Day Four. Hot Topic.

so we didn’t get to go to the house to use the internet.

However, we did get to go shopping at the mall, which had the redeeming qualities of a good Walden’s, a Hot Topic (absolutely my kind of store, my FOB sweater was noticed right away, there were Charlie the Unicorn shirts, and the staff were arguing about one having actually met one of the Decemberist’s at a concert, as well as just being a place I would spend my life in) and a Chinese food place in the food court. I got some sweet shirts and a good book or two, which may become gifts for a certain couple of people back at home. I still have to get cheese for my friends at home.

As I sit here listening to Joe Dassin, I try to ignore the multitude of bites I got last night as we listened to the fiancé sing some folk songs in Russian (pretty cool, actually. I now want to learn the language). And we now have a second cabin, so I don’t have to deal with the drips of the trailer; just the perpetual terror I have of the top bunk falling down on top of me and crushing me. Oh well. The fair in Wausau starts today, so we’ll just see if I can’t get my sister to take us to it some time, hee hee hee.

I haven’t gotten any tanning in yet, and the luminosity of my legs is still really something (I make no joke or exaggeration here, my legs do really have an almost translucency to them, and they glow in the sunlight), so we’ll see if I can find a good tanning spot today. On the plus side, I am making good headway with my book, believe I am halfway, if not more, through it, which will give me time to also read all of the manga I brought along. And possibly the book I bought yesterday before I give it away, tee hee.

I have kind of lost track of time here; for instance, I had to buy a watch yesterday (by some cashier who asked if my sister and I, as Canadian’s, said “eh?”) and as I was changing this morning, I had to wonder at what day of the week it was before I settled on Tuesday. I also learned this morning that we will probably take the Chicago way back home, which makes me just so much happier. Not only because I really want to go that way, but also because it means that I will have more to look at than the not-so-pretty Michigan lack of landscape.

(Oh! On the way through Michigan, I actually saw a sign on the side of the highway that was as so: “Prison Area: Do Not Pick Up Hitchhikers”.)

Day Three. Chompers.

I had a shower this morning, it was quite okay, and I used the most absorbent towel I have ever used in my life. Trying to sleep last night/this morning was a total disaster. At first, I was quite pleased with the pounding of the rain on the top of the camper that “the kids” got to sleep in; I loved the thunder and lightening. But then I woke up at some point in the morning and discovered that the roof had decided that my sleeping place would be the perfect place to have a crack to let in some of this torrential downpour. My blanket got literally soaked, and my pyjama pants were the most uncomfortable I have ever worn. I was quite pissed and have made a vow to not sleep in that thing again. We might possibly get to go back to the fiancé’s house today, which would mean internet. (If this blog gets posted August 3^rd, 2009, then you’ll know I did.)

I am wearing Crest Whitestrips this morning, and they are quite irritating. I despise having something on my teeth, but there is really no other effective and inexpensive way for me to whiten my teeth; those toothpastes never seem to do anything. Oh well. I am really hoping we can go into town today; I want to spend my American money, and I need a washcloth. Oh, and one good thing about this trip: I will be able to get a LOT of typing done, something I probably wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise. Right now I have about a week in which to do my typing. Nice.

Day Two. The Wilderness.

Went to mass today in the town of Wausau, close to Merrill, where my sister’s fiancé lives. It was a beautiful church, actually; it was modeled after a chapel in Munich that was built for a Duke some long time ago. The people there were incredibly friendly too; my little sister and I saddled a little girl Charlotte on our laps for half an hour, and she was the cutest thing. She loved my nail polish (yay for vibrant electric blue!), my rings and my earrings.

She, in her own turn, had her own little purple plastic ring, in addition to her general all-around adorableness and her tiny little hugs on greeting. Apparently there is a fair coming up, I hope we get to go to it, as it is in the days that we are here.

Peter, (Johanna’s fiancé) is a really nice guy, and very smart as I hear. I like him, but will have to get used to him. My little brother is being the rudest I have ever seen him in my life. It’s driving me up the wall, and I am going to disembowel him soon.

We ate some cheese, and I drank some milk. Delicious. If there are two things I like, they are milk and cheese, and I do not regret this State for that reason. MMMMMMM.

We have come to the cabins….and there is no internet connection. I wonder if the mosquitoes here have ever tasted Canadian blood before. I wonder which nationality’s blood they prefer. Well, it’s a nice cabin and all, and the lake is pretty. It’s just a shame I don’t really like swimming in lakes, or the fact that I would rather not be in my swimsuit around my mother, who is certain to comment on the amount of breast-age it shows….oh well.

I hope we get to go back to the fiancé’s house soon…I’m sure it will have internet, as opposed to just posting these all at once when I get back, which might be my only option. I also would like to go back to Wausau; I like towns a bit more than the wilderness. My dad, always curious, decided to open an outhouse to see if it was still all in order. Well, it is, and, he got stung by one of an angry mass of wasps. *sigh*

At least I have tons of books and I have movies on my laptop, so I can read and watch movies. As it is, I am simply typing all of my blogs on my word processor, waiting to post them later. I despise the fact that I can’t use my cell phone in a different country either, I am going to die soon from withdrawal of communication with someone other than my family. Gah. At least I can get a lot of napping here. Woot.

Well, I am going to go eat some cheese and drink some milk.

Day One.

Well, our car ride took excessively long for my butt to handle. It was somewhere between 14-14 ½ hours. Gah. And I really couldn’t stand the way that my siblings decided to just sprawl all over the place, and me.

Where am I? Wisconsin. And I am really disappointed that we decided to take the very boring northern Michigan route, as opposed to going below the Lake and going through places like Chicago. I really wanted to go through Chicago; I’ve always wanted to go there. Oh well, maybe I can convince them to go that way on the way back.

Why am I? Well, my dear older sister is engaged to an American man from Wisconsin (OMG, the accents in Michigan and Wisconsin are a riot to me), so we are down here for ten days at some cabins about 15 minutes from his house, enjoying the wilderness of this state. (Ps-I didn’t really like the woodsiness of Michigan, it was all simply spruces and pines and kind of ugly and boring. Wisconsin has more of a variety of trees).

My body is so sore after this intensely long ride, and all I want to do is sleep. I have a giant head ache not helped by my annoying little brother’s constant prattling and the fact that the radio is super annoying as well, and listening to my iPod will not help the situation. (My body would choose my vacation to give me a headache, runny nose, and itchy throat; especially when I opted to leave my Tylenol and Advil at home.)

I actually usually despise road trips with my family. Any incompetence for direction giving or taking, any thing that I find ridiculous about how they talk to people we meet along the way, and just every little thing about them starts to bug me. Especially when they make fun of all of the luggage I bring. My apologies. As an 18 year old girl, don’t expect me to bring any less. Besides, a ¼ of my luggage is books…I am not really expecting there to be anything too exciting up here.

Speaking of which, I am really praying for an internet connection at the cabin…

Saint Veronika

I love meat.

I am a great carnivore; I could never be a vegetarian.

Its taste, texture, smell and look combined just create such deliciousness you could never imagine by simply looking at an animal who likes to sleep in their own refuse.

I think if I were Jewish, I might convert for pork alone

"And God said, 'Let there be Bacon', and there was and everyone saw that it was good. No--not just good, amazing"

Meat is also very good for me after a night of drinking, as I discovered yesterday. I was researching it. Has something to do with sodium and iron and antioxidants--not that I need health excuses to enjoy a good steak--medium rare please.

Another interesting thing I came across in my Googling was that sources say it is possible for 25-30% of the population to be resistant to hangovers...there were reasons and research and all that.

And I dare say that it's very possible I am part of that 25-30%.

Especially since my dad was an alcoholic, it's extremely likely, actually.

(That is, if their research is correct. Because I have yet to get a hangover.)

It's not that I'd abuse this trait if it were true, I'd just use it to laugh at others when they get hangovers.

Which sounds extremely mean.

But if you knew my friends, you'd understand.

And they wouldn't care.

(God, I love my friends)

:P

(ps..Billy Talent III is the shiz. The third track is my personal favourite.

My heart will go on and on...

Well, I had what I like to call a ''Potpourri'' weekend :D

I dragged some friends along with me to my parent's house, which is about forty minutes from where we live. Problem is, my "fake-mom" for where I live now isn't always the best with directions...she offered to drive us home, and because of these directional disinclinations and other factors, a normal 40 minute ride took us from 7 PM to 11:3oPM....

I was kind of frustrated and felt supremely embarrassed. I didn't want to sign my friends up for that, I always feel horrible when I feel that I am inconveniencing someone.

My friends seemed to have an okay time at my house though. My one friend even said that my Dad was my favourite dad he'd ever met. That made me feel really nice inside.

Although, he said my mom was kinda scary. I found that kind of funny, but reassured him that she didn't hate him. Pauvre kid. I don't know what exactly my other friend thought of my parents, but I imagine (hope) it wasn't a bad impression.

When I got back to the house on Sunday (after making them go to church with me that day, something I felt really bad for, although they didn't seem to mind, and even had perhaps a good time, even the one who has neglected church for God knows how long) I took a long nap, and no one bugged me. Considering I live in a house of 12 people, that was somewhat surprising to me. Although, later that night, I did begin to get a head ache from the birthday party that was going on.

I also helped the kids have a bonfire whilst the parents and older kids were engaged elsewhere. We invited my one friend over, and by the time he got there, the youngest four were heading to bed. It was only me and an eleven and twelve year old.

Something strange though, the friend that we invited over is incredibly difficult to piss off, and he totally flipped out (in a calm way) on the one kid (not that she didn't deserve it, she was being bitchy).

We were all supremely confuzzled.

The one receiving the reprimand could do nothing but stare, her sister was holding back muted laughter and confusion.

Eventually I had to touch him on the shoulder and just look at him, like, "WTF?" and it made him stop. Poor guy, I must have looked so pleading. (he apologized later)

Speaking of pleading.

Him and I discovered that I do, in fact, have a tone of voice I subconsciously reserve for boys when I want something, although we also determined that I haven't used it on him before.

Now that I am aware of this, (and that apparently it sounds really cute and could, according to him, actually get me what I want) I am turning around the thought in my mind of wielding this weapon (perhaps on him, muah-ha-ha).

Oh, back to last night.

After we put the fire out (most fun ever, throwing a ton of water on a fire) we were just standing talking, and this cat walks up the lane, mewing and walking towards us.

My heart instantly melted.

I don't know if I've ever mentioned this, but the family I live with, half of them are allergic and the other half dislikes/hates cats.

I LOVE cats.

Thus, I thought God was taking mercy on my soul by sending this cat to me.

We decided it was a girl, because she sounded like she was in heat, and kept showing her ass to us, but she wouldn't let us pick her up.

I hope she comes again tonight, because we only got about ten minutes with her before we both had to part ways and go to bed.

Like an old skittles commercial

Ever since I started working for this family, I have found more money doing the laundry every day than I think waitresses get in tips everyday (I know this because I used to waitress, I would get some generous tips every so often).

Now, it's common rule that if you find money on the ground while doing laundry (especially when you do everyone's laudry, and since it's on the floor you quite honestly can't tell whose it is) that basically, finder's keeper's.

To be fair, I usually leave it down there for about a week, and if no one takes it, it's mine :D

So today I found a five dollar bill after not really finding anything there for a while (although, I did find a twenty in a purse the other day; I treated some of the kids with it.), and as I picked it up, I realized it was really worn out.

There is nothing more depressing than finding only a five after weeks of nothing, and to then have it rip between your fingers as you pick it up because your toe was lightly landed on the crumpled corner of the bill

:'(

So what do I do?

TAPE!!!

After surreptitiously sneaking past the two playing with Pokemon cards (which is kind of sad...considering one of the two is 16 and 1/2), I grabbed my trusty tape from my desk.

I did a pretty good job considering the sorry state that the bill was in before it was torn. And I know I should be able to use it without issue; thinking back to all the uber-sketchy bills I used to accept when I was a senior cashier at Staples...it should be fine :)

Of course, the half-inch that was torn off is taped almost a millimeter higher than the rest of the bill...but you can barely tell :)

(I'm sure Laurier won't mind the slight disfiguration of his face either)

(well, mostly just his ear)

(still)

I feel pro :)

and considering I get a little back after paying off my credit card (ack!), I think today is going to be a good day :)