Worst Week

This week has been nothing but pure insanity!!!! On top of work (which is most often crazy in itself) and my booked social calendar (I had something planned for every evening this week - NOT including my training for the 3-Day), it all started Sunday when I got a random call from an old friend/ex-boyfriend (or whatever label you would like to give Bryan), totally out of the blue. I've yet to figure out why he called me. With all the craziness, we've been playing an endless game of phone tag all week. Things just went downhill from there as last night on my way from our volleyball game to choir practice, I was in a car accident. No worries. I'm fine. No one was hurt. It was not my fault. Someone ran a red light and hit me. And now today, at noon, I have a dentist appointment and I think I will be getting a root canal (at least that's what they told me at my last appointment). I can't WAIT for this week to be over.

Weather Report

I heard the most interesting weather report this morning. They said, "It's going to be a great day! It's going to RAIN!" For those who may not have heard, we have been having a very big problem with brush fires. Mostly they have been in Volusia & Brevard Counties (between Cocoa & Daytona along I-95). Earlier this week there was one right by SeaWorld. For all I care, it can rain ALL week, just as long as the weekends are nice.

Birthday Video

OK, so I FINALLY figured out how to post Grandpa's birthday video on the web. Click on the Title link and it SHOULD take you right there. I am also taking orders for anyone who would like their own DVD copy. I have 25 blank DVDs.

Goin' Home Again

Well, I'm flying back up to Michigan tomorrow for Grandpa's 90th Birthday Bash. It's like deja-vu. It feels like I was just there. Oh, right, I was. It feels like I've spent more time in Michigan this month, than Orlando. I think this will be my shortest trip ever, though. I think I will be home just over 24 hours before heading back on Sunday.

Sweet Home, Michigan

Yesterday, I flew in from the Sunshine State to find, much to my surprise, more sunshine! I would have hardly thought that I had left Florida had it not been for the lack of palm trees and blooming flowers. I had a very nice flight, though. I flew AirTran for the first time. It was actually quite nice. It wasn't full. In fact, I had a whole row to myself. The plane had XM radio in the armrests, and since no one was sitting next to me, I could easily switch between the Tiger game and another music station (in between innings and whenever I got frustrated with their losing). The digital display even showed the inning, outs, and the score (so I really didn't even need to listen). Mom & Gramps were there to pick me up.

I love coming home. I don't think I could begin to describe the comforting feeling I get when I walk in the door and drop off my luggage in my old bedroom. I can't believe Dad actually asked where I was planning on sleeping. There's NO way I would sleep anywhere but MY room. After getting settled in, Mom & I went up to the loft in the barn, which had just been cleaned out (see Persevere). I couldn't believe how clean it was. I did manage to go through some of my stuff though, and found a few of my architecture textbooks to take back with me. One such book is The Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice. Another book that I found wasn't a text book at all, but is vital to my career. It is the book which inspired me to become an architect. It was my FAVORITE book from my childhood. It is Need A House? Call Ms. Mouse! by George Mendoza. I loved this book. It was all about Henrietta Mouse, "an artist, a designer, a dreamer, a builder, a creator, all that and more. too." She designed homes for all her forest friends: a "spaceship" treehouse for the Squirrel, an underwater Atlantis for Trout, and a million-dollar mansion for Pig." But it was the illustrations by Doris Susan Smith that were truly captivating. I would look at this book for hours on end, then close my eyes and imagine myself living in any one of these houses.