Day 93

Day 92

Today was the first time in 16+ years that I haven't started school in the fall with everyone else.  It's a little strange feeling.  In some ways my day felt no different than the rest of the days this summer.  Got up and went to work, got home ate something, then went to a meeting.  There wasn't a real noticeable or distinctive difference in my day.  Then I got on Facebook and my newsfeed was full of people's school status updates and pictures from the first day of classes, the hoe down, orientation, moving in etc. and remembered what many of my friends were doing today, starting school.  What a strange feeling.  Don't get me wrong I feel good about being done with school but the nerdy part of me kind of misses it.  The funny thing is that I don't necessarily miss the social part but rather the classes.  Going to class, doing homework, reading textbooks, writing papers, it all gave me a sense of purpose.  And I really do like writing.  I'll miss being able to process through a paper and having a structured space to explore topics the most.  Guess I'll just have to find another way to stir things up, both within myself and with those around me.  So, good luck to everyone that started today and if you ever need someone to think through an issue with give me a call.

Day 91

Went to the Keller yesterday to see Mamma Mia.  It was amazing and sooo worth seeing live.  The guy who played Sam was a much better singer than Pierce Brosnan from the movie.  The woman who did Donna was simply fantastic.  She had a great singing voice and was a wonderful actor.  All in all a great day and a good experience.  The pictures not super great though cause it was practically a hip shot.  There were a ton of people coming down the sidewalk so I snapped in between the waves.

Day 90

This picture is from Saturday.  These last couple of posts are late due to busyness, fun and late nights this weekend.  :)  My grandma and cousin were going over old pictures.  The particular one they are looking at is grandma as a cheerleader.  In the background grandpa is saying, "once a cheerleader always a cheerleader!"

Day 89

Gum E. decided that no matter how upset she was with her friends she couldn't leave them behind, especially if they'd decided they wanted to come along still.  She headed back inside as quickly as possible just in case the creature decided to shut the door.

In her absence her friends started to feel bad about the way they'd been acting.  She'd been right to get angry with them.  She hadn't asked them to come along and here they were whining.  They felt terrible and were determined to make it up to her.  But when they peeked over the edge of the mug they couldn't see her anywhere.  Savory Avery gave a terrified squeak and pointed to the open door.  "She must have left without us."  Sticky Lucy started to sniffle, it was rather pathetic sounding since she was determined not to cry.

Just then Gum E. poked her head up and smiled.  "What's up guys?  Wanna see where this adventure takes us?"  They all tackled her and after everyone had apologized they moved towards the open door.  The first thing they had to tackle once they got outside was a ginormous set of steps.  But once again it wasn't too much of a problem since they were so elasticy.  They bounced their way down the stairs and into the bushes.  Not sure what they should do next they waited.  It sure was hot out here and heat is not good for little gummies.

They were just about to panic when they saw a familiar pair of feet.  These particular feet belonged to a two legged they'd seen before.  Deciding this was safer than melting in the heat they hitched a ride on a shoe lace.  Unfortunately the two legged did not go very far.  It stopped in front of something silver and shiny and huge.  Transfixed by this new object they were not prepared when the two legged gotten eaten by the object.  They fell off in fright, deciding they did not like the shiny thing.  But instead of running Sweet Pete suggested they follow it.  He'd seen more of these shiny objects around and they moved pretty fast.  So, being careful not to anger it, least it eat them too, they climbed aboard wondering were it would take them next.

Day 88

(Better late than never, this is yesterdays picture.  Went late night grocery shopping and was too tired when I got home)

The last time we saw Gum E. and her friends they had just escaped the dust bunnies and were hiding out in a coffee mug.  After hiding there for a couple of days they began to despair thinking they would never escape.  They were going to be trapped here forever!  It wasn't really that bad when you sit down to think about it.  Though it was certainly more dangerous than living in the bag with all their relatives.  Maybe they should just go home.

"At least there we were safe," said Sticky Lucy.  "Since we've gotten out we've been attacked, chewed on, chased and had to run for our lives.  Not to mention hide from those two legged creatures.  This would have never happened if we'd just stayed home."

"Yeah!"  Sweet Pete raised his little fist in the air, pumping it a couple of times.  "Let's go home.  This world is just too big and too scary."  Savory Avery looked at her two friends and felt torn.  She didn't really think it was that bad out here though they both had good points.  Gum E. sat silently listening to her friends complain.  She was slowly getting more and more angry at them and finally, as angry people tend to do, she exploded.

"I didn't ask you to come!  You just followed me.  If you want to go home then go!  I'm certainly not going to stop you.  Go back to that stifling bag with everyone pressing in on you, wondering what you're doing all the time.  Go back to being ignorant that the world is bigger than us.  Oh wait, you can't!  You can never forget this experience.  You might be able to go back but you will never be the same.  If you didn't want change you shouldn't have left!"  By this point she was yelling and shaking so hard she had to clench her fists to her side to control them.  She stopped at the shocked looks on her friends faces.  They had never seen her be angry much less heard her yell.  She took a deep breathe and tried to calm down.  She finally gave up at being calm and jumped back out of the mug leaving her friends looking at each other in stunned silence.

Gum E. was still in the middle of fuming when she looked up and noticed something different.  The door was open.  Her frustration suddenly forgotten she ran over to it and peeked out.  She couldn't believe her luck, here was her chance to escape forever.  All she had to do is step out and never look back.  No more feeling trapped, no more holding back, she could be free....

She stepped out, just to look around.  She was torn between taking a break for it or going back to her friends to tell them.  She was still angry with them but she didn't want them to be stuck inside forever.  She sat at the edge of the step debating what to do next.

Day 87

It was hot today.  No air conditioning.  Kids were complaining by 8:30, might have been a little preemptive if you ask me.  They were excited about the fans....  :)

Day 86

While I was in college I seem to have gotten in the habit of working at Chapters and only Chapters.  I can't seem to work from home.  So, even though I have graduated and no longer have "homework" in the traditional sense I found myself once again at the coffee shop with an iced Chai in hand.  :)

Day 85

(Serenity Turner)

Another goodbye today.  I'm getting kind of tired of goodbyes.

Day 84

So, it's that time of the summer again where Kelsey and I must once again part.  Back to four months of being far away.  Sometimes it just sucks.  (PS the picture sucks, low light, low shutter and laughter are not a good mix, photographically speaking at least....)

Day 83

Day 82

Trying to keep their minds on the problem at hand was very tricky with things moving around in the dark behind them.  Torn between the giant creature in front and the mysterious shapes behind Sweet Pete panicked and fainted leaving the others stuck because they didn't want to leave him.  They formed a tight circle around their friend and tried not to tremble as the shapes advanced on them. 

"Hello little gummies," came a disembodied voice.  "How nice of you to join us for dinner."  And with that Gum E. and her friends were encased in a cloud of dust, dirt and other disgusting things that find their way under the sofa.  Sticky Lucy screamed and stepped on Sweet Pete jolting him awake in the most horrible of fashions.  They felt poking and prodding as the dust bunnies tried to nibble on their arms and legs.  Savory Avery was sure something tried to chew on her ear before she hit it off.  Swinging the arms and trying to stick together they made it out from under the side of the sofa.  Gum E. tripped at the last second and was pulled back under kicking and screaming.  By the time her friends got the dirt out of their eyes it was too late to make a grab for her. 

They sat their clinging to one another wondering what they should do.  The could hear a great scuffle going on under the couch.  Then everything went quiet.  Something was coming out and it was covered in filth.  Gum E. coughed up and wiped dust out of her eyes.  "Well, that was exciting."  They decided under the sofa was not a safe place.  They could still hear the dust bunnies whispering, trying to beckon them back.  Sneaking around the edges of the room they found an empty cup with a string hanging out.  They climbed the string and settled in for the night while they thought about how to get outside.  Between the big creature, the dust bunnies under the couch, and goodness knows what else they were more determined than ever to escape.

Day 81

Today we take a break from Gum E. Bear and her friends as they are busy battling dust bunnies under the sofa.  Plus I saw a frog today in a hanging basket of fuchsias.  How he got up there I am not sure but he sure was cute (and noisy).

Day 80

Whatever it was that was in the room with them was huge, and not gummy.  It walked on two legs like them but was made up of more than one color.  It had long fur on its head and strange cloth wrapped around most of its body.  They hid and pondered this new development.  Eventually they decided that it would probably be for the best if this creature did not see them, they didn't know what would happen if it did but they knew deep in their hearts it would not end well for them.  Sticky Lucy thought she remembered having a nightmare once that involved one of these strange creatures and Gum E.'s Aunt B, but it wouldn't quite solidify in her mind so she let it go.

They had to come up with a new plan and fast because this creature was big and they couldn't stay hidden under the sofa for long....their little tummies growled in protest as they waited, and strange fluffy, dusty things moved around in the dark.

Day 79

(Lateness due to a dead computer and a misplaced power cord.  Spent a nice computer free evening.)

Gum E. Bear and her friends decide that the first step to freedom is making it outside.  Having a limited knowledge of the outside world though they are not sure what the first step should be.  Sweet Pete suggests building a giant parachute and jumping off the large cliff they seem to be stuck on.  After discussing this for a while the idea is vetoed due to lack of parachute building materials.  Savory Avery then sticks her gummy little arm in the air and yells, "lightbulb!"  Seeing a box of something called "teabags" they climb atop and pull the strings off of all the bags and tie them together, only they all skipped school on knot making day to play hooky, so the string fell apart.  Gum E. shakes her head in frustration and stares at her friends.  The answer is right in front of them, she's sure of it but she just can't seem to grasp it.  She scrunches up her face real hard and taps her head, "think...think...think...think..." and they yells "I've got it!"

Seconds later, after explaining her brilliant plan to her friends they all link arms and prepare to jump off the cliff.  Sticky Lucy is still worried but she trusts her friend since this was all Gum E.'s idea anyways.  They all count to three, screw their eyes shut and jump.  Of course, they land safely, because they are in fact made of gooey, sugary, gumminess.  In fact they are so bouncy that after they hit the floor they just keep bouncing, right towards the outside world!  But right before sweet victory is theirs they run into an invisible force field.  With the world still spinning they stand up holding their heads and look at each other in confusion.  Gum E. sticks her arm out and it again meets resistance.  She secretly wonders if her Aunt B knew about the escape and somehow learned how to make force fields.  She was always ruining Gum E.'s fun.  She dismissed the thought a second later.  Aunt B had been missing for a couple of days anyways. 

After wandering around for a couple of hours the four friends are dismayed to find that all the exits to the great outdoors are blocked, locked or screened off.  While they gaze longingly outside they discover they are not alone...

Day 78

Today begins The Great Escape of Gum E. Bear and her friends.  Tired of living with all her relatives in such confined quarters she decides to escape.  She desires the unexpected, excitement, and to live in the free air.  While climbing out of the bag her three friends, Sticky Lucy, Sweet Pete, and Savory Avery, catch her and want in.  So together they begin plotting their big adventure. . . 

Day 77

Said goodbye to this beautiful woman today.  She and her hubby are moving across the country.  I will miss her greatly and am grateful for every second I've gotten to spend with her over the past years. 

Day 76

Day 75

Day 74

Saw all this purple today.  It was glorious so of course I needed to take a picture.  :)

Day 73

Day 72

Day 71

 All caught up!

Day 70

The fair pictures must be shared more than once so here's another.  This was on a new ride called the Windsurfer.  It was relaxing...

Day 69

Sorry for the lateness of these last couple of posts.  Kelsey and I went to the fair!  It was fun but for different reasons then I remembered as a kid.  The rides were a lot bumpier, we got dizzy on one that I didn't remember having been dizzy on before, and the food felt really fattening.  Sometimes growing up can be such a downer...  :)

Day 68

(an oldie...)

Day 67

Day 66

Day 65

Playing is such a hard job.  Collapsed mid-play.  :)

P.S. I totally forgot to post this yesterday.  Got into reading a good book...

Day 64