Sparkles and Sticks

.cue twilight zone music.

I just finished packing.  Everything fit.  There is even room to spare.  I am positive it is under the weight limit.

Something is terribly wrong.

.adventures in pictures.

The Exchange Student: 2003-04

That trip was about people...

 

 

The Return- Christmas 2007

It was about places, and re-igniting things...

The Summer: 2008

This visit was about everyday living... and love. : )

On Thursday, mom and I leave for my fourth and her second trip to the UK.  Given that I am going on a trip with my mom and she will be meeting Ashley's family, I think that the word that will describe this trip will be family.

.holy freakin' one week left, batman!.

Mom and I leave for my home away from home in exactly one week!  To celebrate, I present you with some giggly viewing materials:

From Gavin and Stacey...

(some Jehovah's Witnesses came by our house the other day, and I almost burst into giggles just because I was thinking of this scene!  I am glad I didn't- they were very nice and non-invasive people and I wouldn't want to be rude to them)

From Spaced...

Even though Jaffa Cakes really aren't all that amazing...

and, believe it or not, I actually think Tim's idea sounds like more fun.  I think because it is presented in comic book form.

... and Love Actually.This movie makes my heart swell so much.  It came out when I first lived in Swansea, the first year, when I studied abroad in 2003.  My roomates and I saw it together, and even though we were having a huge fight when we went into the theatre, I forgot about it completely as I watched this movie.  For weeks after, we blasted the soundtrack as we primped for nights out.  We went to Time and Envy when Girls Aloud performed at the Christmas Ball and Ashley, Clem and I danced like nutcases when they played "Jump For My Love" (just like Hugh Grant did in the movie). 

(look!  a really crappy picture of the crowd that night!)

I took my mom to see it when she came out for Christmas, I sent my aunt the soundtrack for Christmas, and I watched the movie again on the plane when I flew home in June.  We watch it every Christmas (multiple times!) and when we watched it as we decorated the tree on this last, UK-less and Ashley-less Christmas, I almost felt like I was across the pond in the best place that there is to be during Christmas.

Each of my visits to the UK hold a dear place in my heart, and the experiences I had there can be conjured into my heart in many different ways, but I feel confident in saying that Love Actually is a major "conjur key" for my Freshyrs memories. : )

.its amazing how bloody frustrating yarn can be.

Right now, I want to take this stupid hat that I have been trying to design for ages out to the Rocky Mountains, place it on a yucky old pick up truck and shout:

"I can't quit you!"

Writing patterns is hard.

.some jaime data.

Ouchie: I'm stitching again, so the callous on my thumb has re-appeared.  I showed this to Bruce once, and called it a work related injury.  We laughed, because I am really damn clever.

Compliment: Last night, my mom told me that I sounded like a psychiatrist.  She sounded proud.  Am mildly entertaining the idea of going into art therapy.

Relief: I've been in a really bad mood the past few days, but it has finally lifted.  My days are once again spent merrily stitching and knitting- not moping and eating hershey's kisses for no other reason than mean hormones attacking me.

Confession: I've been watching Wife Swap reruns whilst stitching in the morning.  I wonder why people think that eating vegetables and taking the trash out for a few days while under another mom/wife's rule will result in apocalypse that must be fought with a screaming hissy fit?  I can only think of one thing that I would have to try out for a few days (violence excluded, of course, but the people on the show aren't allowed to touch each other anyway, I think) that would make me react so.  That thing= people yelling at me or saying mean things to me.

Dream: I wish that I could live in the house I grew up in right now.  It is such a cute little house, and the garage has been transformed into an office-like room that would make the sweetest little studio.  My dad started his business in that office, and I think it would be such a neat right of passage if I could do the same.  I want to paint the walls in it pink, hang some light curtains, bring in a space heater and some shelves, and listen to the rain fall while I stitch and knit away.  It sounds like pure heaven, especially if there is a little someone called Ashley living in the house with me.

Photo:  This is the cutie to which I am referring.  The office is in the back.

Fact: I have used the word "stitching" 4 times in this post.  Synonyms, please?

.like mother, like daughter. (aka, we're bow-tastic)

Setting: last night, on my bedroom floor, admits several balls of yarn and papers that say crazy things like "K1, P1, ktog" on them

Me: "What do you think?"  (Holds up a cup with a coffee sleeve I have just finished designing wrapped around it.)

Mom: "The bow is floppy."

Me: "Yeah, I like it that way."  (pause)  "But is it too floppy?"

Mom: "That depends.  Is it a boy or a girl?"

Me: "The cup or the person drinking the coffee?"

(thoughtful pause)

Mom: "The bow."

Me: (bursts into laughter)

Aaaaad, scene.

In summation: It's a good thing we have each other.

.note to self.

Do NOT watch trailers for silly but enjoyable and highly addictive romantic teen dramas whilst hormonal and in a public place. They might make you well up a little bit, and that's kind of embarrassing.

Or, do.  Whatever.  *crumples up note and tosses it out*

.yummy yummy yummy.

I just finished reading Scott Westerfield's Uglies last night, and I enjoyed it mucho.  So much in fact, that I dreamed I was Tally all night long, then bought the second book in the series, Pretties, first thing this morning.