Summer

There is no doubt that it is officially Summer time. Richmond's infamous heat and humidity have struck us with record-breaking highs, making the mean temperature in my house 88+ degrees.

I don't do heat.

Hearing my somewhat defeated tone, my Dad texted me one morning, "I'll be in Richmond at 2pm with 2 new a/c units, where will you be?" Amazing. If there was a father of the year award, he would win it, hands down. By the time I got home, the house was cool and he had cleaned my apartment. With all that is going on, it was so nice to be taken care of for a change.

So now, my outlook on the rest of Summer is much more positive.

I have the best family ever.

P.S. I am going to have to change my motto, no longer a Successful, *Single*, Sober girl. Just Successful and Sober ;)

Merry Merry

Hope that everyone is having/had a wonderful holiday! Mine has been swell so far. Right after work on Wednesday, I rushed home shoved laundry, random clothes, and the cat in the Volvo and hit the road. That night the family and I had chinese food, opened gifts, and laughed a lot. Good times. The next morning we woke up and had breakfast, said goodbye to my Dad (a little peeved that he didn't actually stay to see me for more than a night), and then my Aunt and I started baking!

Jerrie and I made kiss cookies and Amish-style sugar cookies. The latter was the most tedious cookies we've made yet. Last year, we made lemon cookies dipped in dark chocolate, these required fridge time, double-boiler, and fishing line. This year, the sugar cookies required me to sculpt them on the cookie sheet since the dough was more of a biscuit consistency. We followed the directions and 20 minutes later we had the largest cookies you've ever seen. Seriously, the size of my face. Needless to say, it took three people to 'test' just one of the cookies, so the recipe was cut in half.

I love family, even if i'm the butt of their jokes. The feeling of home is what is really making me consider moving back.

Cookie disasters, routines, and predictability.

Wishful Thinking

Yes, I should have been planning this out a little better, but I would want to get married on 11/11/11.
Call me superstitious, but how could you fail getting married on that day? Your relationship would be destined for greatness.

C'est la vie, next life!

Sign of the Times

My eyes are turning grey, there is a devilish smile on my face, and scarves hang around my neck- it must be Fall.

Best Day Ever 2009

Best Day Ever 09 really lived up to it's name!
Nailed final presentation, love my tattoo, went driving, bought The Office season 4, dressed up and went to dinner to celebrate friendship, went to a show, and stayed up late.




Such a great day, I am all smiles.
Now, lets start planning for Best Day Ever 2010! :)

Love Letters

I've gotten through about 5 or 6 of my Mom's love letters. Most of it is the loving, random ramblings of a man longing for his firecracker in the States. Each of these letters hint a little bit about who my Mom was, and how she loved. Through the hopeful images of a life together, this man speaks of my Mother in a very different light then i've ever known...
She longed for this man, she felt lonely, she was timid in love, and she was scared. Of course, all of these are hidden amongst the purely positive characteristics of my Mom. But one thing I rarely, and almost never, saw in my Mom was a hint of any weakness.

My Mom usually didn't offer support or advice for me in my ventures through boyfriends and loved ones. She made me figure it out the same way that she did, which wasn't such a bad thing- it definitely made me stronger. I am finding comfort that I am more like my Mom then I thought. She felt the same doubts, she dreamt the same, and she loves the same way I do.

Life is funny; while I'm extremely saddened in the idea that I don't have her here to guide me, I am comforted knowing that she is still teaching me, somehow.

Truths XV

"As long as you're happy, everything else is crap." -My Dad

Friday the 13th Murder Mystery Dinner

On Friday, the lovely Carley hosted a murder myster dinner.
So much fun, plus it was an excuse to get all dressed up :)

We are Louisa De Montforte and Tarquin Uppity

Morning Lullabies

I'm looking forward to morning tea on the porch becoming routine.

Ladies Night

Bernadette is taking me on a date tonight.
We got a movie, a pizza, and we're baking cookies.

We might be in love.

J'ai Deux Amours

Recently, I faced my fears and went to Maryland to visit my Dad.
Unfortunately, my Mom was only a faint feeling there...
...then we went through her memory box; I lost it.

One of the goals of my trip was to collect love letters sent to her when she was in her 20s. When she was in foreign missile sales, she was involved with a French Duke.
I found about 25 of his letters, and 5 various other ones.

These letters are going to be the basis for a book I'm writing.
I spent 20 years with my Mom, and I'm eager to find out more about her from these poems and hand written wishes.

Incredible.

Duke of Monte Carlo

I am highly unaware that the Holidays are upon us.
All I'm able to tell is that people are a little more frazzled, and the environment at work has become increasingly more annoying (I never knew that there were so many elevator versions of 'White Christmas').

I've recently become more comfortable talking to people openly about my Mom. She was a fascinating woman, and I love telling stories about her. After divulging some fun facts about her to the ladies at work, they decided I need to write a book. In particular, about a certain love affair she had in the 70s.

I hope to have a book together by the end of 2009.


P.S.
Traffic is a bane on my existence.

"Seventy miles an hour,
windows up tight,
And I am home"

Remembrance

Today my Mom would have turned 55 years old.
I miss her everyday.

I love you forever and always.

Lost and Found

Last night I went to a dance party, my first. It was fun!
There will be much more dancing in my future.

I lost the key that I wear around my neck for an hour today at work. I couldn't breathe.


I always new I was attached, just never to this extent.
This key means so much to me that I could never put it in words.


I guess it really is the key to my heart.

Times III

Russian Circles- "Youngblood"

-Opening guitar riff
-Theme change at minute 2:53 & 3:15
-Drumming 4:02-4:34

This is how technical I get when listening to music.
Sometimes, I stop breathing if I'm paying too much attention.
I am currently starting a journal of all my favorite song times.

This is me.

Truths

Ready.

Realization of the weekend

The "love of my life" is not in Richmond-
I know this for sure now.

It's just a weird gut feeling I have.