Day 81: Exploring Part II

A successful Sunday. I found a church. Ate a free lunch (Sorry, there's no picture of the sandwich...I had already eaten it all by the time I thought to take a picture. Stocked the fridge. Cooked my first dinner in the apartment. Figured out the bus system for the trip to campus tomorrow. Not too shabby for the day of rest!

Day 80 {New Apartment}

First breakfast in the new apartment = frozen blueberries, strawberries, and pineapple.

I have a big kid bed for the first time ever. No more sleeping on a twin! And as you can see, Happy made the journey safely and he is quite at home on my new bed.

My favorite feature in the apartment: the floor to ceiling bookshelf in the living room.

Exploring on Day 79

My sister and I went on a walk to explore the area and found this cute little park not far from my apartment.

Loading the Car on Day 78

Old Gracie Lou is packed to capacity and ready for the drive to Bloomington!

Day 77

I stopped by my grandparents' for lunch this afternoon. And snapped this picture of my grandpa's grapes before I left. They look so good! All I can think of is I Love Lucy and her trip to Italy!

Road Trip on Day 76

Road trip along the Mississippi to Galena.

I climbed these steps. All 215 of them. Nope, that's not a type-o. Two One Five.

This view was my reward. Beautiful.

Day 75 con mi hermana

First (and probably last) trip to the root beer stand...

...then to see Glee in 3D. They gave us hats to commemorate the experience...who has ever heard of such a thing?

Later that afternoon, I hit the open road to visit some friends in Bloomington. Illinois, that is.

Day 74 {Summer Sunday}

Lemonade at my grandma's.

Day 73 {Wide Open Spaces}

"And her soul is a corn tassel kissing a west wind..."

Being at my grandparents' brings the beautiful words of Carl Sandburg to mind.

My boy Nuisance. I really wish he could come to Indiana with me.

At the Movies on Day 72

Yeah, I know. It's the most popular book in America right now. Everyone's talking about it. Including my grandma. I'm ashamed to admit that haven't read it yet. My sister and I took her to see the film version. And I cried. And I cried. For the whole movie. As someone who has researched the 1960s, the film was especially moving. It is so poignant and extremely well done. I can't wait to read the book. Hopefully I have time in the next week or so before my free time runs out.

To the Dreaded Dentist on Day 71

To me, going to the dentist is like going to detention (which I only did once, by the way. And it was for losing a golf ball in P.E. sophomore year. For the record, I think if you hit your ball too far and can't find it, you should be okay). But I digress. I hate the dentist with the fiery burning passions of a thousand suns. Make that a million. BUT...for once in my life, I didn't have any cavities! I just sat in the chair dumbfounded, not knowing what to do until the hygienist handed me this crazy pink bag full of stuff and said, "You better run before he changes his mind!"

A Haircut on Day 70

Remember this from March? Well, this haircut is exponentially better.

As is this cooler weather that allows me to sit on the front porch without sweating.

Day 69 (Just Being Home)

Campfire S'mores ice cream...yes, please!

And a beautiful sunset over the cornfields on the drive home from town.

Day 68 {Every Teardrop is a Waterfall}

I'll be seeing you, Monmouth.

Today was the day I stopped by the office, turned in my keys, got in my filled-to-the-brim car, and with this song on the radio, drove away from my college hometown. I'd be lying if I said I didn't cry.

And then I was back home in the aptly nicknamed Tornado Alley for my first ever trip to the laundromat. No tornadoes tonight, just these wicked looking clouds.

And now it's time to throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in my sails. Ala Mark Twain.

Day 67

Recipe for my last full day in Monmouth. Me. A couch. A good book. And the cats.

Then...some champagne. Strawberries. Dinner and a movie.

Wonderful!

New Abbreviations on Day 66

Is it common knowledge that "poto" is an abbreviation for potato. If so, I've seriously been missing out. For my entire 22 year love affair with the potato.

Day 65 = Last Day of Work!

Peach turnover for my last day...they know me all too well!

Day 64: Packing Teil Zwei

My dad came to my apartment this morning to take home a lot of my stuff.

Then I spent most of my afternoon/evening packing up the rest of it. To the musical stylings of Ray LaMontagne.

All I can say is thank God for these yellow crates.

My car is filled to the brim with everything that a college student acquires while living in the same apartment for the past two years. It's weird to think that I've already spend my last night there. It's been real, Madden House.

Day 63 = Apartment-Warming

House warming flowers for a dear friend who has a new apartment and a big girl job.

I came to check out her new digs and make breakfast for dinner -- apron and all.

And it was delicious! Best tots ever.

Hot on Day 62

In more ways than one --

Temperature wise. Seriously? 99 degrees? With a heat index of 115? What is that?

And emotionally. My poor Silver Bullet was just minding his own business in the parking lot. Now he needs a new rear bumper. The Pontiac is an extinct breed of car so it will have to be ordered. Fingers crossed that he'll be finished before I leave for IU!