I can’t call out two days in a row… well, I’m sure I probably could.. I want to. I feel yucky. But I’m dressed and going in…

Maybe they will send me home?

I hate being sick.

And, I have no OJ…I don’t think there is a worse thing than being sick without any OJ in the house (ok.. there probably are WORSE things..)

Bye for now.

I’m sick. Ugh. This morning was the first time that I called out for work. I hate calling out…b/c I’m sure enough people are lying when they call out that they just assume everybody is.. I think that’s probably one of the reasons that sometimes I go to work when I’m sick… which, now that I’m working in a hospital I’m not sure is the greatest thing to do.

Anyway, I’m sick… I’m going to make myself some tea and pray that this thing goes away by the time i leave for Dublin on Friday.

I wish I could find the right words to describe my hell on earth this afternoon. I finally arrived to my humble home tonight at 8.45pm. Almost a full 12 hours from when I left Quebec. I left at 9am there full of excitement to get back to the land that I love.. namely, a place where English is welcomed and Target stores are in an abundance.

I was making great time… My handy little GPS unit said I would be back here in PA by 5.36pm… I was averaging 50 miles every 35 minutes… I stopped at 2.15 to pee and then to eat lunch… it was about 45 minutes later that crap began to hit the fan. The dreaded George Washington Bridge. At 3pm… I stopped. At 4pm.. I had moved about 1.5 miles further than I was at 3pm. And so on..

IN THREE HOURS I MOVED SIX MILES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wanted to curse the highway gods.
I wanted to cry.
I wanted to swear.
I wanted to jump out of my car.

but most importantly… I wanted to PEE!!!!

The bathroom was calling my name… and alas, there was no bathroom.. nothing even remotely close to a bathroom… I thought about everything that was in my car… a ziplock baggy. a few maxipads. a tupperware container… I really almost tried to go as the car was inching along. I really did… I just couldn’t bring myself to. I held my bladder with my hand on my stomach (which, now that I think about it… probably didn’t do me any good).

Thankfully, the highway gods took pity on me and about 7pm the traffic started to flow a little bit more freely. I stopped at the first rest area in NJ and ran into the nearest bathroom & yes, it was enitrely too filthy for me…but I couldn’t be choosy at this point.

Ok… enough ranting..

The trip to Quebec was great. I had an amazing time visiting with my friends… Their baby is beautiful… We at PFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken)… I tried something called Poutin (didn’t like it). I did like the squeaky cheese though. I tricked a WalMart clerk into thinking that I spoke French.. I went to a store called “Canadian Tire Company” that sells a lot more than tires…I hiked up a mountain in the rain (wearing… a PHILLIES CAP!!!–what is this world coming to???).

Ok.. that’s it for now… I’m tired.. and I think I have to work tomorrow.

Ta-ta for now.

I just sighed… I need to clean. I need to do laundry. I need to find a map.

These are just a few things I need to do before I leave on Wednesday afternoon for Canada. My first priority is trying to actually figure out where I am going in Canada. I know it’s in the providence of Quebec. What if all the street signs are in French? I don’t read French. I really tried to like French. I took it for 2 years in HS. A nun tried to teach me French..she’s probably dead now…telling the angels to throw their chewing gun into the garbage can (I can say that phrase in French still to this day!!).

I was in Chicago over the weekend.. It was the family reunion for my dad’s side of the family. Fun time had by all. I am really beginning to miss living in the Midwest. I know.. I know.. I must be crazy…but I do miss it.

Ok.. I’m going to go forge for food. I really don’t have any because I’m away so much in the next 3 weeks. Countdown to Ireland has begun… 10 days!!!! I can’t believe it’s in 10 days… WOW. Craziness.

Ok.. I don’t want to criticize the government.. but come on… I can bring knitting needles and a bic lighter on my carry on bag…but a 4oz tube of toothpaste is too much??? I would rather be safe than sorry so I will comply (oh… and the added fact that Northwest charges $15 to check a bag now..)

On a lighter note..a friend showed me this website. Totally funny. I remember when I was in junior high & how cool I thought I was to go to Chi-Chis just with my friends and not my parents. I loved their fried ice cream. How the mighty have fallen… Ok.. it was always a crap restaurant… I know better now.

Plug for Larry King tonight on CNN… Steven Curtis Chapman will be on discussing and answering questions about the death of his adopted daughter, Maria. Earlier this year, his teenage son was backing out of the driveway and accidentally ran over her. The interview happens tonight at 9pm EST. For those who don’t know.. Steven Curtis Chapman is a contemporary Christian singer.

That’s about it..must get back to packing.

I have to leave for work at 6.20pm… That’s a little over 2 hours from now… I could get a heck of a lot accomplished if I really wanted to in those 2 hours.. but I probably won’t. I need to clean.. I need to pack… I have figured out it isn’t laziness that prevents me from cleaning… it’s boredom…I get bored way too easily.

I ordered this Fall jacket from Boden. In black. I love it. My Fall quilted jacket I have had since 2001 and is getting totally ratty… UGH… I thought it was time to get a new one…plus I got free shipping and 10% off. I am a good shopper…

That’s it. Nothing else exciting to report…

Stupid Kevin Costner movie!!!! Made me cry.

(Yes, that means that I enjoyed it v. much…)

So… I needed to go to the city today for some errands… I also met my friend & classmate M. for lunch. So… what did I do today…

1. Arrived in the city @10am
2. Picked up my new contacts.
3. Ate lunch at Marathon Grill. I didn’t get my usual Crispy Calamari Salad..which, now I’m regretting.. I got a lunch special… it was good.. but not as good as the salad.
4. Ate Gelato at the best place in Philly… Cappagrio. I got half lime/half blueberry… YUMMY.
5. Went to Sephora and spent way too much money.. Well, way too much money for a girl who doesn’t wear a lot of makeup…
6. Walked way too many city blocks to pick up my latest Viv Pickle bag…
7. Began to realize around 9th & Chestnut that wearing a black top today was NOT a good idea.
8. Stopped at Ben Franklin’s post office @ 3rd & Market (did you know it’s the only US post office without the US flag flying???? Why? Because the flag didn’t exist when the post office was opened.. you can thank me later for the bit of usual trivia when you win big when you appear on Jeopardy) to wipe my brow (& back) in the restroom.
9. Drove home.
10. Read my People Magazine..
11. Took a nap.
12. Getting ready for work.

That’s it.. Oh..I forgot to mention.. I’m again in a quandry about a new phone.. I talked to a guy at Cappagrio who was carrying both an iphone and Blackberry. iPhone was for personal use… the Blackberry was for his work..He said “hands down get the iPhone”… Ugh… such a difficult decision.

Bye for now.

I had an appointment at Big Brothers, Big Sisters for an interview to volunteer. It was supposed to be at 10am-11.30am… Well, the woman called last night to remind me.. I got up this morning around 8ish and realized that I had NO IDEA where the place was that I was supposed to be driving to. I called and left her a message at 9.15 and never received a call back. I feel partially irresponsible because I should have been more on task with this… but for some reason last week I remembered her saying that I would get a follow up email with the location & what to bring in with me.. I never received that. The interview was in Chester and maybe it’s just me…but I don’t want to drive in Chester without knowing where I’m going. So… I have been waiting here for almost an hour to see if she is going to call me back..she hasn’t.

I do need to go to Target… I do need to pay my phone bill… I should eat lunch today…

Yes, my Tuesday is pretty boring one.

Ta-ta for now..

If you are a fan of “Ace of Cakes” on the Food Network or even if you aren’t. Go here It’s an amazing look at cakes that have gone horribly wrong… or cakes that should have NEVER been imagined or baked in the first place.

The author’s commentary on the cakes is so funny that I’ve cried because I was laughing so hard.

That’s it for today… It’s been a pretty boring Saturday.