Tuesday 9/23, Eric asked if he could come over after work and I said yes. I got home early and was playing on my computer and called to see where he was and he said 10 minutes so I continued doing what I was doing when I heard my door open and he was already there. Trickster. He came in and we talked for a long time about finances and other emotion-y stuff. We decided on pizza for dinner and he put it in while I got SatC going. We watched two episodes then some other shows and I uploaded a bunch more of my pictures and cleaned up some stuff and did laundry. He wanted to go upstairs to get in bed but I didn’t want to get up and asked him to carry me. He didn’t. We went up and we both got ready for bed and talked in bed for a while then I fell asleep.

Monday 9/22, I woke up as Bora was getting ready for work and was determined to finish the sex book and totally did while Jess slept in. When she got up we got ready and I started the process of packing and fitting all the shit I’d accumulated in the past 10 days into my already full bag. I got creative and made it work. We decided to go out for breakfast rather than make it so we walked down to Soho and had a little breakfast while sitting outside. We walked back and hung for a few minutes then started the process of my going home. We walked to the tube and got my ticket to the airport then rode to Piccadilly and Jess waited with me until my train came and we hugged and couldn’t believe it was time for me to go and that was it. She waited until my train pulled away. It made me sad but I was glad to be heading home. The train took forever to get to the airport but once I arrived it was a piece of cake getting checked in and through security. The security guy liked my shirt and my initiative to cut in front of a bunch of people who were taking forever to get their shoes off and everything situated. It’s like, um, you’ve been standing in line for the last 5 minutes, did you not think to take off your belt and watch and empty your pockets until NOW? Also, how many times does the guy have to say “No bags in the bins” for you to actually get it? Oh, one more? Ok, get your bags out of the bin! Arg. So through I went with the praise of the security guy and directly to a little shop to spend the rest of my change (mmm, M&Ms). I wandered for a while then got a sandwich and sat looking out the window. I wandered some more and eventually headed to my gate and read until it was time to board. I was sitting next to two guys, one was really weird and I think must’ve had ADD due to fidgeting the whole time. Or else he was coming off a bender or something. Luckily the flight back allowed us to choose the movies whenever we wanted so I started with Sex and the City then Forgetting Sarah Marshall then some Vegas movie with Kutcher and Diaz then Flight of the Concords and lastly some Bigfoot special that gave me plenty of ammunition for Eric. We landed late due to taking off late and I texted Eric. I got through Immigration and Customs fine and headed to where I was hoping to find Eric and as I was going up the escalator I looked up and behind and he was standing there looking at me and it was so sexy. We hugged forever and kissed and he kept telling me he was so happy to see me and how much he loves me so it was really sweet and a nice thing to come home to. We left and I told him about my trip and Tim Fitch all the way to Mom’s. We went in and I told Mom about my trip a bit but I was so tired we didn’t really stay and headed back to my house shortly after. When I arrived he brought my bags up and I found a big arrangement of flowers and a beautiful chocolate cake waiting for me. He’d vacuumed and washed all my little rugs then we went upstairs and I found another bunch of flowers, calla lilies this time, and a nice card saying how much he missed me and to show him the “Burglar”. We had a piece of cake and we took a really long shower then I showed him all my pictures from the trip and told stories. We went to bed by about 10 but messed around for a while.

Sunday 9/21, Jess woke me up several times to say it smelled bad and that those damn Russian women were packing again and one had packed a plant in her bag. The guys were still asleep and the other girls were gone but those women were there. They finally left and I went back to sleep but then they came back and started packing AGAIN! We finally got up and got the hell out of there to find some breakfast. We went to Temple Bar and had a traditional Irish breakfast with boxy pancakes, sausage, potato pancakes, eggs and bacon. We ate almost all of it. We tried to decide what to do that day and I suggested a movie so we kept that in the back of our minds. We started walking and ended up at Penny's where we shopped for underwear for like an hour and a half. FOREVER. We both got some really cute stuff though. We left and decided to try and find a cinema and managed to stumble upon one and decided on Stepbrothers but the girl told us we couldn't qualify for student prices because of the day (hmm, what makes Sunday such an exempt-able day?). We got tickets, ditched the nasty popcorn due to a lack of cash and hit the theater. Throughout the whole thing we were like "What the fuck?!" and laughing so hard. It was terrible but wonderful. Afterward we went to the internet cafe so I could check in for my flight to go home then set out to find something to eat. We walked a lot and ended up in Temple Bar at a little Italian place and I had the lasagna, which was very good. We talked about our day and other stuff and decided against dessert. We took our time walking back toward the bus station and didn't see any dessert options. We boarded and sat up in the front for our looong trip to the airport. When we got there Jess wasn't feeling well so we quickly checked in and went outside for some fresh air. We went up to the food court to spend the rest of the five euros Bora gave us and each got an ice cream treat from McDonald's. We sat and talked then went through security and found a little shop to spend our last .90 euro cents in and found some starburst that did the trick. A cute guy walked by and told us sugar was bad for us and Jess was like, "Yeah, I know" and we got it anyway. We headed to our gate and Jess talked to Bora and we suspected he would pick us up so we wouldn't have to take the train. We boarded and had plenty of room and I made some good headway on the sex book. We landed and got through the checkpoints fine to find Bora waiting for us. We sold my ticket and were off and chatting about the trip all the way home. When we got home Bora had cleaned everything and it looked so good. We were very impressed but didn't marvel for long because it was time for bed.

Saturday 9/20, We woke up early-ish to get a start on the day and ready for our trip to Dublin. We all rushed around eating breakfast and getting ready then hit the road at 9:30 to Stanstead. Bora drove and it was so beautiful out. Jess fell asleep and I took in the sights. We arrived and Bora dropped us off, we got checked in very easily with the shortest line ever, then started to scope out the goods for a second breakfast when Bora called. He found cheap parking and was going to come back in for a coffee. We all got a little something and sat talking for a while then Bora left and we wandered around and I found Nivea chapstick and bought two since I've not been able to find them for like 6 years. We went through security then made our way to the gate and got in line. We boarded, had a fairly uneventful flight, deplaned, went through passport check and got "the ugliest fucking stamp" (according to Bora), found information and got directions to the concert and our hostel and boarded the 747 into Dublin. It was a fun ride and we took some pictures and talked the whole way. We were dropped and wandered for a while trying to find our hostel and turns out it was one block up in the direction we didn't go, but we finally found it and it wasn't as scary as we thought it was going to be. We went to our room and found some women in there and quickly put our stuff down and headed to find something to eat. We went to some hotel bar / restaurant place and I had an Irish burger complete with fried egg on it. When I bit into it scalding yolk went everywhere and Jess said she saw it happen in slow motion and was laughing at me. We finished up and went out for a walk and ended up in some weird place but at a healthy grocery store and got some chocolate then back tracked and went down what we thought was O'Connell and went to a bunch of places with tacky cheap clothes that Jess loved and got a little Foxy jacket that totally fit her and went with her outfit. I vetoed a lot of items. We went to H&M and she got some clothes and eventually we headed back to the room because we were both running on empty. There were three old women in there packing and we decided to switch our beds around so our heads could be next to each other and we were both on top bunks. The women liked to pack and I'll leave it at that. Eventually they left and we investigated what looked like a dead body on one of the beds and laughed a lot. We laid for a long time and relaxed and eventually got going by 7 or so. We walked down to Temple Bar and looked for dessert and at the sights and were denied dessert from like 3 places so just decided to walk to the park instead and see what we could find. A coffee shop in this cute area was happy to let us sit and eat sugary treats and we both ordered cheesecake, Jess' was Bailey's and mine was lemon. We sat and talked for a while then packed up and kept walking with our map. We found where we were supposed to be and I approached the gentleman working the gate and he asked how I was and I said good and asked how he was and he was like "I'm doing better now, I’ll tell ya that much" (Irish accent) and I started giggling and his boss was like "Bloody hell!" or something equally stereotypically English / Irish. He said we could go in and we were giggling like crazy then looked back and he was still watching as we walked down the trail to Spiegeltent. We went in and there was some crazy guy dancing around and we snagged a table and rested. Some people asked if they could sit with us. The first band wasn't all that good, but the second, Project Jenny, Project Jan, was wonderful. They got everyone going and we commented how in Seattle everyone would be too cool to dance but here everyone was. Finally F&M came on and they were ok but didn't play Transparent Things which irritated me. Jess was falling asleep so we left as soon as they were done and started the long walk back. It didn't take us as long as we thought it would and the streets were still packed with people despite being 1:30. We snuck into our room and noticed a guy on one of the bunks but stripped down and into our pajamas in the corner anyway. We used the bathroom at the same time to minimize light and noise and we couldn't stop laughing, quietly of course. Jess was like “What the fuck are we doing here?!” We got into bed and continued to laugh and I went to sleep while Jess stayed up and texted.

Friday 9/19, I woke up at 9 but decided to give myself a little longer, then woke at 10 and got up and played on the net for a while and ate some breakfast and tried to plan what to wear in my head. I headed out to the Tate Britain and found it easily thanks to well marked signage. I went in and walked around for a long time but was not particularly impressed with the selection. Some of it was good but the modern stuff there I didn't like at all. I went to the cafeteria and for a veggie wrap and cookie and ate them outside in the sun. It was so nice while I read the sex book on the bench and listened to music. I walked back and took the train to Knightsbridge to H&M and tried on a bunch of stuff and bought some things then went back to Jessica's. I may have uploaded some pictures or just relaxed, I don't remember. Jessica got home and said Roberto and Bora were waiting for us to join them at an Italian place by Tower Bridge so we threw our shoes and jackets on and hit the road. We gabbed all the way there about bfs and desiring others while we're in our relationships and how we totally relate to one another. Some guy walked past and was like "Hel-lo" so I turned around to look and politely said hi back then he started following us and singing to me. We was wearing green pants. Jessica wanted to tell him that I loved men in green pants or that I love it when men sing to me. He followed us forever and was talking to me and asked if he could come to Seattle to see me but I finally told him my bf wouldn't appreciate it and he left us and turned back around. Yikes. We were laughing forever. We arrived and said hi to the boys and I was introduced to Gideon from S. Africa and OMG, he was so hot. I was like, "Where have you been hiding this guy?!" but turns out he's just become engaged to a Bulgarian girl and had a cute story to tell, though Bora, Roberto and I were laughing and cracking jokes the whole time about notes passed to the Dad and all that. We ordered our food and when it came Gideon left. We sat for a long time outside eating and talking and eventually moved inside to warm up and order dessert. Roberto wants me to bring my iron next time to iron his shirts and my push up bra, but I told him I'd bring my steamer instead. We had fun and I love talking to him because he's so hilarious. We looked at their work ids and the pictures were so funny Jess and I weren't making any noise as we laughed. We left and headed home, without Roberto, and Jess jumped the stream again and Bora was scolding her as she was making people move out of her way. It was funny. At home we got ready and Jess talked to Tim about meeting up at Tiger Tiger and soon we were out the door after watching some psychic show. We took the bus and walked over and found Tim in line and got kisses. We went in and they got drinks right away then we went upstairs. We were up there forever dancing and laughing and Tim was being over the top. Will joined us and every time Tim and I were left alone it would get a little weird so I thought he had less than zero interest and tried to keep it light and fun. We danced and eventually moved rooms to the 80's room and had fun in there but Tim was getting increasingly drunk and having a "talking to" with Jess that we both ended up dismissing. Tim went to get a drink and on his way back was knocked over onto the couch by a drunk girl and totally played it to the max and went ass over tea kettle with his feet in the air and we all laughed so hard, I was literally on the floor. We checked out another room down even further and Jess and I went to the bar and got hit on by guys who claimed they were Russian or something but I don't think they were, I think they were just fucking with us. We decided to start heading back up since it was about 2 and I got swooped in on by a very nice, but not terribly attractive, guy and talked with him for about 10 minutes. Apparently Tim mentioned to Jess that perhaps I'm into grunge guys then he asked if he should save me and when she was like "Yeah right, nothing's going to happen Tim, she's got a bf she's in love with" he was like "She has a bf? I'm going home" and that was the end of our night, though I didn't know this conversation had taken place until later. We headed out through the crowd and said bye to Tim, who requested I find him on facebook, and walked to the bus stop. We stood waiting for a while then I said bye to Will because I wouldn't see him again and off we went on the bus with a bunch of weirdos. After Jess relayed the story I told her I thought he had less than zero interest in me so I was surprised by this story, but she was like, “Oh no, I knew he was interested.” Hmm. We got home late and Bora was asleep. We went to bed probably by 3:15 or so.

Thursday 9/18, I heard Bora leave then Jess' alarm finally went off at 9:30 and she wasn't sure she would be able to have breakfast with us because of work but I was begging her. We all got ready and I checked facebook and Darren wrote me back that he works during the day but wondering how long I'm in town so I wrote him back and we'll see. We were out the door by 10:15 and walked to E&C because my oyster had expired, bought some day passes then boarded to St. Paul's. Jess was having a minor meltdown and was trying to straighten things out as we approached a place to have breakfast. We got muffins and yogurt and sat outside in the sun. It was nice but as Jess was on the phone I was with Felipe and the lack of any conversational connection was killing me. Mostly just Jess and I talk. We went over to St. Paul's and you have to pay to get in so we ditched it and walked around and Jess said we should just walk along the river to the London Eye. We took some pictures and said bye to Jess and went on our way, mostly in silence. The one time I thought he was going to say something interesting he just suggested we walk faster. Ok. So we arrived there and got a fast pass even though it was totally pointless since there was no line anyway but whatever. We boarded and it was so cool, we pretty much just stood there gawking at the view. I took a lot of pictures but he forgot his camera so I told him I'd post them on facebook. After landing we walked to Waterloo and rode home where we found the cleaning lady so we tried to stay out of her way. At 1:30 Felipe was ready to go so we left and walked to E&C and boarded the tube and sat in mostly silence until he got off at Piccadilly. We kissed cheeks and said bye and I was relieved to be by myself again. I got off at the next stop for H&M and tried on lots of stuff but settled on a bunch of tanks and a button up shirt. Next I went to Covent Garden to get Chrystol's tea and picked up some jasmine for Eric and some Sumatra apricot for Mom. I got back on the tube and headed back and walked to Jessica's from the station. A lot of walking today. I uploaded some new pics, updated this, read celebrity gossip and listened to music until 6:15. Like two hours. I called Jess to see what the plan was and she called me back to tell me we were having dinner with Tim F*tch. I started freaking out and cursing myself for having nothing to wear. Augh! Then I remembered I purposely set something aside for this very occasion and got ready and headed out. I got off at the wrong stop and had to back track a little then onto the Northern line to Bank but came out the wrong exit so Jess and I had to find each other and were laughing very hard when we did because Jess thought I was the girl on crutches. We walked back to the proper Bank station and went back down and rode somewhere I don't remember. We hit H&M and tried some things on but at the last minute decided against buying anything and left to go to Ping Pong. We were hungry and hadn't heard from Tim so we went in and got a table and started ordering a lot of things. Food arrived and we took most of them down until Tim called to say he was on his way so we left him the last three. I was so nervous and when he came in I got the two kisses so that was nice. He's older than I expected, 32, but I was still attracted to him and he was very funny so we had a very nice evening. He was telling us of his best friend’s wedding in the country and his best man speech and how it included a thorough explanation on bells and added that for every good ding there’s an equally resounding dong. But it was all much funnier how he was saying it. We all got some nice drinks and theirs had a "monkey nut" in it which made me laugh so hard then they both tried to suck it up on their straw and Jess went first and Tim was very supportive but more because he wanted to see her down her drink quickly or have it come out her nose or something. When it was his turn he totally couldn't and I suggested tipping the glass and he said I was brilliant. Yay! He was telling us how some guy said you could turn into a slantie and I commented that it was a) incredibly offensive and b) could never happen. Both Jess and Tim laughed very hard at this. We had a lot of fun and decided to walk then go to Will's restaurant, Noura, for Lebanese ice cream. Tim insisted we catch a taxi and we did more laughing all the way there. He said hi when we came in then we were told to sit where we did last time and I picked out my ice creams with Will’s help and another guy who insisted I try the rose water. Then Tim picked out his and Jess just had tea. Will joined us a few times but mostly it was just the three of us with Tim making us laugh a lot. Like when he accidentally pointed to his crotch then I made a joke about it later. His point about the word “wang” was also very funny and his impression of himself at a high society function using the word had me almost rolling on the ground. It was fun and we said we'd see him the next day for "Assless Chaps Friday". I get the impression he's quite the ladies man which I think is hilarious. I used the bathroom then insisted on putting Jess' tea in the kitchen and Will showed me where then we packed it in. Tim was going to catch a taxi so we said our byes there and I got two more kisses and he said see us tomorrow which surprised me because I thought it was a joke so we'll see if we do. The three of us walked and walked to the stop we needed by her old place. It was fun and we talked about a lot of hilarious things on the way. Will told me his cousin studied at the P*lyclinic and I couldn't believe it and told him why then we discussed how messed up it is that there are only two colon specialists in London. We boarded our bus and I lost my footing and hit the door when the guy went around a corner and I was terrified I was going to fall out. It was rather embarrassing as it was a full bus. We talked all the way back and missed our stop and continued our conversation until the front door then we needed to be quiet because we knew Bora was sleeping. It was like 1:15. We got ready for bed, Jess showered and I checked my myspace etc and went to sleep. Heh heh, wang.

Wednesday 9/17, I had the craziest lesbian dream ever starring me. It really freaked me the eff out when I woke up, which was like 11:30 after I kept thinking Bora was there so I slept more and more and finally looked at the time and got up. I got ready quickly and ate the rest of the apple dessert for breakfast then took off for the British Museum. This is when a map would have been helpful. I got so lost out of the tube, just like last time, and had to ask like 5 people for directions. It's actually very close, just a bit removed and hidden. I talked to Jess and we made plans for what we were going to do that night but called back later to say we couldn't because Felipe was coming into town and she'd forgotten. I made it to the museum and had a hot dog from a stand outside but I'm not sure exactly what kind of meat it was. Maybe cat. I went in and headed straight to the Greek stuff upstairs and loved it until all the school children showed up and made a ruckus. I looked around and took pictures forever then went and found a hidden bathroom so I could blow my nose and spit out my phlegm privately. Next I was going to go to the Native American stuff but on the way this French guy came up and asked if I was an artist and wouldn't leave me alone (I'm pretty sure this is the same guy who zeroed in on me last time) and told me to come with him to the Greek Parthenon rooms and I declined then he asked if I would model for him and showed me his official French artist card complete with stamp. I politely declined. Again. When I made it to the American stuff I looked around for a minute then Jess called to say Felipe was going to meet me at Holborn in 30 minutes so I headed upstairs again, this time to the British stuff, and cruised through and could have spent a lot more time up there. I left and got directions back to the station and found him as soon as I got there. We decided to see Covent Garden so we asked Jess for direction then headed off but had to ask several more people how to get there before we found it and sped through it. Then through China Town and there wasn't much talking, despite my best conversational efforts. He wanted to go to Buckingham Palace so we walked and caught the tube and eventually found it, again with not much talking, then explored this park for a long time and took the long way around to tube station. Jess said to go home and she would meet us there. We arrived and Felipe hopped in the shower and Jess called with a change of plans to come to her office and we'd walk to dinner from there and to hurry Felipe along. I told him and off we went to catch the bus. We missed our stop and had to back track a bit then stood around for what felt like forever (still not much talking, just standing) then moved then heard from her and found her. We talked and walked to Brick Lane and that was much better because Jess and I just talked all the way there. We found the good place, went in and perused the menu. I wanted veggie curry and we ordered for Bora and ate some of the crunchy bread stuff and I hated the okra one. Jess was like "You'll hate it" but Felipe was like "No, it's good, you'll like it" but it was disgusting and I really hated it. Bleh. Bora arrived then our food and it was all very good and I ate almost all my curry and all the rice. We were there for a while then went for a long walk to the bar of their friend and Jess and I gossiped while the boys walked ahead. It was fun. We also checked out the cute boys at the South African BBQ. I also checked out all the other guys on the street and smiled coyly at the cute ones. The eye contact guys make here is great. I feel so naughty. Ha. We walked back to catch the bus and Bora hated the seats we picked and Jess made him and me listen to the "I think the world should revolve around me" song and how it's her new song. We walked home from the stop and Jess dished up ice cream and chocolate sauce for everyone and i got the biggest! We put on Ocean's 11 and got about half way through before Bora wanted to go to bed and Felipe was falling asleep so we made our beds and got ready and went to sleep. It was like, midnight.

Tuesday 9/16, I think I slept until 10:30. I felt much better though. I got ready and headed out the door in pursuit of finishing the Portrait Gallery. Jess called and I told her I was just getting on the bus and to call me later about meeting up with Dominic. I got to the museum fine and checked out the Tudors and some modern stuff and finished earlier than I thought I would. I went to the tube and went to Liverpool Street to wait for Jess but she was running behind so I walked around a lot and got a smoothie then stood around some more. Soon this guy comes over (I had my ear buds in) and was like (in British accent) "Excuse me, are you Karrah?" and indeed I was! It was Dominic and I thought to myself, "Where the hell does Jess find these guys??" he was so adorable and tall and British. Too bad the only picture I got with him I look wasted. Maybe I'll cut myself out. So we start talking then Jess calls and says she'll be 10 minutes so we keep talking then she calls and she's like "Are you guys playing a prank on me?" and I thought it was so funny and thought we should have but we weren't, just in a different spot than she thought we would be. She found us then we walked over to this pub and decided to get some food and Jess asked me if I was sure about my risotto. I was. We sat upstairs and talked and he's so nice and funny and cute. I couldn't believe he's 20 because I would have guessed at least 25. We had a nice lunch and Jess needed to go back but said she'd call in a half hour but when she didn't Dominic texted her and she told me to go home so we packed up and I walked him to his train, took a pic, gave him a hug and saw him off. I took the tube back to Jess' and walked to her house from the station. She called to give me an update that she'd be done later so I ate the rest of the salad and hung out. Bora was at a football game so I was alone til Jess got home. When she arrived she talked to the neighbor about his cats and their names are not Chipped and Michie but instead Enrique and Boris or something. Then she cut up the raspberry cheesecake and we ate the whole thing while gabbing and watching SatC. It was fun. Bora came home eventually and showed us his new scarf. We went to bed not too late I think.
Monday 9/15, I woke up before Jess and Bora and laid for a while then they got up and I fell back asleep and had bad dreams until 11:30. I got up and uploaded pics, updated this thing, read gossip, wrote to Mom and Eric and talked to Jess about plans for the night. I felt lazy but thought it was better to miss a day resting than go out and make myself sicker. I talked to Jess a few times during the day to make plans for later and around six went to M&S for a sandwich, yogurt, orange juice and tissue. It was a quick outing, and nice out, and I was back in front of the computer in no time. I ate and did some more online stuff then Bora came home and asked if I wanted to go out for a ride and I said I was feeling up for it so we did. We drove to Four Seasons to pick up Jess who was having a crazy day because of the banks. Business is up for her. We went to Tesco for food and Jess and I picked three desserts while Bora did the real shopping. We discussed dessert as dinner and our opinions differ. We went home and Bora made a delightful salad with mozzarella, chicken, tomatoes and avo, yum! We watched Sliding Doors and had the apple pie dessert AND the berry pie with ice cream dessert. It was delicious and put me into a sugar coma. Eventually we went to bed.

Sunday 9/14, We all had cereal for breakfast with strawberries then Bora and Jess got into an argument about cigarettes and his mother and houseguests and the bathroom. Finally we got ready and he left for a run and we were on our way to Little Venice. We had like 13 stops and I didn't feel good but was hanging in there. We were going to meet this duck tour guy Jess had met while in Seattle whose son lives and works in London. We were late but they were very understanding. The son is Joe and he's like 30. We walked and talked until we got to the canal and decided to walk until we found something for lunch. We settled on Zizzi's and it was very nice. I had a nice salad which apparently helped me get things moving, which made me feel better. We had a long lunch with lots of food and yummy chocolate cake for dessert. We decided to just walk along the canal and ended up walking like 4 miles and I was freezing and feeling like shit. I talked to John the whole time and I just wanted to go home. They were nice, I just didn't feel good. Finally we made it up to an overpass and luckily Joe's iphone got us in the direction of a tube station. We stopped at a bar, Mason's Arm I think, and had a drink outside and I was freezing and throat was killing me by this point. After about 20 minutes we left and hopped the Bakerloo and I was like "THANK GOD" as we got on and hoped it would be stifling. They got off at Waterloo and we talked about what to do for dinner and stopped at M&S on the way home. We picked up stuff so Jess could make soup to make me feel better. What also made me feel better was a hot cop at the store as well. There were like 4 or 5 officers and one kept looking at me, though it wasn't the tall cute one. They were in line behind us and a couple of them kept trying to slip snacks into their co-worker’s basket and I was laughing and he kept asking why he didn't like pistachios. We checked out and headed back. I changed into comfy clothes just as Bora got home and Jess made the soup and we all watched Wedding Planner and talked. It was fun. Then we started Pirates of the Caribbean but I fell asleep about a half hour in so they turned it off and we all went to bed. It was like 11:15 probably. I was out.

Saturday 9/13, We slept until noon and got up and ready fairly quickly because Bora had to catch a train but we wanted to get breakfast first at Borough Market. They got coffees then he left and I got a tangerine that was burning my throat. Jess called Will and invited him to join us for lunch and he said yes but it would be a while before he could be there so we walked down to Tower Bridge and talked and looked around then back to buy some sunglasses and got an update that he wasn't even close. We walked and eventually got smoothies, after getting woofed at by some pit-bull walking hooligans to whom I shot a dirty look, and it had linseed which Jess promised would kick start my digestive system. We sat and listened to a guy play George Michael and Flaming Lips tracks on his guitar while we enjoyed our drinks. We walked and met W and started the long walk to this place with apparently amazing sandwiches. We walked and walked and walked and they kept rough-housing and I just tried to keep my distance so I wouldn't get taken out. I took some pictures and the walk was very nice for that. It took us a while but finally we got there but they weren't serving lunch anymore so that bummed us out so we kept walking and Jess blamed Will. We went to a pub and I asked the guy which chicken he recommended but he didn't want to play my game but I forced him anyway and finally he told me what to order then when he gave us our number I told him I had a good feeling about it and he just like, tried not to roll his eyes at me or something. The food was ok and I kicked one of my chicken chunks down and W laughed really hard. We left and started our walk back and I smiled at some guy in his truck and he almost hit a car and Jess said he was licking his window. We walked back through the Thames Festival and they got in an argument on our way back. I put in my ear buds and listened to music and walked ahead of them. We stopped at a discount store where we loaded up on ice cream and some snacks then continued. Jess let me in then walked him to the bus stop. I let Chipped and Michie the cats in and when they were out we closed the door. We sat on the couch for a long time watching the Tudors and Jess didn't really want to go out but I did so I got ready then she finally did after doing her research on the net. We made plans to meet up with Zlatko to go to Walkabout. We caught the bus and checked out all these guys standing right in front of us and took off our hoodies so they could get a better look, but they didn't take the bait. When we got off Zlatko was right in front of us even though he was supposed to be at Walkabout and told us the same about our progress. We met his friend whose name I can't remember because it was Macedonian. Him and I talked all the way up and when we got up only Zlatko had to show his id to get in. We met more of Zlatko's friends, Igor and a girl whose name I forgot, and all started dancing. We went up to the bar and some guy kept tapping my shoulder then when I turned around he would pretend to dance then we left so I didn't talk to him. We started dancing and I was on the lookout for cute guys and they were everywhere. We had a ton of fun. I kept checking out the bouncer and would catch him looking at me too. Jess and I went downstairs to check out the scene down there and really went for it dancing. It was ridiculous but we were having so much fun. She checked her phone then two guys came up to her and one started talking to her while the other talked to me and he was French and asked me all kinds of questions about my stay and if I'd been to France and knew where Burgundy. It was cute, but he wasn't really. His friend was and he was Spanish but looked more British or French. Jess and him talked forever. Finally they left so we went upstairs and Bora texted Jess that one of the cats was in the house when he came home and we stood in the stairway laughing hysterically. Upstairs I noticed some more boys and kind of made eye contact with some of them or would catch some looking at me so I played coy. Zlatko wanted to check out downstairs so we went down there and danced until Jess helped him pull this girl he'd been checking out since we arrived so that was good until they cut in front of me and she wedged herself between us. It was weird. The French and Spanish guy were back so we talked with them for a minute then told them bye and went upstairs as well since Zlatko was distracted. The music was better up there so we started busting it out. There were all these school boy looking guys sitting together and I was like "YUMMY" they were so fucking cute and Jess was like, I bet they're in a band. So I kind of danced near them and kept "accidentally" bumping my butt into one of them and finally Jess pumped me up enough to ask him "Are you in a band" and he was like "I'm Italian, it is hard for me to understand". Awww! It was so cute. His name was Frederico and he was from Florence and they were visiting and they were indeed a band and he was the drummer. He was so cute but probably like 21. I told him it was nice to meet him then went back to report to Jess. A cute guy I had been checking out earlier who looked like a taller Guy was dancing nearby and I kept looking at him and finally he looked over then for the rest of the night we kept looking at each other, making eye contact. He ended up with some blonde he seemed to know who then laughed at me and Jess when we were dancing but it made me laugh because she took herself so seriously and he was still checking me out while he was hugging and dancing with her. A huge group of guys migrated toward us and we started dancing with them to some hilarious songs like Rage Against the Machine and this one guy was like, come on you know the words so I sang when I knew them, like "Fuck you, I won't do what they told me" then started jumping because Jess and Peter were. Peter looked like a mix between Spencer and Collin McC*y. Soon they were playing some country-ish songs and they started like square dancing with us by grabbing us by the arm then going in circles or taking our hands and twirling us. It was so fun and we were laughing so hard. It was great too because the Guy lookalike kept looking over and I continued to flirt with the boys we were with. I finally get the name of the boy I'm dancing with, Darren, and he tells me he's an Aussie visiting some friends and traveling around with other friends through Asia. We talked a ton and he showed me all these new dance moves along the same lines as the sprinkler and the shopping cart like the burglar and the basketball player. We made one up together called the elbow where you hit people in the face with your elbow but make it look like a dance move and he took it to the next level by doing two at once. I was laughing so hard. We hung with those guys for the rest of the night until the club closed. Jess' feet were hurting and she had said she wanted to leave by 2:30 but after we met those guys there was no way we were leaving early. The lights finally came up around three so we got some pictures together. His other friends were cute too, but they had ditched him and Jess told him they were outside so we migrated out. All his friends were waiting out there and I was like "Sorry, I'm a talker, blame me" but the one friend was like I don't forgive you and I thought he was kidding but maybe he wasn't. I said it was nice to meet them then we started walking but had to find Zlatko, who was now apparently very pissed because that girl ditched him and he was calling her a fat slut and all this. Like really mad. I saw Darren looking over so I waved and finally we started walking but then Jess was having an argument on the phone so we were standing there and I turn around and Darren's there again and he made me recite his last name again and I told him there was no way I would forget and would find him on facebook (in lieu of a phone number). Finally we were off and I was in charge of keeping Zlatko distracted and he put his face in this girl’s cleavage and I laughed so hard then had to keep him out of other girls' cleavage. He said if he was into skinny attractive girls he would try to pull me but he was into fat unattractive girls. We kept walking all the way down and I had to distract him so he didn't see that girl again, who we couldn't seem to shake. Finally we made it to the bus and on and Zlatko filled us in on what happened then Jess was talking about how fat and ugly she was with her big belly and flat ass and he was like "Stop it, you're giving me a semi" and we were like "Gross!" and he talked about the long walk home he had and how he'd have to spend a half hour in the bathroom. He got off the bus and we missed ours and had to walk from the further one and talked about the boys we met all the way back and watched as cops circled the block and interrogated people. It was weird. We got home and Bora was asleep then we turned in, it was like 4:30.

Friday 9/12, We slept until 10 and Jess had to go into work but took her time getting ready and soon we were out the door so she could take accompany me to Charing Cross so I could find my way to the National Gallery. We walked down to Embankment and got a Starbucks and sat in this cute little park and Jessica taught me the rule of thirds and we talked and looked at cute boys. After a while it was time for her to go so I walked back to the gallery and wandered around for 2 hours then she called me and gave me another hour and a half so I wandered a little more after sitting outside and getting some sun then to the Portrait Gallery which was very interesting but I only got a bit into it before Jess called again to say she was done with her candidate. She told me to walk up but I thought she meant keep walking and ended up by Walkabout and had to turn around back to Leister where I met Jess and Will. We went to get a crepe and mine was good but Jess' salmon waffle wasn't so much. We left and went home to get ready and prepped to go out with Shawna and Sam and Andy. We were back out the door and on our way to Covent Garden we met Sam by the market because we didn't know where we were going. It was good to meet him because I've heard about him forever. We went down into the bar and I talked to Shana for a long time about sex and 23 year olds and other stuff that we could relate to despite the seven year age difference. We asked this guy to take our picture and he told us something disturbing about Josh and a lack of washing hands but running them through his hair. We laughed so much but the guy reminded us not to forget how gross it was too. We decided to leave so the five of us caught a cab and went to Revolution laughing the whole way about falling out of the seat and other places on the ground. We went into Revolution and Shana and I continued our talk and we met Shane. We stayed there a while and I got a chance to talk to Sam and said I'd make out with him if I was single. I talked to Shane a lot too and Andy said Sam is his bitch and I should get one too, but I’d rather be a bitch if it means someone pays for my ticket to Australia. We stayed there until it was a little after 10 then the three of us girls caught a cab to a Lebanese place. We were seated and the food started immediately and didn't stop for a long time. The table was covered with food and everything was so good. We were there forever and there were lots of other sex stories between the three of us so that was fun. We were each a bit prude in our own way and I told Shana to get over it and Jess agreed. Will joined us at the end of the meal and we finally left after leaving Jess with the fig gross treats. We were laughing hysterically. We walked forever to drop Shana off at the bus stop then we continued to walk forever by Big Ben and all that and Will taught me to say "Bend over and I'll show you" in Arabic. We finally caught the bus by Jess' old place and rode home talking about boys. I think we watched the Tudors when we got home.

Thursday 9/11, We landed right on time and I got through customs and immigration quickly then got my luggage in like 5 minutes and headed out. Jess found me quickly and we did hello-s, got an oyster card for me and off we went on the train. We got back to her house and she took off right away for the doctor and I took a nap for a little over an hour and got up when she returned. I showered and got ready and we went to Trafalgar Square where I recognized Will l and we did introductions. We walked through Leister and ended up in Chinatown and got Chinese for dinner. I realized there was probably MSG in everything and sure enough my stomach hurt for the rest of the night. We walked and tried to find something to do and eventually decided on a comedy show and let some guys on the street persuade us to see the show at the hotel and Jess asked how one guy could be on for 90 minutes. Apparently the guy she said it to was the comic we would be seeing. We sat waiting for them to let us down then found a seat in the second row to avoid getting picked on. The guy's objective became to hook Jess up with a guy in the audience and it was so hilarious. He very easily kept us dying of laughter for an hour and a half and I didn't really get picked on except when he kept telling me to "fuck off" like 8 times re: Jess and Will. On the way out he was giving everyone hugs and I told him to fuck off and he said to leave the other two and he would fuck off with me. We were walking around Leister and this guy told us we could see some new club for free and Jess had wanted to so we gave them our ids for the security scan and went down. It was cool in there and we got some drinks and sat and talked for a while then left because I was getting tired. We walked back to the bus stop and headed home and watched Tudors until like 1 with Bora then going to bed.

Wednesday 9/10, Eric gave me a nice goodbye then I packed a bit and off to work. Peggy gave me a nice bonus and extra $100 for spending money and off I went at 2:45. I grabbed my stuff and raced over to Mom's where we took off right away to the airport and talked about Eric and freeway shortcuts and Alix. She dropped me off and the line went quickly and I've never made it through security so fast, then to my gate where I waited for a very long time and talked to Eric, Grandma and Susan then onto my flight, though we left a little late. I was starving and luckily they fed us then I watched Zohan and fell asleep afterward. It wasn't very good sleep but I did for a little while. I woke up when we were over Greenland and slept sporadically from then on.

Tuesday 9/9, I stayed late at work in order to print my boarding pass but the damn site insisted on my passport info so in a flurry I sped home and logged on and still got a decent seat that will hopefully be conducive to sleeping through most of the flight. I ate some food and half watched WoF and read gossip then called Susan and chatted for a while as I packed. I was starting to freak out but just kept forging ahead. Eric called and we talked and he was going to arrive in about 20 minutes then Kay-See called so we talked for a little bit and she wished me bon voyage. Eric arrived and I acted all frantic, playfully, and he told me to chill out and we talked in the kitchen for a bit before going upstairs while I still packed and we talked. Finally I was pretty good and hopped in the shower then invited him in and he accepted and things progressed nicely for me then we got out and things progressed nicely for him, back in the shower for a rinse and into bed. We talked for a while then fell asleep and luckily I slept much better than the night before.

Monday 9/8, I worked until 6 then went to the bank but they couldn't give me pounds so I just took out cash. I called Eric to make sure he was still coming over that evening and he said he beat me home which surprised me because I didn't think he was coming until later. When I walked through the door I knew he was cooking and when I came upstairs he was in the middle of preparing gorgonzola stuffed bison burgers with Portobello mushrooms and homemade french fries and a salad chocked full of tomatoes and yellow and orange peppers. We talked in the kitchen for a long time about our respective days and my jury duty irritation and he told me about the octopus divers from Scripps. We sat on the couch for a while and looked at plane tickets then booked one for him to come to San Diego for Thanksgiving. He got back to work so I called Dad to tell him and he was excited then asked if Eric was wearing a skirt because he was making me dinner then said he's a Renaissance Man. We talked and joked for a while then he wished me happy travels and hung up. I got the table and SatC ready then dished up and he wasn't far behind. We watched an episode then he cleaned the kitchen and I started packing and doing laundry until he was done then we polished off the second disc of Season 3 and ate big bowls of ice cream. We went upstairs and I showered and got ready for bed then we talked for a while then he was drifting off and my stomach hurt so he rubbed my back until he fell asleep.

Sunday 9/7, We woke up and were being lazy and Eric brought me some cereal while I laid in bed then he talked to Schuyler and we started getting ready. It took us a while to get going and we were finally out the door around 10. They told us to come straight to the market so we parked and walked over and perused the used Saabs in the lot and we may have found a winner. We found Chrystol then Schuyler found us and we walked up to Highlife for brunch. Schuyler and I were being anal and the other two were immersed in the game until we were seated. They were out of the coffee cake which mildly irritated me so I ordered soup instead. We had a nice brunch with lots of laughing then headed out and back down into the market where Eric and I watched a kid unable to figure out how to get his drink out of the cup. We continued walking and headed back to my car and looked at the Saabs again and they put their stamp of approval on the car. Back at their house we sat around talking and I texted with Kassie about meeting up. We left and met Kassie by her old house and the four of us walked down to an open house that was cute then another one just a stone's throw away and it was the favorite of the day. We drove all over Queen Anne and saw quite a few houses but none rung our bell like that one. We dropped them back at Kassie's car at 3:30 then I called Kay-See to see if she still wanted to hang and she did so we went over to her place and decided to go get something sweet. We walked to Victrola but they didn't have anything so we continued up the hill and saw Ky standing on the corner with Rach-ho's dog and he joined us up to Tully's. The dog got spooked and insisted on going back so we continued up and Ky said he would meet us in a few minutes. I ordered a piece of yogurt mandarin bread and it was delicious and tasted like a twinkey. We talked for a long time about Jim then Ky joined us and stayed for a while but had to leave to meet people downtown. We stayed for a while longer then went over to Bartell's so I could get Jake a card and passed a guy wearing similar sunglasses to mine and I almost died and Eric almost died as a result of me almost dying. Then I told them how I throw things away in public trash cans. Picked up what I needed then walked back to K's where I laid on the floor and got into an argument with them about "Bigfoot" then almost fell asleep. K confirmed the dates of the cruise and I prayed it wasn't falling on the date of one of our biggest client's meetings. We left a little after 6 and talked more about Skylar and Kassie and I was surprised they'd beaten us there. We sat around waiting for Dad and Jake to have dinner and looked at more houses online. We had dinner and it was really good then the boys went down to the court and played basketball for over an hour while I watched a little, looked at houses with Kass and went stir crazy because I wanted to go home. Finally they came back up and we sang, everyone had dessert then we took off. I vented to Eric in the car and he said I should have told him because he was ready too. Back at my house I got ready for bed and was able to download Kassie's pictures but that was about it before we turned in.

Saturday 9/6, We woke up at about the same time and started messing around and ended up both getting off and it was another new one for me and he liked that I went to what I liked. Ok, enough of that. I noticed Kassie's car was behind mine and I needed to get gas so I woke her up and moved it and back at home I started getting ready and went in and said hi and told them we were going to Kingfish for brunch and they expressed wanting to go so I told them to get up and at em and they did and we both left at the same time. They had to get Kassie's car checked out so we went ahead to get a table, got one no problem, but in the back with a waitress who didn't want to move us by giving us a simple "no". They arrived and we perused the menu and Eric settled on the Chik n Waffle and I got a buttermilk pancake with a side of biscuits and gravy and it was all delicious. We talked about Skylar's fishing trip and some other stuff then settled the bill and said our byes. Eric and I took a long walk up to the Volunteer Park Cafe and back around to the car and worked up a sweat, but more because it was muggy. We drove down to Madison and by Trevor's house and some other little neighborhood streets down there then back up and through the arboretum for a while talking about school his change in course. Next it was down to REI and Vivace with a stop to say hi to Teal then next door to the furniture place where I picked out some stuff I liked but didn't buy then over to REI where we ran around laughing and trying to find the special Sigg but apparently it's only available online. We found the Eagle Creek stuff and Dad's picture and Eric suggested we buy all of them and ship them to him to get them off the shelves. At the other EC stuff I started saying, "I'd buy the Eagle Creek ones, they're the best. Everything they make is so great!" and Eric almost died. The people shopping next to us left. At least I tried. I told Eric about the lecherous man as we left. He briefly stopped in the snowboard shop then went for a walk and perused the community garden and sat in the park for a long time talking about sea planes, Seahawks and horse drawn buggies. It was so warm sitting on that bench but I was tired and started getting cramps so we went back to my house but stopped at QFC on the way so we could pick up groceries for dinner Eric was going to make. At home we relaxed as he watched tv and I started falling asleep after opening a magazine. He started prepping and Chrystol called asking what we were doing and I told her staying in and Eric was making multiple stir frys and egg rolls and asked if they wanted to come over and they did so we set a time and I continued to be lazy while Eric worked. Finally I got up and started cleaning and tidying and they arrived by 6:45 after we had sampled some of the fare. It was all really good. We all talked and ate and they were impressed with his skills. Chrystol and I looked at house clippings and she would try to guess which item I liked on each one. We talked about having a group make out on the couch then the Hunks book was cracked open and we decided to look up where these guys are today but instead found this awesome website with all the nudie pics of these guys from their Playgirl days. We were all laughing hysterically. It was great and we all had a couple of the same favorites (guy running down a sand dune - naked, guy dressed up in many outfits, guys in squatting / pooping position, skill saw with duct taped cord near junk) then came up with our own ideas for photo shoots. I really want to make it happen. After 10 they packed up and took off and we talked about brunch the next morning then we cleaned up a little more and went upstairs where we went to bed.

Friday 9/5, I worked an hour late then couldn't hear Susan because her phone was acting up. At home I started eating a ton of cheese Peggy gave me and they were very good. Susan and I hung out for a bit and she watched as I attempted to accomplish some cleaning. We decided to have dinner and she was generous enough to bring an avo and some rice and I steamed some carrots so it was a fairly complete dinner. We sat and talked and went upstairs where we talked a bunch too. She had plans with A so she left before 10. Eric wasn't there by ten so I was a bit concerned but just as I picked up the phone to call him I heard the front door open. He came up and I was so happy to see him and we talked about our days then we started in on politics and he got me very riled up and I didn't even want to look at him. I wanted to tell him to leave but then he apologized and I told him I hate getting so angry but that I also don't get over it quickly and that I had originally been really happy to see him. He apologized again, which he noted was the second time that week. I felt bad but also still irritated. I showered and got ready for bed and we made up so that was good, went to bed.

Thursday 9/4, I went straight home and showered, ate a salad and got ready for First Thursday. I called Chrystol as I was walking out the door and it surprisingly didn't take me more than a half hour to get there. I talked to Eric for most of it but didn't follow his advice for getting into Ballard and he totally knew it. Chrystol and I chatted for a few minutes then headed out the door into Seattle and talked about Schuyler's Grandma passing and death in general and perspective and it was kind of a downer but soon we were down on the waterfront trying to find parking while talking about Eric and his ex then Chrystol urged me to break the rules and turn where I wasn't supposed to. I scored a parking spot because of it. We walked over and Kass called to say she was having dinner with Kate and wondering if I wanted to meet up, told her I'd call her later. We checked out a new sneaker place, then the gallery next door and picked out which suggestive painting our respective bfs would like then headed upstairs. Not much to note, I was bummed by my favorite artist's offerings and hope she'll return to her former format. It's fantastic people watching and the art's not half bad but most of it isn't my taste. I loved the cookies however, which are generally depleted by the time we usually get there. Johnny W's room was fantastic as always and he had a Katrina series and the honey one was our favorite. This guy was staring at me then tells me I must be a volleyball player then repeats it after I tell him I'm not, so I say "I hate sports" then he insisted I was 6' tall but I corrected him. He said how beautiful I was or something then guessed I must be a dancer and again I corrected him. Chrystol was going to helpfully add that I was a pole dancer but I answered him too quickly. I saw Chuck on our way out we continued to wander. We saw the lech in another room and I hid and snuck by him but yet again he found me about 5 minutes later and started telling me about his step daughter and how she was a dancer and he'd put her hair in a chignon and how he dropped her at college and how there were so many beautiful freshman and he was in heaven for two days and all this stuff and I must have just had my mouth open because he quickly adds "I swear I'm not a lecherous old man" and I said "Well, the proof is in the pudding" then told him to have a good night and walked off as he told me again how beautiful I am. We went across the street and watched a video of elephants painting and I was shocked and amazed. I called Kay-See on the way back to the car and told her we'd pick her up at her place and arrived shortly after. We drove up to Broadway, found parking easily and went in to enjoy a slice of pizza. We grabbed a seat in the back and started discussing all manner of subjects but it eventually turned to my jury duty and all the things I may do, like pee myself and make sure to eat asparagus that morning then drool on myself then start crying. No bodily fluid will go unutilized. They both think I'm ridiculous. We stayed until 10:40 then I dropped K off and drove into Ballard to drop Chrystol off. Back home and to bed by midnight.

Wednesday 9/3, I got in early after having nightmares about being late and work moving. I stayed two hours late to get some stuff done and on my way home I called Chrystol to see if she wanted to do the art walk the next day and she did so we firmed up plans. I called Susan and went grocery shopping then made some dinner and watched the first half of ANTM while trying to update this. Eric called shortly after 9 so I didn't really watch the second half because we were having a serious discussion about the night before and how his program helps him in ways I can't and how important it all is. After 10 we hung up and I finished getting ready for bed and showered and crawled in while watching a bit of Seinfeld and reading gossip online.

Tuesday 9/2, We woke up at 6:30, got ready, packed up and headed down to the car for the airport. Dad dropped us off and we were in the slowest ticketing line ever but finally got through and decided to have breakfast at a little french place. I had oatmeal that was ok but the fruit served with it was good. We went to our gate and waited to board and Kassie had to go to the bathroom and came back out with a hilarious story of farting loudly and having a woman look at her when she came out and Kassie being like "Yeah, that was me" which also made these guys standing next to us laugh. Kass got the woman next to us to switch with Aubs and took pictures of the baby on the safety card. We all read our magazines and I fell asleep and Aubs did next then we landed. We walked to the next gate and took pictures and Aubrie showed Kassie how to work her camera then it was time for them to go so we hugged and saw them onto the plane then went to our gate. It wasn't long before we boarded with K talking to Chels about her relationship. On the plane we watched Steel Magnolias but didn't finish it because the battery ran out on the player. We landed shortly after and got our bags pretty quickly. Mom picked us up and I called Eric to tell him that I got his messages and would like for him to come up and spend the night with me. Back at Mom’s I took off right away to head home to eat some yogurt and magnesium then off to work texting K and A about my progress and K wanted me to take a picture. I only worked two hours then home where my stomach was killing me and I laid on the couch and fell asleep. Eric knocked on the door and scared me and I didn't want to get up but had to because he couldn't hear my feeble yells for him to enter. We sat on the couch for a while talking then headed over to Mom's for dinner. She made chili and I picked out the beans and added cheese and some Beecher's crackers. We talked about the trip then childhood then I got ganged up on and overreacted (the rare, for me, PMS side effect I think) and sat in the bathroom for a while. Mom and K came in and we talked for a long time then we left and Eric was very apologetic in the car and said he was a jerk and Alan enlightened him while I was in there. We talked all the way home and I kept having to wipe my eyes because I couldn't stop renegade tears. I got ready for bed and showered then turned on my computer to show Eric all my pictures. We talked for a long time in bed then I had to turn the light out and my stomach hurt so I tucked into the baby yoga position or whatever.

Monday 9/1, I woke up at 9 again and texted Aubs to see if she wanted to work out and she came down and we watched House Hunters and more 80's music and reminisced about LPC because of the Africa song. I did 30 of the ab reps she showed me and some extra little exercises then we split to get ready. I showered and got ready and found Ty under Dylan's watch and took him upstairs to motivate Kassie. I packed and got everything upstairs then held Ty again. We congregated in the living room and eventually took off with Kasey with us over to Dick's. Breakfast was being prepared and served and we all dished up and sat outside talking to Danielle and her bf AJ who seemed terribly uninterested in us. We talked about GG and how she was ditching us to go to the mall. We had pictures in the living room and played with Ty and people slowly trickled out. Jamie, Tom, Sydney and Taylor then Larry and Rosemary, Danielle and Kelly. The remaining crowd loaded onto the pontoon and out we went leaving Danny, Derek and Stacy on shore watching the kids being pulled behind us. I kept getting wet so I eventually moved to the back and we cruised around the lake until Beau had to go and we dropped him off and refilled the supplies. Derek and Stacy joined us with Brett while Danny watched the boys and we joked he would be tied to a tree by the time we got back. We went all around the lake and flirted with boys and Kassie asked if we could jump on their trampoline and they were like "YEAH!!" and Derek was like "Did you really think they would say no?" and I told him he was a real rule follower and I know because I'm one myself. He gave us the low down on everyone on the lake and it was fun and relaxing but we'd been out for a long time so we headed in. Danny wanted to go and I told him to stop being such a hard ass then we raided the gum closet. Stacy got the grill going for the venison dogs and Kassie started on a batch of guac and had to keep expanding because apparently everyone there (except the P*nk boys) loves it. We ate lunch and I ate too much but it was all really good. First time trying venison. Danny and Jackson left but he now loves rice chips and avocado. Kassie called Dylan's hot dog a rat dog and we all laughed until we weren't making any noise. Dad managed to get all our stuff into the trunk and cut his hand open. We rounded up our stuff and said our goodbyes and loaded into the car on our way to the city. Kass got offended because we saw Danny's point and stayed quiet for most of the trip because she felt misunderstood. The rest of us laughed and listened to Dad's stories about childhood and Uncle Jerome being a good older brother and taking him and the younger boys for an ice cream treat. We told Dad to hurry so we could catch the GG premier and also because Aubrie had to go to the bathroom really really bad. We unloaded the car and were checked into the Republican Convention-themed Hilton by the mall in no time. We went up to the rooms and I used the bathroom first then Aubrie and we found GG and I think got Kass hooked already. We only watched like 10 minutes while we changed our outfits then it was off to the MALL of AMERICA. Labor Day sales and no sales tax = fun for each sister. We hit shoes first and Kassie put a pair of $500 shoes on hold while we continued to peruse. We went upstairs and found a whole bunch of fun things to try on and I ended up with a James Perce collared button up shirt for London. Upstairs on the way to the bras we started discussing our "olive" situations and Aubrie was horrified. Kassie was relieved as we traded stories. We went into the dressing room while the lady fitted Kassie in some new bras and found out her boobs haven't shrunk that much. A few bras later we went back downstairs where I bought a pair of cute gray flats then over to get mascara for Aubs then over to the watches and K dropped $600 on a new watch that does all sorts of crazy stuff like change the frequency of your body...or something. We shut the place down and went to get gas and ended up in the ghetto with Kassie turning guys’ heads with her aroma-producing pastime then headed back to the hotel and in the elevator upstairs this guy was like "Are you enjoying the convention?" and K was like "No, we're Democrats" then he like, ran out of the elevator when the doors opened. We went down to the hotel restaurant for dinner, despite it being 10:00 and ordered a bunch of stuff and our waiter told us about the marathon he ran in Seattle and gave Kassie some French books to check out. Dinner was good and we went back up and packed and went to bed.

Sunday 8/31, I woke up and went upstairs to ask Clint if I could work out so he showed me how to work everything and got the tv going then texted Aubs to see if she wanted to work out and she came down a few minutes later. We watched George Michael and Fresh Prince and she showed me a few new exercises then we went upstairs and had some breakfast in the form of healthy cereal and very unhealthy cinnamon rolls. I showered and we all got ready and eventually headed over to Dick's. I can't really remember what we did but I know we went out on the boat and Taylor couldn't stand being more than five feet away from Dad. Danny, Kelly, Beau and Jackson came over along with Clint and Derek and their families. Out on the water we went over to the farmer's place and played in the water and eventually he came out and chatted with us for a while and we eventually headed back because people had shown up. We all got ready and left for Stewart to go to Cactus Jack's in a big caravan though there were a few interesting turns along the way. We arrived but the place was packed and it was extremely interesting to see all the people in there. We decided to go back toward Litchfield but some of us stopped at the cemetery to see Grandma and Grandpa and looked at some other family members buried there then took off for Bonfire and Casey and Aubs fell asleep in the backseat. We took over the place and three huge tables. It was fun and Kassie played "Trot trot to Boston" with Beau and Sydney quite a few times and it made us all laugh. I went outside and called Eric and we talked for a bit. We took a lot of family pictures then dispersed and I'm sorry I didn't spend more time talking with Jerome and Ilene but got a few sentences in as we were leaving. We all drove back to Dick's and got a bon fire started but first Aubrie and I hoisted Kassie up into a window so she could moon the birthday party next door and we all laughed hysterically even though I'm sure no one even saw her ass in that tiny window. Down at the campfire I talked to Clint for a long time and heard some funny stories about Dad getting arrested for necking in a ditch and other amusing stories about a guy having sex with a pig (not related to me) and other town's folk gossip. It was getting late and we eventually packed up and I drove Clint's car home because he'd had too much and it's a bit nerve wracking to drive on those roads at night with no bearings and no lights anywhere. Went to bed not long after arriving back.

Saturday 8/30, I slept and slept and finally saw someone come in my room and it was Kassie and Aubrie with baby Tye. I woke right up and held him and goo goo-d over him. I asked what time it was and it was 10:30 which shocked me into getting my ass up. There are no windows down here, no natural light! I exclaimed. I jumped into action and had some breakfast with Dylan then got dressed and played with Tye in the living room for a long time. Eventually we got him upstairs and Kassie was dressing him when Mom and Dad and Uncle Larry and Rosemary came over to say hi. Soon we were on the road with Kasey who took us to the natural grocery in Litchfield and Kassie cleaned up then over to the regular store where we ran around laughing about boys and we whispered about Tony the produce boy. We headed to Uncle Dick's and found lunch being served when we got there. We med Sidney and Taylor and said hi to everyone else then dished up and started loading up on bars. I ate some of Kassie’s fresh salad. I think we ate a bunch all day and went out on the pontoon and saw a woman riding a horse bareback in her bikini and Clint was like “Let’s get a closer look!” and eventually we picked up Kelly and Mark and Aubs and I floated with her a long time and talked about Eric then we were pushed out by Clint who we told only a little girl push. We eventually went back after yelling at the kids who were trying to kill snails and clams. Back at the house we probably ate more and hung out talking but I don’t really remember. Went back to Clint’s and called Eric but he was at the wedding and called me back when I was sleeping.

Friday 8/29, We arrived at the airport and did curb side and waited in a long line at security with a lady cutting in front of us. On the way to the gate we got a snack and waited to board. We watched Me, You and Everyone We Know and Kassie thought it was quirky but good. We landed just after it was over and received multiple texts from Dad about how Denver was and if we'd found Aubrie and what we were doing and I was getting irritated. Texting is Dad's new favorite thing! Kass and I hid behind a giant column at Aubrie's gate and jumped out to scare her and scared another lady as well in the process and all these people around laughed. We walked around to find a place to get a snack and settled on some place upstairs where we all ate something. We sat there forever since our layover was a little over three hours. After sitting for a long time we walked to get a little exercise then to our gate to board. We were separated so Kass convinced two gentlemen to trade with us so we could all sit together. We read our respective magazines and talked and laughed at the airline safety card kid. We landed and it was fairly late, like 9 maybe. Aubs and I got the luggage while Kass picked up the rental car. I called Dad for directions and Clint ended up on the phone with me because there were too many people in the kitchen so to speak. Kass and I got into a somewhat heated debate about drugs and perspective and experimentation and her somewhat cavalier attitude about it all. It was fine in the end I just didn't want Aubs to get the wrong impression. We stopped so Kassie could use the bathroom and she confirmed Kassie's nonchalance then two boys came out of the convenience store and we were looking at them and the one was like "Wahoo!" and kept looking back and Aubrie was mortified. We told Kassie when she got back in and we drove by and she said something out the window to them like "Have a good night sexy boys" and we all laughed hysterically. We kept on and eventually made it to Litchfield and Clint directed us from there. We arrived without using the odometer and everyone was up waiting for us. We sat in the kitchen talking until midnight and eating "white trash" a yummy treat made of rice and corn chex, cheerios, pretzels, m&ms and almond bark. So rich, but so good. We snuck up to take a look at the baby then down to the basement to see how they remodeled and where I would be sleeping. In the hunting room with a bear on the wall and no less than 20 guns and birds mounted and a rabid squirrel to watch over me while I slept. I made him put the bear in the closet and still had to sleep with the light on in the rec room. Pitch ass black down there. I called Eric and we talked about Palin and how her views are fucked. I'll leave it at that. Went to bed at like 1:00.

Thursday 8/28, I forgot to write this day and it is now 9/14. I think I talked to Kassie who told me to come over to Mom’s after I ate some dinner. I went over and we watched Obama’s speech and I thought it was very good and we stayed until it was over then headed to Best Buy so Kassie could get a new camera. We played with a bunch and loved the color switch feature on the one that made us look like we had beards and laughed so hard we weren’t making any noise. We asked the guy what he thought, and clearly he didn’t know what to say. We left with Kassie yelling in the parking lot about me peeing in her bag to get people’s attention. At home I probably packed to go to MN for a long time and set my alarm for not as early as I had previously thought.

Wednesday 8/27, I texted Eric back to call me if he needed something and that I'd be in Seattle at 10. No word back. I went to my appt and heard rather disappointing news and am now on a slew of meds and treatments trying to rid my face of this mess. I opted against walking because I was tired and headed straight home to my computer and bed. I updated this for a while then Eric called and said he was looking at a house on 15th and thought he would come by and I agreed that was a good idea and expected him around 8. I called Susan and we talked for a long time and I told her about my face and the Eric texts. She was just as clueless as I was. I continued writing trying to catch up and finally went downstairs to pick out mags to take on the MN trip. I ate dinner and flipped through some magazines then back upstairs to watch the DNC. Just as it was ending Eric showed up so he came and sat on my bed with me and we talked about our respective days and he listened patiently as I ranted about my face then he told me about his (day, not face). We laid there for a long time talking and laughing and discussing Eric and how no matter if I call him or not he needs to learn to get himself help because nothing I do will really help him. Mom called at 9:05 and said they'd landed so we took off for the airport and waited in the cell lot for them to call and it took way too long. We picked them up and they told us about their trip and Alix's school and what a phenomenal institution it is, especially the engineering school, which Alix is in. We dropped them off and went back to my house where I hopped in the shower and got ready for bed. We messed around for a while and I can add two more to my list and some new stimulating positions. Went to sleep, probably around midnight.