Ghosts

I'm not going to lie...it's weird being here when practically no one else is. I keep thinking I see people. I see Lindsay on Kisker Road in her car, but it's not really her. I hear Leslie's laugh in the mall, but it's not really her. I keep expecting my Joey to pull up in front of my house and breeze through the door, but it's been a week since that's happened. I've been to Dominic, and it's strange, and foreign, and not mine. Not comfortable. Not home. Today was nice, because I saw Joe Siebelts and Sean, and we saw World Trade Center and were horrible, and I felt better again. But what about tomorrow? More ghosts? More mind tricks and feeling out of place in the place where I technically live? Gah. It's just almost eerie thinking that I might feel more at home in a place I've never lived in than I do here, with everyone gone.

Farewell to Applebee's

Yes, sadly, it is true. The Applebee's in Cottleville that holds so many memories burned to the ground early this morning (the 18th). I was totally shocked when Lindsay and Leslie let me know today...it is definitely a sad state of affairs. We are officially in mourning. We will be holding a candlelight vigil tomorrow, if anyone would like to join. Just ring me up.

Ok, so, we're not actually going to have a vigil, but it is kind of symbolic, the place where we spent so much time burning to the ground just as we're going off to college. Sad. Final.

A Freckle-Faced, Red-Haired Girl

Freedom calls, and Pippi runs, the girl who's never heard she couldn't do something. Watch out world, cause here she comes, and she's bound to teach you more than one thing! Pippi Longstocking is coming into your town, the one no one can keep down, no no no no, the one who's fun to be around. Whoa WHOA! Pippi Longstocking is coming into your world! A freckle-faced, red-haired girl, you oughta know! She'll throw your life into a whirl! She dreams dreams, like me and you, and yet it seems she always makes her dreams come true, she likes trees, and roaring seas, and the mountains please her more than toys do! (Repeat reprise)

Yes, well, does anyone really know the extent of Pippi's abilities? She is surely magical, because she can lift her horse, Alphonso, over her head, fly in the Pippimobile, throw grown men into the "Bully Tree," etc. And what else does she do? She sings, and invents flying machines that she powers by spinning around holding a broom, carries orphans to safety walking across a tightrope, skates inside with sponges strapped to her feet, eats cake by smashing her face into the top of it, drops sugar on the floor so that she can feel it between her toes, walks down walls with glue on her shoes, and does a manner of other crazy and wonderful things that make her the idol of many. I heart Pippi forever and ever.

Back (and Pensive)

I'm finally back from my vacation, and after all this time, I must say that I had beaucoup de fun. Everyday I spent swimming and boating and tubing, with some of my favorite family members...it even went slowly enough to truly enjoy, which is seldom heard of for a vacation. Of course it just makes me think about how close college is even more, but it was a pleasant reality while I was there, and not nearly as scary as it should be.

My cousin Kristen and my grandma drove back to St. Louis with us, and they'll be here for about a week. And to think...some people leave before that. Rob Goldfarb leaves on Friday, because his sister is getting married this weekend and he leaves for school next Monday, I think. And Joe Siebelts is going on vacation, and Sarah Paulus leaves soon, and Liz Pettit. And my Joey is still in Florida.

Tomorrow, apparently, is going to be a gathering of some sort where we can see one another before Rob leaves. I still have a bit of time left, but as Rob said, everything is starting to spiral down around him suddenly, even though he's had a lot of notice. There's nothing like having a lot of time to think about something that makes it seem so unexpected when it finally arrives.

There was something that my Joey said to me when he left the lake a few days ago, about how we should not be upset about leaving. He said something along the lines of how we should be as happy as we can, and not spend the rest of our time dreading when everyone is apart, because it can spoil it. It makes a lot of sense, but it very much easier to say than to stick to.

Oh, and this last part is just a reminder to myself to talk loads about Pippi Longstocking in my next post. Pippi rules. Pip pip hooray.