Yes, it's been a ridiculously long time since I've posted and I have no excuse, except to say I'm going to give this one more shot.  I have quite a lot to post, personal and otherwise, and I hope to keep up with it on a more regular basis.  If in a few months that hasn't happened, then I give up for good.  I did just return from my summer vacation so the trip report should keep the posts coming for at least a week or so.

Summer vacation trip report - Day one - Orlando, FL to Reno, NV

My flight left at 8:50 AM, so we had to be up at a ridiculous hour to get my travel buddy and our taxi to the airport fed and coffied.  Once that was handled, we loaded up the car, taking a strange break to give a young Asian girl who spoke very little English directions to the local high school,  and then we were off.

Since we had checked in online, we had a short wait at the counter to check our bags, then headed to the gate.  No major wait at security and only a small wait until my flight was called - my friend left about 30 minutes later.  While we were waiting, we saw the news report that Ed McMahan had died.  That was sad, and eerily turned out to be the first of many death reports we would get on this trip.

I boarded the plane, got a nice aisle seat near the front, and we took off.  First stop was San Antonio.  I stayed on the plane,  and moved up a few rows to a window seat.  After the next round of passengers boarded, we were off again.  Next stop, LA.  At this point we had been flying for a little over 5 hours, and besides my cereal breakfast, I had had nothing to eat except peanuts and a small bag of Wheat Thins.  I was very hungry and ready to be off the plane.  The flight from LA to Reno wasn't too long, and we flew right over Yosemite National Park, which was one of our stops on this trip.  It was very cool to see it from the air, especially to fly right over the glacier that had formed the famous valley.  It was a real treat, and totally worth the hunger.  So the plane landed in Reno, and I could finally get off and find food.  Having been previously warned that the Reno airport was small with few amenities, I stopped at the first place I saw, which was Quiznos.  I got a couple of average tasting mini-subs and a drink, then went to meet my mom.  I hadn't been off the plane for 10 minutes and she was already calling me to see where I was. 

We got my luggage and waited for my friend to arrive and get her luggage, then we drove back to my mom's house to meet her 2 roommates, one human, one pig.  When my mom moved out to Reno, she told me how she was scared of the pig, and I guess it sensed her fear, because she walked around using a garbage can as a shield for almost a month.  I wasn't really afraid, and since the piggie gate was up, we could greet Oshay from a safe distance.  No problems there.  We dropped off our bags, got a tour of the house, cleaned up a little, then headed for an early dinner.  We went to a western chain called Claim Jumper, which served Alaskan Amber beer and huge portions of food.  I ordered a Jerk chicken sweet potato, which was great and made two meals.

After dinner we dropped off one car, and took another back into town to do a little shopping and sightseeing.  We first hit Cabelas, which is supposed to be the biggest in the country.  It had huge displays of every kind of  (stuffed) wild game you can imagine, and contained just about every tyype of outdoor gear you could think of.  I got a new Camelbak water pack, my mom got some hiking shoes, and my friend got a shirt.  Success.  We drove around for a little bit, seeing the downtown area where most of the casinos are located.  Reno is NOTHING like Vegas, even though they contain some of the same casinos like Circus, Circus and Harrahs.  In fact, the Harrahs in Reno is the original.  But, even with all the neon, the Reno strip could fit in my backyard compared to Vegas. One thing we learned early on is that stores close early in Reno.  We went to some mall type place to look for hats, only to find it closed at 8pm.  Weird.  So we went home, hung out for a bit, then my friend and I crashed.  It had been a long day of traveling, plus we hadn't adjusted to the time change, and we had to be up early the next day to drive to Virginia City.

I'm a little late on this, as the month is half-way over, but April is Grilled Cheese month.  I am a huge lover of the grilled cheese, especially when my grandma makes it for me when I go to clean her house on Sundays.  While the basic grilled cheese sandwich is a  staple, and even better with some tomato soup, I found a website that takes a gourmet twist on this recipe.

http://www.pithyandcleaver.com/

If anyone makes any of these, let me know how it turns out.  I am going to try one this weekend.

Not that I post every day, or even every week anymore, but just wanted to post that I will be in DC for the next 3 days.  We are taking some of our students on a field trip.  I have always wanted to go to DC in the spring when the Cherry Blossoms are at their best, and a free ( even if I'm technically working) trip is worth giving up my Spring Break for.  Check back this weekend for pictures.

TTFN,
Jen

I went out to EPCOT last weekend for the F&GF and to see Davy Jones in concert.  It was a lovely, hot day.  Not too crowded, but crowded enough that I waiting in line for almost 2 hours to get a good seat for the show.  It was worth it, although I've seen him out there 6 times now, and he tells the same jokes every year :)

Here is a link to the pictures.  Enjoy.

http://www.shutterfly.com/lightbox/view.sfly?fid=24535cc4d4ba8b4a5b2f2841c4d4a52e

Crazy!!!  (I would totally wear the little headband, though)

Now that I have a house, I feel a certain sense of domesticity that I have never felt before while living in apartments.  The biggest evidence of this is my sudden desire to garden.  My mother and brother can look at a plant and make it grow, but unfortunately I was not born with a green thumb.  Mine are black.  Both of them.  I can look at a plant and make it die.  Seriously.  But I have a nice front porch that is screaming for flowers.  I have bought some in pots:  some purslane, a red and a white geranium, 2 Christmas cacti that despite all my best efforts have managed to live through 2 winters, and some green thing my mom gave me before she moved out west.  It is half green and half brown.
Inspired by a friend of mine who has recently gotten into gardening, although on a much bigger scope that I could ever imagine; she's doing flowers, spices and vegetables, I went to Target and bought some pretty flower seeds, along with 2 small hibiscus plants.  I've just gotten them all in the ground and watered.  We shall see what happens.
I have requested that my brother get me stared on some cuttings of various plants around my grandma's house.  Hopefuly he can get that going soon, and maybe by the summer, I will be blooming.  Fingers crossed.

http://thisiswhyyourefat.com/

There are some truly disgusting concoctions on this website.  Thankfully, although I am a self proclaimed junk food junkie, I wouldn't eat 99% of the things featured here.  I must admit, however, I have had cheesecake on a stick.  It was good, but as much of a sugar freak as I am, I couldn't finish it.  I might have a go at the Oreo stack one day :)

Sorry for the long delay in posting.  There really hasn't been too much exciting going on for me to bore you with.  Things will pick up next month.  We are taking our students on a field trip to Washington DC.  Pray for me.

Wow, Christmas break was a total blur of packing and cleaning and moving and everything in between.  I am finally at a place where I have the time to simply sit and sift through everything.  So, to catch up on what I've been doing:

I officially moved into the house on December 26.  I say officially because that is the first night I slept here.  I hosted my friends who were in town for the FSU bowl game at the Citrus Bowl.  They were a HUGE help in getting some more of my stuff moved from the old place. 

On Monday, January 29, I was able to invite 7, yes 7 of my friends from high school over to my place to hang out after dinner.  I can't describe how nice it felt to be able to do that, and fit everyone comfortably, even if some of us were sitting on the floor.

I got the old place cleaned and completely emptied on New Year's Eve.  Needless to say, I didn't even attempt to stay awake for midnight, but everyone else around me did, and they were all shooting off fireworks until all hours of the morning, so I was forced to ring in the new year anyway.  That's really my only noise complaint, and if it only happens once a year, I can live with that.

I finished unpacking 99% of all my boxes on January 3.  I still have one box of books to sort through, and of course stuff that will go into the 9th level of Hell (the garage).

I hung my last 2 pictures Friday night.  I was going to wait for a tall person to assist me, but decided to attempt it myself, and it only took me 3 trys to find the right spot.  And the pictures haven't fallen, so I guess I did a good job.

All in all, I would say that I am 100% moved in, and the house (renovations) is 97% completed.  There is still some painting and tilework that needs to be completed, and the garage needs a complete overhaul, but my stuff is up and that makes it feel like home.

I have a ton of pictures to post in the coming days, but I will leave you with a  picture that was probably taken in early December of two kind of baby squirrels at my grandma's house.  The brick post they are perched on is  hollow and the mom gives birth there because cats can't get in.  A few times a year there will be babies hanging out until they get big enough to fend for themselves.  Cute!

I just wanted to take a quick minute to say Merry Christmas to all 2 or 3 of you that read this page.  Hope everyone has a stress free next few days, and that if you don't live in Florida where it is a ridiculous 80 degrees, that you stay nice and cozy warm.

I am still moving.  I think I will be moving until I'm 40.  The big family get together is tonight, and I will be very glad when that is over.  I want to thank my mother for moving out of the state so I don't have to make yet another trip today or tomorrow.  My friends are coming in on Friday, and I will gladly put them to work on the house.  Saturday is the Champs Sports Bowl with the Noles playing Wisconsin.  I'd appreciate positive thoughts to the team, because you never quite know which team will show up to play.  But, I'm looking foward to one more game, especially since I don't have to drive 4 hours to it.  Sunday we are all going to Blue Springs State Park to enjoy the great weather and see the manatees.  I'll post pics later.

So, hopefully by this time next week, I will be 100% moved in, and will get at least one day of rest before I have to go back to school on the 5th.

Merry Christmas everyone!!

This fall has been a major disappointment for me entertainment-wise.  First the 6th Harry Potter movie was pushed back to the summer, then all of my favorite TV shows kept getting cancelled.  The new U2 album was supposed to be released this fall as well, and that date was pushed  back, too.  Well, today it was announced that the new album comes out March 2.  The title will be No Line on the Horizon.  Here's hoping for a great album and a massive tour that comes to Florida.  It will give me something to focus on between now and next summer when I go on vacation and the new HP movie finally opens!!!

So, yesterday I was reading a  thread on another site I frequent, and there was an innocent topic asking if people preferred their apple pie hot or cold.  Most replied with hot, of course.  There were a few who liked their pie cold, and then several responses that indicated they liked hot apple pie only if a la mode.  Then someone responded that they liked their apple pie with MELTED CHEDDAR CHEESE!  I thought they were joking until I read further and saw some  responses agreeing with this recipe.

I decided to research this non-traditional way of eating pie, and while I didn't find overwhelming evidence that everyone else in the country does this but me, I was able to find some scant proof that this is not something that all people find repulsive.

This blog  http://www.notcot.com/archives/2008/04/apple_pie_with.php  has a nice little report about the apple pie with cheese phenomenon, complete with menu evidence. I was also able to find more pictures through Google Images, but I will let the blog speak for itself.  While I don't think I will ever try this crazy concoction, I have eaten enough weird food combinations (cottage cheese and French dressing) in my life to say to each his own.

So, my stress level has dropped significantly since my last post.  I did make it out to Disney on Friday, but totally missed the Candlelight show because I waiting for the bus from MGM (sorry, Hollywood Studios) for almost an hour while the elderly bus driver loaded 5 people in wheelchairs on to the bus.  I was very irritated, but, what the hell?  I may go back tomorrow night.  And I may not either.  I'll post the good pictures later.

School is on cruise control for the next 3 days.  I am wrapping things up and giving the students an opportunity to get some missed work done.  We are having our annual cultural lunch on Thursday and Friday.  It's the best event of the year.  All the kids bring food representing their cultures.  We get out of class early, get to eat great food, and usually leave early as well.

Friday I am flying up to Atlanta to help move some furniture back to my new house.  Then, it will be a whirlwind of cleaning and getting rid of crap to prepare for the carpet to be installed on Monday.  Then there will be a whirlwind of moving boxes and furniture.  Fingers crossed, I will be all in by New Year's Eve.  I need a day to clean my old place, as well.  The house is coming together quickly.  Cabinets and new light fixtures are installed.  All tile is done and properly grouted.  Appliances need to be put in place and connected in the kitchen and laundry room, and sinks and cabinents need to be put in in the bathrooms.  Some final painting inside and pressure washing of the front door, and I think all will be well.

I'm so not looking forward to moving, but I am looking forward to being someplace new, hopefully for a good long while.

Another stressful week almost over.  I am headed to Disney tonight to get in the holiday spirit and to forget about pretty much everything else.

I was able to successfully get my aunt into the nursing home this week, so that's one major thing off my mind, but I guess I'm still responsible for weekly visits and making sure she has everything she needs.  It's no big deal, but I feel guilty that I haven't been there everyday.

The house situation isn't coming along as quickly as I have hoped.  There is still a TON to be done, and only 2 1/2 weeks to get it done in.  I feel stuck in limbo, and it's not pleasant.  I have a busy life that is not conducive to waiting on other people to get things accomplished.  I have no control over the sitation, and I hate that.  I know that when all is said and done, this won't be a big deal, but it is now, and it's adding stress that I don't need.

Other than that, everything is status quo.  One week of school left, and that includes 3 short days on Wed, Thurs, and Fri.  So hopefully the week will go by quickly, and I can throw myself into housecleaning and more packing.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.  I leave you with a link to some pictures of amazing gingerbread houses.

http://www.yesbutnobutyes.com/archives/2008/12/gingerbread_fan.html

This has actually been a busy week for me.  I had to work Monday, Tuesday and last night.  Wednesday I had to take my 94 year old great, great Aunt to a doctor's appointment, that ended up being almost 3 hours long.  She is being put in a nursing home and due to my Grandma's illness, I have somehow inherited the task of taking care of this situation.  I have no idea what I'm doing, but I will do my best to make things work out.  My grandmother is back home, but still very ill; I think they released her too soon. But, she is less stressed at home, where she can see her dog, so hopefully she will get better faster.

I have been battleing a roach in my kitchen for the past few days as well.  He appeared Wednesday moning, seemingly dead on the kitchen floor.  I covered him up with toilet paper, and got ready to go to work.  Right before I left, I noticed he had moved out from under the paper, so I covered him up with more, and left.  When I got home from work, he had moved out again, and further away.  I covered him up with more paper, and went to bed.  The next morning, he was out again, so once again I covered him up and went about my business.  When I got home yesterday afternoon, he was out, and still slightly twitching.  I gathered all my courage to get close enough to spray him with bug spray, then covered him up one final time.  He is still under the paper, hopefully dead.  Now I just need someone brave enough to come over to my house and throw him away.  I dread to think how many I will find under stuff when I move again.  Shudder!!!

So, this weekend is very welcome.  There are a ton of things I need to catch up on, namely packing, TV and working out.  Only 2 more weeks until Christmas Break.  I think I can get everything done in time.  I THINK.

Well, it is almost 5:30 on Sunday and I am so glad that the weekend is almost over.  It has been bad from start to finish.

I was driving up to Tallahassee on Friday when my car majorly overheated.  Luckily I was able to drive to the next exit where there was a service station.  The mechanic came and looked at my car.  First, he thought it was the thermostat, so he ordered one and I waited about an hour and a half for it to be delivered and installed.  Took the car on a test drive and barely got 2 miles before it heated up again.  The mechanic then decided that the radiator was clogged, since one side was almost 200 degrees and the other side was only 90. Unfortunately, there were no radiators to be found that night.  One was ordered overnight rush, and I left the car there to be fixed the next day.  I called a friend who was driving to Tallahassee from Orlando, and she was able to pick me up.  Saturday was the game, and we got our asses kicked and had to stand in the pouring rain for 4 hours, which really sucked.

So, I had other friends drive me to get my car this afternoon, and the total damage was over $500.00.  So, wasted time on Friday, shitty Saturday, and expensive Sunday.  In the grand scheme of things, I shouldn't complain because I still have my health, but Christmas has been cancelled as far as I'm concerned.  Hopefully 2009 will be better.

I was standing near Columbus Circle in Manhattan, freezing my butt off, waiting for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade to begin.  It was a wonderful experience I will never forget, but I am glad to be at home, in my sweatpants, watching on TV this year.

Happy Thanksgiving, ya'll!!!

Well, I just told my landlord that I was moving.  He was nice about it, as I expected because he's a nice guy.  I kind of feel bad leaving after less than 2 years here, but it's really best for me to have my own place. 

I was also able to get a carful of boxes moved.  I'll try to get some things over each week, so when the time comes, I'll just have the big furniture to go.

I hate packing.

Just when you think you've seen it all...

http://www.lulu.com/content/4956212

I will never look at flan the same again.