I hope everyone enjoyed my Lord of the Rings ripoff title. Sometimes, no matter how hard I try, I just can't keep the nerdiness in and it bursts forth in an uncontrollable act or sentence...much like the one when I typed in that title.
Well, I did go there and back again. My journey wasn't quite as epic as Sam and Frodo's (I said Sam first because I always thought he was the coolest of the Hobbits, and under appreciated), but it was highly enjoyable. I took off for Oregon on the 18th of December, and arrived in Portland to the hugest and longest running snowstorm that we've had in probably fifteen years. It was fun for a couple of days, and then I got really sick of not being able to go anywhere because all the roads were a disaster. Even public transportation failed me- after abandoning hope of driving from my parents home in Salem to Portland, I decided to invest in a ticket for a trusty old Greyhound bus. Well, turns out Greyhound ISN'T so trusty....I arrived at the bus station ready to go, and was informed that all buses had been cancelled. Well, this was just total balls, that's the only appropriate way to describe the situation. So, I ended up staying in Salem, only leaving the house twice, for about a week. Yikes. It was actually pretty fun to have that much time with my family, who are a wonderful bunch of people, but I was hoping to see more of my friends as well during that time. THEN, the weather finally cleared up enough on Christmas day for us to make the trek up to the Portland area to go the traditional family Christmas at my Grandpa's. After leaving pretty late in the day because my sister decided to start a labor intensive cake at about 2 PM (don't worry Katy, I love you and it was a delicious cake. And it was funny when it boiled over in the oven), we were on our way. Various aunts and uncles started calling our various cell phones wondering where the hell we were, and we assured them that we would be there within the hour. They would wait dinner for us, we were assured.
Well, it turns out waiting dinner for us didn't include waiting for us to sort out a flat tire. That's right, about halfway there, we all heard a rather alarming and extremely loud popping noise, followed by the ever so pleasant smell of burning rubber. My dad steered the family vehicle we lovingly refer to as the conestoga wagon off the freeway, and into a gas station. Turns out, we'd driven over something sharp that had COMPLETELY shredded the tire. And of course, the parking lot was a snowy wasteland and it was cold enough to freeze the quills off a porcupine. (I just made that saying up. I like it.) After about an hour and a half of work, my dad and brother (who very fortunately happens to be in the resourceful/be prepared line of work) managed to get the tire changed. By this point, family dinner was a mere distant memory, and we all decided it was just best to turn around and head back to Salem. Not having much to eat at the house, having planned on feasting at my Grandpa's and all, our dinner options were limited. I was so annoyed with the situation that I started throwing out some outrageous promises, such as "If we have to turn around and go all the way back home, I'm buying everyone dinner!!" Well, I was cursing my own rash words when we actually DID turn around and go all the way back home. It being Christmas and all though, most restaurants were closed. We ended up finding a Chinese joint that did take out, and deciding not to be a total Scrooge, I sprang for that. It really was very Christmas Story-esque. My brother went out to retrieve the food, and after he brought it back, we ate Chinese, watched the Blazers game, and had a very enjoyable evening. It probably turned out much more relaxing than having dinner with grumpy relatives (grumpy due to our tardiness) would have been.
Other than that, it was a fairly uneventful but lovely trip. I did some great shopping for American items I've missed. I got to see some of my MOST favorite people, including Dave, Emily, Chelsea, Anna, Jeff, Amanda, Megan, and Andy. They were wonderful and great fun to spend time with. I especially enjoyed my New Years eve shenanigans with Anna and Jeff, ESPECIALLY because I got a kiss from Jeff (it was super hot) and THEN got to sleep with Anna. Also super hot.
Now, I am back here in Dresden, on an extremely messed up sleep schedule. This would account for my blogging (that word is really stupid, I don't know why I used it) at midnight, when I have to get up at 6 AM and be a bright and happy teacher again tomorrow morning. Oy vey!
Oh, and as fate would have it, after having it dump snow the whole time I was in Oregon, the land of very little snow (normally), I've returned to have it dump snow in Dresden. It would seem that a girl just can't get a break.
I'll end on that note. Let's hope my new coat proves up to the inclement weather challenge.
3 comments:
Bri, in no way am I attempting to totally outnerd you, but it is happening regardless of intention: I should point out that There and Back Again is in fact, a reference to Bilbo's journey being the subtitle of Tolkien's famous book The Hobbit, and does not in fact relate to Sam and Frodo's (homoerotic) journey to destroy the one ring and hustle back to Hobbitown.
I thoroughly apologize for having to hand your ass to you on a plate.
JEFF you are ridiculous, but that is why I LOVE YOU.
You are totally right too, which is really frickin' annoying.
Bri, I enjoyed sleeping with you too. There's no one I would rather enter into my new found lesbianism with more than you. And to Jeff: If I promise to dress up like Arwen and demand that you to give it to me in Elvish will you reciprocate on a certain George Michael music video re-enactment I had in mind?
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