Snapshots of the Marvelous Voyage

I promised you pictures, and now that I'm home from my second trip - as a nanny for a family vacationing in Massachusetts - I ...

... keep trying to think of something clever to say, but the best I could come up with - seriously - was, "I have got them pictures, dudes."

If someone would like to volunteer to kick the dead half of my brain into shape ...

This here was the only vegetarian item on the menu of Leo's Grill and Malt shop in Stillwater, but it was totally worth it. Yummy fruit - a delightful touch.

My roommate Revelle, being Special. She has a thing for Jurassic Park and velociraptors - so here she is, Revelle the Velociraptor.

The view from the gazebo nearby the inn where we Fiends gathered.

The bridge, of course, leads to Wisconsin. Isn't this so amazingly beautiful? (Ha. I didn't miss Rhode Island.)

The Valley Bookstore had birds in it, in a big glass cage. I did try to get better snapshots of the brightly colored ones, but I had trouble. I am, after all, a novice.

Chantrelle had truly awesome socks.

Perfectly Fiendish!

Siri, Bobbee (my temporary mom for the trip, and Revelle the Veleciraptor's permanent mom), and Marjorie (who gave me this camera).

(For those who wonder, "Here for the Quiche" refers to Lorraine of http://blog.fabulouslorraine.com/. She is called Quiche and is the leader of the Fiends. Plus she's awesome. Forgot to mention that.)

Revelle found a hat in an antique shop. She sports it, as you can see, with pride.

Like mother like daughter ...

Now, I am afraid this shall have to be the conclusion for now. More tomorrow? Or whenever I can get around to it? I will be back, I promise. I would like to say I'm not ready to fall over and never ever get up again, but the thing is, I am.

So more later, Fiends and all.

~Emily

Coming up ...

I now have a camera and I promise you pictures.

Thank you, Marjorie ...

~Emily

The Flying Fiend

I am flying tomorrow, for the first time in eleven years, from teensy Rhode Island to Minnesota. I have never been there, nor have I flown in eleven years, nor have I ever traveled alone.

I am one of the Fiends.

See http://blog.fabulouslorraine.com for more information.

I would so happily write more but just realized I need to be on my way home from the library. Must run. But I will be back in RI on Monday evening and will try and post then. I'm sure you'll get plenty of pictures from Lorraine's website.

~Emily

Fathers

Happy Summer Solstice and Father's Day. No father is here to celebrate with us and while that sucks, it would be worse if my ex-father were actually here.

I wonder about fathers sometimes; I have this idea in my head that they're all, er ... evil. I would love to hear from those who have good fathers. Tell me what makes them good fathers. This is something that is important to me to know.

~Emily

Munch munch munch, said the vulgan

Another interesting conversation with Will this morning:

"Emily, that huge bird outside, eating the little bird - was that a chicken or a turkey?"

"Oh, that was a turkey vulture."

"What?"

"A turkey vulture - they eat dead animals."

"A turkey vulgan?"

"No: vulture."

"A vulgan ..."

"Okay, call it that if you'd like."

"We saw a vulgan! Just like Star Trek!"

I don't even know where he learned that term (okay, so I tease Ben about having certain Spock-ish characteristics. That might just possibly be where he picked it up).

~Emily

"I think they should just call them 'dogs'"

What is your idea of like a completely perfect Saturday?

Benjamin and I went to see Star Trek ... and then came home and played tennis. So awesome. So completely and utterly wonderful.

(Oh, and the movie was too. Ben wasn't sure he wanted to come but had a spring in his step on his way out of the cinema.)

Seriously ... what is your idea of a completely perfect Saturday? I would like to know.

The day had a little extra glow with this morning's conversation with William. I take it most parents eventually have the conversation about hot dogs with their kids? The why-are-they-called-hot-dogs talk? I find myself wondering how often the conversation goes like this:

"Emily, why do they call them 'hot dogs'?"

"Well, I don't really know."

"I think they should just call them 'dogs'."

I was kept busy today. In the unscheduled way. And that is just the way I like it!

The last couple of weekends were really busy, in the scheduled kind of way. This is something I also tend to like, but not as much.

Except for the upcoming voyage to Minnesota: this is one scheduled event that doesn't faze me by its being scheduled. Leaving on the twenty-fifth to see the Fiends (see http://fabulouslorraine.com)!!

William is watching a movie on the other side of the room. Ever since the paintings were rearranged, so that the smaller one is parallel to the television and the larger one above the sofa, I cannot see the film reflected in the glass. I keep glancing up out of sheer habit.

The smell of popcorn fills the house as Jack and William watch their film. I have to tell you ... things have been so wonderful since my ex-father left the house.

~Emily

Emily, The Purest Creature On Earth

Had a doctor appointment as bland as ... as ... well, I almost said vanilla ice cream, but not only would that be perfectly unoriginal, it would also be going against my opinion of vanilla ice cream. Vanilla is special. So mostly, the appointment was just bland. Aren't these people DONE with me yet?

Anyway. Went home and brought myself back to life with "The Trouble With Tribbles." It helped. A lot. Then tomorrow of course I have another appointment and I think by then I just may be too dead to bring myself back to life. Maybe someone else can do it for me?

I am taking the "What Fantasy Creature Are You?" quiz I found on Facebook (speaking of which, who ever knew Facebook could be so much fun? Er. Well. You probably did. I only just got an account and am very happy I did). Let's see.

One moment as I finish the quiz.

"When someone attacks you, how do you react?"

Can't I just scream or elbow them or something? I don't think I would "drown them or rip them limb from limb; use [my] inhuman strength [to] drain them of their life force; crush them with [my] powerful legs, and stab them with [my] weapon; strangle them with vines, burn them, drown them, crush them ...; scorch the flesh off their bones," or "cause their death with [my] good looks."

Huh.

If I had to choose one of them, maybe the last.

Kidding. Er. I was just ATTACKED, right? So I don't have much time for thinking, do I? So, let's say I would just ... This will take a minute. Moving on.

I chose the second. Can I give back their life force after I've gotten away from them? Does it hurt them to take their life force?

I wonder how much faith I should have in a quiz that contains the word "vegitables."

Here comes my result.

Unicorn. I am "the purest creature on Earth."

Right. Sure.

Otherwise it does sound surprisingly like myself.

Maybe now I should try "Which of the Seven Deadly Sins Are You?".

Or, I could read a book. This is the library.

I opt for book.

~Emily