Monday 10/27, Eric texted during the day and said he forgot his charger so he would be back up, which made me happy. On my way home I called Kassie and she said she would call back but never did. When I got home I did a few things then called Dad to wish him a happy birthday and talked for a while then he passed phone off to Aubs and we chatted about Jamaica and Weezer and Eric and Thanksgiving, then the phone was passed to Mom and we talked about the murder mystery party and other stuff and Eric arrived while I was on the phone so he said hi and eventually I hung up. We sat on the couch talking about our days then decided to make macaroni for dinner and got that going while we listened to music and I ran around high on sugar (from Corn Pops). Eric thought I was hilarious. We talked about a trip together and eventually sat down with dinner while watching Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. I was determined to finish my voting and eventually did. We watched GG and ate ice cream and I played with my farm a little then we went upstairs after it was over. Eric turned on some program about presidents and civil rights and I read and at 9:45 he started to go to sleep but I kept him up by asking him questions out of my magazine so that was fun and we talked for a while before he really fell asleep.

Sunday 10/26, We slept in until like 9 and Eric brought me some breakfast in bed and we ate then cuddled and didn't want to get up. We started messing around and eventually ended up in the shower then back in bed to finish up. We laid together for a while then got up and started getting ready. I primped for my passport picture while Eric talked to Schuyler and made plans to get together and off we went. First we went to Kinkos and had my picture done and I got a good one on the first try. On the way out Eric said it was sexy and gave me lots of compliments. We walked over to a little home decor store and we looked at some household-y items and agreed on a vessel we both liked then over to BB&B where I got detergent and chocolates Eric said tasted like soap. I disagreed. We drove to S & C's and found them laughing when we walked up. I told them about Canada and other stuff and we just talked and laughed while the game played out in the background. We decided to walk down to the locks and set out talking story about kids and an airplane and basically one of my worst nightmares. Chrystol said she instantly thought of me. We had fun walking down and had a photo shoot once we got there for a good myspace shot of Eric and me. We hammed it up. C told me about Jason and his plans now that he's back then we took in the fish ladder and saw three fish and tried to identify them. We started back and talked about dinner and decided on fish and chips and set out when we got back to their house and went to Sloop but Eric didn't have his id so we went to Ivar's instead. Eric scored with two bread bowls and the three of them colored with C's being the best. We talked about Eric's Halloween party and what we would all bring as we rocked to the oldies. We drove back to their place and dropped them off and headed back and stopped at the store and went over the few items I needed and set out to see how fast we could get out of there. We ran around, checked out and back in the car and I think it took us 5 minutes. Next time we vowed to be faster. It was fun. At home I called Alishia to find out about Jamaica and get some details and she filled me in on her new house then hung up and watched Desperate Housewives as I harvested and plowed. I think I read before going to sleep but Eric beat me to slumber.

Saturday 10/25, Eric was up before me (like 7) and when he came back to bed I poutily asked him where he was and he had been checking his stats. We cuddled and talked and before we knew it it was like 10. I went to hop in the shower but Eric was just coming out and all giggly so I wondered what he was up to. I determined he had used my new raspberry shaving cream. Soon he hopped in with me and we started messing about and ended up back in bed for a while. I showered off again and soon we were getting dressed and ready and I called Susan after eating some fajitas that Eric prepared for me. I told her we were coming in! We took off and drove to her place and went up. We were soon on our way to the GO and I brought my bag with me to do some heavy shopping. Eric was amazed by his first experience and they even had little versions of my goat soap. I cleaned up on cereal, I got like 18 boxes and some other boxed goods. Eric was looking at cheese for a long time. I wanted like 4 pies and 8 ice creams. We checked out and went down to Goodwill where I got a GE mug and a dish. People kept dropping stuff and we thought it was hilarious. Soon we were headed back to Susan's for a rousing game of basketball down at the park. I grabbed a spoon and down to the park we went with Eric showing off his basketball spinning skills. I sat on the bench and ate my soy blueberry ice cream and watched the pros. Susan was pretty good and I think has a natural talent for basketball. When I was done I got up and joined them and shot a few then we switched baskets and Susan got a bunch then Eric nailed like 4 3-point shots in a row. It was fun and we all got some fresh air and exercise. We played for a while then packed it in and said bye to Susan then headed out. I called Chrystol but she wasn't answering and since we didn't know how long or if they would call back we just headed back to my house and stopped at the store on the way so Eric could make some Chinese food for dinner. We quickly did that then home where we unloaded everything and Eric started marinating the meat and cutting veggies. I was no help but what else is new? I think I checked my farm. We decided to watch Sarah Marshall so we put it in and like 4 minutes in it stopped. I was irritated but we finished and drove up and told the guy and he thought I was going to rant about the nudity and I was like "No, nudity's great, we just can’t watch it because there’s a huge scratch on the disc" and this Mom with her daughter looked horrified. Get over it lady. I hope I cackled. We went home with it and put it in and settled into the couch with the blanket and watched. Eric liked it and we had some ice cream to make it even funner. Afterward we got in bed and read for a while but Eric couldn't make it to SNL though I was determined. Too bad I fell asleep minutes before it started.

Friday 10/24, Mom called me at work to tell me she was making spaghetti and to come over if I wanted. Peggy let me leave early so I went home all excited because it was nice and Friday and found Eric there bored. We talked for a little bit then decided to go on a walk and I suggested we go to the mall so I could return the powder and we could walk at the park so off we went. We parked at the park and started walking and laughing at all the dogs and did one time around then I grabbed my purse and we walked half way round and up to the mall and laughed at the kids smoking outside then I did my return and back out toward the park to finish our lap. I called Mom to tell her we'd come over and asked about garlic bread, she said she didn't make any but she could make some garlic buns. We drove over and dinner was almost ready and she literally took the bottoms of hamburger buns and garlic buttered them up and they were delicious! Eric wasn't hungry because of his nausea so I ate enough for the both of us! Yay! We sat and talked for a while on the couch and played with the dogs then headed home but stopped at the video store for a few movies and I bought Bad Education and Golden Age out of the $3.99 bin, yay! I hate having rentals in my collection though. I was too tired to start a movie so we watched SatC instead and went to bed after lighting some candles and having some fun time.

Thursday 10/23, I talked to Susan during the day and told her to come over after work and when I got there Eric was already making dinner and they were chatting in the kitchen. I was flustered and told him I wanted to use up other stuff for dinner that night then asked him what he was making and he said fajitas and I was like, "Nevermind, I'm glad you're cooking!" Dinner was ready in no time even though it wasn't 6 yet but we dished up anyway with me eating the most, Susan having a little and Eric not eating at all. Eric started talking to Susan about something, I can't remember what, and she was like "Karrah, make him stop" but I told her it was good for her and that she was fine, which was funny. We talked about our farms and Eric laughed at us. Eric went upstairs because he wanted to watch the third party debates and Susan left not too much later so I called Dad back and talked to him for a while and told him about Eric's accident and filled him in on some other stuff. He was still upstairs so I did the dishes and when he came down he wanted to chat about what he'd seen and it started us into having another argument about politics and reality and how he can't really know because he's not a woman and his choices aren't directly impacted if McCain wins. He said there's too much lobbying and even Republicans in power get money from pro-choice-ers for them to ever overturn anything. I told him to look at S. Dakota. Anyway, I finished doing the dishes and we went upstairs to get ready for bed and I was reading and he started going to sleep and I apologized and told him it all comes down to control again and I don't like arguing and that it makes me feel awful and he apologized for bringing it up again so everything was fine and we cuddled and went to sleep.

Wednesday 10/22, When I woke up Eric was awake and wasn't able to sleep and I got ready and came back up and he wanted to talk about it more and was apologizing and apologizing and explaining how he should have gone about it and I said I just needed some time to get over it and that I wasn't mad at him. Then I gave him my fake “I’m fine” smile, which made him laugh. We talked some more, hugged and I was out the door, pretty late. I decided to text him to see if he wanted to have lunch and Peggy told me to take a long lunch so we met up at our Thai place in Issaquah and had a nice leisurely lunch and talk and discussed our discussion a little more then were done with it and moved on to his mom yelling at him for feeling guilty taking a week off. After lunch we went to PCC and looked at shaving stuff and PMS pills and I'm intrigued but couldn't justify the $25 price tag. Next we both picked out organic shaving items to help preserve the environment while keeping ourselves hair-free. We sat in my car for a while and I ate my cookie and we talked and looked at the wax kit. I headed back to work and told him I'd see him in a few hours. At home we relaxed and hung out talking then started getting dinner ready for Kay-See to come over. He helped me get everything squared away and into the oven. K came over with pumpkin pie ice cream and stated that she was hungry. I showed her my spreadsheet and Eric laughed at us then dinner was ready and we watched SatC while we ate. We talked a bit too then Eric went upstairs because he wasn’t feeling well and we stayed downstairs and continued talking for a long time about relationships and depression and going off guys for a while. She left around 11 I think and I went upstairs and Eric was asleep. I got ready for bed and joined him.

Tuesday 10/21, I got home a little early and found Eric on the couch and he'd had a hard day and told me about it and why he was feeling the way he was. We talked for a bit then he took off at like 5:30 for Schuyler and Chrystol's to go to the Nader rally. I laid on the couch for a while and got my computer and read some gossip and downloaded music and eventually got off my ass and put some laundry in and made some dinner. I called AL and Grandma and they were just hanging out so I took the rest of the pie and ice cream over for a visit. We had our dessert and talked for a while and it was good to have her there and not have any weird financial stuff come up. I left around 9 and said my goodbyes since I don't really know when I'm going to see her again. I stopped at the store for a few things then home and created a spreadsheet for my farm to determine the most lucrative crop over a three day period. It's very detailed. I did a little more laundry and eventually a little after 10 got into bed. Eric called and said he was on his way. He was all excited about the rally and started in about Obama and how he's the same as McCain and all this and I got mad and didn't want to have the discussion any more. I didn't want to get into an argument and here we were, arguing about politics again. It's all we ever disagree or argue about. He got in bed and kept on and it escalated and I turned the light off to go to bed then he apologized profusely and we talked a bit more in the dark after both laying there for a long time and eventually went to sleep but it really wasn't resolved. I don't get over that shit that easily.

Monday 10/20, I left Eric at my house during the day and when I got home he was making dinner. The salad was done (pear, candied pecans and gorgonzola) and we were waiting on the asparagus and chicken. The chicken was amazing. He flattened two breasts, soaked them in buttermilk for most the day then created one giant chicken log and stuffed them with artichoke hearts, bacon, chives and chevre then twined them together and baked. We sat down to watch SatC and ate and it was sooo good. I cleaned up the kitchen and Eric dished up the berry pie he'd whipped up earlier and paired it with rich vanilla bean ice cream. Yum! I inhaled mine, but not as fast as he inhaled his. We watched another SatC then turned on Gossip Girl and got into an argument on a commercial about the death with dignity proposition and he determined that I'm more about civil rights than he is. If someone wants to die let them! Stop trying to dictate how people should live! If they have less than 6 months, are terminally ill and in extreme pain, let them pull the plug if they want! It's their choice, not anyone else's. I'm so sick of gov't / retarded citizens dictating all these personal choices we have as AMERICANS. Aren't we supposed to be free to make our own decisions? Aren't we all adults here, capable of making choices that affect ourselves and really, no one else? Seriously. It baffles me. Ok. I'm done. So we finished watching Gossip Girl except I missed part of it because we were arguing, but got the gist. We went upstairs and got ready for bed and both read for a long time and he started Prodigal Summer because I always rave about it. I was not quite as ambitious so I picked up a Glamour I'd been trying to finish since I was in London.

Sunday 10/19, We woke up a little later than the prior day and Eric was feeling terrible so we stayed in bed and relaxed and didn't bother hurrying to go to the Home Show. We started messing around and rubbing on each other then eventually got into the shower and kept things going then out and we put lounge-y clothes on. I started the process of moving my room around and organizing and told Eric not to help so he stayed downstairs and watched tv and took it easy. He came up and helped me screw some stuff into the wall and hold some of the cases still while I attached them to one another. He went back downstairs and I reloaded and did some cleaning. I think we just laid around until 5 or so then went to the store and picked up stuff for the Greek salad and then up to the market by my house for olives. I called Mom and she wasn't being cooperative and I was really frustrated and Eric said I have permission to not take that stuff and to tell her I'm not coming and that I get put in the middle over stuff I'm not even involved in. AL called and I was exasperated and she could tell and told me not to worry about it. We put the groceries away and started on the salad and I cut up the tomatoes and Eric pretty much did the rest and we were out the door. We picked up Grandma and AL and over to the house where we sat down pretty quickly and everyone loved the salad then it was onto enchiladas and cornbread which I ate a ton of. AL was glad Grandma was having the chicken. The conversation was good and for dessert Mom made an apple crisp and served it with ice cream then we sat in the living room and talked. Since I didn't want to stay and Eric wasn't feeling good we left by 8 and took Grandma and AL home and got the video and said bye. At home we went up to my room and watched Desperate Housewives and I worked on my farm. I think we went to bed not too long after it was over.

Saturday 10/18, We woke semi-early (7:30) and laid in bed talking for a long time and relaxing and pretty soon it was like 10:30. Eric went downstairs to check his stats and I went down in my underwear and socks and we started making out and he suggested we go back upstairs so we messed around then got up and showered and got ready. I put ointment on his stitches and surprisingly didn't pass out. We went to PCC for lunch and both had a salad and shared soup then back home for a lemon bar and on the road again to Bellevue. I was playing White Rabbits in the car and on the one song Eric kept adding his own words like "No he's not, no he's not, no he's not impressed" and I was laughing so hard I kept hitting him and telling him to stop ruining the song. We parked and walked to Barnes and Noble so he could get two books then we walked over to Nordstrom so I could get some powder. Back toward the car and passed Sarah W and talked with her for a few minutes then to Bartell's so I could get some cards. We went to Luther Burbank and I showed him around but there are so many improvements I couldn't show him some parts. We walked around and took pictures and laughed (mostly at the make-shift dog park) and eventually sat on a bench in the sun and talked for a long time. I called AL to see if she was around and she was so I said we'd see them in a few minutes. We drove over and went in and Auntie was rearranging Grandma's place and I did introductions then took Toto out. We were there for a little bit and Eric described his excavator event and Grandma asked if there was dirt in it. She went to dinner and the three of us went to dinner at Thai Ginger. We had a delicious dinner and Eric asked a lot of questions about humanitarian work and when we left we all picked a candy and I got the one Eric wanted. We stopped at the store on the way home and picked up items for Grandma then back inside to say goodnight to Grandma and to take out the recycling. We said bye to AL and decided to see a movie so I called Susan and she checked times for us and I told her I'd call her the next day and off to Lincoln Square we went. Parking was a bitch but luckily Eric's eagle eye spotted one and up we went to a packed theater. We sat pretty close to the front but it wasn't too bad after we got used to it. I enjoyed the movie, it was fun, Eric thought it was a stereotypical western movie (Appaloosa). We drove home and I checked on my farm and we got ready for bed and climbed in. Eric wanted to stay up for SNL but I was so tired I fell asleep while he read.

Friday 10/17, Farm Friday! Susan got me hooked on the myfarm application on facebook so I spent a good part of the day playing. Eric called while I was at work and told me he’d been hit in the head with the excavator bucket and was going to the ER and would let me know later. Turns out he had 9 stitches, 2 cat scans and no apparent concussion. At home I relaxed and talked to Susan and continued with my farm and we discussed and I wanted to stay home and just work on that and send Susan gifts (she hit her limit). I left and went to the store for pizza pastries then headed to Kay-See's with no traffic. Got a good parking spot and up I went. K was baking lemon bars and soon started on the salad, nachos and "healthy" pizza pastries. We talked forever then laid on the floor after we ate so I could show her my farm and how it works then we put on Forgetting Sarah Marshall and she liked it so that was good. Eric called to say he was at my house so after the movie I headed out and called him on my way home. When I got there he was on the couch with his head turned away so I couldn't see it so I wouldn’t pass out / throw up. He told me about his day then we went upstairs to get ready for bed and got him all settled then off to sleep.

Thursday 10/16, I should have gone for a run but I didn’t and instead went home and ate potato chips. Some laundry, talked to Eric, room planning and ate dinner then more reading. Did some admin stuff then called Susan and hopped in the shower, SNL, got ready and headed into Seattle for an early start. I’d had cramps all day and after meeting Susan and going in they started to rear up and also my flow was out of control. We sat upstairs for a while and spotted Tye and Awkward and I didn’t want to go down yet to dance. We finally got out there and the music was pretty good and we noticed some questionable characters and this girl and her scream-y friends were all over all these guys and this homeless looking guy was getting a lot of action from her. Tye came bounding down to us and we got hugs and discussed how none of us had been there in forever. We had fun dancing and gossiping and wishing some of the gay boys were there and before too long Teal and Darren arrived and I kept them in my sights. Blondie Bear was up on stage and I loved watching him dance and he was giving it to a “lady friend” all night long. I was dying. Then this classy broad was up next to him and you could see ALL “her” stuff and Susan was being blinded. I had to use the bathroom and when I came out Susan told me Andrew was there and when he came out of the bathroom we chatted for a few minutes and he challenged my not liking Dublin but I maintained my position. Back on the floor and dancing for a few more songs but my cramps were getting worse so I decided to go home and on my way to get my coat I said hi and bye to Teal, got my coat and said bye to Andrew then out the door and walked as quickly as my abdomen would allow me. When I got home there was blood all over my thighs and through to my pants. Great. Cleaned up and went to bed.

Wednesday 10/15, I went for a run after work and shocked the hell out of myself by running over two miles. I think having music, not hot weather and new shoes helped. My face was probably it’s reddest when I got back to the car. At home I cleaned my bathroom then hopped in the shower then ate and watched the last part of the debate and got creeped out by McCain’s disturbing smile then talked to Eric for a little bit until Top Model was going to come on. It was a bull shit behind the scenes so I updated my blog and called him back and we talked a little more. I decided to rearrange my room and Eric told me he would help this weekend in addition to all the other stuff we’ve got planned. We hung up and I probably went to bed, after reading of course.

Tuesday 10/14, I met with Jeff the electrician in the morning then off to work. When I got home (late) I reviewed Jeff’s work and tested my new heater and noted I would need to bring in Mark the painter to add texture to the part of the wall where the baseboard used to be. I talked to Eric and watched Forgetting Sarah Marshall in my room and went to bed after reading for a bit.

Monday 10/13, After work I lounged and watched some more LotR and did some more filing until Gossip Girl. I talked to Eric and I think that’s about it.

Sunday 10/12, We woke up around 8 and laid in bed forever talking and laughing. He got up and went to get coffee and a paper and when he got back I got out my AD to show him a bracelet I loved and he liked it too and said if he had the money he would buy it for me. We continued looking at the mag and talked about what we liked about each house or space. Finally we got up after having a mini-argument about Angelina Jolie and used our separate bathrooms. He came in and apologized and I said I wasn't mad anymore. We left around 11 and drove down to Ballard, parked and walked up to where Eric works while I told him why I got angry that morning and that it was because he sounded ignorant and ridiculous and he agreed and apologized again so it was fine. At Eric's establishment I tried to peer in then lost my nerve about going in to say hi so we bagged it and I texted GO telling him we were in the market walking around. He texted back and we met as we were walking toward the Loft. We decided to eat there because the food's good and football was on, per Eric’s request. We snagged a good table and started talking, though some of it was difficult to hear because of the cheering and yelling from fellow patrons. We ordered and continued talking well after we'd finished our meals. Around 2:30 Eric and I busted out of there with promises of Eric and Schuyler joining him for a Timber Wolves game. It was cute. We went next door to ok ok for a few minutes and checked out the stuff there and I loved the Mother Earth hands and could have taken one home had I not bought this ring. We walked back to the car and headed to look at some open houses when I spotted Eric on the corner so I pulled over and waited for him to cross the street then got out and said "Hey!" and he was surprised and we hugged then I did introductions and he seemed really out of it but we talked for a few minutes anyway and I offered to give him a ride but he was close to home so we said bye and took off in search of signs. We stopped at Besalu and got treats (lemon cookie for me) and continued on our way. We saw three houses and one was clearly our favorite. We headed home a little after 4 and stopped at the store for salad stuff and at home Eric whipped it up and put it in the fridge then we watched SatC then got up and headed over to Mom's for dinner. I called Grandma but she'd already eaten so we went straight to Mom's. Dinner was ready so I called Kay-See to see where she was and in the meantime we talked in the kitchen and dished up salad. When she arrived we ate dinner and talked and Eric broke down all his stuff for everyone and Mom asked a lot of questions and we talked until 8. The three of us took off and Eric expressed well-wishes to K as she walked up the driveway and off we went with Eric reminding me it was our 7 month anniversary. At home we had some blueberry cobbler and watched more SatC then showered and got in bed. We talked for a long time and went to sleep.

Saturday 10/11, Eric left early and I went back to sleep and ignored a call from Susan because I was still tired. Fell back asleep but had nightmares then woke up at 9:20 and called S back and made plans to meet at her place. I took a shower and got ready, ate some breakfast and headed out the door. It was beautiful and sunny. At Susan's she gave me some mags and the new Dandy Warhols to burn then we headed on our downtown descent on foot. We went to H&M and Old Navy in search of ear muffs but came up empty handed. We went to Specialties for movie snacks and I got the "healthy" cookie and we bought tickets (Nick and Norah) and headed up after Susan dropper her quiche on the floor. The theater was pretty empty and we laughed through a lot of the previews. We both liked the movie then headed downtown in search of food. We passed Kay-See and Gina in the street and gabbed for a little while, continued on to the donut stand where Susan's blue hair bf was working. When we got up to the front he said he'd give her any damn thing she wanted then gave us an extra donut and thanked us "ladies" as we left. We went downstairs to explore and Susan got a fortune that made us laugh then back up for some hombow. We walked with our respective pork purchases to the park and ate them in the sun. We headed up the big hill and started back in the direction of Susan's but stopped at Ross to check out the shoes. Nothing purchased and continued walking up checking out shops on Pine that I've never seen, then up to Everyday Music where I said I wasn't allowed to buy anything but bought the White Rabbits album anyway. We continued walking and made it back to Susan's and I took off and felt good that we'd done so much walking. I drove home and turned up the heat and put on LotR and got all my bills out and started organizing which took me a few hours and I took a couple breaks to talk to Mom, Kay-See and Susan and to text Eric to see how he was doing. I got a lot done but still have more to go since I hadn't done my filing since late January. Oops. I did some online stuff after watching three discs and listened to music and he finally arrived at 11 and was exhausted and vented to me for 20 minutes or so about the process of the convention. We went upstairs and showered and got into a nice warm bed and messed around for a long time and went to bed happy and cuddling.

Friday 10/10, I got off work a little early and went home to do some cleaning and prepping for Kay-See to come over. I talked to Susan for a while about our plans for the next day then Auntie and Grandma. K arrived a little after 7 and I started steaming the veggies, got the pizza pastries going and broke out the rest of the food. We started gabbing and eating immediately. We were in the kitchen for a long time talking and eventually went in the living room after we'd massacred our makeshift buffet. We talked on the couch for a long time and eventually cut into the blueberry cobbler and paired it with some cookies and cream ice cream. The conversation lightened by the time Eric arrived around 11 and K went home leaving all the rest of the dessert for me. We both showered and climbed into bed and soon went to sleep.

Thursday 10/9, I went to the store after work to load up on groceries and for my buffet-style get together with Kay-See the next night. When I got home I called Susan and she came over. We sat in the living room and talked and I got a fire going. I had some steamed veggies and picked at the chicken Eric made then hoped it wouldn't ruin his soup aspirations. We continued talking until about 9 then she left and I called Eric back and we talked for a while then I probably just got ready for bed and maybe read my Architectural Digest.

Wednesday 10/8, I felt much better but still took precautions to ensure I stayed feeling good. After work I took it easy again (ie – was very lazy) and laid on the couch and flipped through Architectural Digest and watched ANTM. I ate way too much for dinner and talked to Dad for a long time and Eric then after ANTM Eric again after he called me Chris Rock and told me to watch the sea lion special and how they’re all dying because herring is over fished and yet again we’re leaving a big stamp on this planet that says “Fuck you nature! We hope you choke!” It makes me sad. I read for a while before bed.

Tuesday 10/7, I woke up with my neck hurting very badly so I called and left a voicemail that I wouldn’t be in for a while and went back to sleep. After work I went home and hunkered down on the couch and read some gossip and talked to Eric and ate oatmeal. I put on Ocean’s 12 and went through one of my new Architectural Digests then K called to tell me that Bethany saw LPC at her birthing class with a girl which means he’s either having another kid or he’s accompanying a friend. I watched tv downstairs for a long time and just relaxed until like 10 then went to bed.

Monday 10/6, I got up at 6:40 to go to Customs in the library and there was one couple ahead of me and we talked a little but they mostly bitched about the cruise and healthcare. Soon the customs guy came in and I was pissed because duty was due when I had asked specifically if it was and David said no. So my total was $90 and I had to call K because I sure as hell didn’t have it and she rushed down and gave it to me. I got back to the room late and threw everything remaining in my bag but apparently forgot my powder. We rushed down to the sixth floor and found her parents and waited. I called Dad to see if he could pick me up and he could so I started freaking out when we didn’t get off right away. Finally we did and had no problems and we split up after saying our goodbyes and waited across the street. Dad pulled over and this dumb bitch started yelling at us so I hoisted my bag up and totally pulled something in my neck. It started hurting on the ride home and got progressively worse as the day went on. At the house I showed Mom the ring, grabbed my keys and rushed home. I showered, got ready for our meeting and ate some breakfast and was off. I got off late and found Eric at my house and he had been working (hung the mirror, replaced the screws on the main floor bathroom door so it doesn’t swing anymore and finished painting the entryway) and just got out of the shower. I told him my neck was hurting and about the meeting and showed him my ring and other new purchases. He started dinner and we talked more in my room and downstairs while I put my clothes away and cleaned up. I waited on the couch while Eric kept dinner going and my neck was killing me but Eric brought me ice and water and tended to me like the sick-y I was. We watched some SatC and ate dinner and it was so good. He roasted a whole chicken, made rice pilaf, pan-fried carrots with honey and topped it all off with homemade gravy and mixed together it was all delicious. I ate a ton. Then I ate a ton of thin mints. Then we went upstairs where I did more chores and we got ready for bed and went to sleep after talking for a while.

Sunday 10/5, We woke up not as early since we knew we wouldn’t have much to see in Nanaimo. We got semi-ready and headed up to breakfast where I loaded up on fiber-friendly breakfast items and we talked with Luis about his going home to Lima then sat down. K found her parents but we sat by ourselves. While she was gone Luis came over and gave me his email and said he would send me a beautiful picture from his home. It was really sweet and K and I agreed to see how many email addresses we could get that day and that our first target would be Fith. We went back to our room and finished getting ready and started the process of tendering. We got our number and boarded and got to sit upstairs but next to the married couple with the cute husband but the wife’s ring wasn’t very good so we felt better about it. On our way off the dock I got a picture with the Mounties then up to the craft fair. Nothing of much interest so we continued into town and found the cutest little shops and cafes. We stopped in a couple and found Mickey and Noodles and some yummy candles and furnishings. We went across the street to another cute little shop where I got a mouse doorstop and a card for Eric then down the street to a clothing shop but didn’t buy anything and eventually found the shop the girl had recommended but it was closed. We walked to the drug store where we cleaned up. I found goat’s milk soap (yes!), more Nivea and lemon organic shampoo! And Campinos! I got a bag of strawberry and peach. We headed back to that shop and it was open so we perused for a long time especially the tons of cute necklaces. We made our way up to the Old Quarter where we looked in various shops and eventually headed back down the hill to the ship. We had to wait in line for a while to tender and finally made it back to the ship and up to get lunch. We had a lot of the Asian fare plus I had a salad and some bread and cheese but not too much dessert. K’s parents joined us at the end and took off not too long after and we headed to the pool to read. We hung for a while then headed back to our room where we both read then took naps. I woke up and K left to go martini tasting and I continued to lounge and look at mags, pack and shower. When she returned I turned on Titanic and she was like “Are we really watching this?” which I thought was hilarious. Why the hell would they show Titanic and Poseidon back to back on a cruise? We both got ready and planned to go see David and the ring. We sauntered up and he immediately went to the case and got it out when he saw us coming (Karl snuck up and whispered “Just do it!”) and he said I could wear it to dinner if I wanted, but I declined saying it would just be too painful and broke it to him that I’d decided against the big purchase because I just couldn’t justify it. I told him if it were a grand cheaper I’d do it then he informed me that it was actually $500 less than I thought it was and I had a whole new dilemma on my hands. We had 20 minutes until dinner and he would be closed after dinner so I had to make up my mind quickly. We went back to the room so I could get the appropriate cards and went back up and he said if I bought it he would knock another $60 off, told me I could go into the perfume shop and pick out a fragrance and he’d take us out for drinks later. I was sold. K went over with me and I picked out the first one I spritzed, Marc Jacobs’ Daisy. It smelled fruity like pears (like me!) so I got that one then David started the process. I put it on, we told David we’d see him later and headed down to the front desk to finish the process. We saw Gap Tooth down there and him and his gf were looking at the ring from afar and all the people making a fuss over it. Soon we headed up to the Gentleman’s Club where Karl was tasting scotches and Judy and I decided to go down to dinner and showed E and H the ring and they made a big fuss over it too and Ed wanted to take pictures of it and they said keep it above the table and reach for everything with that hand. We had a nice last dinner (Coq a Vin) and gorged on desserts. We said our goodbyes and headed back to the room where I got a message with instructions for the next day then a call saying everything went through fine with my credit card. I changed quickly then called David and decided to meet in the café in the middle of the ship with live guitar music. We headed up and found him and he told us to order whatever we wanted and as much as we wanted. I got the virgin special (ha!) and we sat and talked and learned all about the cruise culture and the craziness of it. The waiter from Jamaica kept looking us up and down (K liked it) but the one we had our eyes on was the guitar player from Texas who played STP, Beatles, Clapton and other wonderful songs. David left for a while then came back and since it was getting late we called it a night and thanked him and got kisses and said we’d find him on facebook and went back to our room. We got ready, set our alarms and went to bed. It was probably 1:00.

Saturday 10/4, K set her alarm so that we wouldn't sleep too late and we got up and ready and looked out the window and saw we were in port and went up to breakfast. We got all the usual breakfast items and joined the grown ups. We explained to K's parents what the ring looked like and Ed continued to laugh but they vowed to find it after K drew a picture of it. We went back to the room and got ready to go into Victoria and as we descended we saw huge dolphin and moose figures and we had our pictures taken with them and they were hilarious. Especially since the photographer was yelling "Get lucky, get lucky! Hug the dolphin" so we did. We bought our tickets and boarded and had a short ride to the Empress. We were dropped off and hit the hotel first and used the bathroom and looked in the shops, especially the jewelry. We went back out and hit the little boutique where K found a sweater she loved so she put in hold and off we went. We found the mall and went to Dynamite or something and cleaned up. I got a ton of stuff. We perused some more and went to Jacob where I got some more stuff then outside because it was nice and sunny. We found a little drug store, picked up some Nivea and continued walking then it started raining and we found our way back to the bus. We rode it back and went up to lunch and found the parents and loaded up on food. I had a salad and panini and planned to go back into Victoria but it started raining like crazy so we decided to stay put and hang. K and her Mom went and worked out and I went up to the Navigator Club with my wedding mag and ipod and hunkered down there for a good hour, reading and lounging. I went by the spa but didn't see K so went back to our room and found K who wasn't able to find me upstairs. We grabbed our reading materials and went up to the pool. We sat at a table and read and watched people then snagged some loungers and continued to read and picked out our favorite wedding dresses. I decided to go down to the room and K wanted to stay upstairs for our departure. I read my magazine and showered in preparation for the evening's events. K came down and got ready too and off we went to see David and my favorite ring. He let me try it on again and we admired it up close and from afar then went and found the parents in one of the theaters for the comedy act of Bubbles. Or was it Noodles? It was fairly PG but a couple parts had me dying with K sitting next to her Dad. He bought us all a drink and I got the virgin special of the night. Heh. It was a pretty good show and K and I both noted that there was no way Noodles was wearing underwear because it was ALL OVER THE PLACE. We giggled incessantly. After the show we took off and looked at the jewelry again and David let me put the ring on again. We also perused the pashminas and the watches and cheaper rings. We did some running around and eventually found our way down to dinner and were the first ones there. I had a delicious spinach turnover that was probably the best thing I'd had yet, then a caprese salad and for my main I did rice, grilled chicken and steamed veggies. Tonight K tried one of Karl’s snails, again for bragging rights. Then a story about a suckling pic and squid prepared in it’s own ink and a couple funny comments by me. For dessert I think K and I shared like three desserts and Hildegard ordered more ice cream for me. We finished around 10:30 again and asked the adults if they'd go up with us and see if they could find the ring so we all trekked up and sure enough they found it without any problems after our description. They had me model it and all agreed that I should get it. I told David I needed to think about it more. We left and went to check out K's watch and I found more dolphin jewelry for K. She bought the watch and a fun pink ring then we went down to our room to get ready for the White Night Party. I changed and talked about swinging by to see if David was going to go but then K thought it was weird so we didn't and just went straight up to the NC. We started dancing right away because it was good music and Fith was going crazy to "Ladies Night" and singing all the words. Suddenly out of nowhere K's Mom is yelling and dancing with us and both of us screamed and started jumping up and down. It was fun. She danced out there for a while with us and Ed took pictures of us waving and dancing. We hung with them for a bit then I went back out to dance and this girl was all drunk and like "He-ayyyyyyy!" and grabbed my hand and started dancing with me and I just laughed. K joined me and her parents left and I told her what the girl did and she said it didn't surprise her and laughed. We sat out for a long time because the songs sucked but finally went back out when a good one came and danced to a few more and scoped out the Jim look-alike and eventually ditched out and went back to our room talking and laughing. We got ready for bed, read a bit then turned out the lights.

Friday 10/3, I got in to work early. I received two texts in the morning, one from Eric, the other from Eric. Hmm. The first said to take the morning off and go to his and he would tell me a little ole lie. I texted back that he was ridiculous and that we should meet up for lunch the next week. The other from my bf which was a sweet farewell text. I worked until noon and got everything done that needed to be and headed out for work errands then the DMV for tabs then called Kay-See and Mom and said I was on my way. At Mom's we hopped right in the car and off we went to K's. We picked her up and drove down to the water talking about the debate and K does a spot on impression of Palin and it surprised me she wasn't impressed by her and thought she dodged questions. Alright! At least she's honest. We talked about how K didn't read the email instructions from her Mom and it was a running joke for the rest of the trip. Mom dropped us in front of the terminal and we started our adventure of checking in. First we got rid of our luggage then outside and into another terminal to wait in line to go through the metal detectors and up to wait in line to check in. We were laughing and scoping out the cute guy situation and also the cookies that were nearby. We checked in and nabbed a cookie then it was up the gangway to wait in another line to have our picture taken for our sea pass. I got double chinned big time, but I wasn't the only one. We asked which floor the buffet was on and made our way up quickly and found Kay-See's parents instantly. We grabbed trays and made our way around and it was f-ing huge. I loaded up on some things and so did K and went back to the table where I met Judy and Karl who are K's parents' friends. We ate and ate then rounded up desserts and ate more. We marveled at the view of Seattle from our table in the window. It was amazing. We watched the traffic on the viaduct for a while. Eventually we decided to take a little tour and ended by the indoor pool and pizza bar and out onto the deck to take in the view on that end. We walked by the spa and down to our room, which was bigger than I expected, but our luggage hadn't arrived yet. I sat on the couch and read the little newsletter they print for you for each day of the cruise and K kind of listened. Soon our luggage showed up so we both unpacked a little and set out for exploring. Our favorite was the Navigator Club with 20 foot glass windows all the way around plus there were some cute guys in there. We had to do the life jacket and life boat drill that took a half hour and was totally useless because you couldn't hear anything, but produced some hilarious pictures of us. After that and a bit more running around we went back down to the indoor pool and waited to take off and celebrated with pizza! I talked for a long time with Karl about art and Ed made us laugh asking questions about the police boat escorting us out and it not moving, despite the wake behind it. We stayed there for a long time as we cruised out then decided to do more exploring. We went back to the room and talked for a long time about sex and relationships and licking the perineum and laughed hysterically until K's parents called and said they could hear us laughing through the wall. I swore and hoped they hadn't heard our convo. Eventually it was time to get ready for the late dinner and I did a fashion show and K helped me decide on my long shorts, purple shirt, snake skin heels and a little cardigan. We went up to see if the shops had opened yet and they hadn't so we looked in the windows at all the jewelry and other goods and did some more walking and when we returned they had opened. We looked at diamonds and rings and other jewelry and I asked K which she would pick for husband wedding rings and told her I would buy her the diamond dolphin pendent. We went next door to another little boutique and were ooh-ing and ahh-ing at all the beautiful jewelry when a cute little guy came in and asked how we were doing and all that. We made our way to the other side and hit the jackpot. He let us try on all these rings and we found one that was the most beautiful and I wanted it. I heard the price and thought it was reasonable but definitely more than I wanted to spend on a ring for myself. It fit perfectly though and I've never seen a ring like it. I tried it on multiple times. We told David (British, ooh!) we'd be back the next day to look at it again and headed down to dinner. Standing in line to get in we found our picture from the first day and were laughing because you could see the cookie in my mouth. We perused the menu again and met our waiters and Ed starting speaking Tagalog to get special perks and it totally worked. I ordered the quail and it was ok but the appetizer and salad were good and the desserts were good as well. During dinner we told them about the ring and the gold-y and rainbow-y-ness of it and the Dads laughed. I got a couple zingers in there and people were laughing so that was hilarious. K tried a bite of Karl’s frog legs, purely for bragging rights. After dinner I think we went back to the room to get ready to go to the Navigator Club where they were doing a latin thing and we mostly just watched and scoped out hot beard guy and the pussys at the end of the bar. This other guy hit on us unfortunately and asked if we were journalists and we told him no and tried to be polite and shook his hand when he left. We went back to the room at like midnight maybe and read before bed.

Thursday 10/2, I stayed way late at work (6:45) and there was a crazy car crash on the parkway. At home I ran around trying to pack and eat and clean up and managed to get it all done in addition to making multiple phone calls. I was on Facebook for a second and Ian im-d me and we were trying to chat but his connection was spotty so I just called him but he didn't answer so I left him a voicemail that was like "Hey jerk, I know you're there!" etc. On my drive in he called back and was laughing, I presume, at my message. He was drunk and had just watched the VP debate and was talking trash about Palin and I thought it was hilarious. We talked until I got to Neighbs and said he misses talking to me and that we should do it more often and just get past the initial awkwardness of phone calls that he always feels. We hung up and Susan and I walked up. There were quite a few people there considering it was before 11. We checked our coats and danced a bit then upstairs for spying. We ended up back on the floor and the song selection was pretty good. I spotted Teal and Susan spotted Darren. As we were taking a break Richie came in and we hugged and started talking and he was telling me about his recent interactions with his brother and it was nice to have a real conversation with him, not just surface bs. We went out and joined Susan and Teal and Darren and danced for a while as a group and scoped people out. It was a fun night and the music was good so I didn't want to go but finally did around 12:30 because I had a big day ahead.

Wednesday 10/1, Eric forgot his stuff at my house so he had to come back up. He got there around 6 and we took off right away for Home Depot so I could look at fan / light combos for my bathroom and also picked up some putty. We walked over to a little mexi place and had a filling dinner. Back at home we settled in for ANTM with a box of Thin Mints and I balanced my checkbook. After it was over he went up to bed and I called Kay-See to discuss the cruise and to check in online. When I went upstairs he was passed out so I got ready for bed and crawled in and read a magazine for a while then went to sleep as well. Like 10:15.

Tuesday 9/30, Eric asked if it would be ok for him to come up instead of Wed and I said of course, but it wouldn't be til later. I got home and cleaned up a little then hopped in the shower and got ready for a little surprise for him. He called and said he was 30 minutes out so I rushed around then read some gossip until I saw him pull in, put on a special play list and started doing the dishes. When he came up and saw what I was wearing he dropped the phone books and his jaw was on the floor. He asked what I was doing and I said the dishes and acted coy and told him to come over and see. We made out in the kitchen for a while then into the living room and finished the job, but definitely took our time. I was hungry so I heated up some leftovers and steamed broccoli for myself. We watched a couple episodes of SatC then went upstairs and crawled into bed because we were both exhausted.

Monday 9/29, I worked late then hit the store then home where I started to make some dinner because I was starving. I played online then started organizing pictures and started uploading to flickr. I talked to Eric at the store and we made plans for later in the week then I talked to Susan before GG about Thursday. Watched my show and continued to upload then a special on Oprah about heroin addicts that was incredibly disturbing. I also uploaded pics to facebook and eventually made it upstairs at 11:30. I read in bed a bit then went to sleep.

Sunday 9/28, Eric got up early and started on breakfast and I was so tired I just kept sleeping but at 8:30 told myself to get up and help because people were going to be there sooon. Susan called and said she was going to come so that was good then Chrystol saying they were leaving and both wanted to know if they could pick anything up but we were good. I went down and Eric was working away so I tried to help a little and clean up for people. I got dressed and got the computer out to download the pics from the night before when C & S pulled in and were surprised they were the first to arrive. Next was Susan and lastly Sos and Jake. Everyone just hung out and talked and moved between the kitchen and living room. Finally breakfast was ready and we had quite the spread: special french toast, eggs, bacon, pineapple and potatoes with green and red peppers. We all sat around the table and ate and talked and it was a lot of fun. Afterward I started cleaning and people helped put things away then Sos and Jake left to get the dogs ready or something. The rest of us continued to talk politics and clean then were all ready to go so Susan headed out and the rest of us went to Sos' after Eric put my shoes on for me. We picked up Sos and the dogs and laughed at Duke in the front seat as we drove there. Parking was a bitch but we managed and us girls used the bathroom before starting our hike up. It was a nice one because of the company but also the weather was wonderful and much cooler the higher we went. The trail was packed however. The boys took off at one point and beat us to the first look out then we all went to the top together and sat for a while in the sun and laughed at the dogs. Back down was much easier but my toes hurt in my shoes and I made a mental note to not wear those again because my feet slide too much on the descent. We went to REI and Chrystol and I both bought something while the boys both bought something to eat at Safeway. We drove home and said bye to C & S then sat on the couch and relaxed and realized how tired I was. I insisted on watching an episode of SatC then it was almost time to go to Mom's for dinner so we both hopped in a shower and got ready then out the door. At Mom's I learned Droohv and Akemi would be coming and talked with Grandma about our day. I nibbled on brie then had a little salad then we all sat down to enjoy bbq chicken and macaroni and it was so good I ate a ton. Grandma was eager for her cake, but she wanted hers with flour. We all laughed and Eric helped Mom dish up with ice cream and the two of us finished off Dad's cake. Grandma was ready to go home so we packed her up and off we went. Eric made sure Toto did his business while I got Grandma inside then he found her dishwasher soap and we hit the bricks. At home I was so tired but cleaned the kitchen a little then sat on the couch then upstairs and into bed. Eric was putting me to sleep with his kisses but I managed to get it up then we went to sleep.

Saturday 9/27, We woke up and went to get gas then on the way home talked to Mom about plans for later that day. At home we had some cereal with some banana and hung out and Eric suggested finishing painting the doorway to the stairs so we got our clothes on and started that project with lots of running around trying to find razors and paint brushes and paint but eventually got most of it done and it looked pretty good. At least better than it's looked for a long time. Eric asked if he could make me a special french toast the next morning and I said of course and that we should invite some people so I made some calls and set up a big breakfast event. We hopped in the shower and messed around with me almost passing out. We got dressed and headed out to Dania and looked around then Costco Home where I found the carpet I want to put in the bedrooms and made an appointment for a consultation. I talked to Mom and Uncle Brad multiple times and made plans to meet in Everett at the VFW Hall. We headed up there and appreciated the nice weather. Found the Hall with no problems and found Queen B and joined him upstairs until Heidi and Hailey arrived and we all talked. Mom and Dad showed up and I felt bad for Dad because he still felt like shit. We sat there for a long time talking and Eric used his dark arts power to get Dad to agree that it would be a good idea for us to go snow shoeing in Plain this winter. After the UW bus left with Dad and UB the rest of us headed up north to Marshall's for Auntie to return something and the rest of us shopped and I found a ton of shit. I got an Ed Hardy belt and a bunch of soap and a little thick knit cardigan. Next we went over to Red Robin but the place was packed and we needed to get going anyway so I said bye to everyone and we drove back to my house discussing what to eat for dinner. We stopped by the store for some items and I got checked out by no less that four guys and Eric thought it was hilarious. At home he made dinner while I got ready then we enjoyed it in front of the tv and Kay-See told me not to hurry. I rolled out a little after 9 I think and parked in the garage when I arrived. I met Gina finally and we sat talking for a while before deciding to go. I drove down and we found parking very easily and walked over scouting out all the cute boys. In we went and onto the floor for some dancing and bull watching. I spotted Andy and tapped him and got a nice big hug and chatted with him for a minute then let him go but not before he gave me another big hug and said it was good to see me and added "baby" on the end. On the floor things were insane and these guys were like vultures. The minute you turn one away another one is right behind him waiting for his chance to try for a dance. K was like "It's really hard being the prettiest girls here" which I agreed with. I saw a cute guy get on the bull and took a picture then when I zoomed in on it I saw he had looked right at me. He stayed on forever and was really good and when he got off he came and stood right by me and was like "Hey" and he had a lip ring, mmm. So we start talking and hanging out and K and G are off gallivanting and dancing. I was having fun but was ready to go home but no one else was so I continued to watch the bull and finally had to tell Keith that I had a bf but that he was very nice and fun. We eventually got K in line for the bull and stood there forever waiting and she was the last one on (after watching Keith do it again and get props from the operator) and she did it justice and I got some pictures and video. The lights came up and we eventually migrated out and I gave Andy a hug at the door and said it was good to see him and Keith waited with us while I encouraged K to get her make out partner's info, but she didn't. He was sooo cute. I told Keith I'd find him on myspace and resisted telling him he could stay at my house because I knew Eric wouldn't be amused. We walked back to the car and I dropped off two very drunk girls and drove home. Eric was splayed out on my bed with limbs everywhere and it made me laugh really hard. When I got into bed he wanted me to tell him about it so I told him about the bull, Andy (he asked where his pizza was), Keith and Gina getting wasted. It was 2:30 and I was exhausted.

Friday 9/26, Susan was going to come over after work but ended up running errands and going home instead. I sat on the couch reading a magazine and listening to music until Eric arrived and told me it was Schuyler's birthday and I didn't want to go to Tacoma at all so I planned not to so when Kay-See called I said I was tired and would probably just do dinner and call it an early night. I went upstairs and started getting ready and missed two calls while I was in the shower. One was Kay-See asking me to call her and that she was having a really hard time and asking me to come over after dinner. I finished getting ready then we were out the door in our separate cars. I called Eric on the way and was shocked that he picked up. He told me he moved and started a new job and urged me to come out but I told him I couldn't. We talked for a little bit then hung up and arrived and S and C's not long after. I beat Eric and as we waited for him Chrystol played happy birthday on the glockenspiel she got S for his birthday. Eric arrived and told us about the lady he yelled at while at the stop light. We set off for Ballard on foot and got a table right away at the Indian place. We ordered (veggie curry for me) and ate and talked and laughed and had a good time. We stayed for a while then walked back and stopped at the store for some potato chips then back to theirs where I left and told Eric I'd see him later. I drove over to K's and she was feeling better but still down. We laid on her bed and talked and had zesty lemon sorbet and she had some chips and we just talked. I told her what Eric asked me to tell her and she appreciated it. We had a nice time and did some laughing and planning for the next night. A little after midnight I headed out and Eric was showering when I got home. We got ready for bed and talked a little and went to sleep.

Thursday 9/25, Dad cancelled due to vertigo so I asked Susan if she wanted to come over and she accepted and was waiting for me when I got home swaddled in the pink blanket. We talked for a long time and around 7 decided to try and find shoes and dinner. We hit shoes first but didn't really find anything so we went to a little teriyaki place I've always wanted to try and put our order in and went home with our spoils. We watched Jeopardy and ate at the coffee table and talked. After dinner, as if I hadn’t' stuffed myself to the max enough, I cut up an apple and snacked on it while we continued to talk in the living room. I did some laundry folding upstairs and around 9 she went home and I kept up with the laundry and called Eric to make plans for the weekend. I stayed up for a while doing things around the house and while I was updating this thing I went back to open the net and saw this flash of Ian’s name but when I looked up I only saw “facebook” on the tab but then it did it again so I looked and Ian had sent me a little series of im-s: “P*enk. I’m headed to bed. I hope you’re great.” It kind of made my night. I always think he has no interest in knowing me anymore so it’s reassuring to receive something like that. I posted and got ready for bed. Yawwn.

Wednesday 9/24, Woke up to some fondling and ended up getting down then Eric took right off so he wouldn’t be late for work. Got off a bit early, stopped at QFC, home where I ran around doing stuff and eating bread and cheese. Uploaded some videos then talked to Kay-See about Friday and she’s sick too. Eric called and we talked for a few minutes and I told him to have fun at the game. I had some cake and updated this.