We know how to make a 12 hour trip in 18 hours!

So, after loading up the car - strapping in the kid (Lisa's son Sam) and head due west on 412, we were confidently setting forth for Denver, Colorado, we thought...sad to say, however- we had somehow managed to NOT bring a map of any sort. I suppose we thought we'd use our female intuition to find our way 800 some odd miles accross this fair land of ours- apparently we intuited incorrectly because we soon took a wrong turn and were completely off course. about 3 or 4 hours later- we managed to get back on course and were careening smoothly over the plains of Kansas. By this time it was early, early in the morning Saturday- and we were all pretty tired. This made for good conversation and some fine giggling. We also had the wisdom to purchase some commemorative bracelets. Lisa's read "Intelligence" which is revealing seeing as she recently wore flip-flops whilst weed-eating, mine read "Love and Romance" which was by far the more embarassing and was also well, pathetic really. and Yessie's read "Harmony and Balance" ahhah- a goal we should all strive for. Amber's gift from all of us read "Peace"- again- a good goal to have. These bracelets were fine pieces of craftmanship- carved out of one hunk of plastic. oh- the finery.
well- anyway- after arriving and chatting it up with Amber's grandma- we all crashed and napped until amber came home. The next day we got up and went to this HUGE open air market. I bought old books and an owl...hooooot...and some awesome antique glasses and a gift for the tolberts that they shall treasure for always. the next day we drove out to Estes Park and the Rocky Mountain National Park- and then we hiked to this massive gushing waterfall- it was phenomenal. truly majestic- i don't know any other way to put it really. yeah- so we had a lot of other experiences, but really i should go shuffle some asa papers- but i will say that i expertly guided us back to arkansas in just at 12 hours of driving- so it is possible WITH good directions and a map- so don't doubt us pretty babies!
k- much love,
effie

SCRIBE OF DOOOOM!!!

So, after spending all day saturday writing my paper and doing laundry, I suited myself up in pirate garb- including a ceramic pirate attached to mee bra strap, and a genuine, sharpened pirate's sword and set sail for Red Pearl's Isle of Sin and Sun (set). Oh- the wind was a wippin around and I knew fun was afoot, but I set to concentratin', trying to summon my pirate name. Unfortunatly the best I could come up with were things like: Lavender Pearl (which would just make Red Pearl mad- which has it's benefits) or Felicity of the Sea (which is, admittedly, sadly lame)...but finally I had a stroke of GENIUS- but unforunately it twas for Red Pearl's mom's Pirate name -- Mother of Pearl- hahah. Then, as we approached the shore- I finally settled on my name for the evenin' -- SCRIBE OF DOOM-- in honor of my long-overdue paper. The party was a hit, and fun was had by all mates aboard. I'll skip ahead though to the next adventure (oh- and in case you were wondering- swashbuckle is another word for adventure- i actually had the gaul to look it up- AT the party)...anyway- i was talking on my phone, making my lonely way home after working on my paper at the library until 11ish last night when I was attacked by 2 baby skunks!!! seriously!!! They came running at me and when I hastily turned around and started running away, they gave chase!!! It was terrifying! This isn't my first run-in with skunks near my home-base. One of their parents lives near our house and is sighted every day at dusk- usually when you are going out the door- and you walk out and are 2 ft. away from a ginormous skunk presenting her stripedy tail of death to you. Lance, our neighbor and friend, has been known to climb out of windows to avoid this very circumstance. I've been known to slam the door and run through the house screaming skunk-alerts- which- I might add- are rarely taken seriously. All's I'm saying is that I might just call animal services while my vermin-loving roommate is in Indiana. Yes, that's just what I might do. Don't hate me Yessie- hate the never-really-gone stink that marks you and yours for life.
I think that one pretty boy, what's his name? who is dating Demi Moore? should do a reality show called Skunked! that'd be way more funny and mean than Punked. Seriously.
Effie Out. I must walk home. Wish me luck.

Laugh it up Laughy

So my friend Amber says such things as: "laugh it up Laughy" all the time, usually when she's about to punch you in the arm. And that's why we love her. I was thinking about that- yes, instead of starting page 6 of 15 on my paper about Moses Maimonides and Thomas Aquinas (Mom's and friends start cursing my laziness...now!) and I remembered how this funny thing always happens when I go to the doctor. I usually get gasps about two things. One good- one bad. The bad is my jaw- they can't believe I operate with the pain and the malocclusion as it is, etc, blah blah blah. The good is way more funny though- they ALWAYS, and by ALWAYS, I mean every doctor's visit for years and years make some comment about my blood pressure. It is always right on the money. Like it couldn't be better if I tried perfect. I've even had people check it again cause they couldn't believe that it was that perfect. Not even kidding. This is surprising to me for two reasons: 1. my mom's been on blood pressure medicine since she was like 32 and 2. until I started praying for real I was pretty much horrifically stressed out all the time. The only explanation came from Goatie's lips believe it or not. She said, and I quote: "well, it must be because you laugh all the time." humm. I guess the Goatster's right (Goatie being my mom for like whoever wouldn't know that). I have always laughed pretty much all day, every day. Mostly at myself- much to the chagrin of people like my sister- and also at the people I gather around me, who are really wicked funny people. And, as has been medically proven, 3 things in the world make your blood pressure do good things- like stay normal or go down- and those things are: 1. laughing 2. bunnies and kittens and puppies, etc and 3. pills. I love my dog, but she can't live with me, and I take enough pills for the headaches, so I'll stick with laughing til I cry and my abs hurt. yes indeedie. awesome.
ok- now- back to Maimonides and Aquinas and their HILARIOUS thoughts on the divine attributes of God. hahahhah! woooot!