Hooray! I'm finally on! Thank you Naomi!!

Thank you so much for getting me on Naomi- I've been reading the blogs and feeling like a mute since I couldn't contribute. This summer has been going pretty well for me- very low key, but still enjoyable. I started out the summer applying for part-time positions, which is apparently impossible right now. Seriously, I must have applied to like 10 or 12 places. In the meantime, I rode my horse, took nature walks at the local state parks, and helped my parents on the farm and with my aging dog. I also read a bunch of books in Oprah's book club- a lot of coming-of-age books and books about struggling women. In the middle of June, I went to a family reunion in Ohio where I got to meet relatives who I haven't seen in 10 years. A lot of old people- my cousins weren't able to make it- one has 6 kids and the other wasn't able to get off work (she also has 2 kids). After that, I went to the Ag. Teacher's Conference at Camp Oswegatchie. I learned a lot of lesson plan ideas, met a bunch of people, and got free stuff. O- Caton, I also met a guy who replaced his dad teaching in Medina- he's a year older than us and kind of reminds me of a grungy frat guy- do you know him? After that I returned home and continued my horse riding, nature, and farm experiences. I'm also embarrassed to report that I hung out with Fernando- o yes, the creeper. He kept calling and messaging me- getting angrier and angrier. I finally gave up and talked to him. I ended up visiting him a couple weekends. It wasn't too bad- we went to the gorges and I took him to the farmer's market. He cooked for me and took me salsa dancing, which is pretty fun if you're with someone who dances. I also visited his family friends for July 4th, who were a very nice Italian family. He also invited me to a trip to Peru in August- which I would have loved to go on. I decided to break it off, though- he's pretty sketchy- he called 3 times a day and told me he was falling in love with me- not okay (my cousins feared he would take me to Peru and murder me). He didn't let go easy, though. He continued to call and call and left me a very heartfelt angry message- then he defriended me on facebook- I think he's done calling now- it's been 2 days since the last text. Anyway, a couple weeks ago I went to Tampa for a cousin reunion. It was fun, but very dramatic. My sister, Laura, got in a huge fight with my cousin about activities and she ended up attacking Elizabeth and I, saying that we abandoned her and that I threw her under the bus. There were some very tense moments. Now I'm back home and touring around Orange County. I went to a Standardbred racing museum and went to a downtown area that's kind of like the commons. This weekend I'm volunteering with the 4-H Fair. I've also been working on some curriculum for the 4-H Dairy program, which has kept me slightly busy. I'm planning on going to school end of August- I've found an apartment with a few hotel students at Gun Hill. Should be interesting. No other major trips planned, though I'd like to go to the city sometime and continue traveling around. I'm glad to see all of you are doing well- good luck with the job search, Naomi- it sounds pretty exciting with all the trips planned- let me know if you go to NYC- maybe we could meet up. And Judy, let me know when you get back to school- I'm not sure how pleasant my housemates will be. Congrats again Caton on living in Nashville! Hopefully I'll talk to you all soon!

Reporting from the land where Walmart sells Vodka and nobody recycles

Hey all,
I hope everyone’s summer is going great so far!! I currently am in Ohio (I have been since last Friday now ).
So last Monday all of the furniture in my old house was boxed and packed. Luckily since we are moving because P&G is relocating my father, they pay for all the moving trucks, packing, etc. Although it is nice not to have to pack anything, it is awkward to think that some stranger had to pack up my underwear, lol! Unfortunately that was the last time I was able to sit in furniture till recently and sleep in an actual bed. It took about week for everything to get down here, so my parents and I stayed at our camp for 2 days. That was really nice, but it is still under construction and has no running water/plumbing.
Last Friday we made the 11 hour journey down to Maineville, Ohio. It was pretty awful, as none of us wanted to move. So my new house is pretty nice. I have my very own bathroom- the first time in 22 years (yes I will be 22 tomorrow) and it sure beats sharing one ( 200 Highland <3). Our house is really sterile looking---white walls, white carpets, white trim. There are these giant, hairy, black spiders down here called wolf spiders and there were about a million down in the basement—dead luckily. Our new house is in a new development and as of right now we are the last house on the street-though I’m sure that won’t last for long. Out my front window there are 2 silos from the old farm that our community is being built on. The backyard is protected green space, or the “nature preserve” as I like to call it. There is a pack of coyotes out there as well as many brightly colored birds.
The first night that we were here the neighbors invited us over for dinner, and I sure that you all knew that I was thrilledL. They basically seem like the perfect suburban family. The father works for a water company and the mother for IKEA. They have three of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen, think tall, thin, blond hair, and a pretty face. Needless to say I stuck out a little and am a little jealous. There oldest daughter is entering 9th grade and reminds me of the TV show NYC Prep on Bravo. She constantly has like 5-6 guys at the house and I feel like there is a party next door all of the time.
Since I decided to take my bed from home back to school with me, I have been sleeping on an air mattress. Yesterday my new bed finally came, but I must have been delirious when I picked it out because it is a gross brown color and stiff as a rock. I need to go buy a bed skirt ASAP! I also now have an Ohio license, which was quite the process to get. My dad sprung it on my mother and I that he was taking us to the BMV (no longer DMV) to get our licenses one afternoon and that we would have to take a short test. So me being myself began to freak out about passing the test and worrying if I would have to take a driving test (which I would not pass). Luckily just a computerized test and I only got one question wrong!
Well back to my super boring life stuck in the development without a car or anything to do!

~Judy

ROAD TRIP!!!!!

Hey girls,

Caton, I'm glad that you've been having an amazing time in Atlanta. When do you head back to Nashville? Judy...How's the recent move to Ohio? Is it everything you hoped it would be? (just kidding) When does Vet School start for you? Kristin, as soon as I am done writing this post, I will send you instructions that should allow you to access the blog. Hopefully.

So first off, the Bachelorette...Kiptyn or Ed. I vote Kiptyn, but Caton I have a feeling you just might be right. Ed has had a lot of good luck. He leaves, she lets him come back. He fails to perform in the bedroom, she keeps him anyway. The big question in...what's up with Ried in the last episode. It shows he comes back...hmmmmm. (Maybe she'll let him back too) Oh dear, the drama.

Well, tomorrow...I'm hitting the road...first stop, Boston. (I know, I know...for me that isn't very far) I have a job interview with the Animal Rescue League of Boston, I think I can get the job, no problem, but it doesn't pay that great and it is really expensive to live in Boston, and I don't think I want to commute an hour every day each way(two if in rush hour) just to save money by living at home.
So after I leave my interview in Boston, I head to St. Louis, Missouri. My sister lives out there, so it is a place to crash while I go look for jobs. If all works out. I will find a job and move out there. Otherwise, I move on. I have some relatives in Wisconsin, Colorado, and New Mexico that I might go see, and then possibly go to Arizona to see Michelle, but that is not definite. If my job search out west doesn't pan out, I plan on heading back this way, stopping in several places, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, West Viriginia, and New York, possibly more, but those are the places, I have family that I know will let me stay with them.

The plan is to hopefully be employed before the end of the summer. but I have no idea if that will happen, keep your fingers crossed.

have a great week girls! Miss you all lots!

Helloooo out there!

I've finally gotten a break to take a breather from the whirlwind of TFA. This long weekend has been exactly what I needed. Yesterday I went to the Margaret Mitchell house. (She wrote Gone with the Wind). It was incredible! I was having a "table for one" kind of day. It was going to be lovely. I walked to get some ice coffee and then headed to the museum. On my way, I got a text from my friend Jimmy asking where I was. I told him, and he proceeded to inform me that he would meet me there (in spite of never having watched or read gone with the wind). I was like, OK.

So, Margaret Mitchell is my hero. She was engaged once at the age of 17 to a boy who was killed shortly after in WW1. Then she ended up marrying a guy named Red (reminscent of Rhett Butler), who was a socialite and also ended up being phsyically abusive. She divorced him (this is in the 1920's, so it was pretty scandalous), and then ended up marrying John Marsh (Red's best man in her first wedding). Apparently John Marsh had just been waiting around for Margaret to be free. He had been in love with her the entire time.

Margaret was one of the first female reporters in Atlanta and wrote articles about everything from women's rights to word culture. When she broke her ankle and was homebound, she began writing Gone With the Wind as a past-time. She wrote the entire book in a very tiny, hot apartment, saying she wrote in "a low point of her life." She did not think the book was well-written and often denied she even wrote a book. Eventually the book was published, and now Gone with the Wind is the 2nd most published book in the entire world, second to the Bible.

Anyways, I love Margaret Mitchell, and I almost cried in the museum because I felt such a strong kinship to her. I also bought a B&W photograph of Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler from the movie. It's lovely. Do you know initially Scarlett's name was going to be Pansy!? I'm so glad she changed that.

So, my friend, AKA- little puppy dog Jimmy follows me around the museum as I'm having this emotional roller coaster. He's a really nice guy, but I am not attracted to him at all. He's only an inch taller than me, and wears square specks and often cargo shorts, belt and polo shirt tucked in. NERD to the nth degree. Anyways, he's nice, and I love having such an adoring fan, but...I should eventually tell him I'm not interested.

Anyways, we went to the High museum afterwards and saw the Monet exhibit. Monet's paintings were incredible, Water Lilies is a "stroke" of genius. So many layers, and scaping techniques and colors, just overwhelming. I love Houses of Parliment in Fog. I just sat there and looked at these paintings and reflected, and it was lovely.

Then we went to watch Public Enemy with Johnny Depp. AMAZING. I would definitely recommend it. It actually has a beautiful love story that is central to the entire movie. Loved it! I absolutely love movies too. Then I ended up going out, and I told Jimmy, I love that we're just friends :)

Anyways, I am so excited to see the Bachelorette on Monday! ED IS GOING TO WIN! I told you he'd be back. She is obviosuly so into him, as I am.

I miss you girlies!!