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i.want.holiday.now.
May 24, 2005

Since Josh asked (below) about the honeymoon, I figured I would “talk” about that this time. However, before I do that, I have to say that last weekend was one helluva fun weekend. I was unable to announce anything ahead of time, for fear that the secret would get out – the Kibbeymeistergina is back from France, and we surprised her with a gathering in the mountains. While no drunken debauchery ensued (though we did totally try), it was a relaxing weekend – pictures available soonishly.

To get on with the subject: honeymoon. Ben and I are taking an appropriate trip to Scotland directly after the wedding. After taking 2 red-eye flights in a row (oh, how I love living in Boise!) with a day in NYC in-between, we will arrive in Edinburgh and rent an automobile. While I am opposite-side-of-the-road-driving impaired, Ben believes he is not, therefore he will be leading us out of the city and into the highlands.

Blaragie CottageAfter a few days of travel and sightseeing, we will settle in a self-catering holiday cottage for a week’s relaxation. The cottage is situated 100m from "Katrina's Cottage", and a half-mile from Laggan, which, as everyone should know, doubles as the village of Glenbogle in the hit BBC series Monarch of the Glen. If all goes according to my plans, the cast will, instead of partying it up in Edinburgh for festival, be diligently working and filming whilst we’re there, so that I may be able to steal the actors to have them become permanent residents of my pockets. However, if this does not happen, I could settle for a slowly-walking-by-american-tourist-photographing-the-cast-members-whilst-filming-and-fanning-herself-trying-not-to-drool type situation.

Of course, there will be plenty else to do in the highlands besides star-stalk. We’re planning on taking a few day trips to other sights in the area, including Fort William, where we shall attempt to climb Ben Nevis, the tallest “mountain” in the whole of the UK. There are also nice long walks next to Loch Laggan, and staring at Ardverikie house, wishing it was I that lived there.

After the week in Laggan, we will head back down to Edinburgh to spend our last day there to maybe catch some of the festival. We only have 13 days on holiday – let’s hope it’s enough to get Scotland out of my blood for a while (not likely).

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The bridezilla returns!
May 17, 2005

I woke up yesterday morning with water droplets splashing on my forehead. The window next to the bed was wide open, and the rain pouring down had decided it was best time to come at the ground at an angle, making the drops ricochet off of the stone lip outside and into my unsuspecting bedroom. I raised my sleepy head and stared confusingly outside in the dark morning, just after 5. Annoyed, I closed the window and went back to sleep. Thankfully, the day got much better after that.

The wedding dress by Venus BridalAs I said before, I have been stressing out quite a bit about the wedding preparations, even though things seem to be falling into place wonderfully. I picked up my dress after work (see: right), and since then, most of the stress has melted away. I played Pretty Pretty Princess with it once I got home, holding it up in front of me, but waiting to try it on. The suspense is making my stomach churn, but I’m far too paranoid to actually step-in-and-zip-up. Plus, I need some holdy-inny type underwear before I face that challenge.

The Bridesmaids' dresses by After SixThe bridesmaids’ dresses were ordered last Saturday (see:left), at much relief to myself. I had to pay for a rush on them to make sure they would come in with enough time for me to ship them out to opposite shores of the US and allow the respective owners time to have them altered perfectly. By the time the dresses are here, I should have the sashes and other miscellany ready for the girls to save on shipping each thing separately.

Hearts on Fire Bridal ringAlso on Saturday, the invitations showed up – they’re now taking up space in one of the drawers in the dining room hutch commandeered for wedding pieces. The only things left I really have to freak about are the florist arrangements, rings (see: right), and getting everything else ordered online with enough time before the wedding to make stuff pretty. I really wish I had enough funds to hire a wedding planner.

All in all, things are going well. Contrary to my eating habits as of late, my body has still be shedding some pounds – all I have to do now is help it along by actually going to the gym.

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...and a poltergeist named
May 13, 2005

Lately, there have been many things that have been causing me a lot of stress that I couldn’t talk about here, hence the lack of posting. Thankfully, some of that stress has been lifted as of today, so I’m doing a bit better than the verge-of-tears Devlyn I have been for the past week and a half or so. As an update on the computer, it was just its power supply that blew up – I got it back a few days later, good as new.

Downtown Boise, looking NE, towards my house and the capital. Picture from today
As for other annoying things, when I was at the store Wednesday, there was a couple with a baby and 2 shopping carts full of food in front of me at the checkout line. They had gotten there well before me, and were just finishing their bagging and paying when I pulled up. I enjoyed looking at the food they were purchasing, as it looked like typical college fare – frozen pizzas, huge bags of chips, tubs of dip, Twinkies, etc, mixed in with the normal offering of canned vegetables and meats (however, I didn’t see any pre-processed baby food, which was weird). However, when the woman went up to pay, I noted that she used a card for the transaction. At the store I go to for food items, one may not use a card for said purchase, as they don’t accept debit or credit cards. The card they do accept is the “food stamp” card.

This is something that’s pissed me off for far too long – I used to babysit for a married couple that lived in a trailer with their 3 children. I knew that they received support from the government to be able to get food for “free”. However, they would purchase the nastiest food items for the children and themselves, including mass amounts of junk food. I don’t mind having some of my taxes and whatnot help people get on their feet and be able to eat (poet!), but when they’re out purchasing food that is just a big waste of money, I get a bit annoyed. Irate, really. I don’t know if one needs to go through a nutrition class at the local welfare office before one receives food stamps, but I’m thinking that it may be necessary. If one is on a limited income, and is receiving help from the government to be able to purchase food, one should purchase food that actually helps one’s personal health, especially when one is cooking for children.

So I watched the young couple push their carts overflowing with food away, and then got my health-packed groceries scanned, packed, and paid for with my own hard-earned cash-money.

Also, the dream I had last night involved Ben and I moving to Columbus, Ohio, to purchase a house haunted by a poltergeist named “Marie”. I have never been to Columbus, Ohio. Maybe I should look into it.

**EDIT**
Due to popular demand, and me coming to my senses, I have taken down a portion of this post as to not ruin it for the few people that know about it, which includes me. Onto our regularly scheduled program... Devlyn No Sharie-Share

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