There's Too Many Sunsets I Haven't Seen

So I was looking through some of my pictures from the past oh, two years, and I found the ones I took when we went to Sun Valley and Ketchum, Idaho. Ernest Hemingway spent time there and going to the cemetery in which he is buried was a really moving thing.

There is a memorial in a place not near the cemetery that features part of the eulogy he wrote for a friend that applies pretty well to him, too. Here is part of the eulogy that is drawn from for his memorial:

"He loved the hills in the spring when the snows go off and the first flowers come. He loved the warm sun of summer and the high mountain meadows, the trails through the timber and the sudden clear blue of the lakes. He loved the hills in the winter when the snow comes.
Best of all he loved the fall. He told me that the other night while riding home in the car from the pheasant hunting, the fall with the tawny and grey, the leaves yellow on the cottonwoods, leaves floating on the trout streams and above the hills the high blue windless skies. He loved to shoot, he loved to ride and he loved to fish." -Ernest Hemingway, 1939

I just thought it was kind of applicable for the autumnal feelings I'm having right now. Yep.

All the Birds were Humming, the Bees were Buzzing in the Trees

Well, CLRG and I have returned from our vacation. We had a long day of travel yesterday, which was super fun. We left my parents' house at midnight (Mountain Time) and traveled to Salt Lake, arriving at 3:30, to wait until the TSA people were there to do security things before going to the terminal to wait. We had to almost run through the terminal in Detroit to make our connecting flight, which was fun... But then we made it safely home. The gatos were pleased.

The vacay was excellent. We didn't do a ton of stuff, but just enough. We had time to just relax, which was what we both wanted, and to hang out with the family. We went to Yellowstone, to the museum, to the zoo, we hit up the used book store more than once, checked out a local diner, played games and watched movies. It was a quality time.

While in Yellowstone, we met up with some family friends that were vacationing there. We hung out in Mammoth and had our picnic lunches together. Here we are, all together (CLRG took the picture, because he is a nice boy):


I took a lot of other pictures, of course, throughout the trip. Elle asked me if I had taken any couple-on-vacation shots and, indeed, there were a couple. I like this one. Don't tell CLRG it's posted here, please, though. Haha. We are both looking pretty decent. That makes me happy. He actually smiled!

I'm glad to be home, but I wish the fam were closer. I'm glad CLRG and I were able to take this trip. I do feel bad because, at my mom's surprised birthday party the other day, people she knows were interrogating him and there was nothing I could do. He handled it well, as expected, and all is well. Jackers really liked him, too, which was happy times. Haha.

Now, it's back to the grind. I have internship stuff and work and all of those normal things this week. I am soooo excited... Or not. Can I just be on vacation forever?

Remember Singing the Whole Way Home/About an Indian Summer So Long Ago

I feel like it is necessary to pinch myself sometimes. I am living such a lovely life (and, apparently, an alliterative one) here in the Burgh. I have good friends, a marvelous boyfriend, a cute apartment (come August), a job (yes, it sucks, but it's a job) and am generally happy. One of my coworkers came up to me the other day and said that he had been talking with his therapist and they decided he needed to ask me how it was possible for me to be so cheery at work all of the time. It's a good question, and the answer is obvious: I don't really have anything to be down about. I don't think it's necessary to let stupid customers or little annoying, pointless things bother me. For the first time, I really feel like I know what I am doing. I know where I'm going and I have future thoughts and plans. I'm comfortable with the way I'm turning out. It's a big step for me, one that should be acknowledged, because I'm second-guessing myself less and less and am not as concerned what others think of me as I have been in the past. It's a good feeling. :oD

The countdown to Idaho is down to three days. Yesterday, CLRG and I went to the Waterfront to find him some new shoes. We also went to the bookstore to get some reading material for the plane and such. I purchased two books. He did, too. Hip, hip hooray!! Now I just have to pack. Hahahahahahahahahahahaha.

Hockey tonight. Game 3. GO PENS.

I'm Awake, Don't Let Me Go Back to Sleep

Well, the weekend is over. I am glad. Friday night was really low-key. Saturday, I worked and watched hockey, Sunday, I went with CLRG to his parents' house for dinner and yesterday, the holiday, I worked. That is all. Everything else was stupid and irrelevant and mostly about a cookie, which is ridiculous.

CLRG and I now have only 10 days until our departure for the West. I'm not as excited to go as I was because my fears of all parties involved getting along have been heightened since yesterday. I can, at this point, pretty much guarantee that I will be spending the entire time fulfilling my role in life (glue. always am trying to be the glue) and worrying if anyone is having fun and if people are being judged preemptively by other people. Of course, all of this is my fault because I'm the one that decided to be honest about something that did not seem that consequential to me and, yet, made everyone flip out. Yeah. Awesome? Not so much. I guess I can only really say that I am glad to be seeing my family and I am glad to be doing something new and exciting with CLRG. I just really hope that the two get along. It would break my heart if they didn't.

So there's that.

I Can't Feel a Thing Without You by My Side

Today was beautiful. And, yes, I know that it isn't over yet and I still think it's beautiful, but whatever. It was one of those days that shouldn't end because it's so good. I went to bed at a reasonable time last night, slept eight hours and got up for my internship. When it was lunch time, the other intern and I were told that it might be an hour before we could get back in because the archivists each had plans for lunch that would take longer than a standard lunch break. I had packed a sandwich and some things in my purse before leaving home, so I took my stuff and ventured down to the Riverfront Trail to sit on a bench near the Allegheny and soak in the sunshine. I read my book and took my time eating. It was sooooo nice. After lunch, I went back to the museum and found the other intern sitting in the lobby. He said they weren't back yet, so we explored the museum a little bit before going back to work. When I got home, I finished reading my book while listening to some quiet, classical music with the windows of my bedroom open and the sun streaming in. Perfect? Maybe so.

I usually try to read a lot during the summer, because I can't afford the time to do pleasure reading during the school year. I'm doing pretty well so far. I finally finished Emma and have since completed two other books. I'm excited. I think I will probably end up going to the library or raiding CLRG's collection of Vonnegut when I've read through the stuff I have on my shelves here in the Burgh. It's a good feeling.

CLRG and I are going to Idaho so soon! 16 days!! Holy crap. I need to figure out what things I am taking. I don't want to take a lot, you know. I also need to plan the things we will do. I think I keep writing about this. Maybe? I don't know. In any case, here are some things we will probably do:

-go to Yellowstone
-go to the MOI
-take Pookie out for a drink
-hang out with the fam
-visit Tautphaus Park Zoo?
-hang out with MOI friends

Nothing spectacular, really. I just want everyone to be happy and have fun. We'll see how it goes.

Every Color Goes Where You Do

I am quite pleased at the moment. I just returned from an outing with Elle. We went to our respective banks and then ventured into the toy store and a few other stores before getting her some sweet potato fries and me a smoothie and some cookies (snickerdoodle and chocolate chunk). It is sunny here, but not suuuuuper hot, and things are good. I'm a little sleepy, but that's pretty normal. Tonight is the first game of the Eastern Conference finals and I am going to go to CLRG's to watch the game in a bit. I am excited. For real. I am.

In other news... I leave for Idaho with CLRG in... 18 days. 18 DAYS! That's kind of soon. I've been trying to think about packing early so that we're not flipping out the night before. I have also been trying to come up with some things we will do while in town. We're going to go with the family to Yellowstone, of course, so I spent some time talking to CLRG about what he might like to see and do there. I think it will be a fun visit no matter what.

Anyway, I have some time to kill before the game. Maybe I will read. Maybe I will sleep. Hmmmmmm. The possibilities are endless.

Some Dance to Remember, Some Dance to Forget

Ughhhh. Look at the time. I have to wake up at like 5:30 to get showered and ready for work (must clock in at 6:30) and I am not done with my paper. I must finish before any sleeping- I mean, napping, really- because I work 6:30 until maybe 4 and then I have class. BLAH...

In happier news, my dad booked tickets for me and CLRG to go visit Idaho in June. I'm really excited. YAY!