Hey Mambo

This evening, CLRG (I should probably call him something else someday...) and I watched a great old movie. It was "The Catered Affair" and starred awesome people like Bette Davis, Ernest Borgnine and Debbie Reynolds. It was from 1956, I believe, and you should watch it.

Earlier today, we went adventuring with his parents. We went to a delicious Italian restaurant for lunch, visited a local chocolate/candy factory, and checked out an Italian grocery store as well as the thrift store near our house. It was a really great afternoon.

Bright Smile, Dark Eyes

The other day, K and I went exploring in the Homewood Cemetery, not far from our respective homes. It was very warm and sunny, but we were generally shaded and the exercise did us good. It was interesting to see some of the famous Pittsburgh names there. The Fricks, the Mellons, the Heinzes. You know- the big wigs. When I got home, I realized that I had gotten some sun on my shoulders, and it hurt. It's better today.

Earlier, I realized that I haven't updated in a little while because I don't have much to say that isn't the same thing every time. Basically, when I am not at work or hanging out with K or with CLRG, I am job searching and watching television in the living room. I try to apply to a few each day, but it is getting discouraging. Very, very discouraging. *sigh*

I am excited for the coming week. We (CLRG) and I have many things to attend: we are going to a graduation party for TP on Sunday, we have CLRG's company picnic on Wednesday, a trip to Kennywood with his parents on Thursday, and a Punchline show on Saturday. And then it's the Fourth! I don't know what we're doing for that, but I am excited just the same.

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?

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.

It's Our God-Forsaken Right to be Loved, Loved, Loved

We were supposed to go to my grandparents' house today, but there is... a blizzard. Rawr. So, the parents, Pookie and I are hunkered down at my godmother's house until morning. Joyful times. I can tell already that the family time is going to be an interesting one. Especially because my uncle, aunt and cousins are going to be there as well and my grandma doesn't seem to be super enthusiastic about anything. Oh boy.

I am having an issue coming up with a Christmas gift for CLRG. He has been scheming for weeks now. Consulting Elle, consulting Wifers. Now, he is consulting Pookie, too, and none of them will breathe a word of it to me. It's making me sort of crazy. I know that it will be something immeasurably more impressive than whatever I end up giving him. *sigh* AHH!! Pooks gave me a good idea, though, so maybe I will follow through with that and the one idea that he gave me a few weeks ago.

I got a tattoo on Friday! It didn't really hurt as much as I had been anticipating. I just have to keep lotion on it now until it totally heals, which will be in a couple of weeks. Here is a picture of the process:

I won't have the internet until the 26th, when we travel to Mt. P. to Pookie's apartment, so I hope everyone has a delightful holiday. Merry Christmas!!