why I'm boring lately

I just realized: I'm supposed to leave the country in a little over four weeks. I'm freaking out.

Here's my laundry list of to-do's before I leave

- Sell my car (which is currently making the scariest noise in all of humanity)
- Pack up my stuff and get it up to my parents' house up north
- Get my volunteer visa
- Buy health insurance
- Get a plane ticket
- Close down my business affairs here

So I'm scared and worried and stressed and really needing to be working on these things.

strawberries in the morning

I've mentioned before that I'm a morning person. It only follows that I'm also a big fan of breakfast. Down at the house in the country, we always have great things for breakfast. M.B. loves fresh bread and fruit, so it abounds around the kitchen.

journal entry, july 26, 2009

July 2009.

"A trying month indeed for me. Petrified of getting my business affairs in order properly before I leave, both for closing my life here and securing my year in the UK..."

It's not worth rehashing more than that.

on virtual dust

If you've have visited my blog recently, you'll see that Mythopoetic is getting a new look. My blog-savy html-master friend, Anna from Blog Whimsy has been helping me out with creating a new background.

She helped me do the background yesterday, and now I am trying to carve out a nice banner. Stick around, I promise the look will settle sooner or later.

Little Resolves

• To wear a braid at least once a week
  
  
• To find someone to take the canoe out with while I still can use a canoe
  
  
• To buy a sweet little dress I can wear in London without freezing
  
  
• To scour down the house before my benefactress returns
  
  
• Finally get a picture of the sandhills cranes

my story... my hope.

on patriotism & style

I've never been labeled particularly fashionable, though I've gone considerably far from the days of untamed hair (who knew it was actually rather curly) and big nineties glasses. In high school, my best friend was super-cute, and I found her example inspiring.

In college, one of my roommates, besides being naturally gorgeous, had an incredible eye for style. She taught me all the rules and had a large closet. My wardrobe is sadly lacking since we "broke up", i.e. are no longer roommates.

So now I'm left to my own devices.




















I was pretty proud of myself when I put together this outfit on July 3, not even thinking of styling for Independence Day, which was the next day. But the next day was Independence Day, so it worked out even better.

Maybe the tide has turned.

starting off the week

.

What!? It's Monday?

here and abroad

:: I'm going to England

:: A friend is going to teach in Taiwan

:: My former roommate just got offered a nanny job in Finland

Wow. We're going to be all over.

another weekend trip

I'm off again on a little jaunt this weekend. And I took Friday off work, so we're leaving first thing in the morning. Yay for four day work weeks!

My paternal grandfather just turned 80, and they are flying my older brother and I up for the weekend for the celebration.

It sounds like virtually the whole family is going to make it. I haven't seen one of my favorite cousins in probably two years, so I'm really glad that I'll get to see her.

I will also get to see my parents' new house for the first time! Either they or I are delinquent, because I've only seen one picture of it yet also, and I'm pretty sure that was the real estate ad. Hey, life is busy.

My little brother is coming home for the weekend too, leaving the camp where he's working, my sister will be there. I'll see my parents... Seems like I'll see them now, then for maybe a week in August.

After that, I'm off to London and may or may not come back for Christmas, so it may be a while before we're all reunited. It's a good thing I rarely get homesick.

back from pensacola

Pensacola was awesome.

Usually when I've gone to stay with K. and K. at their parents', we just chill. This weekend, we managed to squeeze in quite a bit.

Friday morning we hustled out to the base to go running. We found plenty of food to eat. We did a little shopping in Alabama. I scored a smart sweater for London weather.

Best of all, I got to go sailing! Kristi's parents got a small catamaran, and I was so excited to take it out. Like always, we met a new slew of marines, air force, and navy people. I also appreciated the chance to hangout with people who are in active duty on Independence Day.

holiday weekend wishlist

My fabulous former roommate, Kristi and I are headed to the western-most point of Florida for the holiday weekend: Pensacola. The land of the Blue Angels, uniforms, and military bases.

Pensacola is practically Alabama, which you can see from her parent's dock. A dock? Sweet haven, yes. Her parents have waterfront on a small bay there. When we were there for Thanksgiving a few years back, I dragged every willing body out of bed to watch the sun rise - beautiful.

Katie will already be there, along with their parents and grandma, and Kristi and I will join the throng.

I have a lot I'm working on now, plus holding down the fort while MB is off meeting her new grandbaby. I think the dog misses her mistress, and I'm a poor substitute. My goal: work hard for the next two days and then relax for a few, before picking up the stress for another month of so.

While I'm getting a mini vacation, I hope to get a few fun and a few necessary things accomplished.

- Read a whole book. Thinking about Who Moved my Cheese? but up for suggestions
- Start making support-raising phone calls
- Mail out all out-standing thank yous to supporters
- Apply for my London background check
- Develop some photo editing skills
- Blog a bit

What are your holiday plans? Anyone want to come to Pensacola?