How Would You Like To Go To Denver For A Few Days To Work?

That's what my manager called and asked me today. Always up for an adventure, I immediately said YES, then I decided to check the weather... What have I gotten myself into?!? I work outside. My southern ass is not used to highs in the teens. What was I thinking!?!?

Actually, it should be pretty cool. They are sending about a dozen of us out there to help out on the ramp. It'll definitely be an adventure. I fly out tomorrow and have a suitcase full of warm layers, long johns and even a jumpsuit. It'll be hard work in very cold conditions, but somehow I'm really excited about going.

Maybe I'll even get a chance to see a little of Denver.

In A Nutshell

It's funny how time just gets away from you. I feel like it was only weeks since I was in Charlotte last, but it has been months - two to be exact. I guess a lot has happened in that time (and in the four months that I have been home from England), but on a day-to-day basis my life is pretty dull. And that (along with internet access issues) is the reason that I haven't really posted.

The holidays were nice. Thanksgiving was a big party with thirty dinner guests and a few more for dessert. I loved being in town for both Hanukkah and Christmas. Although, I had to work on X-mas, so I dropped by my grandparents' house beforehand and hung out before work. My sister and brother-in-law drove down for a few days, which was really cool (I haven't seen them in two years!). I had to work on New Years' Eve, but made it home in time to drink some champagne with the 'rents.

I spent a week in Salt Lake City for training for my new job and have completed three weeks on the ramp. It's exciting and challenging (physically) and I like it. I'm not sure where this will lead, but for now I like that I am building muscle, dropping weight and getting an opportunity to travel.

Happy New Year!!

I don't have time to post much right now. I just wanted to say that I haven't dropped off the face of the earth and that I will write about my new job soon.

Hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas and you all will have a great New Year's Eve tonight.

Miss ya!
A

Wanderlust

Seriously. My drive home on Sunday was great: beautiful day, good tunes, etc. And when I reached the TN foothills I so badly wanted to just keep driving. I am suffering from some serious wanderlust. Anyone up for a road trip???

Long lost friend

That's how I've been feeling lately. Unsure of myself. Unsure of my life. A little bit lost. Who knows how things will work out, but there's still time for all of that.

I've been home for a little over two months now and I haven't posted a thing. Mainly because dial-up sucks and it takes too long. but also, there hasn't been a whole lot to write. My life has been pretty dull. Well, not really, but there hasn't been anything significant to write about, so I keep putting it off for another day until two months have passed and I hear complaints, "You haven't posted." And all I can think about is that there's really nothing to say.

I have decided to stay in Tenessee for a while. I've been working part-time for a temp agency. I've decided to take a break from teaching, at least until I can get a full-time job and not get stuck substituiting. You know how bad kids can be to subs...

This is my third trip to Charlotte. I love seeing all of my friends, but I am not ready to commit to moving back. There is something stopping me and I can't seem to put my finger on it.

I am rambling. I seem to do a lot of that lately, just not online. Dial-up sucks.

I miss old friends. I miss old crushes. I miss my old life. But two years later, will things ever be the same?

Goodbye England

My last day...

Feeling a little sad, but excited to see family and talk to friends tomorrow.

The trip around the SW was cool. Best bit was Glastonbury, where Jess met me and we quickly made friends. We sang karoke with a crazy Israeli cutie one night and got our names on the 'Banned For Life' list of another pub. Of course, it was a seperate sheet of paper that we wrote our names on and we used chewing gum to secure it. :) Good times, good times...

Wish me luck that I will make it to Atlanta with all of my luggage tomorrow evening and I can't wait to see/talk to you all soon!!

Big Hugs!
A

Quick Post from the Internet Cafe

I am rested and ready to leave for Penzance tomorrow. Although, my bank account is not as excited about my trip as I am. We spent a lot of time in bars around Eastern Europe and all of that alcohol adds up. I'm not complaining, though, more glad that anything that I could experience Budapest/Prague/Berlin/Krakow/Warsaw night life.

The birthday night was fabulous. It was the last night on tour so 46 of us had dinner together, then 3 bars before hitting a night club. It was great!! I tried to stay until closing, but caught a cab at 5:00am when it was apparent that they weren't going to close. I even got to watch the sun come up, so all-in-all a good night out and a wonderful birthday!! I'll post pictures when I get home.

Only 9 days left!!

Stick A Fork In Me

Space bar issues are keeping me from posting more about my trip. I'll just say that it's been fantastic!!!! Thanks for all of the birthday wishes. It was a fabulous night where I crawled into bed when the sun was coming up.

I head back to London today and am anticipating some SERIOUS airport delays. Until then, I think I will head back to bed... I guess I'm starting to show my age - can't party like I used to.

My last night in the squeaky bed

So, this is my last post from my flat. The phone guy will be here Monday to turn off my phone (and therefore broadband). Tomorrow I leave for Central Europe and the next time I return, I will be sleeping on the couch. I've got three weeks of living out of a suitcase before I head home.

Looking at the pile of suitcases, boxes, etc in the corner, I've got some serious work cut out before I fly home. I still have too much stuff (this sounds vaguely familiar) and need to get that sorted. I keep thinking back to my last day in Charlotte when I had my car filled to the brim and I got a flat tire near Gastonia. I was so worried that the weight of the car had caused the flat. Now, I am worried that the zippers holding my suitcases together will bust. If my past has taught me anything, I should really think about reducing the amount of junk I am trying to bring back with me. We'll see...

I am really excited about this trip! I've done the tour-thing a lot since I've been here and each time the people dynamic has been very different. I'm excited to see how things will be with this group. I'm also psyched about the cities we are visiting. This is a part of Europe that I wasn't sure I'd get to see. It's also a huge part of history (my family's history, too) so I can't wait! Plus, I will be celebrating my birthday while I am away, so that will be cool too. Of course, nothing will beat Birthday Week, but I'm curious to see what Berlin nightlife has to offer a girl on her 30th birthday. Fingers crossed that things could get interesting.

I should really clear off my bed and try to get some sleep. It's an early morning for me. Hope everyone has a wonderful few weeks and I can't wait to see you all soon!!!

Dziekuje

I've spent the last six hours trying to learn Polish. I suck. My new flatmate, the one I will have for a week that is taking my place in the flat, and her boyfriend are trying to teach me all about Poland. We've been drinking Polish Vodka since 6:30 pm and I am beyond happy, on the verge of drunk-ness really. They are both so nice and wonderful!! And, polish vodka is wonderful too - so not clear but oh so tasty!

I know I am not making too much sense, but between the email I got from Krissie about last night's show and this evening, I am in heaven. K, you are the BEST and if I could give you a drunk Big A hug right now I would. I loved the Sprint videos/pictures, but the story behind them really made my day!! Am I always going to be known as the 'toxicity girl'? :)

I am getting more and more excited about my tour of Central Europe. And with Gregary and Dottie pointing out the highlights tonight, I am even more psyched! I've got pencil marks galore in my brand new guide book and I am ready to see some of the amazing sites I've been hearing about all night. Between the food and beer recommendations, I think I am set to see the country of my grandmother's birth... Let alone everything else.

Who knew that brown vodka could be so tasty?

The Lost Boys

I LOVE this film!!

The times, they are a changin'

The room is starting to look a little different. Not much, at this point, but just enough... Pictures have been packed away. The bookshelf is empty. There are bags of stuff near the door to take to the charity shops. Suitcases line one wall.

I'm a bit sad about leaving. The people at school have been wonderful and I am really going to miss them. They gave me a book of photos from the last two years and on the inside cover it says, "A Little Reminder of your British family."

I'm also a little panicked about all that I have to do before I go. Of course, I'm not actually leaving until mid-August, but I have just a week to get packed and moved out. I don't think it is going to be as easy as it sounds.

The good news is I will be back to drinking [good] coffee on the porch every morning, driving where ever I'd like to go, watching HGTV whenever I feel like it and giving family and friends big hugs in just one month!

Update

Sorry it's been so long. There were a few times that I tried to post and ran into Blogger problems. I could also say that my life just hasn't been very exciting, but in truth, things are just finally starting to pick up.

Last Monday the department had our 'end of year Do' at the dog track. It was great!! I won a couple of races and lost a few, but had a wonderful time with the gang. I'm really going to miss those guys! We even got to go down to the track and present a dog with its trophy. I'm not exactly sure how that came about but I have been promised a copy of the picture for proof.

Last weekend I met Jennifer in London and had a blast!! She was here on business and stayed through the weekend. We had dinner together Friday night. Then Saturday we saw Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Harrods, Camden Market and ran around the city. Sunday, she left for the airport and I went to the Tower of London. My favorite had to be Harrods. We spent all of our time in the food section: eating lunch, picking up danishes for next morning's breakfast, eating ice cream and shopping. I had such a good time with Jennifer - she's wonderful!!

The last week of school was not bad. The kids were sweet when I told them I was leaving, even the ones I expected to be rude weren't too bad. I still have a little more to do, so I am going in on Tuesday...

Next week I will be homeless. Well, sort of... I will spend 17 days (of the 21 I have left in Europe) traveling. My flatmate has been kind enough to let me store my stuff here while I am away and will let me crash on the couch between trips before I fly to Atlanta. Which means I won't have regular internet access, or international phone access for that matter. I will try to check-in whenever possible, though, and will try to post while away.

A Message From Drunk Me...

There's an update saved in draft, but it is too difficult to type right now, so it'll have to stay there until I have the energy to edit and post. Until then, you just have to read my drunken attempt to communicate that everything is going well. There are just three days left in the school year and lots of staff parties to attend. Last week the science dept went to the Dog Races - good time!! Tonight the year 11 form tutors went out - another fun night!! Thursday the staff is having their 'do' - more fun!!

Not so easy to leave when things are this peachy - of course alcohol is involved - but can't wait for Friday, our last day!!

Too difficult to type at the moment - lots of delete and backspacing...

Miss ya'll. Will update soon.

Granada, Spain

Twenty-four hours in Spain, but well-worth the trip! The Alhambra is fantastic!!

The fortress, Alcazaba (11th to 13th century) on a beautiful day.

Inside the Palace, Palacios Nazaries (13th to 15th century). Each room was decorated with SO much detail - it was fabulous!!

Patio de los Leones

Auto Play

I can't leave the house without the following albums:

1. Inside In Inside Out - The Kooks
2. Tired Of Hanging Around - The Zutons
3. How We Operate - Gomez
4. Eyes Open - Snow Patrol

Ahhhh...

This is the first time in a long time that I have come home from school and actually wanted to work. Things are finally starting to settle at school. My year 11s are gone and I am actually enjoying teaching again (for now). Not that I blame my year 11s for turning me off, but now I have a bit more free time and things seem less stressed in the department. This hasn't been the easiest year, but I am glad that these last few weeks are taking a positive turn...

Today I cut open a heart for my year 10s. [It's times like these that my Leo-ness really shows] There's just something about having 30 kids crowded attentively around me squealing and 'eww'-ing that makes me love my job. I doubt any of them will forget what a heart valve looks like. :)

Do you know how long it has been...

since I bought a dress???

Check out the purchase I made today:

Now I just have to find the shoes. And, an excuse to wear it.

Happy Friday ya'll.

Big Shrug

I just wasted two hours sitting in front of the tele for HBO's "Big Love." I tried to like it, but it's just NOT for me... There is really nothing in the program that I can relate to at all. I spent the whole time getting annoyed at the little churchy girl who works at the fast food place. I don't know how it's doing back home, but unless the series gets a bit more interesting, I can't see myself waiting anxiously for the next installment.

My holiday in France...

I wasn't exactly sure what to expect when I booked a week in France all on my own. You see, for as much as I have traveled, I've always joined a tour or met friends/family that were in Europe. So, this was a real adventure: all on my own for seven days, with a backpack and a book to keep me company.

Paris

My first three days, I was in Paris, and it had to be the BEST part of the trip! My hostel was this fabulous ancient aristrocratic townhouse in the Marais quarter, near Ile St Louis. I saw the Museum of Modern Art, located inside the Pompidou, and ate dinner near Notre Dame on the first night. The second day, I took a train to Versailles, then wandered along the Seine stopping to sunbathe in a grassy area outside the National Assembly. My last day I visited the Mona Lisa and other fine works of art at the Louvre, then walked around the Pere-Lachaise cemetery before drinking four bottles of wine with my roommates.

Paris was built for wandering. There are countless parks and benches, all filled with the perfect number of people. Just enough that you feel safe, but not too many that it feels cramped or crowded. I spent a lot of time reading and writing in these parks near my hostel. It was relaxing and just comfortable sitting there, something I will never forget.

A view of Paris from the top of the Pompidou.

The gardens at Versailles.

Saint Malo

I spent the next two days in Brittany, a couple of hours (by train) southwest of Paris. I stayed at a small hotel within the city walls of Saint Malo and spent my first afternoon exploring the quaint town. Unfortunately, that only took about an hour, so I spent the rest of my time shopping, walking along the beach and fighting seagulls for my lunch. Saint Malo is a pretty touristy place, so the shopping is great! I was good, though, only because European clothes are cut so weird that I had difficulty finding something that fit properly. I walked along the beach and wandered out to the Ile du Grande Be, an island that can only be reached at low tide.

The next morning I took a bus to Mont St Michel. I can't even begin to explain just how excited I was to see this place that my high school French teacher ranted and raved about, but when I entered the city walls, I have to admit, I was a little disappointed. The lower streets are crawling with tacky shops and tourists hog the narrow street to discuss what pre-made crepe they want while they are waiting for mom and aunt Martha to finish buying plastic Eiffel Towers. The higher you climbed, though, the better it got. And, the Abbey at the top, alone, was worth all of the crowded hassle.

Mont Saint Michel Abbey.

Bayeux

I didn't actually spend much time in Bayeux. I would have liked to have seen the Tapistery. My purpose for visiting this region was to see the Normandy D-Day beaches, so I had just enough time to join an afternoon tour that focused on the American invasion and saw Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, Aramanches and the US Cemetery. The battle-scarred landscape of Pointe du Hoc was haunting, but the image that stands out most in my mind is the US Cemetery. There are nine thousand some-odd people buried there, but strangely enough, there was such a feeling of peace when you stood among the rows and rows of white headstones, overlooking the water...

The Normandie American Cemetery.

So, I made it around western France in seven days and still made it home in one piece without any real problems. Next trip, though, I am going to spend more time in hostels instead of hotels. Hotels are great if you have someone to travel with, but if you are on your own and get bored with yourself easily, then hostels are the way to go (especially if you find some real gems like the Fauconnier in Paris or the Gran Kaffee de Passage in Brugges)!! I finished two books in my time in France and had to buy English magazines for the train-ride home from Paris. Definitely one of my more relaxing trips in Europe!!