White

This week I am doing something new, a photo challenge sponsored by The Paper Mama. I am by no means any type of photographer, but I do like to take pictures, often having no idea what I'm doing. Heidi is the photographer, and I love how creative and talented she is. This week's challenge is White.

I took this one of Heidi holding her cousin. I really LOVE how this turned out. 

Heidi Movie Clip of the Day - Week Ending 11.12.11

Ok, it looks like I'm not posting a clip every day, for which I get severely scolded by the boss, Miss Heidi herself. I'll try to remember from now on.


There is no one cooler than Jackie Chan. Heidi and I are going to have a Jackie Chan marathon while I am there over Thanksgiving. I can't think of a better way to spend time with my daughter. 



I'm not sure when Heidi got into musicals, this was one I watched with Vernon, then Heidi watched it and she LOVES it. She especially thought this guy, Donald O'Connor, was adorable, they don't make 'em like him anymore.



Uh, need I say more? If Adam Sandler showed up on our doorstep, I think Heidi and I would try to kick each others' asses to get to him first. We both like guys who can make us laugh.



Since the Conan the Barbarian days I have been Arnold Schwarzenegger's biggest fan (until recently-what a dumbass). Anyway, this is a classic that Heidi needed to see and I often use the "tumor" line. It annoys the crap out of her. ;)



This is an extra clip. Posted by Heidi herself. Who doesn't want to hear the Pet Sematary kid talk about vaginas?



We got dumped on by about 6 inches of heavy wet snow. I thought this would be appropriate as the daily clip.



I honestly do not know how many times we have watched this one; but I'll warn you, you do not want to watch it with us because we can recite the entire movie.



Cookies and Corky! We can't watch this one enough.

Heidi Movie Clip of the Day - Week Ending 11.05.11

Heidi has me doing something really fun. I would post a random movie clip that I knew Heidi would enjoy on our facebook walls. She then asked me to do that every day. I said no way would I have enough clips for posting every day! Well that was 2 months ago. I look for movie clips that we both enjoy. Some me more than her, some her more than me. But, we both enjoy them and mean something to us. I am excited about going down to see her for Thanksgiving. I'll be on a bus for 12 hours because my truck isn't in the kind of shape to make the drive, plus I'll be saving about $200 on gas. Woo Hoo! I'd sit on a bus for 12 hours if it meant seeing Heidi. I miss that girl. I've decided to post a weeks worth of movie clips so you can see how truly warped we are. If I can't embed, it's just a link with a photo. Enjoy!

We used to watch this movie all the time when she was little.

Fame Halloween Dance

I wanted a Halloween theme for today, and Heidi and I love dancing movies.









This movie is a classic, we love Nicole and Sandra and when we watched this I knew Heidi would love it as much as me. She did.

Inception; Rotating Hallway Scene
This is Heidi's favorite scene in this movie. And she LOVED this movie. I thought it was OK, but I knew how much she loved this scene.





Ok, I have to admit that I really did like this movie, but Heidi forced me to watch it. How can you not LOVE Tracy Turnblad?!?!?! I like fun upbeat clips for Saturday mornings, and it doesn't get more upbeat than this! 

She Misses Me

I know for a fact she misses me. How do I know this? Well, she doesn't really tell me she misses me, or even that she loves me. We just know each other and I guess with her I have to depend on actions and other things that she says. Last week we had a phone conversation. It went something like this:
Heidi telling me about her and K in the cafeteria and a song came on:
 Heidi: "What movie!"
 K:      "What?"
 Heidi: "Oh, I don't do that with you. That's something me and my mom do."
 K:      "That song is in a lot of movies."
 Heidi: "Mom would have known which movie I was thinking of."
 K:      "But that song was in a lot of movies."
 Heidi: "She would have known which movie I was thinking of."

The conversation really didn't get much further than that. And Heidi was right, I would have known which movie she was thinking of. We have this weird thing with movies and tv, and we speak in our own strange language where others look at us like we both are speaking gibberish.

Below are some songs that trigger us to think of specific movies.

                                 

            

Boy, I think we've watched this movie about a hundred times!

                             

I miss you too Sweetie.

and Pie!

Heidi and I just love Gilmore Girls. I remember when we discovered it. It was entertaining and funny and moved quite fast with their super quick dialogue and then we noticed something; Lorelai and Rory were freakishly a lot like Kimberly and Heidi! Cool! I honestly don't know how many times we have worked our way through this show beginning with disc 1 of the first season and ending with the last disc of the latest season that we have to date. Then, we start all over again. One of the things that we like is how they eat. Very similar to our eating habits and Lorelai and I share the same lack of domestic culinary abilities. Here is a list of regularly consumed items by both the Gilmore Girls and us.

She's Off To See the Wizard!

Tonight is the big night. It is the night we have all been waiting for... well, not me, but the rest of America has. I say America because it has already happened in the UK. I am talking about the final Harry Potter movie. I have to admit, I have mixed feelings about it. I got so so SO sick of Harry Potter.... and then Edward came along... then I had to apologize to Harry Potter because I enjoy his company so much more; although Jacob is quite the hottie... WHEW! TEAM JACOB!!!!! YEAHHHHHHHH.... ahem... sorry... where was I?

 Oh yes... Harry Potter.  For years Heidi has been a big fan. She's been a fan of the books and the movies. She has drug me to all of the Harry Potter movies and I admit I have enjoyed them. She's also got all the dvd's and most of the soundtracks. I have lost track of the number of times I have seen each movie.. oh, and don't get me started on the Scene it? dvd game. UGH! I totally suck at it! I can't remember the names of most of the characters so I get special rules... I'll say, "The guy who wrote a book and is totally full of himself" instead of... brb... Googling the name.... Professor Lockhart... I could not have gotten that if my life depended on it, let alone a dvd game. I have fun though, playing these games with Heidi, and watching the movies is something we always do together. As I watched part 1 of the Deathly Hallows with Heidi and her roommate, the roommate was quite impressed that I knew what was going on and that I understood the history. The reason for this is that I have a constant narrator when I watch a Harry Potter movie. Heidi will make sure I know what is going on, why, and fill in the spaces left out from the book. I get after her for talking during the movie but I like how excited she gets. Heidi will probably take me to see part 2 next weekend. It should be fun. I know I'll hear all about it either super late when she gets home at 3am or tomorrow when I get home from work. My baby is 19 1/2, which mean's she's almost a 20yr old woman. It's like the end of Harry Potter and the end of her childhood... shit, now I feel like crying. I guess I never thought about it until now.  Well, she's been standing in line for the last 1 1/2 hours and is having fun with her 2 Harry Potter friends J and S. In the past they have made t-shirts and have gone to the last few movies together.  I'm glad all three of them are together tonight, in addition to meeting a few other friends there.  I was given strict instructions to fix her dinner so she can reheat it when she gets home, and that is already done. I can't wait to hear about how much fun she had, the people she saw, and if she approved of the ending. She's very concerned about how they will end it. I hope she's not disappointed, she's been waiting for this for a very long time. The best part is that I am really happy about not being SHUSHHHHED every time the trailer comes on the TV.

What are our kids reading?

I came across this amazing blog post written by Robin Weeks in response to an article that she felt very strongly about. This article is titled Darkness Too Visible against the darker themed young adult literature, of which my daughter enjoys so I have strong feelings about it too. Ms. Weeks then felt she was too harsh so she wrote a second post, YA Saves - Counterpoint. I found this entire topic to be very interesting and I even became a bit emotional as I was writing my comment to Ms. Weeks' first post. It got to be pretty long so I thought I would turn my comment into its own blog post. Before you go on,  you should read the 3 articles by clicking on the links. It's a bit of reading, but very interesting reading, especially if you are interested in YA fiction, censorship or just plain good writing.

I grew up in the 80's when parents were blaming music for our behavior. Even as a teenager I saw a flaw in this so called reasoning. I listened to Ozzy and Metallica and was a well adjusted smart kid who respected her elders. I felt that if a kid killed himself while listening to a certain kind of music there was something else going on. Was I the only one paying attention here?

Well, I would never be caught reading any books containing vampires, warewolves, or the like. Not my thing, but my daughter is a different story. I HONESTLY feel she would not be in college now if it weren't for RL Stine, JK Rowling, and Stephenie Meyer. 


My daughter would not read anything. School sucked. Friends sucked. She was losing her interest in dance. I didn't know what to do. One day I brought home a Goosebumps book... that's where it all started. SHE WAS READING! She was grades behind in her reading level and from reading these books she started to improve in school. 

She worked her way through these books through the years. Now at 19 she's got a bookshelf FULL of books from a variety of authors who write this dark type of YA literature. She now also enjoys the American classics and is a well rounded responsible young woman. She's dabbling at writing her own book, and she's an English major - in secondary education. I'm so proud of her. 

Not only did these books improve her reading skills and widen her interests in reading, but they were an emotional outlet. Being a teen gets harder and harder through the years and while kids were sitting in front of their computer games, or talking to weirdos on the internet mine had her head in a book. When things sucked at school she would read her books. 


I got emotional while writing this. I can't believe how far she has come and how much she has grown. Her interest in books thrills me. Right now we have Passion by Lauren Kate sitting on our table waiting for Heidi to come home from a short trip she is on. The second she walks through the door, she will sit down and start reading. I will forever be a defender in all things literary.


I think I owe my love for books and literature to my mom. She brought me up to treat books with the utmost respect. I could never damage one, destroy one, or throw one away. Books are valuable and we should cherish them. They have always been important to me and at times have sentimental value, especially if the book was a gift.


I haven't read anything outside of magazines or blogs in a while. I should follow in my daughter's footsteps and pick up a book, even if I only manage to read a few pages a day.

Monthly Milestones - June

I would like to start out by saying that I did not tear my ACL. Woo Hoo! June 1st I finally got to see the orthopedic surgeon and all I did was dislocate my kneecap, ha ha , yeah, "that's it". I am now in physical therapy and it has been a difficult process but I am getting my strength back. I have bad days where even my good knee hurts, but my Dr. says that it's normal. On those days I take it easy and use ice. My back is better and I don't need a babysitter anymore. I can do the shopping as long as I am not on my feet for too long and I don't have a lot to carry in. I hope to be back to normal by the end of August as I have a very important trip to make.

I'm still up that 10 pounds, but I've managed not to gain any more than that until recently.

Heidi is off visiting her dad. I hate it when she is gone. She came down with a cold. She called me early in the morning last week and sounded terrible. My poor baby, so I sent her a care package of Ricolas, vaporizing shower tablets, Nyquil and Dayquil, popcorn, soup, fruit pops you freeze and eat, gum, her Netflix dvd's, a card with stickers and a candy filled car for her little brother.

My goals for July are to continue to progress with my physical therapy and get those stairs down. I'm supposed to be doing them already but I can't. My Dr. has been very understanding but forcing me to keep trying.

I'm also going to start logging my food again tomorrow. I want to get back on my weight loss plan. I was doing really well before I got hurt, there is no reason why I can't continue to do so. Especially now that I can mostly walk and I'm working out at physical therapy twice a week.

Heidi will be home next weekend and we can get back to hanging out and having fun. I miss her.
Big Brother 13 starts next week, and America's Got Talent is on. We watch those shows together and I enjoy them more with her.

Monthly Milestones - May

May has been a trying month. On April 13 I tore my ACL getting into a middle seat on my flight from Paris to Detroit. It should have been an aisle seat, but leave it to Air France to screw things up and cause me physical pain and financial difficulty due to numerous Dr. visits, drugs and medical supplies. On Mother’s Day, May 8th, I woke up and could not get out of bed. Because of being on crutches and not having the use of my left leg, my back had gone out. I can’t be left alone or do anything myself because my condition has become very fragile and complicated, not to mention I’ve gained 10lbs. of the 39 I lost since January. Grrrrr! Thankfully, for the two weeks I was unable to move I was able to work from home… the perks of using Salesforce.com.
On a more positive note, I’ve managed to maintain the 10 lb. gain by continuing to drink plenty of water and eating balanced meals. My daughter Heidi has been home from college and has been keeping the house, cooking, packing my lunches, shopping and doing laundry. This all includes her waking up at 6am every day and coming to me every time I call. I don’t know how I would survive without her. She’s been very patient and helpful and I appreciate her very much.

I am getting very tired and worn out from using the crutches and don’t know how much longer I can do this. June is going to be my month of healing. I’m going to maintain my weight by watching my fat and sodium intake, I am going to work hard on following my Dr.’s instructions and heal. I am determined to get better and be better. I WILL drop that 10 lbs. and continue where I left off. Most importantly I will continue to spend time with Heidi while she is at home. There are movies we want to see, TV shows to catch up on, games to play and stuff to buy. I appreciate her so much and I shouldn’t get so defensive when she gets cranky because she’s been doing everything for me without one complaint. I’ll be alone on June 18th when she goes down to her dad’s for a few weeks. I admit I’m a bit nervous about being alone but I will be fine because thanks to her I’ve been able to take it easy allowing my body to heal. Hopefully the June Monthly Milestones will be even better news! Wish me luck!

She's Home!

My girl is home! I'm so happy. She also brought home her future roommate who is a super great girl. She's not from this area and I don't think has ever been up here before so she had some new experiences while she was visiting.  She got to be a Yooper for a week.

These last two weeks haven't been as fun as I would have liked. The first week they were home they spent it out in the woods with the grandparents. On the lake, 4 wheeling, and running around in the woods. The second week they both spent with me, and if you follow my other blog, you know that I have not been that much fun lately. I have a knee injury, which in turn has caused me to have my back go out so I'm confined to the chair and my bed and in constant pain. Heidi and her roommate have been doing the dishes, cooking my meals, helping me stand up, helping me go to bed and bringing things to me when I need them. They also ran to the grocery store since I can't really walk or move. Not exactly a fun week for them, but they were both great. I'm hoping Heidi's friend wants to come back because I really am a fun person.

The girls and I watched a lot of Gilmore Girls.  We also watched the latest Harry Potter movie...uh... the Deathly Hallows Pt. 1. Heidi's friend was super impressed at how I understood what was going on considering I don't read the books. I got Heidi the 3 disc special feature dvd/blu ray/digital copy as a surprise and it turns out she got it for herself already. Boy was I mad. She figured I forgot about it since she wasn't here. When is she going to realize I think about her constantly? Stinker! I can't wait for Heidi to get back from her trip to Madison because I want to watch more with her. She is seeing off her friend so she's been gone since this morning and wont be back until Tuesday. I miss her so much already.

I'm really looking forward to having an awesome summer with my girl!

They tell you they love you in their own way.

She called me today, told me about her day and the success she had on a French assignment.
She told me she hasn't been drinking soda and has been eating lots of salad and veggies recently.
She told me what she was planning on doing for the rest of the day.
Then she enthusiastically asked me how I was doing. Wanted to hear about my recent health improvements.

She's going to call me later today.
I feel really lucky.

Losing Weight, Nutrition, Exercise, Social Networking and TRAVEL!

I miss my daughter. I miss her a lot. I'll be listening to the radio, watching movies or tv and see something and think of her. I'll remember something really funny that was triggered by a song or a movie/tv quote, and want to call her immediately but I don't. I have been avoiding the want to curl up in the corner of Heidi's room and cry by keeping busy. Since January I have changed my lifestyle drastically. I eat healthier and exercise. I am able to focus all of my attention on food, cooking, researching nutrition and looking for decent exercise videos. I like being able to take my time shopping, reading labels and comparing fat and sodium contents to various foods. I wouldn't be able to do that if Heidi were home. She'd be calling me every 5 minutes. "Mom! I'm starving! When will you be home?" Silly girl. I keep her updated with what I'm doing and how I'm doing and she is very proud of me. It is wonderful motivation when she is enthusiastic about my weight loss (which right now is 25 pounds. Woo Hoo!) 

Cooking has been interesting too. I've been trying new recipes and new types of foods and I know I will be able to stick with what I have been buying and cooking because she is a healthy eater. It will be tough buying food for two again, as I have adjusted my budget to food for one, but it's only for a few months over the summer.

I've picked up some other hobbies also. I spend a lot of time on Twitter and Facebook. I also like to Blog as you can see by this one, although I have neglected it since December because I've been so busy with the things I mentioned above. I love YouTube, I have my own channel now and I Vlog about my weight loss journey. I enjoy making videos and editing them. I also keep a written journal and spend a lot of time on Spark People where I research recipes, log everything I eat and read weight loss blogs. I also have a blog about my 11 year long distance relationship (LDR) with Vernon Sexy Chicken Was Here... I put a lot of attention into that one and recently I have been asked to guest write on someone elses blog. I'm really excited about that!

The next thing on my list is getting ready for my trip to see Vernon. I leave in less than a month and I'm so excited. Normally I would take Heidi with me but she will be getting ready for finals. When I get back Heidi will be finishing up with her first year of college and then she will be home! I have lots to do to get her room ready for her. (I kind of have been using it as a storage room.) So much going on and I'm feeling better and healthier and energized and happy, but I could have done all that with Heidi here too. I'd rather have her home, but I'm so very happy she is enjoying school and finding herself. It's rewarding to see that I managed to raise such a beautiful responsible adult.

Jerk Ass Arrogant Inconsiderate Mindless Frat-boy Low-life Buttfaced Miscrient!
This is a link. Click on me for a wonderful surprise!

I miss you Heidi!

I'm Going To Have a Ba.......

Yeah, that's how far I got and she thought I was going to tell her that I was going to have a BABY! YIKES! Not exactly sure how that would happen since my Sweetheart is over 3,500 miles away and I haven't seen him since January. My goodness. What I ended up telling her was that I'm going to have a BAKING party. I've never done that before. I've gone to them at my friends' homes, but never hosted one. My girlfriend Heather is a wonderful cook and baker but has such a tiny kitchen now and my kitchen is huge and I don't really bake or cook, so I thought why not have a baking party!

We made all sorts of cookies. Snickerdoodles, oatmeal choc. chip, peanut butter balls, Cathedral Cookies, candy cane sugar cookies with peppermint frosting, frosted cutouts, Puppy Chow, and there were also lots of munchies like Chex mix, veggies and dip and cheese, sausage and crackers. Yum! Heather made Sloppy Joes which was great and kept us energized for the cookie making that we were doing. Heather's girls were singing the funniest song... I had never heard of it. It was by the Giggles and the lyrics went like this. "I've got the clap and I'm giving it to you, I've got the clap and I'm giving it to you, I've got the clap and I'm giving it to you, who wants the clap? I do! I do!" All night long we sang that song. Was so much fun!  

On Thanksgiving I spent the day alone. Had been alone in the house since Wednesday. I was a bit sad and depressed and I wanted to be left alone. Thanksgiving rolled around and I made myself a wonderful dinner of turkey breast, mashed potatoes, corn, rolls, and lemon fruit pie for dessert. Also, thinking about baking on Saturday was keeping my spirits up. I was really looking forward to it. Spending the day with friends, I have not had a party in this house yet, and I've lived here for a little over a year. It's about time I think. I really had a great time, and I hope to do something like that again soon. 
Maybe New Years? Heidi will be here... hmmmmm, something to think about!  

Jammin' Out To Awesome Tuneage (insert Heidi's eyeroll here)

Music has always been an important part of my life. When I was a kid I would sometimes spend an entire day listening to Rick Dees weekly top 40 and record every song on my boombox cassette player. I would edit out the commercials so I would hit play and stop over and over again as the songs began and ended. I always had a walkman with me. Songs can bring me back to certain places: When I hear anything from Prince's "Lovesexy" album I think of a trip to Chicago with my high school Spanish club. When I hear Air Supply I think of my trip to Mexico my Sr. year. When I hear Sinead O'Connor I think of hanging out in the common room of my dorm at UW Madison. And when I hear Whitesnake I'm in the car cruising up and down Watertown's Main Street with my friend Ann. Sometimes music causes me to think of certain people: Jennifer Warrens reminds me of mom. I remember waking up on the weekend to her music blaring from the living room. I hear Hart and I think of my High School friend Gina, and friends still today. Red Hot Chilli Peppers remind me of my crazy college friend Nina, and I'm so thankful that we found each other again on Facebook. The Beastie Boys and LL Cool J bring thoughts of my brother to mind, and Wind Beneath My Wings by Bette Midler make me think of my little sister. Finally, there are several songs cause me to think of Vernon; and just a handful of them are on our LDR blog, (Sexy Chicken Was Here) which is linked to this one. 

The songs I have picked for Heidi's Playlist were specially chosen. There are more that I wish could be on here but they were not available with the program that I used. Also, I hate that my international friends and visitors are not able to access the music. As I become more familiar with blogging, I hope to find better ways to customize them to how I want. Those of you that do have access to the Awesome Tunage on this blog, some songs will cause you to smile, and some will cause you to say "WTF?!?!" Well, that's ok because I know when Heidi listens to them, some will make her laugh, some will make her smile and some will make her say, "WTF?!?!" Because that is what we do to each other. She'll understand where my brain was when I picked each song, because she knows me better than anyone. Before she left for college she got me a "goodbye" gift of 2 record albums in MINT condition. Billy Idol 'Rebel Yell' and the Flashdance Soundtrack. When she went to New York she brought home a Dwight Schrute bobblehead doll. (Totally random unrelated statement) I have the coolest most awesomest daughter ever. We have our music and I know I've passed that passion on to her as she has impeccable taste (except for her recent interest in country music for which I will have to check her into a mental health facility and submit her to shock therapy) but I think I understand where that interest is coming from.

I can't wait to hear what she thinks of my music selection. I'm sure she'll ask me where certain songs are that I may have forgotten. But on a final note, she and I will forever laugh inappropriately in Church and other religious Christmas events whenever 'O Holy Night' is played or sung. Darn that Eric Cartman!

Do You Think Harry Potter Likes Green Bean Casserole?

I'm sad. I'm so very sad. I  had made plans to drive down to Kalamazoo to visit my sweet girl  for Thanksgiving and because of unforeseen circumstances I have no money for gas or hotel. I had to call Heidi to break the news and it was such a horrible feeling. I could tell I made her cry, she tried to hide it but I could hear her. She understood, like she always does, but it's still so very disappointing. I am thankful however that she still has family down there. She will be able to spend Thanksgiving with my sister and her family. She lives fairly close to Heidi. With the holidays coming up so soon there are a lot of commercials. The one that bothers me the most is the one for Campbells Green Bean Casserole. I cried the last time I saw one. She just loves green bean casserole. I was going to make it and surprise her; but now it will have to wait until Christmas. Not only does she love green bean casserole, she loves the way I make it. I normally don't get compliments from her on food that I prepare, but she goes on and on over my green bean casserole.


At this very moment my daughter is having the time of her life. What is she doing you ask? She is watching Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. She went with her suitemate and family. I guess some other friends are meeting them there too. Every time there is a new Harry Potter movie, Heidi would go to opening night in her home made t-shirt with all her girlfriends and they would wait in line at the theater for hours. Heidi would then insist on taking me a week or two later. At first she had to drag me kicking and screaming, but I have to admit, the movies are entertaining and the stories are creative. I still refuse to read the books, which is the same for the Twilight Series.

I'd have to say, even though we don't get to spend Thanksgiving together or see Harry Potter together, she is still my #1 and I think it has sunk in with me that I am hers. She is thoughtful and amazing and she loves me. She called me tonight before she left for her movie. She calls me nearly every day and I just love talking to her. But her calling me tonight before her movie just meant so much. She could have called anyone else. I miss her.

Starting month #3

Well, it has been a while since I've written in either of my blogs. I felt it was time I got back to doing that again. I have no excuse, just didn't feel like it. So what is different with Heidi being at school? I'll list them:
-I hardly ever watch TV and listen to my stereo instead.
-I eat less. I don't have to have food in the house or make any meals, not that I cooked often while Heidi was here, but it's less often. That can be a problem because now that I don't feel morally and legally responsible to keep my kid fed I put more of the grocery money toward the bills I'm behind on and don't buy groceries. I'll go a couple of days at a time without eating and then I start to feel a bit sick. Not ideal, but at least I got the water bill paid.
-I sleep with the hall light on and booby trap both doors. I feel uneasy living alone. Not sure why I'm such a freak.
-I sleep less. Some nights I'm up until 2am and that is on a work night. I don't function well on lack of sleep and when Heidi isn't here to tell me to go to bed I just stay up because I'm a grown up dammit!
-I don't wear my CPAP mask every night when I should. No one hears me snoring. Not good! I don't get the usual "MOM! PUT YOUR MASK ON!.... MOM!!!"
-I'm saving 1/3 on the electric bill. Woo Hoo!
-The house stays cleaner. Picking up the living room isn't a big deal but my socks tend to pile up quite fast.
-There isn't as much laundry to do. I'm not washing clean clothes or clothes that have been worn once.
-I get to Skype with Vernon every Sunday.
-I have nothing to do on the weekends. I usually hung out with Heidi watching DVD's all day, going to the movies, going shopping or just spending time together.
-I'm late for work all the time. I don't have to take Heidi to school so why get up early? UGH!
-I have no one to talk to about my day, when it's good or bad.
-I cry alot.
-I carved a pumpkin to keep busy. I come home and do nothing and it's depressing so I have to think of stuff to keep me busy. That was one of them.
-I had my photo taken at work and I had no one to help me with my hair or makeup. I hate makeup!
-I miss the bickering, the laughing till we cry and the talks. Mostly the laughing till we cry, and it's usually at my expense!
-I am going to school, taking one class at a time. It's working out great. I started a year ago. I'm on my third class. She was a big help to me on the Algebra front when I had to take my business math course.
-I joined a club at school and I'm thinking about joining bible study at church. Things I never would have done because of Heidi's busy schedule. I'm meeting some really great people.

-Other than Vernon, she is the only person I look forward to talking to every day. I love hearing her voice and knowing that she's thinking of me too.

Days 1 & 2 - Adjusting

I think we both are having a difficult time adjusting. We spoke on the phone yesterday and she wasn't her usual silly happy self. When we talk on the phone or in person, we give each other shit, goof around, be stupid, and laugh laugh laugh. There was none of that yesterday.

I did OK yesterday. I was focused on money, financial aid, Heidi's new job, paperwork, medical insurance, all the loose ends that need to be tied up before classes start. Heidi sounded sad, she hasn't made any friends yet. She put herself out there her first night but everyone seems to be there with a friend or two. Her and her roommate are amicable, but not chummy. I think they just need to be comfortable with each other first. My best roommate was a girl that I could live with but we weren't buddies. We respected each others space, property, feelings, etc... but we didn't hang out. Maybe that is the sort of relationship she will have with her roommate? I still think it's too early to tell.  I know she's frustrated about the money too. We never had money for anything, always struggled with the bills. I wanted Heidi to get to escape from those problems while she was in college. That is not the case. Like always, we started off in the hole AND have NO money for books. Her dad, who never sent her anything, is FINALLY stepping up and contributing to her education and sent her some cash for books, but it will only cover 1/2. We still need to come up with the other 1/2. She's visiting the financial aid office today for an emergency loan that will cover that other 1/2. Heidi still needs items for her room, computer, clothes, and I just don't have it. All the money in her checking account will go towards books. She never complains, but I know it depresses her a little to always be without.

This morning I had a difficult time getting out of bed. I'm not over tired. I just don't have any ambition to come in to work. I don't want to get out of bed, I don't want to take a shower, I don't want to do my laundry, I don't even want to eat. But alas, I went to work today and yes, I did take a shower, but I wait to the last possible minute to do all of that and show up late for work. I have so many challenges here and major projects going on and I can't seem to keep my mind on any of it.

I enjoy playing Mafia Wars, Farmville, and reading blogs and following Tim Roth on Twitter. I need to get back to doing that, and also start reading my Terry Pratchett books again with Vernon. That will put me in a better place than I'm in now and hopefully I'll get my mind focused in other directions and not feel so lonely, depressed and worried. I've also got school. My class started Monday but I was moving Heidi into her dorm so I sent an email to my prof. as to why I missed class. I haven't heard back from her. I hope she's not bitchy.

I just got a call from Heidi, she's walking through campus, in the pouring rain IN HER WHITE HALTER TOP! She said people are staring... well DUH! Like guys aren't going to stare at a hot girl in a white wet halter top.  So funny. I realized I failed to send her an umbrella when I got home Tuesday... Oops! She and I were laughing, it felt good.

The Big Move

It's official! I'm finally a grown-up and living on my own. What will I do with my time? Rather than typing this one out, I'll simply post the numerous videos I took over the last 3 days. I am new at taking video since I've never had a video camera before. I will not be held responsible if you get motion sickness from these... so watch at your own risk! :)

 

Between the last two videos I cried. After filming the final video, I didn't think I was going to be able to stop crying.  It was terrible. My tears were of both happiness and sadness, but I knew that if I didn't leave right away, I never would.  I'm so proud of my girl!

Packing

We are packing her belongings, old, new, borrowed, blue.. wait, that's for something else, anyway... we're packing up all of Heidi's crap. Check out the new trunk. Made that purchase from http://www.trunksusa.com well, it's more of an investment. This should last her through college, her first home, marriage, and maybe her kids will take it to college. Anyway, I'm really happy with it and it will go nicely in her dorm.

I've only cried once today. Gilmore girls is "our show" and Heidi put it in the dvd player as I was getting our breakfast today and the theme song came on and I started to cry. I had to pull it together before I came into the living room. So far, for the remainder of the day I have been pretty good. Mom is here to lend me moral support and her car... we are taking that to Kalamazoo, MI so I'll need to start loading that puppy up tonight. I have a scary feeling that we are going to run out of room. I really hope not.

I plan on recording the process with my new flip camera. I warned Heidi ahead of time and I told her not to be a brat about it. I'm going to film whether she likes it or not. I think she'll be cooperative. I'll be doing this for myself and for Vernon, who will be interested in this process. He'd be here if he could so I thought recording it would be the next best thing.

 I had better get back to work before I get into trouble for slacking off.