Good Grief

Well. Among other things, last week was horrendous.  My saga is much too much to type but just know that I better get some kind of reward for this someday!!!

In more relevant news, Lukas has made it safely to Wales. He is five hours ahead of us and therefore is somehow always available to talk when I come home.  I've seen a lot of this lately...

He is all settled in to his little cell of a room but he likes it so far and is tickled to have a real office with a real desk. "I've never had a desk before!", he says. He likes the people he'll be working with and he is most unamused by the all the new undergraduate freshmen who are having Welcome Week right outside of his window. He says he has contracted "Freshers Flu" from them as he has a sore throat and sniffle.

Mom and Dad took Ellie and me out for her birthday where Ellen was serenaded by the waitstaff at Outback Steakhouse. Ha! She was most embarrassed. Afterwards we returned home for yet another birthday cake.

 I have been working quite a bit lately. It's been a frenzy over at the job site as the pumpkin patch is now open requiring people to work in it. I now work everyday except Mondays and Thursdays.  Though I would rather work than go to school, I do have school work to do you know. I haven't had time for homework lately, not that I mind. I've discovered that not doing assignments is quite liberating and gives me a sense of control of things. I know, I know. I won't make a habit of it, I'm just saying. Now I understand those flunkies you see that still make good grades. Also, as a fun fact, for the first time ever, I got up and walked out of a class. Oh how thrilling!! It was doing me no good to be there and I was hungry so I left and got lunch. Don't scold me. I know. It won't happen again. 

As for news on the home front, Grandma is planning a joint Ellen-Jordan birthday party this Saturday. She's working herself into the usual frenzy about it but is otherwise quite excited. Ellen has left the world of fitness to work at the Charleston Place Hotel. For now she is just hosting at the Cafe inside but she's got her foot in the door of expensive lodging and she may "move up" in 90 days. Also, she gets a hefty discount on the rooms there and a helpful discount at all other sister properties, including the hotel on the Amalfi Coast. Ellen pulled out the brochures and started scheming right away.

I took home the sunflowers that I didn't sell this weekend. I had two products for sale. Watermelon wedges and sunflowers. I tired to deter people from buying the sunflowers so that I could take them home.  I couldn't get people to buy the last of my wedges. I began handing them out for free telling people simply that I wanted to go home.

We've also recently started selling North Carolina Mountain Apples. I've been bringing home the rejects.

 

Also, as a sweet mushy note Lukas sent me a little happy bouquet of flowers on account of my blatantly offensive week.

I am off finally this afternoon and I have a nap scheduled for 3:30. Don't mind if I do.

I'm so sorry. Maintaining a farcical blog is no easy feat. What with work and school and all...bleh!
So. As for lately, I don't know whats going on in anyone's life except my own.  Except for last night to watch the football game, I haven't really seen any of my family members. Had I not fallen asleep whilst they watched the game perhaps I would have received an update of sorts.  As for me...well I think you can guess. School, drop out, work, cranky, etc.

This weekend Boeing has rented out the plantation for an employee family fall function type of thing. Yesterday, I was selling watermelon by the chunk under a giant white tent full of candy and fat people. It was sooo hot. 100% humidity Dad told me and I believe it. I probably sweat more yesterday than I did that day that I fainted. Perhaps that's why no one wanted to buy my watermelon chunks. Anyways, I'm off to do the same again in just a bit, though I think they did decide to change the location of my watermelon table. I think they are putting me at the entrance of the corn maze. That way people can snack while they get turned around in a field of corn shaped like an airplane. A Boeing plane mind you. We'll see how that goes.

As a fun fact, tomorrow is Ellen's birthday. Hmm.....

Garden-y Things

I am now at a point in life where not only am I perpetually disgruntled, but I also have no free time. Thus, I ditched my math class and went for a walk. Look at all the greenery!

 

In other news, Ellen has become resentful of the fitness world and is moving on to bigger pastures, or at least ones that allow you to eat the grass. She's had a few interviews with some hotels but I have not received any word on their outcome.  Mom has made some really nice pieces of jewelry with Nana's coin collection. I'm quite smitten by the rings she has made and I believe she'll be taking her craft goods around town to art shows and craft markets. Move over Harry Winston!

Dad continues piddling in all sorts of projects. Last I heard, his basketball team is undefeated and the house he's building is really taking shape. It's all quite exciting. Lukas leaves Sunday for Wales and he hasn't even considered starting his packing list.

In Boone Hall news, Boeing has rented out the plantation and grounds this weekend for some family affair for which there was a total RSVP of 7,000. Yish. Needless to say, I have to work Sunday as well as my 8-7 shift on Saturday. I better be able to buy a pretty expensive plane ticket after all this. Last Saturday, I did not end up helping out Gilberto on account of a power line falling and blocking one of the dirt roads. While he worked on that, I helped make life size ghosts and stuff children's Halloween costumes with hay.

And as for my scholastic update, I must admit there was a close call on Monday. It just so happened to be the last day for 50% tuition refunds. I did some serious debating. I came to the conclusion, that nothing is worth the amount of stress and distraught energy that I get from school, so I would simply withdraw from my classes and work very hard for the rest of my life- so long as I liked what I was doing. (If not, Mom better make up my bed. I'm coming home!!). I was quite giddy (for the first time since school started) and I was talking and laughing with myself as I drove home to tell Mom and Dad the news. I only talk to myself when I'm really confused or really excited. I kicked down the front door, made my announcement, and stared confidently at my parents faces. Then Dad pointed out that he only pays rent for children who are in school and that I would have to get a second job to be able to just make my rent payment. If I got a second job there would be no time for planning trips, I mean, my future and therefore I would be in a vicious cycle of working and breaking even. Hmph!

I went to class the next morning. 

A little bit heartbroken.

My Usual Nothingness

I am once again in a state of "no news." At this particular moment I'm suppose to be in my ''writing for the 3rd grade'' class, however I just woke up, so I guess I'm not going. T'was a hot day at work yesterday and I think it just knocked me out. I do however have a distressing 3 hour lab to go to at 10:30.  Which reminds me, I have some homework for that.

This weekend at Boone Hall is the Scottish Games Festival. Though I believe Mom, Gigs, and Dave may be attending, I will be working all day. I have my usual shift but I also agreed to go in early help Gilberto get the last of his pumpkin patch chores done.  Who knows what this entails.

As for today, I set up a meeting with the study abroad people after I received some disturbing news from my academic advisor. This news bluntly stated that I have at LEAST 2 MORE years of school no matter what I major in. I've had a petulant expression since. So my plan now (unless I can pull the drop-out) is to do a big chunk of it overseas. Hmph! I'm sure there's some kind of transfer student catch. I've noticed that trend. I also need to study for my Bio test (cause I've learned so much) and finish writing Carlos his birthday poem. Carlos is Gilberto's boy and they both just had birthdays.

Most exciting of all, at work yesterday I found a tiny turtle, or "tortuga" as Antonio called it.  I named the little guy Cornelius and after trying to convince him to eat watermelon, tomatoes, and other assorted veggies, I eventually set him free.

Birthday Things

As you know from that amusing card you sent Mom, Saturday was her birthday. We did nothing for her this particular day. She was busy. But yesterday we had a small gathering involving a Dad meal and quite a few bouquets of flowers. There was much laughing and sarcasm and all the other usual things.

 

Ellen presented Mom with this offensive cake.

 

And prior to the festivities, Ellen, Mom, and I worked on our own acrobatic performance.

What goobers.

Bleh!

 

 Fine! I won't drop out of school but I am not happy about this! As a quick scholastic update, my English professor can't read and one of the nerds from the Big Bang Theory is teaching me math. There is much to be done. I've been trying to teach myself about molecular bonds because my Bio teacher thinks the best way to learn is to read it yourself (lazy prof).  Molecular Bonds?? I would not mind an explanation. Meanwhile I'm swimming upstream in a sea of perky college girls all bouncing to class with a phone on their ear and big bag slung over their arm. I try to scowl when I walk now. Just on principle.

As for Lukas, "The Last Visit" was quite brief. He left Tuesday after my class so he was only here 4 days. We did the usual walking, dining, and jet skiing. We had the high-strung croquet party and a few good dinners with Mom and Dad. There was one day I had to go to the library to write a paper for my English class so of course Lukas came with me. While I was working he managed to dig up a copy of "Physics Today" and was more then enthralled with its pages. He continuously interrupted my work in 5 minute intervals to explain to me the physics behind stained-glass. Yes. I believe the term is nanoplasmonics. Needless to say it took a while for me to get my work done. It was a short but delightful visit and he is now home filling out forms for his visa. He leaves in 2ish weeks for Wales.

In other news, it's starting to cool down here. Despite the fact that Charleston smells like a hot barn in the summer, I'm not sure I'm ready for cold weather. Oh how I hate being cold. Ellen however, is quite excited about it. She has been snippy on account of her lack money. Her one client decided they didn't have enough money for a trainer and now Ellen is once again client-less.  I'm sure if she's patient she'll be fine however I'm having to deal with extra girl emotion. Yick!

Croquet. And Other Summery Things

 

All summer Ari has been planning a classy croquet party. By classy I'm referring to the very strictly enforced preppy dress code and the finger sandwiches. Apart from one unruly guest, (no, not Ellen) everyone was pleasant and partook in the activity. I could tell Ari was a little perturbed by her chronically late guests and the fact that this kept her food spread from being ready promptly at two o'clock. We played a meticulous game of croquet, following the rules precisely. Ellen began cutting up and of course I joined in. For once Ari seemed mildly unamused- maybe we were the unruly guest?

Poor Lukas was also present on account of my forcing him to come. Being the only guy there, he spent most of his time hanging out with the dogs and swinging from a large rope hanging in the tree.  We all had to alert Lukas to his turns as he was preoccupied by the many "small boy-esque" things that can distract the simple male mind. Given the incessant girl-squabbling who could blame him.  He did however, win the game -something I felt should have fallen in favor of the gals playing.

Hurricane

 

Buddy had a field day.

 

In recent news, all is the same. School, work, Ellen.  Lukas is coming this weekend for his final visit before he heads off to Wales for a measly PhD hmph! I've got to figure out ways to entertain him while I'm in class. We are however headed for Ari's much anticipated croquet party- complete with finger sandwiches and a preppy dress code that she is strictly enforcing.  Neither Lukas or I can accept the dress code and it worries me for any unexpected additions to this Gatsby-esque affair. I'm not sure people my age should know what a Pimms cup is.

Anyways, Mom and Dad are chugging along and are having Ellen and Paul, and Doofus and I for a big "family" dinner on Sunday.  I'm sure it will be most amusing.  In the meantime, I'm doing homework, lab projects, and other assorted annoyances. Yick!!