Well, contrary to popular belief, I AM still around.....I've just been really really busy. Seriously.
The last time I updated was about 6 months ago, before I went back to the US for a while. Wow, so much has happened.....
First off, 3 and a half weeks in Georgia with my parents. Yea....not so much. My Dad didn't recognize most of us, which sucked. He gets stressed easily when thigns aren't 'normal' for him, and so us in the house threw him off. My mom doesn't see this, I swear the woman is in denial, which is kinda understandable. So the kids and I did ALOT of travelling. As in AVIS will probably never rent me a car again...I put 3000 miles on a car in 3 WEEKS. Yea, I'm all for unlimited mileage when I rent a car. Went to see Other while I was there, he requested my presence before he left for war climates. The only reason I mention this is because of the instance that took place on the way there. I'm whipping down the highway, making fabulous time on my way to South Carolina, when I get pulled over. Crap. I'm not gonna lie, I was speeding. Did I care when the cop asked? Not too much. well, to make a kinda boring story short, come to find out, VDOT (in their infinite wisdom) cancelled my driver's license. I had sent proof of living overseas so I could have address exemption on my license. Rather than giving me the exemption, the asshats cancelled my license. THanks to the ticket, I found out. The REALLY funny part about this is that the State Trooper that pulled me over was supposed to arrest me for driving without a license. Which he was kind enough NOT to do.
As if the ticket wasn't enough, I got rearended in North Carolina, at a stoplight. In a rental car. Could my trip get ANY better??????? Of course......
I do not speak to my biological mother. For good reason, too. Threatening to hunt down your daughter and kill her and her whole family tends to dampen family relations. ANywho, I went to see my grandmother, at the beach. She takes the boys out for some fun at the amusement park, while I stay home and write a paper. The doorbell rings, and I open the door. To see my biological mother standing there with her idiotic boyfriend grinning like a cheshire cat. I slammed the door and went on about my business.
My time in Washington, although busy as hell, was the highlight of my summer in the US. School kept me busy, and so did training for my half marathon. I was there for 2 weeks when Ziggy got there. My half marathon.......
Let me state first off that I HATE flying. Abhor it. Loathe flying with every fiber of my being. NOT AFRAID of it......I just hate it. This being said, there is no intercontinental rail system, so therefore I cannot ban myself from flying. I took a flight to Las Vegas from Portland. And after that landing, I will NEVER EVER NEVER fly into Las Vegas again. EVER. I had vomit in the back of my throat when we hit the ground, it was THAT bumpy of a landing. The poor Chinese lady sitting next to me couldn't speak English, but she was nice enough not to yell at me for nearly hurling all over her. The worst part of my trip to Vegas was over....I got to the hotel, checked in, and went to eat at a restaurant in Circus Circus that was supposed to be the best steak on the strip. Not so much.
The race. The Extraterrestrial Full Moon half marathon was freaking awesome!!!!!!!! My goal was 3 hours. I didn't hit that, but I was able to finish and walk around afterwards without dying as soon as I crossed the finish line. I finished in 3 hours, 15 minutes. I was pretty proud of myself (I still am). Great event, lots of people, but it was so well planned that you felt like family. The scenery....let me tell you about the scenery. You get bussed out to the 'Black mailbox', dropped off, and you run back into Rachel, NV, to the Alienn Inn, for breakfast. Full moon.....bit chilly, but once you were moving, it wasn't bad. Along mile 4, I started talking to a guy who'd had a friend that worked at Area 51, which was somewhere off to our left as we were running. We chatted for a few miles, and went our seperate ways. at mile 7.7, the grade finally went downhill. It was a steady incline until that point. THe desert is gorgeous, the moon was great, and my head lamp made it to mile 11. At mile 11.5, my legs started protesting heavily. Mile 13.1, I was so glad it was over....but it was great. I enjoyed it so much, I ran one at Windsor castle a little over a month later.
Vegas on the whole, was nice. I can now say I've been there. the best part of the trip, other than the race, was the Titanic exhibit at the Luxor hotel. OMG. I adore everything Titanic. The exhibit was great, but the piece that they had on display last was worth the horrible plane ride into Vegas. It was known as the 'Big Piece'.....a section of the hull of Titanic, hanging from a crane, in this huge room. I coulda passed out right then and there. I stood there, open-mouthed at the closest thing I would EVER get to being at the Titanic. The only time I've ever had that feeling of awe at history was when I was standing at the grave of Elizabeth I of England.
As soon as I got back to Washington, it was full wedding madness as my SIL got married. Fun time, but busy busy busy.
I got back to the UK in time for the boys to start school....and I went back to school. And then we moved into base housing, and I love my new house.
I am currently in my last 2 classes for my degree. I will be done in a couple weeks, and I can't wait. I graduate in May. YAY!!!!!!!!!!
Ok, I think that's enough of an update for now........
