Custodial Cat

Gordon is his name. Craziness is his game. Our friend Drasko (from Montenegro) helped us name the cat. Gordon sounds kind of like the Montenegrin word for “handsome”—and it stuck. Kels and I first got Gordon in September 2009 as a house cat for the two of us and a third roommate. The third roommate is no longer in the picture, as there was a butt ton of drama that surrounded the true ownership of the cat. There was some hiding of the cat and arguments—but needless to say, we got Gordon.

 So now he is a custodial cat. Meaning he lives with me for part of his life and he lives with Kels for another part. While Kels was studying abroad in Uganda he lived with me from January-August. And let me tell you, this cat is one heck of a listener. We had many a conversation. He is also quite the cuddler. Gordon is a mutt, but he looks almost identical to the Nebelung breed. 

(random, creepy, old Nebelung man-cat)

(Gordon)

This breed is said to be really loyal and a lap cat. This is all true. But what they fail to mention is that Gordon is basically a dog in a cat’s body. He fetches, comes when you call his name (or whistle), makes love to his bag of food (is that a dog thing?), and lays all up on you. 

Gordon's hobbies include reading and chillin' in the bathroom (it's his favorite room). But I've never seen him reading in the bathroom...

Gordon is a W.O.O. (Win Others Over) - he takes after Kels in that way. People who meet Gordon automatically fall in love with him. The only exception to this are two of the most important people in my life: my husband and my mother. Both of these people (who are, let me mention again, central people in my world) hate Gordon. It makes me so sad that his supernatural W.O.O. powers don’t work on them. I mean…look at that FACE! Who wouldn’t love him?!

I sure do.

-Sar

Packing and panicking

Inappropriate things make me laugh. Not like boobs and farts, I mean those do make me laugh, but like bad news or something that should be sad just makes me crack up. Right now my boyfriend has typhoid. I can not even type that sentence without starting to laugh. Its just ridiculous. Who gets typhoid? So far this year we have both gotten Malaria and now he has Typhoid. Its only May.

I leave for Africa in 4 days? Can that be right? So much to do. I started packing like 2 weeks ago which was a horrible idea. Procrastination is always the better choice. Do you hear that kids? I wish someone had told me when I was younger. Always procrastinate! I guess there have been times when I regretted putting off the ten page paper until the night before it was due. But then when I got a B on that paper I did not at all regret it. All that time that I saved! I could have worked on that paper for daaaaays. Starting to pack so early has just made these past weeks super depressing. I moved all of my chairs for some reason. Like moved them out of my house. No kitchen table and not a single chair anywhere left in the house. That means 3 weeks of eating dinner on the floor, or standing, or on my bed. Sarah has commandeered a good number of things from my walls. Glad they will be put to use while I am gone. But it seriously is super pathetic in my apartment right now.

Boxes going to my parents garage

Suitcases going to Uganda

Room that clearly needs help. Hopefully someone will sneak 

into this room and pack it overnight. (hint hint Sarah!).

- Kels

Memorial Day photo dump

Happy Memorial Day! I celebrated with family while Sarah babysat for my good friend Jo. And apparently Sarah also met British Tom! He is basically a celebrity. I spent the day at my parents house which was beautifully decorate/also looked like America had thrown up on it.

Red, white and blue flowers

5 star flag. It's vintage. From when America had 5 states and 8 colonies.

Flag barf on our table

Let me just say that they did not come like this...

Yes that is the statue of liberty under the white and red dessert.

If this doesn't scream America I don't know what does. 

In one month I am going to miss this so much!!!

Delicious cupcakes I baked from the Magnolia Cupcake recipe.

Pre America vomit.

Post America vomit.

I like to call these Freedom Cakes!

I can only imagine that Sarah is cringing as she reads this. The American flag is not her thing. Nationalism isn't really my thing either at all... but I was born on flag day, the most important holiday of the year, so I am genetically programmed to love red, white, and blue.

Cousins! The baby is Will. William the 6th. My first cousin 

once removed. He is literally the happiest person in the world.

Outdoor fun

Autumn 

Yay for family fun. Also yay for Joanna and Sarah becoming friends. Its always nice when people from different areas of your life start hanging out. 

- Kels

The last weekend!

Sarah and I had the pleasure of attending Erin and Ian's wedding this weekend. Has there ever been a cuter couple? Erin looked stunning. Stuhning! Also it was decided that they are the world's whitest couple. Their children will probably have such fair skin they will be transparent. I somehow managed to not get a single decent picture of them so instead this is a picture of us! Sarah and Francis and me.

Blowing bubbles at the newlyweds

A lovely picture of their backs...

- Kels

Six Days & Counting

Kels leaves in approximately 6 days 23 hours and 49-ish minutes (but who's counting?).

She told me roughly two weeks ago that she was going to be leaving for Uganda in about three weeks. While the more self-sacrificing, empathetic part of me is screaming out of joy and excitement for her, the selfish part of me is thinking: "My best friend is leaving the country. For a year...suck." I think about all the awesome things we were going to do together this summer and upcoming year, like: road trip to Ohio (Meg Han!) and the East Coast, crafting, hanging out with our a w e s o m e cat; and I get super bummed. But then I think of all the awesome experiences that she's going to have and how, in her absence, I'll make new friendships and experience life in a brand new way. That's not say I won't miss the hell out of her, because I will. But it will be good for both of us. The time apart will be time to grow, time to explore, time to appreciate each other.

But...
I will be holding onto these next 6 days 23 hours and 37 minutes for dear life.

-Sar