Martha's got nothing on me.

I am on house arrest today. This will be the fourth visit in 1 month that our boiler company will have to make. Once again, I was given a 9-12 window when the worker was supposed to show up to replace our boiler. Now it is 2pm, the house is freezing because the boiler has been turned off since 8am this morning (like the company told me to do), and I recently got off the phone with the boiler company who told me they are a bit backed up (oh, really...i hadnt noticed) and they were wondering if I wouldnt mind if they just came by "sometime" tomorrow morning instead of today. Um, no. Not having that. I used the strongest American voice that I have and told the man that they would come today, and there were no other options.

The last time this happened (about 2 weeks ago), our boiler was completely broken (only 2 weeks after its yearly overhaul), and our bedroom on the third floor was freezing. The company was due to come out on a Wednesday, but due to "heavy traffic" on the A14 they wouldnt be able to "come 'round" for 5 days (because Thursday and Friday were already booked). I huffed a little bit on the phone, but I let it go and decided I could be patient while freezing my butt off for the next 5 days. They showed up on Monday, spent 4 hours looking at the boiler and then told me it was likely to break again and that I should call the company that manufactures it to see if they might have a look at it. (What? ). So that brings us to today; my landlord decided the best option is to replace the boiler, so I wait at home anticipating another call about the backup on the A14.

Martha Stewart was on house arrest for over a year. Its been one day and I've already cleaned the house, frosted 6 dozen christmas cookies, and thought about organizing my closets. Now all I need is a pair of pleated khaki's and some insider trading hints and I might become the next Martha. That or I will go completely insane. Or maybe thats the same thing?

Summary of this blog: British customer service is about as efficient as a Hummer's gas mileage.

Random Thoughts.

First off...I am very excited because I finished and turned in my final paper and have now completed 1/5 of my degree!! Woohoo. No more class until January22nd=Erin is very happy and talking in the third person.


Second. Jonathan (and Sword) put together an amazing work Christmas party that we attended on Saturday night. SUPER fun, LOTS of wine and no drama. Except for the fact that I somehow managed to get whipped cream ALL over my brand new top that is dry clean only (DOH!).

Third. Jonathan and I spent Sunday walking around Cambridge doing some final Christmas shopping and just hanging out. We had yummy burritos for lunch at Manna Mexico (which are good, but nothing compared to BonFire burritos in Goldsboro). It was really cold out, but the sun was shining and with the Christmas lights out everywhere we had a great time. Its hard to believe that Christmas is here!!

And Finally. I know that England is actually just a small island, but WHY are the parking spaces here tighter than grandma's spanks>? I mean, seriously, I drive a DODGE STRATUS (SNL skit, anyone? anyone?) I actually drive a Mazda 6, which in the states is considered a sedan, but in England is a giant, unparkable BEAST. Jonathan had to get out of the car and ground guide me while I was pulling into a spot in a parking garage in Cambridge. It was an austin powers move times 7....I must have used a 40 point turn to get into that space which really annoyed the car waiting behind me and served as entertainment for the couple parked near us that decided to stand and watch the event unfold (thanks for that). So, my plea to England is to widen your parking spaces, PLEASE, so that I dont have to Boston Bump my way into spaces anymore.

THE cruise.

Jonathan and I took an amazing 12 day cruise with our friends the Harpers and the Rivers from October 13th-25th. We sailed on the Norwegian Jade and our itinerary included: Istanbul, Turkey; Izmir, Turkey; Mykonos, Greece; Heraklion (Crete), Greece; Santorini, Greece; Alexandria, Egypt; Corfu, Greece; Olympia, Greece; and Athens, Greece. All in all, we hit three countries and THREE continents (Europe, Asia and Africa). The trip was absolutely amazing. Instead of hacking every detail of the trip on this blog (mainly because I am too lazy) I thought I would just include some of the highlights of the 12 day cruise. For a more detailed, and better written synopsis of the trip, read my friend Holly's blog (Jumble Life).

In particular order...here we go:

1. Being on vacation with Jonathan! Definitely THE highlight of the trip as Jonathan was away for two months training in the states for his upcoming 4-6 month "business trip" this winter. We planned this cruise as our big trip between the two times Jonathan will be away.

2. Unpacking and not repacking for 12 days. Cruising is amazing. Our normal European vacations have consisted of lots of packing and unpacking, in addition to lugging heavy luggage through airports and train stations, up flights of stairs, down tiny cobble stoned streets, etc. While I am by NO means complaining about some of our other trips, it was nice to go on a vacation where all we had to do was show up and unpack. We would go to sleep at night and wake up the next morning at a new port and/or a new country. We didn't have to lug our bags anywhere, we didnt have to look up train or bus schedules...we didn't have to worry. I highly recommend cruising.

3. Ruins. Lots and lots of ruins. We saw hundreds and hundreds of toppled marble columns, old marble walls and random chunks of stone. The boys (Jonathan, Jeff and Dan) LOVED the ruins, especially when a plaque with LOTS of writing was placed near ruins. The boys read EVERYTHING: every word, every date, every name...EVERYTHING. Don't get me wrong Holly, Erica and I loved seeing ruins and learning about history, but when you are looking at a toppled marble column there is only so much to look at and read about. That being said, we did see some pretty amazing stuff.

-----Ephesus: Ruins in Turkey, Ephesus was a thriving city for centuries, but most well known as home to the Ephesians in early AD times. It is said that Mary (mother of Jesus) lived here, and Paul (the apostle) visited often and wrote many letters to the church of Ephesus.

-----The Palace of Knossos: Pretty much completely ruined, but seeping in history. This was the home of King Minos and prior to that was home to rulers and kings as far back as 4,000 BC! Presently, it looks like a bunch of low walls and marble stones.

-----Olympia: Home of the original Olympic games. The temple of Zeus was on this site and was one of the seven wonders of the world. The temple is completely destoryed; every column is toppled and the statue of Zeus is gone (read: stolen), but in its day it was an amazing and sacred sight to the Greeks. It was pretty neat to see Olympia just months after this years Olympics...so much history.

-----The Acropolis: Incredible. Breathtaking. Under RECONSTRUCTION. The Parthenon is incredible to look at in person, but was surrounded by scaffolding and cranes during our visit. The views of Athens from the acropolis are incredible.

(On the left is ruins of Knossos (a palace built 3000 years ago on a sight that has been inhabited for over 6,000 years)

(On the right: Jonathan and I standing in front of the grounds used for sprinting and wrestling at the first olympics in Olympia, Greece)

4. Beaches. When you live in England, being on a WARM beach is amazing, and rare. The islands of Mykonos and Corfu were beautiful and gave us a chance to work on a tan.

A beach in Mykonos
5. Food. When you go on a cruise you eat. If I could have worn elastic waist band pants the whole time, I would have. The food is all you can eat on board, and we ate all we could. Everynight we had 3-4 course meals (desserts ALWAYS included). The food was really good and also gave us all a souvenier: 3-4 pounds of muffin top to bring home with us. (for those not familiar with Muffin Tops: they are indigenous to England (though have been spotted worldwide). Muffin tops are the phenomenon of tummy excess spilling over the top of pants that are too tight. ) Greek food was by far my favorite. In Santorini we ate some of the traditional greek snacks including Hummus, tzatziki (my favorite), and fried filo-wrapped feta cheese drizzled in fresh honey. If I could live in Greece, I would.

6. Egypt. An incredible experience. You see the pyramids and the Sphinx on t.v. all the time, you hear about them, you learn about them in World Civilization in school but seeing them in person is something else entirely. We took a bus from Alexandria to Giz, and when we were finally able to see the pyramids out of the window I was awstruck. They are huge, and considering they were built 4,000 years ago without modern technology it is completely mind-boggling to try to figure out how the Egyptians did it. As amazing as the sites were, it was also shocking to discover that in addition to being an archeological marvel, they are also littered with TRASH. No joke, there were wrappers, empty bottles and camel poop ALL around the pyramids...right up to the base of the stones. Pretty disappointing, but still amazing to see the pyramids.

In addition to seeing the pyramids, we also had the chance to tour tombs with colored writing still on the wall, ride a jeep through the Sahara, and my favorite...we got to ride camels through the Sahara at sunset. (side note: DO NOT try to pet a camel that you have just ridden through the desert...they WILL try to bite you[ahem...Holly]. Turns out they are pretty angry animals. )

I'm going to stop there....because this became a much longer blog than anticipated! If you can't tell, we had a great time on our trip and are highly encouraging all of our friends to try to take a cruise.

Until our next trip....

B is for BEERlin.

Berlin, Germany: September 2008

Really bad picture, but really good beer.

Jonathan and I took a trip to Berlin with our friends the Coopers the day after Jonathan got back from his 2 month work trip to Las Vegas this past September. Berlin is a pretty amazing city...though it was freezing and raining for most of our trip. You walk around the city and can't help but think about its history. Most of the city is newly built...turns out most of the buildings didn't survive past 1945 (those bombers were a little too good at their jobs!). The Germans are very friendly...and were especially so because we were visiting Germany during a little holiday that they call "Oktober Fest"!! Jonathan had a smile on his face the ENTIRE trip knowing that Beer could be found on every corner.

<---- Jonathan drinking one LITER of yummy Oktoberfest beer.

Among the sites that we saw were: The Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie (on Freidrichstrasse), Berliner Dom (a big cathedral), Alexanderplatz (where Jonathan drank the liter of beer), Tiergarten (a big garden) , a HUGE Russian War Memorial (oddly, placed in West Berlin...kinda wierd), and of course the Berlin Wall.

Berlin Wall- - ->

Jonathan dusted his thinking cap off and strained to use the German that he learned in High School so that we wouldn't be totally obnoxious Americans that didn't even attempt to speak German. I used the few words I know (Eine bir, bitte) and am pretty sure that I completely butchered their language. Jonathan did a great job, though at one point we thoroughly confused a waitress who couldn't figure our where we were from and spoke to us in German, English and Spanish in one conversation.

All in all, the trip was a blast. Good food, good friends, and of course good beer. You can't get much better than a German Hef (though the Belgians put up a good fight in that beer battle). Jonathan tried to buy some Leiderhausen as a souvenier (just as he tried to buy a kilt in Scotland), but I used my crafty ninja skills and helped him talk himself out of the idea. I really don't want him walking around England in leiderhausen (or a kilt)...which is exactly what he would do if I let him buy them.

We are hoping to make another trip to Germany soon...Jonathan and I both spent many years as children in Germany, so its always nice going back to one of our "homes".

So thats why they call it "digital"...

Many of you have been asking about pictures (and by 'many' of you, I mean 2 out of the 3 readers of my blog). While I am not the most technologically advanced of people, I do know how to upload digital pictures onto my computer. The hard part is motivating myself to upload and organize hundreds of pictures that I have neglected to upload in a timely fashion over the past 2 years. Well-I found my motivation, thanks to Amanda and Lindsay :) I am going to try to catch up with my blog and post some pictures and stories of my recent trips. Don't hold your breath though...I am still prone to procrastination (just checked my e-mail for the fourth time since starting this blog!--kinda kidding). Pictures to come :) :)

My glass is half full, but its also half empty.

I tend to think of myself as a pretty caring person. I am sensitive, but not overly emotional; moody but not raging; and pessimistically optimistic (yes, I made that one up). Jonathan will be going on what will likely turn into a 6 month business trip starting in the new year. When I think that he will be leaving so soon (1 1/2 months!!) I haven't decided yet if my glass is half empty or half full. The opportunities that Jonathan will have on this trip to learn, grow and protect our country are incredible!! After 5 1/2 years in his job, he will be finally be able to put his training to the test. While I will miss him so much when he is gone, I have been focusing on all of the positives that this separation will bring. Sometimes I feel a bit callous because I am really excited about some the things I will be doing next year during the time that Jonathan is away. I will be (hopefully) finishing up 2 more classes and will be OVER half way done with my DPT. I will be planning and going on amazing trips with girlfriends. I will MAYBE be working in the UK or doing a contract job in the states for a couple of months. Six months is a long time, but you know, in the scheme of things it really isnt that bad. I will try to feel thankful every day that I am sad and missing Jonathan, because at least God gave me someone who I would be so sad to be apart from.

Sometimes I feel like I need to hide my excitement of the girl trips that I will go on, the growing that I will do as a person, and the chance to eat grilled cheese and tomato soup everynight when Jonathan isnt home, because some may look at this deployment as a "glass half empty" time. But, my glass is half full for this upcoming separation. Both Jonathan and I will have an incredible amount of growing to do while we are separated--and our relationship will be stronger for that.


Jonathan is my best friend and I love hanging out with him. At the same time, I am a fiercly independent person and Jonathan is pretty independent himself. I love being co-independent with Jonathan and I think our independence and ability to be co-independent together makes our marriage that much stronger. Separation can be good for any marriage...although I'm not quite sure SIX months is necessary. Its easy to look at these separations with a "glass half empty" mind set--but you know what, my glass is half full today. I am looking forward to the adventures that both Jonathan and I will face on our own while he is away, but I am more excited for when we can share our stories with eachother.

Back to School...

I started school again this September...but I found that the start of it was rather anti-climatic. I was remembering all those years when mom would make an awesome breakfast, my new outfit for that day was laid out nights in advance just so I could look at it and try it on over and over, and I was actually excited at the prospect of another school year.

Usually, the start of school meant that I was in a new place because of my dad's job. When I was younger, this was so exciting for me because I knew that I would make lots of new friends at school when we moved. As I got older, the idea of making new friends every one to two years became less exciting and more...well...scary for lack of a better term. I realized that not all kids were nice, not everyone wanted to be friends with a military brat who was going to move in a year or two, and that lunch on the first day of school may be the most frightening thing a military child ever does. Now, don't get me wrong...I would not change ONE thing about my childhood...it has made me into the person I am today and allowed me to see the world long before my 18th birthday. It made me stronger, and weaker at times, but generally my life as a "brat" prepared me to face life's challenges.

After 12 schools (including three high schools), I finally graduated and headed to college in Boston where I would be able to live for over FIVE years! I remember thinking how weird it would be to stay in one place for SO long...after-all, the longest I had ever lived anywhere before that was three years (and that was when I was a baby). Though I interrupted my stay in Boston for a couple of months when I studied abroad in Sydney, Australia, I lived in the same place for over 5 years and loved it. I was definitely ready to move when I graduated, though. I couldn't wait to "start fresh" again.

SO, back to the main point (if there is one) of this blog. I am back in school. School always makes me nostalgic, and somewhat nauseous because I hate homework and papers. Despite this, I have subjected myself to one more degree. One month into this degree and I already have "senioritis"...if nothing else going back to school will help me to sharpen my procrastination skills.

Turbulence.

I got back to England on Wednesday, after the most turbulent flight of my life. I hate flying. It's getting worse the older I get. On this most recent tempt of fate (aka. flight), I gripped the in-flight pillow for over an hour with sweaty palms as our 737 was tossed around in the air. Even the flight attendants were instructed to sit down. I said my final prayers and prepared for the imminent plunge into the Atlantic. I checked for my life vest under the seat (thanks for the paranoia, mom), and went through the emergency landing procedures in my head. Needless to say, the plane held strong and I live to tell the tale of the HORRIBLE flight. It has come to my attention that my issues with flying may be past those of normal fliers; and yes, I am a freak. It's pretty ironic that flying seems so incredibly life-threatening to me, while Jonathan has decided to make a living out of it.

After my near-death experience (yes, I am exaggerating...just go along with it), I spent over 8 hours getting home from Gatwick airport (normally the trip should take about 2 1/2 hours). So that was fun. And very British. I forgot how "British" this country really is. But I did miss England while I was in the States. It's good to be home.

Honeymoon in Hawaii...with my parents?

My parents and I take off for Hawaii tomorrow morning, and I am just a little bit excited!! My mom and I are tagging along on my dads work trip. And yes, my dad will actually be working. In fact he is not really going to have ANY time off at all. So, THANKS to dad for working hard so that mom and I can play harder!

Initially I felt bad for tagging along with my parents to Hawaii...especially since they have never had a formal honeymoon (even though they have been married for over 34 years!) and my mom has never been to Hawaii. Though once I learned my dads work schedule while there, I realized that this might actually be a honeymoon for my mom and I to share. My husband will be working hard in Las Vegas for training (ONE more month to go until he comes home!), my dad will be in meetings all day and my mom and I will be holding hands while sipping cocktails next to the pool. By cocktails, I mean that my mom will be sipping a water (or some other non-alcoholic beverage) and I will be sipping some crazy good drink with an umbrella in it. KCamp (my mom) has NEVER had an alcoholic drink in her life. I will definitely miss the hubby, but I have no doubt that my mom and I will have fun. I keep trying to talk her into snorkling with me. Since introducing the idea about a week ago to her she has come up with multiple reasons why snorkeling is a very "risky" activity.
#1: Severe back sun burns have been increasing in the past several years in Hawaii--many tourists have been hospitalized with infections. (Note to tourists who are snorkeling without applying and reapplying sunscreen and/or wearing a shirt: YOU WILL GET A SUN BURN)
#2: Many snorkelers die every year...by drowning. Turns out people don't think to stop breathing through the snorkel when a large wave goes above their heads. (Note to tourists: Don't breath water through snorkel...your lungs don't like that.)
#3: There is an inherent risk of shark attack when snorkeling. Now, I am not going to fight this one with my mom...after all I am still convinced that I saw Jaws in the man-made British lake that I swam in.

I am determined to snorkel with my mom. I am just going to feel incredibly guilty if she drowns while getting a severe sun burn and getting attacked by a shark. Oh well, the risk is worth it!

ALOHA!

I love me some America. So should you.

My parents and I took a trip to Nashville, TN 2 weeks ago to go to the Grand Ole Opry. Included on the list of performers were: Martina McBride, Trace Adkins, Wynona (Judd) and Lee Greenwood. The concert was pretty amazing...and a little wierd at the same time. The Grand Ole Opry is shown on GAC (a country music tv channel) and is also broadcast on the radio. Every 2-3 minutes during the first half of the show (before the big stars perform) the MC has to read an adverstisement. Very repetitive and slightly annoying, but somehow it adds to the charm of the show.



Back to the performers: While all of the performers were incredible(!!!) I had the most goose bumps with Lee Greenwood's performance. Lee Greenwood sang "God Bless the USA" and received a standing ovation from the minute he started his song to the moment it ended. Almost everyone sang the words with him and you couldnt help but feel the amazing amount of patriotism in that room.



In a time where the US is polarized between those who call themsevles Reblicans and those that call themselves Democrats, those that support the war and those that don't, those who are pro-life and those who are pro-choice, etc etc., I think that it is very easy to forget just how lucky we are to be American citizens. We live in a country where we can go to church on Sunday and not worry about being persecuted for our beleifs. A country where we can go to a pizza joint and not worry about a suicide bomber entering the restaurant. A country where we can speak out against our government to make our opinions known. A country where we can VOTE for our political leaders. Yes, there are many things in the US that should change, but overall this is a pretty amazing country to belong to.



In his song, Lee Greenwood states: "I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free. And I won't forget the men who died, who gave that right to me"



In times when you might be angry at America for its politics, its failures, and its wrong decisions you can NEVER forget the men and women that are serving and have served this country to keep it free. Military members are self-less, they serve and risk their lives so that we can be free and so that we can speak our minds, even if we are speaking out against the war that they are fighting.

So, thank you to every service member in the US military (and their families). Without your bravery and selflessness we wouldn't be living in the land of the free.

If you act classy, does that make you classy?

I am staying with my parents in Huntsville, AL for about a month this summer while Jonathan is "working" in Las Vegas. My dad keeps pretty busy with his job; usually he is out of town during the week but luckily there is a conference in Huntsville this week so he has been in town. Part of my dads job is schmoozing and small talk...and when I visit the parents I get to partake in this "socializing" as I attend events with them. Last night, my parents hosted a dinner party for some of the foreigners that were in town for the conference. My parents have an AMAZING chef (provided by my dads job...and NO my parents aren't rich) who made a very yummy dinner for us. Countries represented at our dinner table included: Israel, France, Germany and the Netherlands (not to mention America ;) ). Usually these dinner parties are pretty stuffy, and I have to act classy (NOT klassy). I sat up straight, folded my hands on my lap and made sure not to spill my milk (I am only 16 years old you know--please see previous blog).

Turns out, these Europeans are pretty cool. Some conversations began to focus on space ships and rocket science (Boring! no offense to all you rocket scientists out there); but the better conversations were about the similarities between men and women cross-culturally. The husbands at the table continually rolled their eyes as the women discussed shopping, not spending enough time with their hubbies and the fact that husbands should cook more often. I was able to sip on my wine and laugh the whole night.

At the end of the night, when the dinner party was over and we were cleaning up I began to ponder my own classy-ness. If I act classy, dress classy and hang around classy people, does that make me classy OR am I like a Prado purse: a cheap knock-off?

Nothing says luxury like a 1997 Toyota Camry.

Last Sunday my mom and I drove from Worcester, Massachusetts to Huntsville, Alabama (insert the sounds of banjo's and shot guns here). Yes, I said DROVE. We spent 18 hours on the road in my parents luxury 1997 Toyota Camry. This car is fully loaded with POWER windows AND the original tape deck (you better believe that we were jamming to all of the NKOTB classics). I say luxury because our other option of vehicle was my dad's "baby" The 1993 Corolla that just keeps on going. The Corolla may have been an okay car in its heyday (back in 1993)--it comes complete with crank windows, tan cloth seats AND a tape deck--but now-a-days I have to say that its kind of a piece. My dad does take GREAT care of the corolla...in fact he was a little nervous when gas prices began to sore because it was obvious to him that our 1993 Corolla would be a high theft target due to its great gas mileage. Somehow, no one has gotten their greedy hands on the Corolla...we still keep the alarm on at night though (o0h wait, no alarm system). Needless to say, when driving in the Corolla you can feel every pebble and every crevice on the road.


But I digress...I have many stories about K Campbell (my dad) which some of you have been privileged enough to hear on road trips to Brugge, that I will save for a later date.


My mom and I are pretty good at the road trip thing. She likes to wake up at the crack of dawn (4 AM!!) to hit the road. I drag myself into the car and quickly fall back asleep...happy to awaken 4-5 hours later a couple of hundred miles into the trip. I take the afternoon shift--with the help of Starbucks. We make a pretty good team, and we have fun on our trips. I am pretty lucky to have such a great mom.

10 years younger...

I know that someday I will appreciate it...but today is not someday. Since arriving in Worcester, Massachusetts (my parents home town) I have been called "a beautiful little girl", asked if I was "16 years old" and was asked if I attended Wachusett High School and if so what I thought of their new newspaper. I HATED being 16, haven't been called little girl since I was about 10 years old and am pretty sure that I graduated high school over 8 years ago.

Now, don't get me wrong. I know that someday people thinking that I look 10 years younger than my actual age will be a HUGE compliment. But today, I take offense to it.

My mom and I walked into a medical office to discuss care options for my grandma--while in the waiting room one of the office workers looked at my mom and I and said to my mom: "What a beautiful little girl you have". At this point, my mouth dropped open and I stared at the women with a vengeance. Just that morning I had registered for classes to complete a post-professional degree. This comes 4 years after graduating college. My mom quickly told the women that I was 26 years old, married and living in England...at this point the women felt like a complete, well, a#$. Insert foot in mouth here.

I don't know what these Worcester-ites are thinking. I am afraid that I am going to get pulled over for driving under age or something.

This blog sounds pointless...but I have hated looking young for my whole life. I thought that I was beginning to appreciate this quality of mine, but my last few days in Worcester have definitely made it clear that I still resent my youthful appearance. Someday I will look back at this blog and hate myself for complaining about such a stupid thing. But today it seems important.

So I guess 26 is the new 16. As long as I don't have to move back home and go to High School again I think I might be able to get used to this. Maybe.

Loving Boston, but missing the hubby...

I have totally fallen in love with Boston, AGAIN. I never forgot my love for this city, but being back has really reminded me how amazing a place this is! Dunkin Donuts is seriously on every corner (FAR out numbering Starbucks), you can walk the ENTIRE city pretty easily AND EVERYONE here wears Boston Red Sox gear. Now, normally I get annoyed by "posers" who only started to wear Red Sox apparel since the Sox won in 2004 (stupid band wagon fans!); but it is SO much fun to be surrounded by the Red Sox logo everywhere you go in this city.

One thing I didn't miss about this city: the RUDE city people. I was walking around my old campus (Boston University!!! THE BEST SCHOOL IN THE COUNTRY--sorry bout all the caps, but BU deserves it) and I was spat on by a stupid little BU kid listening to his IPOD. I about bit his head off in front of a crowd of touring parents and potential students. I think I gave them quite a show...my bad. WHO spits without looking to see if there is anyone around that they might hit with their saliva bomb. Seriously...that boy is lucky I didn't Tae-Bo his sorry self across Comm Ave onto the T tracks.

On a side note, Jonathan left Boston to head back to England yesterday. We probably won't get to see each other until October 1st as the Air Force is "making him" go to Las Vegas for "training" for 2 months. Hmmm, lets see...the Air Force is sending a squadron of fighter pilots (who like drinking, gambling and women) to "train" in Vegas. Sounds like a great idea! Ha. In there defense, the guys and gals will be really busy. I am hoping to make it out there to see Jonathan; but my schedule this summer is pretty tight. I have a wedding on Labor day weekend, and then I HAVE to go to Hawaii with my parents :) (insert your sympathy here).

Enjoy the "English summer" gals and guys still on the Island! I miss you all.

BOSTON and vicinity....

I have been in the states for 2 weeks already!! Yikes. Time is flying by....I have already done soo much!

Jonathan and I spent about a week with my family at the beach in Duck, North Carolina (quite possibly the best place EVER!) We also spent some quality time with Jonathans parents in Baltimore (luckily we did not witness any drive by shootings....that place is a little rough!). Then came the highlight of the past two weeks......Lindsay and Scotts wedding!

Lindsay (one of my best friends whom I met the summer before my freshman year at Boston U) and Scott have been dating since 1997!!!!!!!!!!!! and tied the knot on Saturday (July 26th). The wedding was amazing...especially the open bar and CHOCOLATE cake. I was the Matron-of-Honor at the big event so I was pretty busy the whole week but was soo spoiled to be able to spend the week with the bride :) I was pretty nervous to give the big Matron of Honor speech...but I think that with the help of amaretto (thanks OPEN BAR!) I not only got through it, but I also made a few people laugh (I found a way to talk about fluffers, pillowfights and transvestites in the same speech). Lindsay was absolutely GORGEOUS (I hate her...JK) and Scott was beaming the whole day. Despite my offers to be their personal assistant, I was NOT invited to their honey moon at Sandals in St Lucia (and I thought they were my friends...)

I am going to be staying in Boston for a couple of days now...and I am in HEAVEN! I walked from my brothers apartment around the corner and passed a CVS, Cold Stone Creamery, Starbucks AND a burrito place. I can't wait to go on a run tomorrow to check out my alma maters ever changing campus and to work off the open bar.

Good times.

Adios England....Aloha America.

I leave for the states tomorrow morning. While I am really, really excited to get back to "the colonies" (as America is still called by some Brits these days), my farewell to Britain for 2 1/2 months is bittersweet. I'll miss the summer days filled with rain, wind and clouds. I'll miss the "British" way of life...where everything takes a little bit longer, "customer service" is a theory and not a practice, and all of the bad things in life can be swished away with a simple "no worries" statement.

It's not all bad though. We do have sunlight from about 3:15am until 9:30pm during the summer. I can walk into one of 20-something neighborhood pubs close to our house for an authentic ale or a REALLY fresh Guinness. I can fly to continental Europe for less cash than it takes to fill up a gas tank. I can go on a run through our town and pass through Abbey ruins that date back to before the 1100's, a cathedral where barons drew up the magna carta, one of the oldest breweries in England, and a hilltop field with cows grazing. I'm going to miss Bury St Edmunds.

That being said...I have A LOT to look forward to in the states. Apart from the excitement that will come from spending the US Dollar (which is SOOO much more affordable than the British Pound), I will get to catch up with a lot of friends this summer and spend some quality time with the family. Here's whats on the agenda so far:

1. Duck, North Carolina: Beach time for the Campbells and Ritters (and now the Bott's too!)
2. Baltimore, MD: Hanging out with the Bott's
3. BOSTON: Lindsay and Scott's wedding (read: BACHELORETTE party!!!! with my ladies :) )
4. Huntsville, Alabama: Other than time with my folks...not too sure what to be excited about in Alabama yet...
5. Fort Monroe, Virginia: Amanda and Dan's wedding. I get to tell embarrassing stories about my best friend from high school in front of a lot of people...woohoo!
6. Honolulu, Hawaii: Just a business trip...for my Dad. Mom and I will be tanning and sipping on coconut drinks (hers will be virgin of course) all week.
7. Vegas/Grand Canyon?? Not sure yet, but it might happen.
8. Boston (again) : I Couldn't come back to the states and only go to Boston once!!

If you can't tell, I am a little excited. I only wish that I was going to get to hang out with my girls from England this summer :(

So...adios England. And Aloha America!! (at least until September!)

I did it!!

1:21:02. My first triathlon...complete! I conquered my fears of murky water (and thankfully the water was less murky today than on my practice swim last week) and didn't do half bad for a first timer. It was a pretty exciting day, and I think that I may get into this whole triathlon thing. It is definitely addicting!

Note to those who may be interested in doing a triathlon: It is important to take your helmet off BEFORE you start the running portion of the race. Turns out that running 400m before figuring out that you are still wearing your bicycle helmet is slightly embarrassing! Oh well.

Holly, Dori and I enjoying a post-race Hoegaarden!

The final countdown...

My last pool work out before the triathlon is today! Only 3 days until the big event. Holly and I have been tapering our workouts this week...leaving me feeling bloated and large since my body still feels that it needs to carbo-load every day in order to prepare for the next workout. Stupid carbs.

After the triathlon is over I have LOTS of packing to do. I leave for the states on July 12th and won't come back home to England until the end of September! In that time I will attend and play an active role in 2 weddings, travel to at least 5 states, hit up the beaches in North Carolina and Hawaii (I know, I know my life is tough), start my first semester of classes for my DPT, and HOPEFULLY find some jobs to apply for so that I can line up some interviews for when I get home. Ugh. I can already feel myself starting to procrastinating on all of the above tasks (except going to the beach, that will definitely happen on time!).

Alright, its pool time. My mantra today while swimming, adopted from Holly, will be "Don't Panic, Don't Panic". Luckily I have been reassured that the pool is free from sharks and murky water today (though last time we were at the pool I swam by THE largest floating snot I have ever seen in my LIFE so I am little nervous about what else I may find in the water).

3 days and counting..."don't panic, don't panic"...

Phobia.

You've heard of "Snakes on a Plane" right? Well how about "Sharks in a British Lake"?



Holly and I, in preparation for our attempt at a Sprint Triathlon on July 6th, decided it would be a good idea to try an open water swim just to get ready for the big day. We arrived at the lake, squeezed into our wet suits (mine is a MENS size M-L--so its less of a sqeeze than an attempt to zip the suit and pray that it doesnt fall off) and dipped our toes tenderly into the frigid water (at which point Holly yells out "Bleep-bleep the water is bleeping bleep).



I was pumped; our pool workout sessions have been going well (minus the frequent spotting of old men wearing speedos) and I thought that I was ready for the lake. Well, I was wrong. Holly took off and started swimming in her methodical, paced swim. I put my head in the water, stroked twice and immediately had an anxiety attack. You see, one of my biggest fears is being in murky water--and an even bigger fear (thanks to a babysitter letting me watch Jaws when I was 6) is being bitten by a shark or any other sea creature while in said murky water. Now, I tend to think that I am a fairly intelligent person and I generally understand the fact that you probably have a greater chance of spontaneously turning into the opposite sex versus getting bitten by a shark in a cold man-made British lake. That fact being known, I couldve sworn that I saw a "Jaw's" shaped creature swimming beneath me the entire time I had my head under the water.



Holly was a saint the entire swim...stopping frequently to make sure that I was wasnt waving my arms and requesting the kayakers to pick me up. I am adopting Holly's swimming mantra of "Don't panic, don't panic" while I swim from now on. By the end of our open water swim, I was able to keep my head under water more frequently without freaking out entirely. My goal for the triathlon is to swim free-style at least 75% of the time (I prefer to breast stroke so that I don't have to look down into the murky water). This is a lofty goal considering the fact that I will be 1) overcoming a HUGE phobia, 2) Completing my first competitive open water swim in my first triathlon and 3) checking the surface of the water for jaw's fin every 5 seconds.



July 6th should be interesting. In addition to the inherent risk of a shark attack, I may also be kicked in the face and splashed upon by my fellow competitors while trying to get over my shark/murky water phobia.



7 days and counting...

Sometimes I wonder...

Considering that it is June 26, 2008 and that my first and only blog (EVER) was in Sept 2007; I am wondering about my committment to this whole blog thing.

Here goes my attempt at a blog.

1. Sometimes I wonder why I like to clean so much. It used to be that I actually enjoyed the cleaning process (dusting, vacuuming, organizing etc.). The cleaning process has become monotonous, but the end result is still fantastic! A clean, clutterless house. Unlike my clutter-filled jumble life! Today I was cleaning and found 3 spiderwebs in random corners in my house. Sucking those webs up with my dyson made me a little happier than it should have...I think the joy of cleaning is returning to my life. (thanks for the OCD mom!).

2. Sometimes I wonder why I signed up for a triathlon. It seemed like an amazing idea considering the fact that its been a goal of mine for years. The training has actually been pretty fun, if not extremely painful (I am a glutton for pain and an endorphin junkie!). I talked Holly into doing the triathlon with me..now she has to talk me into still wanting to do it! We did a 16 1/2 mile bike ride today...and I feel like I have been hit by a semi-truck. The triathlon is July 6th...so the countdown has begun...I just hope that I am not the last person crossing the finish line!

3. Sometimes I wonder when I will be done with school. I thought I was done in 2006 when I got my MSPT. Now I find myself enrolled in the DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy) program at SImmons College. I figure I will have a lot of time on my hands while Jonathan is away in the desert protecting the U.S.A. for a couple of months, and what better way to spend the time than to go back to school! Yikes. I hope I am up for the challenge...we'll see what happens.

Thats all I am wondering about right now...mostly because my life is jumbled in England and its hard to figure out what to focus on each day. You would think that not working full time would mean that I could be more focused on other aspects of my life--maybe organizing the 10+ years of pictures that need to be put in albums, keeping in touch with close and long-lost friends, or maybe even just figuring out what exactly I want to do when I grow up. But, NO; Holly (a friend I have here in the UK) and I have decided that instead of this organized, task-oriented/focused life that we should be leading we are instead entrapped in a "Jumble Life".

Speaking of jumble...Ive just jumbled myself into another LONG blog. I'm done, enough jumbling. Maybe I'll post another blog in December. Don't hold your breath waiting...