Revenge

My father is the devil. Yes, this seemingly sweet man, holding the little black kitten.

Another picture of the kitten. Because that's the direction this blog is going. All cats. All the time.

I graciously dropped my father off at the airport today and he told me a short cut way to get home that would take me "outside of the city". He knows that I hate/am scared of driving in the city. (and yes, I did; in fact, LIVE in the city (Philadelphia) for a year...but that's beside the point)

Anyway... THIS was the secret short cut. Right through the CITY.

Oh, that is it, old man...

revenge is sweet.

or maybe it's

vengeance is mine

no..it's

revenge is a dish best served cold.

So yeah...

Sweet, cold revenge will be mine!!

Lori Ann

Guess Whoooooo????

I get a cherry icee at the BK every time I am in Oxford, PA. Apparently, so do the Amish.

I love driving home around 7 pm. It's so beautiful here.

Today, the trees were raining leaves. (can you see them?) It feels like the real first day of Fall.

This is my baby. I read the funniest quotes about cats the other day..something along the lines of "There is no way to sound sane when talking about cats".

I don't know if I mentioned this, but I got promoted/ transferred at work. I will be switching from family to individual therapy. YAY!

I have my dream job, in my dream location, now I just need the perfect apartment and a kitten!!

Lori Ann

Ireland

Erin means Ireland.

It's kind of fitting that she got the Irish name. She is the most like our Irish ancestors. Freckled, pale, and vertically disadvantaged.

My sister.

Erin is beautiful.

She listens, even if I say the same thing every day.

She knows just what to say in every situation.

She loves children and animals. She's always trying to get me to adopt a shelter pet. She volunteers and pets and plays with the ones that are in there awaiting euthanasia.

She believes in me. She literally walked me through the door into grad school.

She is stronger and braver than she gives herself credit for.

She makes me laugh. Laugh until I literally feel sick and shriek "Stop or I'm going to puke"

If I didn't have Erin, I wouldn't be able to think right.

If I didn't have Erin, nothing would be the same.

I just wanted to say that you mean the world to me, Eri. And when I pray every day, you are always in those prayers.

Lori Ann

But it's always gonna come right back to this

Apartment shopping.

One of the joys of the single, financially irresponsible life.

While many of you are dutifully paying off the mortgages on your homes, investing in your futures, I am still swinging along, renting strange little apartments.

I kind of like it.

It makes me feel like I can get up and leave whenever I want.

Anyway, the purpose of this post is to keep you all updated on my apartment requirements. Let's do this thing!

My apartment MUST HAVES:

A certain element of shadiness.

A big bath tub.

Somewhere to sleep.

So yeah, good luck Southeastern Pennsylvania! Good luck filling those requirements, suckers.

Although I did find an apartment on craigslist today that was on the corner of Gay Street and Potter Alley.

A combination of my two favorite things.

Gay men and Harry Potter.

Perhaps a sign from above?

I should rent it sight unseen.

I'm going to find the number right now...

Lori Ann

Random Thoughts: The late Sunday Night Edition

I tried to watch 9/11 footage today. I can't do it. So I watched them read off the names instead.

I can't stop watching that gay McDonald's commericial on Youtube. I love it!

Today, my dad and I embarked on our 32nd season of Eagles football together. (Well, I was born in the middle of the 1st season, but it still counts!)

I tried to make cinnamon raisin bread but fell asleep while it was rising the second time. My dad imparted the sage words of wisdom that its probably not a good idea to start a baking project past ten oclock at night.

I'm probably moving this week. I. CAN'T. WAIT.

I am more sane when I have my own place. Living with family makes me feel a little bit unbalanced:)

I don't see my nieces and nephews enough. I miss them.

I need an apple cider candle from Yankee Candle. It smells like happiness.

Two weeks and two days until Blaine...ummm...I mean Glee :)

Lori Ann

My 9/11 Story

PRESS PLAY

(and yes, I am aware of how cheesy this is..humor me anyway)

I am always interested to hear people's 9/11 stories.

I guess it's kind of the "where were you when Kennedy was assassinated?" of our generation.

I don't know if I've ever told anyone except my family my 9/11 story, so here it goes...

I was 21 years old.

I was serving a mission in Chicago, Illinois. As a sister missionary that meant that I was; of course, out in the suburbs.

The suburbs of Glen Ellyn, Illinois, to be exact. Our area was called "Addison" and I ended up spending most of my mission there.

I was companions with Sister Shannon Tyler.

We were about to leave our apartment for the day when one of our members;Julio Ceasar, called us and told us that something really bad was happening, and that it looked like a disaster movie, but it was really happening and it was on the news.

We had no tv or radio, so we went to our car and turned on the radio, but still we weren't getting much info. So we set off for one of our new members home. (Los Nunez)

We had to stop for gas on the way there and I remember standing there and spinning in a slow circle, seeing a Burger King (which had already lowered its flag to half mast) and very little traffic.

I remember feeling; in that moment, the same as I had the day I left home after high school.

Like the safe world I had always known was gone.

We got to the Nunez's and spent the next hour watching the Spanish news. Which was horrific as I don't believe they check their facts and they were reporting possible terrorists attacks all over the country.

Finally, they asked if we wanted to watch the news in English, which was an offer we gratefully accepted.

I think it was Peter Jennings and I felt immeasurably comforted to see him.

Maybe it was because my Dad has always loved the news and seeing a news anchor helped me to feel calm, as if I were hearing my Dad through him.

We wandered around the rest of the day. Sister Tyler wanted to go tracting, but I couldn't do it. I remember falling asleep for a few hours. It was not a productive day and I'm sure Sister Tyler was frustrated with me. (I was NUTS on the mission. All my comps deserve a medal, I swear)

I can't remember if it was that day or not, but our mission president let us listen to the news on the radio for a few weeks, to keep on top of things.

A few days later, on the news, that song, "Angels Among Us" came on, but it was a remix, and it had people talking about losing their loved ones and one guy yelling "honk if you're proud to be a New Yorker" and the sound of thousands of cars honking.

I can't listen to that song without crying.

What I took from 9/11 was a greater love for my country.

I am so proud and lucky to be an American. Being American has meant more to me in the last 10 years than it did in the 21 years I lived before 9/11.

“Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. We will remember every family that lives in grief. We will remember the fire and ash, the last phone calls, the funerals of the children. “

President George W. Bush, November 11, 2001

Lori Ann

16th generation American

And some things which should not have been forgotten..

 Tonight was another crazy game night with Jack and Danielle. Jack kept saying "That's not good gamesmanship" and Danielle kept trying to convince me to vote for Ron Paul. So yeah, it was kind of a wild night. We're lucky the cops weren't called or anything:)

This isn't the best picture (of course, I was driving at the time. That's when I take the majority of my pictures)...anyway, it's the river and it is raised all the way up to the tree branches!

This picture doesn't do my commute justice. I drive through some of the most beautiful country you will ever see. Its all these winding roads where the trees meet over the top. I can't describe it, but being in Pennsylvania is so beautiful and fills me with such a sense of peace. 

Also people, guess what? I got transferred at work to outpatient therapy! Estoy bien emocionada! And I am kinda hoping to move into my own place this week sometime. Wish me luck!!

Lori Ann

p.s.- This blog will resume being interesting soon, I promise!! (or "start being interesting" might be a better choice of words!)