on hermit crabs.

Until last week, the last time I had any encounter with a hermit crab was a few years ago when I stepped into the L's house and Lucie was screaming.  I came over to babysit for the night (or weekend, I don't remember which) and as soon as I walked into the foyer I could hear her upstairs in her bedroom screaming and crying.  I immediately dashed up the stairs to see what was happening and found her in her bathroom with tears streaming down her face.  She had a small cage beside her and in the cage was a dead hermit crab.  Trent, her big brother, bounded down the hall into the bathroom with us to see what was happening.  He grabbed the cage and took it over to their parents room and showed them the source of Lucie's distress.  They comforted her as best they could until the tears stopped and, after some time, they left the house - me alone with two kids and a dead crab.  My first order of business that early evening was planning a funeral.  We went outside with a small shovel, a hand drawn card, and a small box containing the lime green & hot pink shelled hermit crab.  Trent took over the ceremony, Lucie stood quietly beside me.  He dug the shallow grave under a huge magnolia tree, placed the box in the hole, covered it up, found two sticks to form into a make-shift cross, and placed Lucie's card on the grave.  Trent's a good big brother.  He asked Lucie if she wanted to say anything, she slowly nodded and simply said, "goodbye.  I loved you."  Trent followed that up with some words about that crab being the best crab they've ever had and how he's sure it is now in crab heaven.  I finished it up with a simple "amen" and gave Lucie a hug.  She turned to me and asked if we could go jump on the trampoline. 

Maybe a story about a dead crab isn't the best way to start out talking about my new crab.  Or maybe it is... remind us of how short life is, especially if you're a scavenger crustacean near the bottom of the food chain.  I've owned a hermit crab before.  I was about ten years old, his name was Skeeter, and that story ends similarly to the one above.  Let's just say, I loved him a lot and thought he was cool, but someone, who promised to take care of him, forgot about him while I was away at summer camp.  You know how it ends...

On our second to last full day at the beach last week we decided to stop into the Scotch Bonnet for some fudge.  "Featured on The Food Network" fudge... John got Fire & Ice and I got Espresso and both were delicious.  But this story is not about fudge, it's about a crab.  In the back of the store there were fixins for hermit crabs but no crabs.  I asked the shop owner about them and he said they wouldn't get any in to start selling until Memorial Day. Then he asked me if I wanted a hermit crab.  Some tourists had left a couple hermit crabs on the porch, after they got them they didn't want to take them back home.  One, unfortunately, died, but he still had one that he kept in a cage behind the counter.  "It's yours, if you want it," he said.  I said YES.  How could I say no to a small hermit crab, in a garish, Batman-painted shell that had been abandoned and was still thriving?  I'm a sucker for rescues.  I went back to our beach house with the crab, a small booklet on hermit crabs, and the fudge in tow.  All the other adults in the house laughed at the story but quickly became super interested and entertained by the new house resident.  I set her cage on the table in the living room, along with the booklet, and throughout the rest of the days & nights at that house, I think I saw almost everyone pick up the booklet and read through it.  It was interesting to see so many people having conversations about the nature of hermit crabs.  I named her Hilary Duff.  After the Lizzie McGuire star... obviously. She's a very active crab.  She loves climbing around and is not shy at all.  I didn't know a hermit crab could be so fun as an adult.   The cats haven't shown interest in her yet, and I'm hoping it stays that way. I've loved having her for this past week and hope she sticks around a long time. I feel way better preprared to take care of her now than when I was ten, so hopefully I won't have to plan any funerals anytime soon. 

hatteras.

John and I tagged along for a few days with his father and friends on their annual trip to the Outer Banks.  We were super grateful they offered to let us stay in the extra room of their beach house, appropriately it was the "kids room" complete with bunk beds.  John actually lived on Hatteras Island for several years when he was a kid, and then again when he was in college he'd spend his summer on the island working & having fun.  It's a very special place for his family and I can see why, it's lovely.  It was my first time in the southern Outer Banks.  I've been to a lot of beaches all over NC throughout the years and I have to say, there's something magical about the Outer Banks -- the villages and beaches are wonderful, definitely my favorite in this state.  We can't wait to go back next year.  We're also going to spend some more time visiting different beaches, it's a shame really, we live just a few hours away from the shore & we hardly go.  We'll remedy that.

We had fun baking in the sun, reading on the beach, watching the crabs in the morning, watching the dolphins in the evening, visiting John's old haunts, hunting for shells, jumping the waves, eating & drinking whatever we wanted, giving a home to a rescue crab (some tourists left a hermit crab & a shop owner gave her to me for free.  her name is Hilary Duff), lounging on the porch & in the hot tub, falling asleep to the sound of the ocean, waking up to the early morning light, and loving life.  It was definitely a nice, relaxing week.  Much needed. 

space.

the rocket garden

On our trip to Florida, we also went to the Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island. Mister's mother lives in the area of Florida deemed "the space coast" which I think is an awesome name. I love learning about space. I am totally fascinated by it. When I was 10 my family went on a vacation to Florida for some beach time and my parents took me to the Kennedy Space Center. I was completely amazed with everything there. We did the longer bus tour and got to see shuttle launch pads, training centers, old rockets and shuttles, and eat space food. We were also extremely lucky because when we were there we got to see a shuttle launch, the Atlantis.  This shuttle took Shannon Lucid up into orbit to stay on the Mir Space Station.  When she came back to Earth 188 days later she gained the record of the longest time spent in space by an American and by a woman (as of a few years ago, she no longer holds these records).   Two years later, one of my favorite books, Space, came out and we traveled all over Texas making an important stop at the Johnson Space Center.  Those two things kind of cemented my love of Space.  But enough with all that.  

This trip to the Kennedy Space Center was amazing.  There were many more displays to see, things to do, and places to explore.  I particularly loved getting to walk around in the space shuttle Explorer and going on the Shuttle Launch Experience.  Both of those things were unavailable when I was 10.  If you ever have a chance to go to either space center (Kennedy is my favorite of the two, though that just might be for nostalgia) you should definitely go there.  And take the bus tours at least once (we didn't bus it up this past time, too hot & not enough time).

I think it's just heartbreaking that the shuttle launches are ceasing with the end of the space shuttle program and the NASA budget cuts.  I'm of the opinion that space exploration is important, it fosters an adventurous learning spirit and gives people something to look to outside themselves.  It's just really sad to me that our country cares more about putting money into weapons and pointless wars with the grossly astronomical (space adjective!) military expenditures than putting money into exploration of space.  From now on, if we even want to send someone up into space we have to go through Russia.  Sigh.

The regret on our side is, they used to say years ago, we are reading about you in science class. Now they say, we are reading about you in history class.
-- Neil Armstrong, July 1999, Gemini 8 and Apollo 12, first man to ever walk on the moon.

Anyway, let's end this on a good note.  I had a fantastic time on the Space Coast!  Yay!

Space Shuttle Explorer

mouse ears.

We've been going going going lately and we've been fortunate to have some great experiences.  Just this morning we said goodbye to two of my dear friends, Lauren & Cecilia.  They came and stayed a long weekend with us.  It was lovely to catch up with them -- talking, eating good food, lounging in the pool, and being lazy watching television.  I'm very thankful that I got to see them and hope to see them again soon.   But before they came over we were in Florida visiting Mister's mom, hanging by the beach, going to the Kennedy Space Center (more on that tomorrow), and... as you've probably guessed -- going to the most magical place on Earth -- DISNEY WORLD!  

Enough with the talk, here are a few of the pictures I took...

outside the Magic Kingdom

the coolest mice on the planet

Alice outside the Teacups.

ELEPHANT! 

Mister with our Mickey treats

I got a new charm for my bracelet

It was a most magical day for sure.  I got some Minnie Mouse ears and wore them the whole day while at the park.  Unfortunately due to time & money we only got to explore one park so we chose Magic Kingdom (as if there was any other choice when you have to choose just one).  Of course this means we are going back as soon as possible to hit up all the parks -- shooting for October to be specific so we can celebrate my birthday and attend the Wine And Food Festival.  

Even though it was just one day and one park, it was still a m a z i n g.  A place where no one cares that adults walk around dressed like kids with spontaneous music numbers in the streets and everyone is happier than anywhere else?  This is where I want to be always.  I've worn my Minnie ears many times since we tore our eyes away from that shining magical castle that night.  We rode Splash Mountain 4 times (we got stuck on it for 20 minutes the last time & got free fast passes for our trouble).  In Frontierland I was pulled into a musical performance and danced and clapped and smiled and laughed.  We rode the monorail around and toured the pretty hotels.  We had dinner at Wilderness Lodge.  And we got to see so many tiny princesses walking around the park that had visited the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique -- so jealous of them!  I totally wanted to have my own fairy godmother make me into a princess.  It was just lovely.  So so so thankful for that experience.

next time, I'm buying a balloon!

If you have the chance to go to Disney World, you should.  If you've visited many times, that's awesome!  I hope to be a regular Disney goer in the future. 

See ya real soon!

week.

So I've been away from my everyday world for a couple days and will be for a couple more in favor of spending time in my future everyday world.  It's weird.  And being here - trying to memorize roads and landmarks so I'm not hopelessly lost, soaking in everything, continually being in awe that things are within 30 minutes of me where in KY it took hours to get to most places -well, it makes everything seem much more real.  I probably keep saying that.  My parents will be here the day after tomorrow to tour around, see the places where their daughter will be living, and relax for a few days.

Currently, I'm waiting in mister's college library while he runs a meeting.  I still have 45 minutes until he is finished pretending to be important and educate faculty peers on how to handle situations.  But it's been nice finally catching up on things online.  I'd also like to point out that there is a young man that works here working on some of the computers - he's the only other person in the computer part of the library right now (it's the college spring break here).  He kindly asked me if I would mind if he played some music while he worked.  I said "of course not."  He started playing some old school emo-tastic tunes.  Think Chris Carrabba.  Yessssss VINDICATED I AM SELFISH I AM WRONG... etc.  I feel like he is not even being ironic about listening to it.  I think this guy and I could be friends.  And I also think that were mister here at this time (or most of my friends for that matter) they would make fun of me for LOVING this horrible whiny music.  Because - let's face it - I have horrible taste and I love me some Dashboard.  ... memoriessssssss.

Back on target.  Here's a sneak peak at my future:  

Our future dwelling place.  A little old red house.  (The trailer will be gone -- it's being used to move furniture out [to make room for US... duh].)  It used to be a glorified hunting cabin, I believe.  Don't quote me on that.  There's a newly painted white porch swing that you can't see.  It has a big old fireplace.  Two bedrooms and a loft area.   It's pretty sweet.  Cute and cozy.  Loves it.

Here's part of the backyard.  Not pictured here -- all the chickens, turkeys, and the big scary pigs.  Mister made me go look at the pigs again.  I said "Why are you doing this to me?!"  He said that I had probably exaggerated the size of them in my mind.  I said "no I didn't.  Pigs EAT humans."  His dad agreed with me.  I crossed my arms and pouted.  "I'm not going to see them again" I says.  Two minutes later we were walking out back to see them.  I stayed a good 40 feet away at least.  I went back to the house quickly.  Mister thinks Pig-phobia is not real.  I tell him, "just wait until you are missing for days and no one can find you -- your remains will be pooped out in that pen."  Mister's dad tells me that the pigs are going to slaughter before we actually move in.  I make a sigh of relief.  I win this time.

I'm not going to proof read this right now, okay?  So don't get all huffy if there's spelling/grammar mistakes.  Next time I get on a real computer (which is still days away) I'll fix it for you, okay?  Okay?!  Okay.

[ALSO, TOO -- YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS SONG & DANCE BY NOW --- SORRY FOR THE CRAPPY iPHONE PICS.]