I had forgotten how slow a dial up connection is when you're used to having a cable internet connection. I also forgot how friggin boring network television is and how wonderful cable is when you're at home broke and have already paid that bill. Needless to say those things are being remedied tomorrow. :)
Let's see where did I leave off? Oh yeah! My journey across the US. OK, well maybe not across the US, but is was a long assed journey. Can I just say that I completely have a new respect for truck drivers now?
We left on Thursday Morning. Of course it wasn't the 5am that I initially wanted, but it was still early. I drugged the cats, and that was wonderful! Bugger was so out of it. He slept and drooled the entire trip. Yoda pretty much slept. I lov emy cats!! Of course my mom and I had a snit about her luggage, it was too much, and we had to rearrange it, but that all resolved itself and we started driving. We resolved to make it to Las Cruces, NM. What the hell was I thinking?? Las Cruces is a 12 hour drive, 900+ miles. I must have been posessed by the maniac supreme driver because I just started driving and driving and driving. We drove through California, quickly enough, passed the desert, and I waved goodbye as we hit Arizona. Arizona was where the fun began. It was about 6 hours into our trip, and we had just passed Phoenix and were rounding into Tucson. We decided to stop at Burger King to eat and pee. Fast Food restaurant bathrooms are so much nicer than gas stations. I came out of Burger King and decided to check on the cats. Bugger, at this point was drooling on himself and had dribbled a little. We cleaned him up and put him back in the cage to sleep. Yoda, on the other had, had let it all go. The girl can PEE!!! My mom was appointed clean up duty because I had to hang onto the cat. We managed to clean everything up, and continued onto Las Cruces.
I don't know how many of you have driven through the desert, but it's not a journey I'd want to make again anytime soon, at least not at night. The road to Las Cruces is dark, with NO LIGHTS, and when you've already been driving for 8 hours, and there's nothing on the road, and it's a dark, 2 lane highway, like something out of a bad horror movie, it's a pain in the ass to drive. That last hour of driving was brutal. I drove with my brights on, and some moron decided to put this flashing blue light on what appeared to be a radio tower. Normally I could care less, but this blue light blinded you every time it flashed and my eyes had to readjust. I was so damn glad when I finally passed it. I can now understand true road rage. I was ready to run off the road and dismantle that thing, if I hadn't been so tired. The truckers on the road were relatively nice and would flash their brights before they passed me. It did seem like we'd never make it to Las Cruces, but we finally did. OH, did I mention not only was it dark, and scary, and I had blue lights flashing, but it was also extremely windy. So besides driving blind, I also had to keep the car from falling off the road, which I couldn't even see. Gotta love that.
Before we reached the hotel, we stopped at a truck stop, and what an amazing truck stop! They had showers! It was friggin cool as shit!
At any rate, my mom and I made it to the hotel, and we brought the cats into the room. They adjusted quite nicely and Yoda left a very long poop. Sorry for the gross factor, but that was fascinating. :)
We woke up early and left for Texas. I drove the car to Texas, which was about 30 minutes away, and then I let my mom drive the rest of the way.
The drive through Texas isn't much better. No mountains, plus it's very flat. Gotta love that flatness. Maybe I could donate my boobs and it would make some mountains. HAHAHAHA. Ok that was a bad joke, but I'm loopy. :)
We got stopped at a border checkpoint where they asked us if we were US citizens. Then we drive through and saw the shanty towns of Mexico. El Paso is a yucky city. No offense, but the road through is just UGH! I'm sure it's nicer in other parts.
We kept driving, more flatness, and kept making it a game of how cheap we could find gas for. $1.45/gallon was the lowest. Although if we had been driving a diesel we could have gotten gas for $1.35/gallon.
We passed several rattlesnake farms, and although I wanted to stop, my mom kept driving. She never lets me have any fun. Maybe it also has to do with the fact that she hates snakes.
We managed to priceline a hotel room, thanks to calling my mom's hubby, and we ended up at this really nice hotel. It was all fine and dandy except we didn't mention that we had cats. Also, the hotel failed to menion that they were having a debate convention, and there were a billion teenagers there, infiltrating the hotel and the lobby. It was insane. We snuck the cats in, and I had them both in the cheapy carrier. It broke in the hallway, and Yoda decided to run down the hall. My mom held Bugger, and there I was running after my cat, chasing her, hoping that the hotel security didn't show up and throw us out for being crazed lunatics with animals. I finally caught Yoda, and we go to try out the room key and it doesn't work. Could our luck get any worse? I probably shouldn't ask that question. pretend I didn't.
Anyway, my mom had to go downstairs and get a new key. She came back and we had been moved to the 9th floor. The 9th floor had to have a separate key to access it and it was considered swanky. Apparently the hotel had decided to just upgrade us for free instead of trying to rekey the room. We finally arrive in the room, and it's quite nice. Original artwork, marble bathroom, and a free robe were all considered a "perk."
The cats were a little shell shocked, but adjusted to the room nicely. I had decided that they would travel in the duffle bag, and their 35 lbs of girth is something I don't ever want to partake in one carrier again. My mom and I survived the night, and the next day we headed to the apartment. I signed my 500 page lease, and we finally got into the apartment. Now I didn't think the cats would be overwhelmed by the place, but they were! My apartment is easily double the size of my last one, and I think after all the drugs and the traveling they were a tad overwhelmed. They both stayed in the carriers for at least an hour, and probably would have stayed longer, until I kicked them out. Yoda ran into my closet and camped there for the next few days. Bugger decided to run into the fireplace. I laugh about this now, but it scared us to death. I thought he had run off until I saw his green eyes peering out from the fireplace. I took him out, and he immediately received a bath because he was stinky and sooty. This time he didn't protest much and I didn't receive one scratch from it. I dride him off and he was brushed and he now looks better than ever. Silly Bugger.
My furniture finally came on Tuesday, and it was quite nice to have a bed. I spent several hours hooking up my television, and it took several tries to get the DVD, VCR, and TV combinations correct. I finally got it though! YAY me! I have sound and picture. Although, I only receive the local stations, rather fuzzily.
This past week, I've managed to register my car, get my new license, buy supplies, and drain my bank accounts quite nicely. Thank goodness payday is in two days. I need mula. :)
I'm enjoying Texas quite a bit. I've still got quite a few things to unpack and organize. I still need to purchase a couch of sorts and a desk so I can move the computer off the table in the dining room. I bought chicken and cooked it in the crock pot and it was quite yummy. I think next time I'll try a pot roast. MMMMMMMMMM. I love pot roast.
Work is work. It'll be the same old shit, different day. I'll learn quite a bit though and I'm looking forward to that. I do think I'll make some of the people look bad though because I will get my loans done without all the extra overtime. People there chat a LOT!
I love the company gym and after I have my orientation next week, I can finally start using it. I can't wait to start blowing off steam.
I didn't do much this weekend, except hang out, sleep, and relax. I also watched The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring at least 4 times. I'm still not through all the commentaries on the disk and the extra features. I also watched the Two Towers and can't wait for that extended edition. I also saw Catch me if You Can, Daredevil, 8 mile, the first season of Angel, tonight's premier of Alias, and that's about it. That's enough I think. :) At least I saved money.
OOh, speaking of shopping, I did use my $70 in BLockbuster gift certs buying used DVD's. They had buy two get one free. Now I'm going to go and Shop for Barnes and Noble. I've got $50 there plus several Gift Certificates. I think I'll pick up some DVD's I've been wanting to buy.
I will update scores tomorrow, when I've got more time to look at them.
I've missed being online. :) Mucho love to you all!
Yoda: Sleeping in the Closet
Bugger: Sleeping on my bed
Angela: Watching fuzzy TV.
5 have something naughty to say
Miss These?
- - 2006-07-02
I solemly swear that I am up to no good. - 2006-05-05
What has been going on with me - 2006-04-22
year end survey!!! - 2005-12-31
Update from Sunny CA.... - 2005-12-05
