So wow! I haven't been on tBlog in a long time. I'm thinking about coming back. Lots of things have changed with me in this year+ hiatus. I lost about 30 pounds and became a lot healthier. I became vegan. Things are still good in my relationship. I think I've grown a lot. So I hope to post some more ... no promises though ... I do have a myspace ... but my computer has been really screwing up my email and stuff so I've been kind of trying to stay away ... http://www.myspace.com/cherry... Ciao!

I probably won't be making another post before we leave for California Monday morning, just because if I'm not working this weekend, I'll be packing or spending time with my mom on Mother's Day :) Or ... going to the effing dentist tomorrow ... my last mercury filling just had to come out tonight. Right before vacation. It's not hurting at all, it's on a tooth I had a root canal on when I was 13 - 15 (don't remember which side, I had two done, one on each side at those ages) ... so it was time for that filling to come out. But did it have to be right before the trip??

So I compiled a "master list" of things to take to California today. I had some time between my split shift at work, so I ate some lunch alone at Dravenstott's. The waitress there is so nice, she's an older lady and I like talking to her. It's nice to know there are non-grouchy servers, unlike some of the ones at my work, lol. Anyhoo ... it's pretty basic, but I really don't want to forget anything!

I picked up Tony Hawk Underground 2 Remix for PSP the other day, thanks to Mike for lending me the $$ :) It ROCKSSSSSSSS. Not only is it fun, I mean, it's everything that's in the normal games, AND MORE, which is rare for a handheld; you usually get an abbreviated version. And you still get to create characters with the same depth ... and the game just looks flat out amazing.



And it really does look that good! I love it. SO that'll be good to play on the plane or on the long drives.

So ... our itinerary isn't really set ... besides Alcatraz, the redwoods, and Yosemite, anyway ... but I'll be sure to post a gazillion pictures when we get back ... we'll be gone from Monday, May 15 - Wednesday, May 24, so ... talk to everyone then!!!

Yesterday was rather uneventful. Went to work ... actually made halfway decent money for being as slow as we were. Today I have to work 11:30 - 5 which is no fun because that means I have to do 'dressings' ... that means I have to prepare little cups full of every dressing ... I HATE it. Obviously I do it but it is my most loathed side job.

After work me and my mom drove up to my grandma's near Cleveland ... we got stuck in a traffic jam for LITERALLY an hour. It sucked bigtime. It wasn't as hot as it could've been, but my mom's car has the tendency to overheat, so she turns the heat on to take some heat off the engine, or something. It was boiling in there ... there was a pretty big accident by the time we finally got past it, a semi - two front tires + totally squished guard rail + burnt grass ... not good.

So the more I think about it the less warm weather we're going to encounter in California, which kinda stinks in my opinion. Oh well. As long as I get to see Alcatraz, I guess. We'll be able to do more swimming this summer at Silver Creek and other places too. Although it'll be hard with Mike taking classes practically every day of the week, and I work a lot of mornings ... blah.

Well I gotta leave for work in about 45 minutes ... gonna get ready. Ciao.

Is it still Sunday? Well technically not, I guess. Now the REAL countdown for California begins ... I know, I know, I talk about it too much, but people in real life get tired of me blabbing about it 24/7. So I gotta spill here!

Work was pretty uninteresting today. Made like $20, if that. Pretty bad. Went up to CVS after work and bought not one, but TWO nose plugs! I am incapable of swimming without a noseplug. LOL. I suck. But the feeling of water up my nose is SO unsettling, and I've TRIED my whole life (well, since I could swim) to do it without holding my nose or anything, and it just doesn't work. I asked my doc about it once; he said it's not uncommon to not be able to hold your breath underwater well, plus bad sinuses could do it too. So whatever, while other people get water up their nose, I just look like a doofus.

Me and Mike took a little walk in Silver Creek metropark this evening, it was REALLY nice. Beautiful weather. Had a blue slushie.

I started reading a book by Dave Barry ... he's hilarious. I'm not sure if he retired ... I don't think he did ... but he writes funny articles for a Miami newspaper, just little family oriented real-life blurbs. This one is called "Dave Barry Does Japan" or something like that and it talks about American vs. Japanese culture, in a really funny way. I don't feel like reading anything serious at the moment!

So yep ... nothin else really going on. I'm going to make the "Master Checklist" of things to take to California sometime this week, maybe tomorrow after work. I want to start packing so I have some of it done ... but I DON'T want to because I'll inevitably need something out of there!

Oh, I also started playing Ocarina of Time again tonight. Me and Mike kinda switched on and off, I didn't play really long because I got to the part I hate the most - Death Mountain when you're still a kid ... BLAH. I hate being a kid. And I don't know any of the damn Ocarina songs ... and my old save file got lost somewhere (probably on my old memory card ... we won't go there ... don't try to save a game during a thunderstorm).

Off to read more Dave Barry ... night!

I've nothing to post about lately! I want to post pictures but I don't HAVE any ... grr! Finally had a day off work today for the first time since like ... last Wednesday or Thursday I think. Spent it with Mike! We were gonna go to the zoo but it was blah out. So we ended up doing a little shopping in preperation for California! Got mini sized toiletries, etc. I got a Hello Kitty beach blanket! It rules!

But other than that .. tanned for another 20 minutes ... ya can't even tell. LOL it sucks, I guess I just can't hold a tan very well. I can if it's natural though, usually. And I burn really easily too, as evidenced by last years sun poisoning. Anyhoo ... I gotta be at work in 7 1/2 hours so I guess I oughta go to bed ... yuck. At least I have a good schedule next week. I work Monday and Tuesday morning/afternoon ... Wednesday I have off ... Thursday morning/afternoon ... then a yucky split shift, morning/afternoon, leave for a little bit and then come back in the evening ... and then 8 - 3 Saturday morning ... but then that's IT and I won't have to work until after we come back from California!!! Whoo!

I'm sorry if I haven't been reading or commenting on my friends blogs lately, our internet connection is getting really annoying. Someone from the company came and looked at it and at first said they should've sent another technician more specialized, then they said nothing was wrong. Whatever. So ... big apologies. This thing is just really frustrating though!

Night!

Blah. After me and Mike had that fight the other night, he decided that we're re-arranging my room tomorrow. That means I have to clean it first ... yuck ... I gotta be at work at 4 pm ... so that means I have a little less than 5 hours to work on it. LOL this sucks. I HATE cleaning. He says it'll help me get out of my depressed funk though, and I am inclined to agree. I just wish I had more time to clean it! Oh well. I'm getting a headache on the one side of my head too, kinda buggin me :(

But really not a lot going on! Just been working. Finally had a good day at work yesterday, made about $50, compared to not even $30 on Tuesday when I worked the same shift. But I'm soo glad I have tomorrow off. We're going to the Akron Zoo as long as it's nice :)

Well I better start this flippin chore ... ciao.

Yeah! ... I'll have to post pictures later. Well everything was good, almost ... except work ... and the fight me and Mike got in. Bleh ... but me and Mike's mom went shopping. I drove. We went to Wooster, first to Kohl's, then to Nice as New, which is a secondhand store but they have lots of good deals. Then over to Wally World. All together I picked up a pair of walking shoes, a pair of shorts exactly like another pair I have but in a different color, a tank top, a cute short sleeve top, and Mike's mom bought me some really cute capris, a skort, and some earrings. :) She's really nice. I didn't want her to buy it but she insisted!

And yeah me and Mike kinda got into it tonight. I feel like I am going bonkers a lot of the time with my mood swings ... I do it to everyone. It's part my manic depressiveness that runs in my family, stress at home, work, and bills, and being on the pill again. I dunno. But we're fine ... we have one of those arguments every few months ... yelling .. extreme upsetness on my account ...

But anyway I just felt like making a post ... only 11 days till we leave for California!!

Yeah .. so I don't know whats going on or why my pictures on the side bar are gone. I'm just gonna wait it out and see if they come back. Because if my custom HTML is gone, I don't feel like messing with it right now anyway.

So I'm in this weird mode of anger about Chi Chi's passing. I know it's not right, but I'm just more angry now than I was at first. I know it's only been 5 days, but I just feel so ... I dunno. I'm not crying about Chi Chi now ... I still talk about her 24/7, but it's just the happy stuff, what a goof she was. Me and my mom went to the store last night and bought some picture frames to print out pictures of Chi Chi. They turned out really nice :)

But other than that not a whole lot going on. After work today I'm going shopping with Mikes mom. :) I'm looking forward to it. I probably won't be able to buy much (this is for the California trip) but I haven't really spent time with JUST his mom. Maybe get a late lunch/early dinner thing while we're out. I told Mike though, I don't want to drive my car on the freeway. Not only do I not like driving on the freeway, especially during rush hour, but I'm still a little paranoid about my car. It'll be fine on local roads, but yeah. So he can drive us to Fairlawn :)

I got up way too early this morning ... don't have to be at work for another two hours ... maybe I'll paint my nails or something ...

I made it through today only crying once about Chi Chi. It's getting easier to remember just the good stuff, and not replaying over and over in my mind her death. I feel sorry for Opal, she doesn't have anyone to play with now. I feel sorry for my mom and stepdad; they were so close to Chi Chi ... I mean I LOVED Chi Chi, but they were with her a lot more than I was. I feel sorry for the woman who hit Chi Chi, my mom said she was crying a little bit and felt so bad. Someone finally cleaned up the area in the road in front of our house where Chi Chi passed away, it made me cry everytime I pulled out or in the driveway, seeing the stains.



I made that for Chi Chi last night. I think it captures her personality best in that picture. The rainbow is symbolic of the Rainbow Bridge ... here is something that might make you cry ...

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

But we're trying to move on. It's only 2 weeks until we leave for California! I have to be happy about that. I tanned for 20 minutes today, gonna tan for another 20 minutes probably next Sunday, and then pop in one more time before we go. I can't believe it's so soon. :)

Well I'm gonna go read "Hackers", picked it up from the thrift store ... ciao.

I think I am going to leave this post up for a few days. Yesterday after I went to Mike's house, my mom called and told me that our sweet dog Chi Chi, had been struck by a car and passed away. It was really sudden ... Chi Chi is so important to all of us. She was our first 'family' pet. She was so smart. She always listened ... when you told her to go to 'her room' she ALWAYS did ... she was the cutest dog ever. I cried all day yesterday and have already more today. It's so hard seeing where she was hit, on the road ... seeing her picture in my wallet ... well if I don't stop talking I'm gonna keep crying. We love you so much Chi Chi. Now you can play with the puppies & dogs that Mike has lost up in Heaven. Don't teach them to bark at everyone though ... well, okay go ahead. It was annoying but we knew you just were trying to protect us by barking at that leaf floating down the sidewalk!

You can look at Chi Chi's Dogster profile by clicking HERE!

WE LOVE YOU CHI CHI!


Chi Chi being her cute self ...


Opal and Chi Chi lounging around ...


Chi Chi taking a nap on Opal ...


Chi Chi and Opal when Opal was sooo little ... Chi Chi REALLY didn't like Opal at first! But they're best friends now :)


Chi Chi trying to be all regal!

We'll miss you Chi Chi. You were the best!