A furry headwarmer!

[glacier_kitty]

Abby loves curling up on my head, especially when I first go to bed. She's so cute, except when she starts snoring LOL

Mom's home, yay! (Yep, Greyboy was beyond happy and drooled all over her. :P) She said on the flight home, she sat next to someone who had just had shoulder surgery, and he kept talking to her about it and how the stitches ripped out and how it was leaking and mom was like "...why is a complete stranger telling me this??" THEN he put his hand under his shirt and was like "see??" and RUBBED THE FLUID ON MOM'S HAND!!! D: D: OMG THAT IS SO GROSS!! Who DOES that?? She couldn't get up to go to the bathroom yet either, and when she did, he was like "did you wash off my mess on your hand?" Mom was just thinking "STOP TALKING TO ME!!" haha. That is horrifying and so gross. D: It also decided to become winter as soon as she got here..the temps have been in the negatives..guess it had to happen eventually lol

My 6th grade journal entries are on my other computer, so here's my journal from Spain 2006 when I went to Europe with People to People!

6-15-06
Hi! I’m definitely stating the obvious right now but this is my first entry here. I got this at Scarborough Faire, a Renaissance festival. I am going to Spain, France and Italy with People to People! I’ve been wanting to go to Italy for awhile. I dunno if I’ll make friends with anyone…no one seems interested with me. We’re flying to New York first, have four hours there, then fly to Madrid. It’ll take three hours to get to New York…I travel a lot so I’m used to that. The movie they’re showing is The Pink Panther…it looks really stupid. Ah well, I have lots to do. We’re gonna be in Europe for three weeks! My friend Kathryn who lives in Ohio is also going [on a separate trip]…she left two or three days ago…it would be awesome if we saw each other!! Ahh! Snacks cost $4!! SINCE WHEN HAVE WE HAD TO BUY SNACKS?! *growls* Kay, talk on the flight to Spain!!

7:06 PM
I’m on the plane to Madrid!! Man we had to wait in line at the airport for like two hours to get past security and stuff. My feet huurt. And I hadn’t eaten since like 8 AM so I was STARVING…I had to wait in line at Burger King and we were almost [to the front of the line] but the flight was leaving and we had to go! Ahh! I luckily got someone’s food but I’m still majorly hungry…good thing they’ll feed us on the plane! Well, talk to you in Madrid!

6-16-06
4:43 PM

Oooh my gooosh I am so tired! I’ve been up for over 24 hours…it was practically impossible to sleep on the plane! I’m in Madrid now on the bus…definitely should be looking at the scenery…the buildings rule! Well…this morning after we got off at got our luggage and all we got on the bus and met our delegation leader person for Spain [actually for the whole trip] and drove to the hotel to get rooms and drop off luggage. OMG I have never seen so much graffiti in my life. We got the rooms and stuff and then went to the Royal Palace…Spain is still a monarchy!! OMG it was sooo awesome and epic!! It looks like Buckingham Palace in London.

We also walked down to a church…aaah it’s so so sooo beautiful and awesome!!! And EEE IT HAS BELLS!!! I love bells!! I was hoping they’d ring but they didn’t. I LOOOVE church bells! They way they sound…pure awesomeness and happiness!! *squeeee*


Then we went to lunch…the food was good and reminded me of Italy. Then we got a tour guide person and we drove around the city and she told us about it. Then we went to an art museum and it was so boring and tiring except for one picture with Latin. [I asked if the paintings were originals, and the guide looked at me like I was stupid and was like "uhh, YEAH." I felt so dumb. :/] We were gonna go play soccer but couldn’t cause we’re so tired. So now we’re figuring out what to do…there’s an awesome arch up ahead…OMG SOMEONE WITH A BLIND GUARDIAN SHIRT OUTSIDE!! AWESOME BAND!! We are going under the arch…into a tunnel. Whoa it looks like it’s gonna storm…I wonder where we’re going. Into the storm? Haha that’s a Blind Guardian song. Ok seriously…where are we going?? Can’t we just go back to the hotel and rest? Wow lotsa people are asleep. We’re going into the hills? Oook…it looks like California…or Colorado. Whoa dark clouds we’re going into…woow they’re still in school here. We ARE going to the soccer place?? Just what I wanted…write later

6:04 PM
Well the people who wanna play soccer are playing. I’m listening to Into the Storm…haha OMG that’s awesome. “We are following the will of the one, through the dark age and into the storm!” Yeaaah! *headbangs* Man I’m hungry again. I can’t waaait to go to bed tonight. And I really wanna go to a church…let the bells riiing! Ok…I’ve been to Europe before and whenever I was in a building the floor seemed like it was moving…it’s the same here. Why?! [Pretty sure that's from being super tired.] Oh and there’s this sign by our hotel that says “Lualca” and whenever I look at it I think it says “Luca Luca” (Luca is my fave guitarist). I heard we’re gonna leave at 6:45…that’s 30 min or so from now. It’s kinda hot now. Hmm…I met an awesome person at Scarborough named Frank DellaPenna…he plays an instrument called a carillon. It’s like a piano only it’s played with bells. It’s sooo awesome and beautiful and Frank rules at playing. He’s majorly nice too…I love him. [*DIES* LOLOL] And Luca rules at playing the guitar. Yay music! Hmm…I shall write more tommorow

6-17-06
4:12 PM

Holy Toledo! Haha we went to Toledo today…I think we’re leaving right now. It’s a really beautiful and historical city. It has really beautiful old buildings.

First we went to a place where they made swords…it was so awesome! We even got to buy swords and daggers! I think most people did. I bought a dagger. Some people had to ship it to the USA cause it wouldn’t fit in their suitcases.

Then we drove to historical Toledo and had lunch. It was good and a band came and performed for about 10 minutes. They were very good. Then we walked to Toledo’s main square and met up with the same tour guide from yesterday. I don’t like her very much. Then we went to…A CHURCH!!! The outside of it is sooo pretty and awesome!

Then we went inside…OH MY GOODNESS! I can’t describe how beautiful it was. We first went into the place where the choir sings…there were three or so AWESOME organs!! I would love to hear them. And there was Latin! Not the Latin in school, actual REAL Latin!!! I had no clue what it said but I knew some words. Then we went into an art room and there was this HUGE painting on the ceiling. The tour guide took way to much time talking about the art. And then we left. Ahhh! That’s hardly enough time to look in the church!! I didn’t wanna leave…I felt so at peace. I heard a bell but I dunno if it was the church’s. I dunno where we’re going right now. Write later

6:50 PM
We drove to this bull farm place…there was an awesome church there…it’s 300 something years old. We got on these trucks and drove to where the bulls were. It was sprinkling on us and the truck was very bouncy. We got there and this guy talked for like 5 minutes and then we went back. There were storms all around us and there still are. We ate dinner at the house which is like 500 something years old! We’re listening to someone speak about bulls and bullfighting now (we’re on the bus). And as soon as I say that she’s done. I dunno why there’s so many storms. I’ll write more tomorrow

6-18-06
11:32 AM

We are driving to Zaragoza. It’s 4 hours from Madrid. The scenery has been so beautiful. There’s green mountain hills…it looks like California, Colorado, and New Mexico.

Last night I sent mom an email cause my phone cards don’t work and I don’t want her freaking out. The hotel in Madrid was Holiday Inn…I have a tradition now of taking a pic of the view from our room (if there’s a window, of course). Mine was a not finished building with graffiti on it. I think we’re staying in Zaragoza but just for one night. I’ve been taking lots of pics…I think I have 30 so far…my card holds 700 something pics! Most will probably be churches haha. Hmm…maybe I should call them basilicas…I think it’s more proper. I didn’t expect Spain to have scenery like this. I feel like I’m in the USA! My parents would love it. Ooo church! I wanna go! I think the sign said 10 miles to Zaragoza…actually it’s probably in kilometeres. Write later

8:03 PM
Ah! Had a wonderful day in Zaragoza. It’s a beautiful city. We first had lunch…man they like to stuff us! And most of the waitors I’ve seen look Italian. After lunch we had 2 hours free time! My friends (I think they’re my friends) and I walked around and explored. There’s 3 churches all near the main square…they were all beautiful but the biggest was the most beautiful. One had a plaque with Latin on the front! We explored the streets…it was nice and I dunno if we could do that in Texas. And the bells!!!! Ahh I heard them so much! Finally! They’re sooo beautiful. I took a video with my camera when they were ringing. *is way too obsessed* I’m longing to hear them now. Ah write later!

9:08 PM
Ah sorry for stopping so obruptly but we got to the hotel (which is Holiday Inn again. The view is horrible). Ok where I left off…bells yay! After free time we met up with the tour guide…she was so much better than the last! Except she kept saying ‘hmm’ every five seconds. Then we went inside the big church [Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar]…OMG it was cooler than the last!!

There was way more Latin and they had this pillar that had to do with the Virgin Mary. The church was so pretty. Then we went to a fortress built by Muslims [Aljafería Palace]…it was really cool…there was Arabic and Latin on the ceilings.

And then we ate dinner and got to the hotel. I just talked to mom! It was fun!! I’ll talk more tommorow

6-19-06
12:00 PM

We are driving to Barcelona! It’s about 3 hours from Zaragoza. There’s more mountenous scenery…it’s very nice. We stopped about an hour ago and I got the best chips EVER…they were Tex-Mex Doritos. I hope I can get more. I think we’re staying two days in Barcelona. Wow I think every little town here has a church and I think it’s the most noticable thing in the city. Man I’m so living in Europe! I wonder if there’s Christian churches. Man it’s cold in here…my shawl isn’t that warm. Whoa there are these people singing the high notes in Phantom of the Opera! They’re good! I wish I could. Kathryn can on some notes. Write later

3:56 PM
We got to Barcelona and had lunch…it was gross seafood. Then we went to the beach which is where we are now. I have now been in the Mediterranean Sea!

We have an hour left and then we’re gonna walk around. Girls here take their tops off to swim…it’s very odd but it’s Europe. People here speak a cross between French and Spanish [Catalan]…it sometimes sounds like they’re at church when speaking. Write later

7:21 PM
After the beach we walked in parts of Barcelona. It’s a busy city. We got to this place with a huge column of Columbus. We crossed the street there and got to this huge shopping place [La Rambla] and we had about 40 minutes there. We watched this guy dance. We got back to the bus and found out two people were missing. We just now found them. We’re going to dinner now. Write later

11:07 PM
We ate dinner and watched flaminco dancers. It was really cool and it kept reminding me of Phantom of the Opera, especially when the guy twirled his black cape around. The loud music and stuff was overwhelming after awhile. Oh, and tons of people in these cities are rockers…I’ve seen people wear awesome band shirts! Anyway, after dinner we drove to the hotel, which is AWESOME! It’s called Gran Hotel Verdi and it’s so elegant and the rooms are nice. The view is sooo pretty! It’ll make for an awesome pic tomorrow. We’re staying here two nights…eee!!! I shall write more tommorow

6-20-06
5:05 PM

This morning we went on a guided tour of Barcelona. I could not stand our guide!! She talked WAY too much. [Isn't..that the point of having a guide?!] We went to a park and it was nice. Then we went to El Temple De La Sagrada Familia (a cathedral).

It was built by Gaudi…actually he died before he had a chance to finish it…actually it’s not finished yet…and it was started over 100 years ago. The facade is AWESOME!!! It’s one of the most awesome churches I’ve ever seen. Well, from the outside. The tour guide was talking a lot about the facade AND I JUST WANTED TO GO INSIDE!! Well we did…scaffolding, builders building and being loud, TONS of people…I was annoyed. Then we went into this basement thing with the tour guide still talking too much. I wanted to explode. I dunno if the church had bells. I didn’t see any. Write later

8:34 PM
Ok where I left off…church, yes…bells…I didn’t see any but the tour guide said something about bells. There was Latin on the spires. We got to climb up the stairs most of the way up the spire…it was awesome and the view was nice.

Then we got dropped off to walk to a restaraunt for lunch…AHH THANK GOODNESS THE TOUR GUIDE LEFT! The lunch was more gross seafood. Then we had about an hour and 10 minutes for shopping. I got a fan…it’s awesome! Sara and Elisabeth (my friends) got one too. We’re obsessed haha. There was a church near…it’s being renovated and I think it was closed…I wanted to go in!! I heard its bells (I think it was its bells)! Then we went to this market…it was alright. Then we went to Hard Rock Cafe. HECK YEAH!!! GOOD MUSIC AND FOOD! Now we’re on the bus…but I think we’re almost to the hotel…the leaders announced the ambassadors of the day and I was one of them! OMG they screamed the loudest for me…and three times!! Sooo embarassing! I feel honored though. [When you were ambassador of the day, you boarded the bus first and could pick any seat you wanted.] Our curfew is 11:00!! Whoo!! And we’re going to France tomorrow!! Yay! I shall write more tommorrow!


10. What’s something that’s much more difficult than a lot of people realize? To me, saying someone's name to get their attention or whatever..maybe it's too intimate or something, because I've ALWAYS had trouble with it. Pretty much the only people whose names I can say to their face are Ryan, Elias and babies' names. If I need to get someone's attention, I'll be like "is Denise back here?" Yesterday I needed to get Donna's attention but my brain died and I was just like "uhhh *strangled noises*" and couldn't say anything. And a couple days ago I was trying to tell a customer to talk to Denise or Donna, and looked at Denise and was like "talk to D-D-D..Denise!" *dies* It seems like such a simple thing, but to me it's hard!! I wonder if anyone else with autism has trouble with that?

11. What are some things a house would need to have for you to purchase it? Running water, electricity, room for books LOL, etc

Today's trivia: There are over 9,000 benches in Central Park