The land of Cheese!

A new layout for a new home! Adios California and Hello Wisconsin! I technically still don't have internet access as I am working on a contraband connection (this has taken me forever to type and upload!) - so once I get it officially (which should be within the next week) I will be able to update much more regularly than I have since I have had 0 internet between my vacation home and massive road trip,

First thing to fill you in on is my trip back home! It was my first visit with family in over a year! That's pretty nuts if you ask me! Unfortunately most of my friends seemed to be gone or busy (it's funny how much things change as we get older) but it was nice to see those I got to visit with. I was home over the 4th of July and got to enjoy Grandville's Celebrations. It was good to catch up with my mom at the craft show and see the tacky parade once again. I also got to enjoy the lovely Lake Michigan coast (only 40 minutes away as opposed to Cali's 3 hour away coast!)

Sure, there's no whales....but no awful mouthfuls of salt either!

Mid week, Nick was kind enough to be my chauffeur to WI to do my work physical and search for an elusive apartment. It was unplanned, but very convenient, that my vacation home corresponded with a new job offer for this very reason. And, like my Fresno experience, 3 days turns out to not be a whole lot of time to find a nice place to live in an unfamiliar area, but I made do and found a very nice apartment at Whispering Ponds in Waukesha, WI. Although Wisconsin doesn't sound nearly as exciting on paper as California does, I think it'll be a good move for me. From what I've seen so far, it has a lot of hidden treasures. Going home made me realize that I really do enjoy the midwest, the concept of 4 seasons a year, and the general fact that the people are nicer out here (my theory of this is because they aren't starving themselves into a size 0). Don't get me wrong, I still ultimately would LOVE to be in Colorado one day, but as I wait, I'm pretty sure I'd rather be over here than in Fresno. Once I get my apartment settled (and cleaned!) I'll post pictures!

Me in my paradise

Nick's first visit to a White Castle

The end of the week in the mitten included another trip to the coast with my BFF Meg (whom I'm very excited that I will be able to see more often now that I'm only 5 hours away) and also an interesting party bus trip to Detroit to go to a Tigers game. The bus trip there was a lot of fun and the Tigers game was a blast (though extremely hot out!)...unfortunatly the same can't be said for the trip back. Fellow bus riders got overly (and by overly I mean piss ass) drunk and were not very agreeable. From refusal to take claim of a large cooler cramping my leg room (to which I was called a bitch) and a really touchy feely older gentleman (Evident as he said "Such soft skin and red hair" while touching my knee) I was ready to be done with the day. It was an experience I don't need to be having again any time soon. At the very end of my trip, I even got to see my dad, aunt, and cousin!

Sweating in the stands!

On the way home on the bus....ready to be home!

Me, Erich, and our cousin Laura

My furry son, Geo, and me! I was so happy he remembered me!

The rest of my time in California was spent working my last 3 days, packing, and saying farewell! A HUGE thank you to those who helped my load the moving truck and to all my friends out west who made this last year of my life very memorable! I wish I had time to see you all personally and say goodbye, but I'm sure we'll meet again one day.

Some of the lovely ladies who I got to know while working in Fresno

I ran into Lima and Musso on one of my last nights and got to say (a drunken) goodbye! Also said toodles to Shrum to whom I owe some fun coastal trips to!

Me and Adam ( who I know will probably miss Echo the cat more than me :P)

And yes... I rented and drove my own 16ft moving truck hauling my car cross country in 3.5 days. What'd you do this week?

On the Road again

Hello again!

I am back in California from my much needed vacation home and am in the final stretch of packing and will leave CA on July 19!!!! Due to already packing up most of my stuff, I have no way of getting my pictures from my camera to here.....so......I anticipate a massive post circa end of July all about my trip back home and my move back eastward! (assuming I get the internet up and running without a hitch!)

Wish me luck!

Hannah