Alan and I headed out on Monday around noon for our long drive to California. It's only Wednesday and that leg of the trip seems like forever ago. We got to Denver around 8 p.m. where we stopped at Alan's aunt's and grandma's house. We don't get to see them very often, so it was nice to be able to visit and stay the night. After a quick breakfast the next morning, we started out on the second leg of our trip. From Denver we headed north up to Cheyenne and then headed west. Wyoming is a really beautiful part of the country. Rolling hills and mountains off in the distance. In Wyoming, we stopped in Buford, which has to be the smallest town in the United States. Population 2. It consisted of a gas station and a house, where I assume the two live. Cracked us up.
It was another 8 hours to Salt Lake City, where Alan's cousin, his wife and their two kids greeted us. We went to Michael's little league baseball game and had a wonderful dinner. It was a great break from driving, and we welcomed a home-cooked meal. This morning we were up at the crack of dawn for the last leg of our trip. We drove through Utah and got to see Salt Lake. It was really pretty...and salty. It smelled like the ocean. Just west of that were the Salt Flats, which are fields of salt that look like snow. It was really cool. They have warnings posted on the side of the roads to beware of drowsiness because it's such monotonous, white terrain. I quickly fell victim to the flats, and slept through most of them.
Nevada is a desolate state. As soon as you cross the border you're greeted with casinos. Casinos, desert and scrubby mountains are all you see until you are in the very western part of the state. We hit Reno and shortly thereafter crossed the border to California where we decided to take a scenic route and drive along Lake Tahoe. It was an amazing drive. The lake is gorgeous and the drive itself is a lot like being in Colorado. It's very mountainous and just beautiful. It was a great detour, even though by the end of the drive Alan's hands hurt from gripping the steering wheel so hard. After that drive, we decided to hit a hotel and stay the night, so we're currently in Folsom, CA. We'll only have a short drive tomorrow before we reach our destination and try to find a home. Wish us luck!
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Full Nest
My mom is the greatest. She went from having a peaceful, clean house to having it invaded by Alan, Marti, me and EVERYTHING we own. All of our possessions have taken over the garage, and we have our more immediate necessities (luggage, toiletries, computers, clothes) taking over the rest of the house.
My workspace is a mess, mostly because we have a ginormous computer and we’re taking over the desk space with it and piles of my work junk. I didn’t put much effort into setting myself up very well because we’ll just be tearing it down and heading out soon anyways. I’m sure I can get through two more workdays in this mess:
If you look closely at the screen on the left you can see that I have my mom's monitor pulled up to the panda cam. I am truly so busy at my new job that I don't have time to hassle with the cam like I used to, but I figured while I had two screens available I might as well get my Mei Lan fix.
We moved out of our apartment on Saturday, and because Alan has a few more days of work to finish up at KU, we’re hanging out in Topeka for about a week. A good part is that when we drive out on Monday, our drive is about 30 minutes shorter than it would have been had we left from Lawrence! Although…doesn’t make much of a difference considering we’ll be driving for 24 hours.
We’ve been really busy over the last week though, which I think is a nice distraction from the chaos and the impending goodbyes we have coming. We celebrated all weekend after Alan defended his dissertation and officially became Dr. Whitehead (which truly deserves a blog of its own, but he’d be embarrassed). And so far this week we’ve been driving all over the place, hanging out with friends and family, trying to squeeze more time in. I’m looking forward to celebrating my brother’s birthday tonight in Topeka and not having to drive anywhere.
My workspace is a mess, mostly because we have a ginormous computer and we’re taking over the desk space with it and piles of my work junk. I didn’t put much effort into setting myself up very well because we’ll just be tearing it down and heading out soon anyways. I’m sure I can get through two more workdays in this mess:
If you look closely at the screen on the left you can see that I have my mom's monitor pulled up to the panda cam. I am truly so busy at my new job that I don't have time to hassle with the cam like I used to, but I figured while I had two screens available I might as well get my Mei Lan fix.
We moved out of our apartment on Saturday, and because Alan has a few more days of work to finish up at KU, we’re hanging out in Topeka for about a week. A good part is that when we drive out on Monday, our drive is about 30 minutes shorter than it would have been had we left from Lawrence! Although…doesn’t make much of a difference considering we’ll be driving for 24 hours.
We’ve been really busy over the last week though, which I think is a nice distraction from the chaos and the impending goodbyes we have coming. We celebrated all weekend after Alan defended his dissertation and officially became Dr. Whitehead (which truly deserves a blog of its own, but he’d be embarrassed). And so far this week we’ve been driving all over the place, hanging out with friends and family, trying to squeeze more time in. I’m looking forward to celebrating my brother’s birthday tonight in Topeka and not having to drive anywhere.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Alan Loves Marti
Before I got married, my mom told me that I had a lifetime of laughs ahead of me with Alan. I knew it was true, but in the last week, he has cracked me up more than usual. Maybe it’s because he hit 30, maybe it’s because of his soon-to-be-Ph.D status, maybe it’s because we’ve both been home a lot. Whatever the reason, I had to share a few of the laughs with everyone.
His birthday night began with him finishing up his dissertation. A very happy Alan:
A few drinks and a cupcake later:
During a movie, I fell asleep. Alan woke me up so I could take a picture of him and Marti...
…because his attempts at taking pictures of himself and Marti were unsuccessful:
The next day, I clicked through the camera to find about five versions of this hilarious picture:
I’d been asleep, so I had no idea that Alan was snapping all of these pictures.
Other funnies: After taking Marti out at the crack of dawn one morning, I came back to bed to find Alan sleeping with his head at the foot of the bed. After making him flip back around, I found out that when he’d come to bed the night before he went to say hi to Marti at the foot of the bed and fell asleep. I don't know which is worse: him falling asleep upside down, or me not noticing I'd been snuggling feet all night.
Being at home, I’ve also noticed that Alan can sleep through the alarm like a champion. I thought for the longest time that he was just a snoozer. Nope. He honestly doesn’t hear the alarm. It can go off for 5, 10, 20 minutes without him even blinking. Each morning I have to take a mid-morning break to make him hit the snooze.
His birthday night began with him finishing up his dissertation. A very happy Alan:
A few drinks and a cupcake later:
During a movie, I fell asleep. Alan woke me up so I could take a picture of him and Marti...
…because his attempts at taking pictures of himself and Marti were unsuccessful:
The next day, I clicked through the camera to find about five versions of this hilarious picture:
I’d been asleep, so I had no idea that Alan was snapping all of these pictures.
Other funnies: After taking Marti out at the crack of dawn one morning, I came back to bed to find Alan sleeping with his head at the foot of the bed. After making him flip back around, I found out that when he’d come to bed the night before he went to say hi to Marti at the foot of the bed and fell asleep. I don't know which is worse: him falling asleep upside down, or me not noticing I'd been snuggling feet all night.
Being at home, I’ve also noticed that Alan can sleep through the alarm like a champion. I thought for the longest time that he was just a snoozer. Nope. He honestly doesn’t hear the alarm. It can go off for 5, 10, 20 minutes without him even blinking. Each morning I have to take a mid-morning break to make him hit the snooze.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Puppies and Babies, Oh My!
It’s definitely not fair to call Kenny a baby anymore because he is definitely in the Big Boy category these days. Yesterday I had the good fortune to be able to baby sit for him during the day, which was a blast. As long as he’s got Thomas the Train, he is good to go for hours. He’s now at the stage where he’ll quietly play with his trains, moving them along, but then they have to have the big CRASH. He played with our alphabet refrigerator magnets, lined them up perfectly, and then knocked them all off with a big CRASH. It seems that everything ends with a big crash. Or at least with a big “All done!” when we finished with a book.
Marti, of course, was super excited to have a little friend over for the day. Kenny at first was not so excited about her. She’s a little over zealous for his taste, and she wanted to be involved in everything from his trains (“No no!”) to his juice (“No Mar-ee”). This little pug doesn’t take no for an answer.
When nap time came, I wanted him to sleep with the door cracked so I could peak in on him every now and then. I tried to put Marti in her cage so I could keep the door open, but the nap-time crying made her nervous and she was barking and clawing at the cage. So I put a kitchen chair up against the door to keep Marti away. After he stopped crying, I came in and settled down at the computer. Not a minute later, I heard the door creaking open. MARTI! I run in to try to wrangle her as quietly as possible, but wasn’t able to catch her before she managed to jump onto the bed and wake him up. The crying began, but then ended about 5 seconds later as he passed back out. Phew!
So, I had to build the Kenny Barricade for the remainder of his nap. You laugh, but trust me, the chairs alone are not enough to keep a determined pug out.
She even tried to get past all of this nonsense. The moment before this photo was snapped she had her face through one of the pillows and had her pug tail sticking up in the air.
But after nap time it was all fun again, as we watched Thomas and Friends for the fifth time (I now understand the “Continuous Play” feature on the DVDs), read his Thomas books, and even found the Thomas and Friends website. He even warmed up to Marti by the end of the day and helped me play tug of war with her, and threw her toys for her to fetch.
I know I had fun. I wonder if Kenny enjoyed it?
Marti, of course, was super excited to have a little friend over for the day. Kenny at first was not so excited about her. She’s a little over zealous for his taste, and she wanted to be involved in everything from his trains (“No no!”) to his juice (“No Mar-ee”). This little pug doesn’t take no for an answer.
When nap time came, I wanted him to sleep with the door cracked so I could peak in on him every now and then. I tried to put Marti in her cage so I could keep the door open, but the nap-time crying made her nervous and she was barking and clawing at the cage. So I put a kitchen chair up against the door to keep Marti away. After he stopped crying, I came in and settled down at the computer. Not a minute later, I heard the door creaking open. MARTI! I run in to try to wrangle her as quietly as possible, but wasn’t able to catch her before she managed to jump onto the bed and wake him up. The crying began, but then ended about 5 seconds later as he passed back out. Phew!
So, I had to build the Kenny Barricade for the remainder of his nap. You laugh, but trust me, the chairs alone are not enough to keep a determined pug out.
She even tried to get past all of this nonsense. The moment before this photo was snapped she had her face through one of the pillows and had her pug tail sticking up in the air.
But after nap time it was all fun again, as we watched Thomas and Friends for the fifth time (I now understand the “Continuous Play” feature on the DVDs), read his Thomas books, and even found the Thomas and Friends website. He even warmed up to Marti by the end of the day and helped me play tug of war with her, and threw her toys for her to fetch.
I know I had fun. I wonder if Kenny enjoyed it?
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Going Vertical
I have a problem with multiple-photo picture frames. They allow you to showcase a variety of pictures, but they always include one or two vertical images. And I never take vertical pictures. And we all know that Alan never takes vertical pictures. In fact, Alan never takes pictures at all. I just yelled at him last week for his photographic negligence when this was the only image I had to send for the Contacts page for my new magazine:
That's the only image I have where I’m not hugging someone or Marti. As Alan and I were discussing his neglect, I had to force him to snap this picture:
But I digress. The point of this post is that at a recent wedding, we were able to get a quality photo. Behold, the ever-elusive vertical shot:
That's the only image I have where I’m not hugging someone or Marti. As Alan and I were discussing his neglect, I had to force him to snap this picture:
But I digress. The point of this post is that at a recent wedding, we were able to get a quality photo. Behold, the ever-elusive vertical shot:
Monday, April 30, 2007
My Living History
I cannot wait until the day when I move into a house and know that I’m going to live there for more than two years. That day will truly be glorious. I’ve practically been a nomad since I moved out of my parents’ house back in the fall of 1999. The longest I’ve stayed at one address has been two years. Yikes!
First semester freshman year I lived at GSP/Corbin. Everyone needs a residence hall experience. Sophomore year, I moved into the Tri Delt house. Each semester we’d change rooms, so that entailed moving out each Christmas and summer and back home for the break. Junior year was also Tri Delt. After junior year, I stayed in Lawrence that summer to work and take summer classes. Then I moved into my first official apartment with Julie. I stayed there a year, then moved into L16 at CW for almost two. Then here, my favorite apartment yet, for one year and 10 months. Now, it’ll be off to California for two years. Sigh.
The sunny side of this is being able to take an inventory of all of the stuff I’ve accumulated over time and getting rid of JUNK. I’ve started the long process of cleaning, purging and packing, as evidenced by the stack in our office. On the right, packed boxes. On the left, empty boxes yet to be filled.
First semester freshman year I lived at GSP/Corbin. Everyone needs a residence hall experience. Sophomore year, I moved into the Tri Delt house. Each semester we’d change rooms, so that entailed moving out each Christmas and summer and back home for the break. Junior year was also Tri Delt. After junior year, I stayed in Lawrence that summer to work and take summer classes. Then I moved into my first official apartment with Julie. I stayed there a year, then moved into L16 at CW for almost two. Then here, my favorite apartment yet, for one year and 10 months. Now, it’ll be off to California for two years. Sigh.
The sunny side of this is being able to take an inventory of all of the stuff I’ve accumulated over time and getting rid of JUNK. I’ve started the long process of cleaning, purging and packing, as evidenced by the stack in our office. On the right, packed boxes. On the left, empty boxes yet to be filled.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Corky the Yorky
Anyone who has ever lost a dog knows how truly devastating it can be. The most faithful companions, they greet you with a smile every time you walk in the door, give you kisses to make you feel better, and even know how to cheer you up when you’re down in the dumps. Their sole job in life is to love you, and there is nothing they’d rather do than follow you around at your feet or curl up next to you on the couch. It’s no wonder then, that when they die, you truly feel as though you’ve lost your best friend.
Corky, my grandma’s Yorkshire Terrier, died this morning after a long, full life at 17 years old. It’s been sad knowing that her time was drawing to an end, and it’s hit me hard and no wonder: Corky has been around since before I was in 5th grade. My grandparents got her in 1990, and she’s been a part of the family ever since. I remember my mom called me a couple of years ago, saying that Corky had to be put down. I started crying as I was driving in the car. All for nothing: Come to find out, the Corkster got a cortisone shot and was hanging in there again. Turns out she had a few more years in her after all.
I remember her jingling collar, the slippers she was allowed to chew up and how my grandpa used to put her in the pocket of his coat with her head sticking out. I remember the hilarious story of how once there was a mouse in the laundry room and my grandma left for work, telling Corky to make sure not to let it out. Sure enough, Corky obeyed, as she always did. When my grandma got home from work, Corky had captured and destroyed the mouse. When my grandma would go out of town, we would watch her. I know that Corky the Condo girl just didn’t understand the heathens at the Chapman household. So noisy. No sidewalks. As if!
Marti, in her early puppyhood, got to meet Corky. Although she couldn’t see or hear very well, Corky definitely knew Marti was there saying hello. Either that or she knew she was in the midst of a tornado and was just waiting for it to pass.
I’ve lost pets in the past, and it is always difficult. But now, having Marti as our own little dog, and my companion as Alan works long nights, I can truly understand the friendship they provide. You can’t easily move on after nearly two decades of friendship. Thankfully, in those many, many years, our little beloved furry friends give us many, many memories to look back on.
Corky, my grandma’s Yorkshire Terrier, died this morning after a long, full life at 17 years old. It’s been sad knowing that her time was drawing to an end, and it’s hit me hard and no wonder: Corky has been around since before I was in 5th grade. My grandparents got her in 1990, and she’s been a part of the family ever since. I remember my mom called me a couple of years ago, saying that Corky had to be put down. I started crying as I was driving in the car. All for nothing: Come to find out, the Corkster got a cortisone shot and was hanging in there again. Turns out she had a few more years in her after all.
I remember her jingling collar, the slippers she was allowed to chew up and how my grandpa used to put her in the pocket of his coat with her head sticking out. I remember the hilarious story of how once there was a mouse in the laundry room and my grandma left for work, telling Corky to make sure not to let it out. Sure enough, Corky obeyed, as she always did. When my grandma got home from work, Corky had captured and destroyed the mouse. When my grandma would go out of town, we would watch her. I know that Corky the Condo girl just didn’t understand the heathens at the Chapman household. So noisy. No sidewalks. As if!
Marti, in her early puppyhood, got to meet Corky. Although she couldn’t see or hear very well, Corky definitely knew Marti was there saying hello. Either that or she knew she was in the midst of a tornado and was just waiting for it to pass.
I’ve lost pets in the past, and it is always difficult. But now, having Marti as our own little dog, and my companion as Alan works long nights, I can truly understand the friendship they provide. You can’t easily move on after nearly two decades of friendship. Thankfully, in those many, many years, our little beloved furry friends give us many, many memories to look back on.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
