crazy days.

The most ironic thing I heard today is that there exists a school called McPhail. Really? Who wants to go there?

Lisa left today. I miss her already.

Dee came back yesterday. I think she's part nymph. She hung a tree in her room today. Can't stand to be apart, I guess.

My parents are here this weekend. One more round interviews of sorts with a church in the icecream capital....

Five times this week I've gone for drives through rolling hills of corn and beans with dark clouds hanging down to what seemed just a few feet above me (not really, but it looks that way sometimes, no?) and I wished I had my camera every time and every time I had forgotten it again... This morning there was even fog, so the clouds really were hanging down. That and the humidity was rising from the ground. Some of both, I think. Beautiful either way.

Help me, Rhonda

I did not sleep very well last night. I could not fall asleep at first, so I read. Then when I did sleep, I dreamt for what seemed to me to be all night. I never feel as rested after a dream filled night than I do after a night of sound dreamless sleep. But the worst part was my dreams were about work. Documenting, of all things. If I believed in lawsuits, perhaps I could sue medicare, or DHS, or the government, or whoever the hell it is that makes us write so much at the end of every shift, for ruining my sleep. And maybe I'll throw in some emotional trauma charges as well...


But overall, things are fine. I'm nursing a sunburn I obtained as my just reward for skipping church on Sunday to go canoeing. And I'm not sorry! The sunburn doesn't hurt that much, thanks to the invention of strapless bras. :)

I went job hopping yesterday. Went to coffee making at 8.15am. Straight from there to interpret at WIC at 8.45am. Straight from WIC to Hope Haven at 4pm. Stayed there until 10pm. Only went home once inbetween all that, for about 3 minutes around 4.15pm on my way to see one of my community guys.

I got my exercise in yesterday too, since my car is out of commission and I had to bike from home to Dordt, to New Life, to Ridgebrook, to the New Homestead, to Ridgebrook, and then home again. Plus I went for a 30min walk with another couple clients. SOOOO HOT!

Tonight we go wild.

I saw the coolest looking old man today. Tall, lean, wrinkled, good old man style, and a flat cap. I wanted to call him grandpa and I don't even know his name. But he reminded me of my Grandpa Vanderploeg.

For the first time in ages, it seems, I am bored at work. Caught up on my documenting, nobody to see at the moment, just waiting to pass meds and for teeth-brushing sessions.

I finished Grapes of Wrath this week. Gave me the chills. Yikes! So I thought I'd read some Jane Austen next to cure my depression, but came out of the library with some Emily Bronte instead. Hmmm. Hopefully it's not too depressing.

All in a days work.

Adventure #1.
Lisa and I packed up my bike baskets and strapped her into a backpack and cycled all the way to Oak Grove. 15 miles. Two and a half hours of strenuous work up hills, in the sun, and against east bound wind. Totally worth it.

Adventure #2.
Upon arriving we saw there was a boy scout day camp. We asked a woman what time they would all be leaving and she said 4pm. She asked where we came from. We said Sioux Center. She looked a bit bewildered. "You biked?"
"Yes."
"And you're camping here tonight?"
"Yes."
"Do your mom's know you're here?"

Now it was Lisa's and my turn to look bewildered. Apparently this woman thought we were 16. In our surprised amusement, we acted quite awkwardly, probably just confirming her suspicions about our age, no matter what age we claimed to be.

Adventure #3.
Lisa and I had a goal of getting out of state, which required us to cross the river. We were a bit concerned about the water being safe to swim across, but swim we must for we needed to reach South Dakota and did not want to bike another 10 miles to do so. Determined to meet our goal, we cautiously maneuvered our way across the rocks by the shore and then plopped off and began swimming like crazy to get across without getting carried too far down the bank. Just when I was getting quite tired, I looked over at Lisa who suddenly popped up a bit and said, "Hey, I can touch." As it turns out, you can pretty much walk straight across the whole river. A sheepish smile, a slight blush, and then some roaring laughter to regain our self confidence.

Adventure #4.
Begging for bug spray from other campers.

Adventure #5.
After a very rigid search, Lisa and I finally came upon the perfect camping site. Two trees secluded enough to not be found by the park ranger, and close enough together with branches sturdy enough and low enough to hang a hammock from. That's right. We shared one hammock and one blanket. Slightly difficult, slightly uncomfortable, really cold. And we got bug bit.

Adventure #6.
Watching the sunset, then skinny dipping, then almost getting caught...

Adventure #7.
Getting up with the sun, hearing birds all around, and seeing deer calmly grazing nearby. Packing up and heading home with no wind, cool morning air, and just a few stops for breakfast and to strip down as we warmed up from exertion. Thinking I might not make it, but I had to, so I would. Almost bagels. And finally making it back in time for church.

Seven is a good number, so we end there.

Once upon a time...

This morning I worked (and still am there) at one of the waiver homes in Sioux Center. Not my usual place. In fact I've only worked here a few times in all. Anyway, I went with one of the guys to his church, as is custom. He goes to 1st CRC.
Towards the beginning of the sermon, when everyone is still fully alert and not shuffling around yet, I noticed my client had a runny nose and was coughing too so he had snot running down and smearing all over his face. I took him to the bathroom and he cleaned himself up.
After fixing his belt and tucking in his shirt all mother-like, we began to walk back to our seats... only he was in front of me and before I could stop him he power walked right down the wrong isle - the middle isle. Not until he was all the way at the very front of the church did he stop in confusion, realizing he missed something. The pastor just ignored the whole scenario and preached on, which was nice, so I calmly followed my client in my noisy heels (didn't have my chasing shoes on) and quietly directed him to make a right turn, cross through an empty pew to the next isle, and then back track a little to get to our pew. He walked right past that too, but I was a little quicker this time and managed to tap him on the shoulder to get his attention before he walked right back down to the back of the church...
Finally we were safe and sound back in our little pew. *sigh* And then I realized this is the church that gets aired on television (I think). How embarrassing. Though at least now I can maybe say I've been on TV.

little of this and a little of that.

I've been biking to work lately so I get to use my nifty headlamp with four different settings.  Yeah, night vision! 

Lisa and I biked to Sandy Hollow on Sunday to take a nap, which we never took, or to read a book, which we never read.  What caused our unproductiveness?  Making a list of ten things to accomplish this summer.  Number accomplished so far - zero. But we've only had this for a week. 

I got myself a temporary third job translating and transcribing video footage of interviews with three Guatemalan women for Prof. Volkers.  It is tedious and time consuming and hard. But I like it.  

Scott came by today.  He took me to the dark room and showed me some pictures he took with this "new" camera he is learning to use. One of those old school ones with the black blanket over it and whose name I forgot.  Thanks, man.

Tuesday night there were tornado watches. I went outside to visit a client and looked up at the sky. It was amazing!  The clouds looked like cartoon clouds. Like when a cloud face blows and the clouds coming out of its mouth are almost like smooth, round waves. I've never ever seen clouds that looked like those.  Then last night it rained a bit, but around 1.30 it quit and the clouds rolled away and the stars looked spectacular. 

I seeded some grass in some dirt patches in the lawn.  Thanks to all the rain we had this week, the grass is already over 2 inches long.  I've said this before, but seeing grass grow which I planted is quite rewarding.  

I missed my brother today, so I wrote him a letter.  I miss a lot of people, really. 

Lisa and I have a breakfast date in the morning, so to bed I must good. Goodnight, Moon.

It's been a long time since you've come around.

Some recent happenings around here include the following:

- Dee left.
- Lisa finally moved in.
- Paul is leaving.
- Ross is finally moving in.
- Pulled about 9 bags full of weeds.
- Have plans to begin planting the garden...
- Premier Communications is rewiring or something in the neighborhood.
= Loud noises.
- Cell phone is expiring this week. (Sorry, no more long distance phone calls will be made on my part.)
- Finally downloaded skype. (still no mic though.)
- Minor job searching.
- Minor plans to begin school searching...
- Expanding my music collection to include TV on the Radio, Lou Reed, Sonic Youth, and the Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour.
- Keeping Fiona and the snake plant alive.
- Visited family in Grand Rapids.
- Got there via Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the UP of Michigan.
- Saw Skip.
- Did not see a bear, though we tried really hard.

I suppose that sums it up.

Until next time.

The adventures of Betty and the Bitch.

In the beginning...

Laurie and the cork screw.

Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, Idaho.


Slack-jawin' around.


In Bellingham, me thinks.

The Westras.

Three in the front.

Special thanks to Betty, the bitch, Jeremy (both of them) Lisa, and Ross.

The end.