I start tomorrow!

I forgot to mention that after the laptop lady on the airplane stared blankly at me, I climbed over her and another woman and plopped down in my seat by the window. After I shoved my bag under the seat in front of me, the lady next to me (not the laptop lady) asked me if I would trade seats with her daughter. She said her daughter was sitting a few rows back. This was, once again, after I was already settled in. I asked her how long her layover was in Dallas. She said she was stopping in Dallas. I said, "I have to catch my connecting flight." She said, "I'll take you back to where my daughter is sitting." So I said okay. I would want someone to do the same for me. She took me from row 10 all the way back to row 29. Why she wouldn't have moved back to sit with her daughter, I don't know. That would have made more sense than asking someone to move back. Hum. I got over it. I was probably in a sour mood because I hadn't had much sleep at that point. On the next plane, I sat next to a cute baby.

While I was in Dallas, I was waiting for Jessica Simpson to walk by, but she never did. So I don't have any pics to send to Perez. Ha ha.

So I did yoga yesterday. It was pretty relaxing. I want to try it again.

It's been really great thus far in Birmingham. I really like all the trees and hills here, and I'm not bothered by how hot it is here (yet). Everyone has been so hospitable and nice and friendly, and I'm really looking forward to spending my summer here!

~Photos by me in Birmingham and on the way there.

Here we go.

I made it back to Bham. No scary bus people this time. However, when I was trying to put my carry-on bag on wheels in the overhead bin on the way to Dallas, I realized that it wouldn't fit because some lady put her laptop in there. I asked her if she could stow it under the seat so I could fit my bag in the overhead bin, and she's like, "It's my laptop." Um, yeah. A laptop will fit under the seat in front of you. My bag on wheels--like the ones the junior high kids used to roll around in St. Paul--will not fit under the seat. I guess I could give her the benefit of the doubt--but why would she be that dumb? Whatev. In addition to this lady, I observed an interesting family in the airport in Omaha. Two parents and their elementary school children were enjoying breakfast together before their flight. The mother was texting. The son was playing some game on his PSP. The daughter was listening to her iPod. And the dad was typing something onto his PDA with some dorky stylus. Wow. At least I had an interesting send-off, thanks to Ashley.

only a few more days...

I depart for Birmingham on Saturday!

no really, my lips are very dry. i'm having to apply just as much lip balm as in the winter months.

Finally.

~Photos by me in Ohio.

Winter is over, but my lips are still dry.

I tried to post some pictures, but it wasn't working. :( I just returned from Ohio, where my dad, my sister and I visited my grandma. She's pretty sick and really just not doing very well. I was thinking about not going, but it was a good thing I did because my dad thinks he can still drive all the way from his house to Ohio in one day on his own. Yeah, okay. I drove quite a bit, and if I had not, I think he would have dozed off and ended up in the ditch. Yikes! It was also good to see my family in Ohio because it had probably been about five years since I had seen them last. And my Uncle Earl is a hoot! Ha ha.