The rental guy was filling out all of the paperwork when this very nice Chevy 300 rolled onto the lot. I asked them "what about that car?" but was essentially ignored. As he was typing away the pickup pusher kept insisting that gas in Sandpoint was down to $1.86 a gallon (I didn't see anything anywhere near that low....the little sneak!) and that the truck wouldn't be expensive to drive but we were insistent, so after they checked the 300 in and gave it a quick clean we had the paperwork changed and were soon rolling out of the lot in style.

Jase had his Dick's burger (I still fail to see the appeal in those greaseburgers...seriously, it must be a guy thing). We stopped by Lucie's place to pick her up and then headed over to Hula Hut so I could get my blackened Ahi fix. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....dang I love that stuff! I ended up getting 2 orders of it and had the other one for breakfast the next morning. I also found out that the brown sauce I was going nuts to figure out was their version of teriyaki sauce. So now I can make it at home! All it is really is Ahi steak, roll it in black poppy seeds and white sesame seeds and then lightly grill on all sides so it is still pink in the middle. Cut into thin slices and serve with rice, wasabi and teriyaki sauce. Yeah!!!! No more craving something I can't get down here...now I can make it for myself whenever I feel like! Now those Ahi steaks that have been in my freezer for the last 2 months can come out and see the light of day....

We stopped at Rosauers to pick up perogie supplies, a couple packs of bacon, some eggs and a huge cheesecake sampler pack before Jase dumped Lucie and I off at her place and left on his own adventures for the night.

Lucie started playing Rock Band while I ate my first order of Ahi and then I hate to say it but I passed out on the couch (I want to say it was around 6:30). While I slept Lucie made her own perogies (sorry honey!) and then read until her roommate came home from work around 10. Shortly afterward I woke up and we had a slice of cheesecake before everyone went to bed. I slept out on the couch because I didn't want to kill Lucie's air mattress, and while it was very comfortable I woke up fairly stiff in the morning. I managed to get in the shower and dressed up and, by the time Jason came to pick us up, I was walking mostly upright again. I should mention that this has been happening all too often lately (the stiff back, not sleeping on the couch). If I get moving around it eventually straightens out...I just need to stretch it more.

Back however to the weekend....Jason dropped me off at the temple and then he and Lucie went for a drive until after the ceremony when he would be needed for the photo session. I went in and didn't see anyone I knew but Leah and Yancy pulled up right after us and so I finally got to meet Leah's wonderful parents and her supercool sister. I also met a few grandparents, a sweet aunt Jan and a few other relatives that I am not sure of the connection, but I have to say that Leah's family seems like they are a lot of fun. Yancy's roommates from Provo walked in (which seemed completely weird but it was sweet to see that they were willing to drive the 10 hours to Spokane for the wedding). By this time I had finally spotted Dad and Arlene so I sat with them until we were called in for our session.

It was so beautiful there in the temple,and so touching to be able to be a part of it. I can never thank Yancy enough for encouraging me so I could be there.

Afterwards the rain miraculously stopped long enough that Jason was able to take pictures outside...most of the leaves had fallen to the ground already and I am sure the grass was too mushy to walk on, especially with Leah's dress, but I think Jason managed to take some very lovely shots anyway. Mom and Peter showed up about halfway through the photo session so they were able to get some pics with the bride and groom before we all headed our seperate ways....dad and Arlene had already left for Sandpoint to prepare for the reception, Yancy, Leah and her family went back to the hotel and then out to eat, while Jason, Lucie and I met mom and Peter at Longhorn BBQ for lunch.

Afterwards we went back to Lucie's to grab our bags and then we drove to Sandpoint. Pulling up the house was a lovely blaze of light in the growing twilight...and inside Arlene had the fireplace going and candles burning everywhere. The effect was enchanting. We stowed our gear in our bedrooms and then guests began arriving.

Arlene had asked me to cut and serve the cake but I admit I did a horrible job. It wasn't until afterwards that I thought "hey, I should have asked Dad for a spatula". Instead I cut nice slices at first and all was going well, but then the top layers started to slide off the bottom (darn buttercream!) so my slices were getting larger and larger. Roy asked for a slab of cake (and a slab is what he got!) and a few other people asked for larger slices, but Dad came along later in the evening, took one look at my thick slices, and quietly started tossing them in the garbage! Actually I didn't mind because it let me off the hook and everyone cut the size of cake they wanted after that, so I was free to mingle.

My aunt Joan, her husband Paul, and my cousins Doug and Tracey showed up, which was great because I hadn't seen them for a few years. Doug's wife Rhonda is pregnant and their daughter is so big now....it was strange to see how old she was now until I got a look at both of Tracey's boys...freaking heck, they were little kids when I last saw them and now I think the oldest is a senior in high school. Dang that makes me feel old! We sat around and visited for awhile...even after everyone else had left before they finally had to go home. I forgot how much I miss them....and it was wonderful to get to catch up on things.

Sunday we had a family breakfast...Arlene was so tired from the day before that she didn't get up before we left, but Miya and Roy came back over from his mother's place. We laughed and talked until finally Jason and I had to leave. We'd planned on leaving at 10 but I think it was after 11 before we got in the car and started the drive back to the airport and home. Jason wanted to be sure and stop by Safeway for some Longhorn BBQ sauce and a cookie....sure enough he remembered to grab the cookies but had forgotten the sauce! By that point we were so pressed for time that he couldn't run back in, so he's lucky that he still has a bottle and a half of it at home!

I'd charged up my camera batteries and packed every memory card I own...wouldn't you know it that the only pictures I ended up taking the entire trip were from the window of the plane! I'd wanted to get a shot of Bear Lake encased in fog but by the time I mentioned it to Jason we had passed the turnoff. Unfortunately the fog didn't look good the next morning and we were in too much of a rush anyway. I was thinking of getting a few shots of rain on a red berry tree in my parents front yard, but didn't get around to it in time. Bummer, but I have some lovely shots in my mind and I guess they will have to do. Besides, Jason took a ton of pics so I will just have to steal some of his.

The flight home was fairly uneventful, a little turbulence at one spot but the landing in Salt Lake was just fine....I may end up liking to fly after all. Coming home was wonderful. My own stuff, my own bed, my cats waiting for me. Sammy all but leaped into my arms when I came in through the door, and poor Jasper somehow got sick while I was gone. Its now Tuesday and he still isn't 100% better, but he's not as lethargic as he was when I came home. I can only hope he gets to feeling better soon.

All-in-all it was a wonderful weekend....but ,as Dorothy says, "there's no place like home".

Coming Attractions

Well tomorrow will find me sailing once again into the wide blue yonder on my way to Spokane for Yancy and Leah's wedding.

Am I nervous? Not yet. Will I be? I hope not.

It still seems a bit unreal....heck, I haven't even packed my bag yet (a bag I need to clean...I am borrowing a rolling duffel bag from the office and its pretty dusty). But my laundry is mostly done, and class should be out early enough tonight that I can come home, fold that big pile and be packed before heading to bed. Jase is picking me up around 9 in the morning and I want everything ready tonight so I don't have to run around trying to find this, that and the other tomorrow.

I was IMing with Lucie this morning and was asking what she wanted for dinner tomorrow since I'd promised to cook her whatever she was in the mood for (its only fair since I am crashing at her place tomorrow night). Turns out she wants perogies. Having only eaten them once I was not favorably impressed, however I will be making them for dinner tomorrow since its what she has been craving. Since you serve them with crumbled bacon I can always toss in a few extra slices for a BLT if they taste as bland as I remember!

As for my back...it is doing so much better. I was able to roll right out of bed this morning...a little off-center but that takes care of itself after walking around for awhile. I still have some pretty colors along my left side but they are fading fast. Adding insult to injury I got a spiderbite on my left hip yesterday (I worried at first because the skin fell off around it within an hour and it was hurting like crazy)but it appears to be healing up pretty well. As a joke my gmail comment of the day was changed yesterday to "my spidy senses are tingling". If I suddenly get superstrong and start climbing walls then so be it, but I draw the line at having webs shoot out from my hands!

I received an email yesterday....thank you so much Ann for mentioning me on your Etsy account (even though you have yet to see my designs or for me to have posted them!). A gal in Highland/Lehi has a little boutique shop that she would like to sell my items through, seeing as how I come so highly recommended. I need to pull my designs together into a portfolio and see if this gal is only interested in finished pieces or if patterns will work for her (patterns had been my original plan with one or two mock-ups to send out for a trunk show display).

I have already worked out how I want to package my patterns, have the supplies to do it with, and have a couple of designs drawn up, but haven't had the space to create the model pieces. Maybe I should just plan a weekend where I bring some stuff down to the office where I can spread out. I was planning to take the Friday after Thanksgiving off of work to spend with Jason, but he's thinking of going to Hurricane for that weekend....that would be a perfect time to get some work done! I can bring my laptop down and play some movies while I get some of this stuff worked up.

For now I am happy to crochet my bracelets, since that doesn't take much room for my supplies, and then see if this boutique is interested in some of my larger pieces next year once I get the space to create them...I seriously don't think she would be interested in blank cards, but I will offer her those as well. I need to remember to pack my crochet hook, thread and some beads to work on at the airport....its either that or I spend my time reading a few chapters on the history of typography for class....nah, I would rather crochet!

Ann is going to pull me kicking and screaming if need be to start selling my designs and I love her for it! Its only fair that I get some designs together to sell.

And it just keeps getting better....

Well that was meant to be sarcastic but I guess things really are better...it may not sound like it but I am actually (all things considered) doing pretty darn good.

Halloween....no I didn't dress up this year (thought about it but I didn't). I had a chiropractic appointment in the morning and then came to work and by lunch I was unloading some heavy boxes from the back of a pickup. It went fine, my back did well, but I was teased about how slow I was in getting the job done. Oh well....at least my back wasn't hurting!

After work I ran a few errands, stopped by Jason's place for a few minutes to work out flight arrangements for this Friday (I'll be seeing family again in just a few days!!!!!) before going to my friend Cynthia's place. The plan was to stay home with her more anti-social daughter and hand out candy while Cynthia and her youngest girl trick-or-treated. Then I'd stay the night because Cynthia was escorting me to the temple the next day.

By the time I got there both girls were gone with friends and Cynthia was manning the fort alone so we hung out and waited for the girls. We spend some time making adjustments to my temple dress (it was a bit too wide in the body and the sleeves were miles too long). We were going to watch a movie but ended up spending so much time on the dress that we went to bed around midnight and still hadn't finished the sleeves, which I planned to hand-stitch the next morning before we left.

Saturday morning, 8 am. I got up, went upstairs for needle and thread, and then headed back down the stairs to the guest room where my dress was hanging. I've been to Cynthia's so many times that I didn't even bother to turn on the lights. I thought I'd reached the final step and stepped off when, in reality, I still had 2 stairs to go and fell onto the corner of the piano before hitting the floor with a loud cry of pain. Loud enough that Cynthia was out of bed in a shot and running down the stairs to see me lying on the ground, trying to roll over onto my back because I couldn't breathe.

I'd not only knocked the wind out of myself, but I'd torn up my whole left side where it scraped alongside the piano (Cynthia assures me the piano is just fine). I finally made it onto my back and lay there gasping...not only in pain but I really was having a hard time getting any air in. I think it took me nearly half an hour before I could roll back onto my stomach and begin to crawl towards the couch. Getting onto the couch in one piece took ages but once I was upright and Cynthia had tucked an icebag behind me I was asking for my dress so I could finish those sleeves, even though I was in so much pain I was having a hard time seeing myself accomplishing much of anything.

Cynthia was surprised because she was thinking I would cancel my appointment and re-schedule for later in the week. As it was we pushed my appointment time from 1 pm to 3 (I was still about 15 mins late because I was moving so slowly) but I just knew that if I got myself there that the rest would take care of itself. Not to go into details but going to the temple on Saturday was the best thing I could have done. Not only was it the most amazingly beautiful experience of my life but I was able to have the experience mostly pain-free. Of course by that evening I was hurting like crazy again and my back is swollen on that side and some very lovely shades of blue and purple....but that's beside the point. Here's a pic of me on the temple grounds just before we left for the day...I look pretty darn good for a gal who was barely moving a few hours earlier...of course, by the time that pic was taken I'd downed a lot of extra strength ibuprofen so I am sure that was helping as well!



Sunday I woke up incredibly stiff and sore...and even more colorful...but by the time the evening rolled around I was moving fairly well. I'd cancelled Sunday dinner with Jason because (at the time) I was still hurting a bit and I seriously needed to get to my homework. Cynthia called around 7 pm and asked if I wanted to come down to Springville for a few minutes and go look at a kitten that her daughters had been begging me to adopt...an orange puffball who's mom had abandoned him along with 2 other littermates. By the time they were discovered it was too late to save the littermates and he was all but dead himself, but he'd been bottleraised since then and was ready to find a new home.

Well I guess we all know how that one turned out....Sampson (he came with the name Simba but that was prompty discarded) is probably romping around my bedroom right now and having a wonderful time. He's a feisty little stinker but also a real lovebug and has slept with me these last two nights. I have to admit its nice to have a cat sleeping with me again (Jasper sleeps in Annie's room since he likes being close to the dog....my cat has some serious identity issues!) Jasper still isn't sure what he thinks about the new addition, but he's still upset with me for bringing the little furball home.

And today? Still blue and purple....with some yellows tossed in for variety. Still some swelling as well....in fact just wearing a belt hurts like the Dickens, and I am still a bit stiff. Considering the condition I was in just a few days ago I can't help but marvel at how much better I am doing. I won't be running any marathons soon (lets face it, I wasn't about to before the incident either!) but I was able to roll out of bed early this morning to vote with no real problems and for that I am thankful. I also managed to stay in a good mood through it all, and was even laughing and joking about the situation by Saturday afternoon so I think it is safe to say that, in spite of it all, that all is well.