Seattle -

- Was awesome.

The people seemed a bit funky sometimes, mostly those in the older crowd. It must be because they have extra narrow streets or something...I don't know what it is, but they seem a little bitter about something. However, the city, itself, was beautiful. JK, BK, AK, EK, and I all had a picnic at a park overlooking the P Sound. It was great and there was a homeless man playing his newpaper like a flute in front of me so that was pretty fun...cool guy. We also went to Pike's farmer's market, which was awesome!! One of the best I have ever been to. There were homies throwing gigantic fish to each other, which was a really popular show. I didn't get why everyone was so into it...but it was entertaining, I guess.


I mostly liked rooting for the crawdads attempting to excape from these big barrels. I wanted to free them, but the fish throwing homies on guard looked pretty tough. Also, there was a jam/preserves stand that let little AK taste all the different flavors of jam that she wanted, so I thought that was pretty rad. And, I wouldn't ever say that I am a true-blue flower person...I don't really get the whole dozen roses thing, but I am a sucker for peonies, and then when you wrap them in that brown industrial paper, like Meryl Streep in the Hours - whew baby , I am down for the count. And this farmer's market had the best looking peonies arranged in just such a manner for only $5...rediculous. I was in heaven. I wish I had my camera on me at the time because the whole place was full of color and interesting things and people.

As far as my B-day went, seeing the K crew made for the best anniversaire ever. The day started off hot, with us getting our blood pumping to Carmen Electra's workout video. I even got to see Harry Potter. It wasn't easy, but we got the job done, and I wasn't dissapointed. The film was a little crammed and rushed at the end for my taste...but let's be real ya'll, those books are super long. Then, to top off the B-day week, Jana made me the best dinner surprise ever! The meal for the evening was Cafe Rio burritos...delish. She rocked it. And it even came with a cupcake topped with 21 candles. Not actually 21 individual candles, because that would have been a lot for a cupcake to hold, but a "2" and a "1" candle which, when joined together, make the number 21.

Two regrets on the trip, though.

Regret Number One: I ran out of time and we were unable to do the Underground Seattle Tour. That sounded pretty wild. It is a city...under a city. Like a lost world...

Regret Number Two: I fell asleep at around 4 pm or so on the last day I was there and I am pretty sure that AK tried to wake me up about 4 times to come play, and each time I was like,
'Holy smokes little AK, what are you doing? Auntie M is trying to take a siesta!" Not cool. And when I awoke, realizing what I had done (because I had been in a very groggy state), felt like the worste aunt in the world. Hopefully she forgives me.

I wish --

Every night was SYTYCD night.

It is a full on addiction now. Phillip, I am going to miss you...Jason...you look like you are twelve. One of my regrets right now...I am going to miss the next season, this fall, and probably a season or two after that. Insha'Allah because I pray that the show will carry on for many moons. I am so happy that Jana was so blessed to have met Dominic and at the same time, I may never forgive her for it. Did anyone see that Argentinian Tango?? Oh man! Steamy. Janette is awesome. The only thing is...I really wish that she would stop talking to everyone like they were a dog or a baby. Has anyone else noticed that? Everything she says goes: "Oh, you danced that incredibly, yes you did!!...I thought that was beautiful, oh yes I did!...We loved every minute of it...yes we did" It bothers me more than the shreiking, but they both aren't my favorite. If anyone wants to have SYTYCD parties, I am down.

P.S. I can't stand Evan. Each week that he is still on makes me die a little because all he can do is Broadway. I am sure he is a nice person, but definitely not my fave...

P.S. --

I have been called to serve. As of September Second I will be putting on the badge and reporting for duty to the Houston, Texas (South) Mission. I will be speaking Espanol, so French, I will miss you, but this is the way it has to be. That means for 18 months I will be gone to the state that loves to talk about being it's own country...be real with yourself Texas. Don't get carried away.

So I am super excited

I will always have Paris

It is hard to blog when I live at home because I know that my main reader, my mom, is sitting in the same room as me while I blog...and she already knows about anything I would blog about. If anyone else does read this blog, you should leave a comment so that I don't feel as lame. I feel like the 40 year old living in the parents basement and it makes me a little depressed. This is my one grasp out to the world... and world, I hope you grasp back. Since I am house sitting at the moment, I am not at my parents house, and that put a tiny bit of life back into my blogging motivations. But, if I wake to find that my mom is the only one to have acknowledged my cyber existence, so be it.

I have returned to my motherland. The U S of A is once again my residence. Right now I am at Teaz Me, Tea Bar in Chico for the free WiFi. Somethings new about me that you might be surprised to find? I haven't combed my hair...since I left (over 2 months ago). It's super rad. Now I am sporting the dreads...but it is not because I got euro-lazy, I just wanted Chico to welcome me back with open arms. It worked like a charm.

Right now my summer job is baby-sitting sheep, on Sue Rueser's Cormo sheep and wool ranch, with a few dogs, siamese cats, and goats thrown into the mix. My favorite part of the gig - her blind cat Purl hurled on my car last night. Sue said if she eats to much, she tosses her cat cookies, but I gave her the advised amount (one fist-full of cat kibble) and she still could not hold down her meal. It should be annoying, but every time I repicture it in my head, it makes me laugh. Thank you Purl for some comedy in my life. My second favorite thing about the job, there is a goat named S'more...she's a total snob, but I love sass. She, relatively recently, was weaned of her kids. This means there is still milk in the tank. I just came back from France, where I was able to eat delicious chevre (goat cheese) and it became my cheese of prefrence...It is seriously to good for words. So lets put two and two together here people, I have a goat with milk and I have a love for goat cheese. Goat + Heart for Chevre = me milking this goat and using said milk to make my own goat cheese! I kid you not. I already won the goat over by giving her nose scratches. I actually attempted the milking process this morning...turns out milking takes technique because I had my jar ready, but try as I might...I could not get the milk from teete to jar! ... I think I'll look up the ins-and-outs of goat milking on wikihow....

Other things...Harry Potter. Can I tell you how excited I am, because I am like I little kid on Christmas. Jana and Ben, I am so happy to share this important moment in my life with you. It's is going to be the best birthday ever. I think if it ends up being terrible, I will be pretty crushed, like rehabilitation type crushed, like I eat Ben & Jerry's and cry as Rhett tells Miss Scarlet "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn" crushed, like depression hurts everyone crushed. That's probably taking it a little to far, and I am expecting there to be some disappointments, but please David Yates, do us, J.K, and her baby book some justice...don't make people fly that aren't supposed to and don't let bad actors ... be bad actors.

And I hope it is ok, but I think I am going to end this post with a shout out to a special someone very precious to me -- Paris, I miss you.

Let's close with a few of our moments together.

---

CDC fo' eva' -

Our Madame an

d her daughter told us to do anything in our power to not have to go watch this play with our class..."Say there are children in the home who got you sick!! Say anything...and if all else fails...take a video ipod." Her husband said - "No it's a classic!!" and she retorted "Just because it is a classic, doesn't mean it's any good!!

" ... It wasn't half bad and she thought we were crazy.

Give peace a chance Kylie...just give it a chance.

The Dublin 5 in Giverny Gardens. Home to Monet and his many works of art...I couldn't get Laura Veirs' song Rapture out of my head.

Wild golf cart ride with the ladies: Kylie, Kristen, me ... and (not pictured) Emily.

Versailles has to be one of the best places on earth.

The very sad moment in the middle of a very good day. Earlier I had been canoeing down the same river which Johnny Depp had played the role of a gypsy in the movie Chocolat and enjoyed tanning and visiting a castle that was used in the movie Ever After...such a dream right?? Since it has been such a great day, I am feeling like "Danger" is my middle name. It's like I have drunk Felix Felicis or something. So I think what the heck...I am going to pick the craziest named gelato...bad news, it ended up being some sort of strong liquor and in my distraught taste I spilled it down my shirt.

Les patisseries that made me gain my Paris 15. I love them, even still...