Let's roll... Eskimo roll!

See ya' later, suckers!!

I had forgetten about my nice 4 day weekend this week and decided Monday that I need to get the heck outta the midwest. I figured I had three options: I had preferred to grab a flight to Denver and visit Rocky Mt. National Park for the first time since I moved; or, I could fly to Phoenix and drive to the Grand Canyon (or even Glen Canyon/Lake Powell); or, I could drive to the southeast and see what trouble I could get into!

Flights were too pricey, so I thought Hmmm, West Virginia seems wild and rugged... Should I go rafting, climbing, mt. biking...?? Then it hit me - a whitewater kayaking class!

It's not cheap, but I'm kayaking on Saturday and Sunday and filling the rest of that time with hiking and bouldering at the New River Gorge. Yeah, I'm going by myself. Everybody else is either broke, or isn't in to that sort of stuff. I'm sure it will be easy to meet some fun people down there!

In other news; got my motorcycle license; the house I was gonna buy SOLD the day before I was going to put in an offer; I will have a motorcycle here waiting for me when I get home; and I got to take down my first tree using the boom truck all by myself this week! Maybe that doesn't sound exciting, but to be up in a tree cutting off branches and dropping them without landing them on the truck - yeah, I'm a dork. Oh, I'm also now officially a certfied Arborist (aka a tree professional).

Found out that our Scotty dog Wilson blew out his knee! He has been limping and I've felt so bad for him, but it was worse than we thought. $1500 surgery! And there's a very high risk that if he keeps walking on his good leg, that one will go out too... So they told us to crate him 24 hrs a day! Isn't that horrible! For the next 3 months essentially. I feel so horrible for the poor guy. Our other alternative is to dope him up on Benadryl and hope he just lies around sleeping... :(

Anyway, time to pack and get the heck outta here! Enjoy the holiday weekend!

So, what's there to write about anymore??

I need to stop watching the Discovery channel. It inspires me too much.

Inspiration makes me do crazy things... like get in my car and drive very very far away.

I feel bad, my journal has become nothing more than a place where I reminisce upon the "good old days". But really, nothing exciting happens here! No fire, no mountains, no long hikes or rock climbing (no offense, Grand Ledge - souther MI's only outdoor climbing) or anything like that. I think that's why I'm getting my motorcycle license - I'm seriously deprived of adrenalin!

For example, I was running in the gym watching the tv's tonight and one was showing a Discovery channel show on National Parks. Made me want to be a park ranger again (One of my earliest career interets - I was a junior ranger!). Made me want to jump off that treadmill and into my Focus and head west until I decided to stop. I better buy a house fast. I think wanderlust is a stronger instinct in me than domestic suburbanism. ;)

Here, let's recycle one of my more favorite photos I took back in the good old days.

Surrounded by lap dogs

 

Don't get me wrong; I LOVE dogs. I can't wait to have one (or two) of my own.

But really, if it's the same size as a groundhog, is it REALLY a dog??

We already had two, so what's one more? Now their combined weight ALMOST equals one full-sized dog. Meet Lucky, Sue's new puppy. Why did she get a dog and not me or Linda? Don't ask (grrrrrr). We think it's a corgy/border collie mix but who knows. All I know, is I have never seen a dog adore anybody more than he does my sister.

This weekend, I finally finished tweaking my mountain bike and getting it trail ready. Every time I had wanted to ride, something came up. Example: My stepdad hung the bike from hooks in the ceiling of the garage, which is very high. I got out the ladder and previously had no trouble getting it down; this time, though, things would not go as smoothly. Somehow the rear tire would not slip over the hook, and I was desperately holding the bike up and trying to get it off that stupid hook. Finally it popped off, and I did manage to hold the bike up and NOT come crashing down... but in the process I NAILED my funny bone right smack on the corner of the ladder. My hand went so numb I couldn't even hold on to the bike with that hand and there I was, up this ladder holding a mountain bike with one hand and trying to get feeling back in the other hand. Not a good situation. Needless to say, my hand still tingled a few days later, and I was unable to hold on to the handlebars to ride - all that work for nothing!

Anyway, I finally made it out to the Island Lake Rec Area trail, a nice 9.2 miles along the river, past some lakes, through the hardwoods and the pines... The only thing I like better than actually riding is checking out all the hot mountain bikers! ;) And I always get at least a few approving looks from the guys (that is, until they see how much I suck! Ha!) when I hop on my bike and head out on the trail by myself. The last time I rode that trail was with Kevin, who blew me away with his breakneck speeds and death-defying mad skillz. He rides a bike better than most people BREATHE. There are a few hills that I just couldn't make it up that last time, but this time... Yeah I rocked it! Loose rock and treacherous tree roots while riding uphill were no match for me. Ok, it wasn't THAT easy and my legs burned, but it was so rewarding to see visible improvements. That is, until that LAST HILL... if you've been there, you probably remember that curvy uphill trail through the pines... I was so close to making it all the way up, my legs were pushing and I was so proud of myself... Then there's this lip at the end where the trail meets the asphalt, and I cranked the pedals to get up... UGHHHHH STOMACH CRAMP! I worked it a little TOO hard and my abs just tensed up and I practically fell off my bike! So close!

In other random topics: With spring comes softball. With softball comes the potential for hot guys. I say potential, because usually there are very few hotties in with all those beer-league players. That's ok though - Not only do I go and cheer for my cityworker boys, now Jess has a new job and those guys have a team too! So her and I are gonna go "cheer" them on... ;)

Oh, and is anybody selling a motorcycle for under $2,000? Heh heh.

Look, I managed to write an entire entry without actually saying anything important. Life is slow right now. Need more drama. Though I think my mom would argue otherwise... :)

Trilliums

From the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources

The trilliums exploded today! Trilliums everywhere! One of my favorite early spring Michigan flowers.

I pity the rest of my family - I won't have to hear the incessant barking of our new puppy from my room all night. As if two dogs weren't enough...

My first time on a motorcycle tomorrow. Bought a helmet today. If I weren't so tired, I'd be really excited. ;) Joe picked out some bikes for me to check out. He's a bad influence - I need to be thinking of buying a HOUSE so I at least have a garage to put the bike in!

Here's my song-of-the-day/week/month (hopefully not that long?):

Tegan and Sara - Where Does the Good Go?

where do you go with your broken heart in tow
what do you do with the left over you
and how do you know, when to let go
where does the good go, where does the good go
look me in the eye and tell me you don't find me attractive
look me in the heart and tell me you won't go
look me in the eye and promise no love's like our love
look me in the heart and un break broken, it won't happen
it's love that breaks the seal of always thinking you would be
real, happy and healthy, strong and calm,
where does the good go, where does the good go
where do you go when you're in love and the world knows
how do you live so happily while I am sad and broken down
what do you say it's up for grabs now that you're on your way down
where does the good go, where does the good go

No regrets

Alas, I am heartbroken. :(

But ya' know what? Dare I say it was probably for the best?

Naw, I'd never admit to saying something so noble and selfless. ;)