Two Weeks and Counting.

So it's exactly two weeks and I'll be on my first plane to France, stopping in lovely Iceland. It seemed so far away and now it's finally here!!

This weekend was probably my last at the Beach House for the summer and so we ended it with a bang. A sunburned bang to be exact! I chose to go to Crane's Beach, a hop by car away from our house, where I enjoyed the foggy, just perfect weather. It wasn't too hot, not too cold, just right. The only problem with just right weather is it tricks you into not putting on sunscreen. I put it on my arms and stomach and thighs, forgetting my lower back and backs of my thighs and face. Of course, being the Irish I am, I am now burnt in those places. Not horribly but still slightly uncomfortable. We went home after stopping for my favorite apple donuts at the farm on the way home and spent the evening watching South Pacific which my Mom was horrified to know I'd never seen.

The next day we lazed around and watched the Olympics but not archery, as it never makes it on tv. We left around noon time and stopped off at the New England Mobile Bookfair. I'm not sure if I've mentioned it before but it's a gigantic warehouse of shelves upon shelves of books organized by publisher. Everything is a pretty large percentage off so it's the best place for me to go! I bought three new moleskines, a planner, an address book and a new journal, and a tiny little guide to Paris published by Blue Guides. It's their art/shop/eat series and gives a bit more info on the main sites and restos while being tiny enough to slip into a jeans pocket. Even a girl's back pocket, as tiny as it is! I haven't browsed through it all yet but it seems perfect.

I've been planning a bit more about my trip, trying to find out more info about tickets and combo tickets and times. My Let's Go guide for Western Europe is probably the worst thing to bring with me. Many of the times or prices are a bit off. Not vastly but the August hours are not what is posted on the monument's websites. But of course, I'm sure they've changed and all so I can't be too annoyed.

After the Moblie Bookfair we went to get a nibble at Fresh City, a yuppie sandwich shop that makes a mean organic hummus veggie sandwich. Definitely not a meal but a nice snack to split. I'm still a rabid meat-eater and probably always will be.

We couldn't go the way we wanted on the busy street out of Fresh City and ended up turning around in the EMS parking lot. "Why don't you go look at the jackets?" my Mom suggested because I've been looking for the perfect coat for a while without finding anything.

It had to be stylish, warm enough for Austria in the winter, waterproof, but still be able to do the brisk chill of windy spring. A cover-all jacket. And surprisingly I found one. I went and looked at the 70% off and lower rack and found a Orage Chole II jacket on sale for $139, normally $250. Jackets last a few years so I thought, why not, and decided to buy it. I'll put up pictures I'm sure at some point, but it's a tan plaid jacket with a white zip-out soft-shell. Pretty nifty for so cheap. It was so expensive that the draw ties were wrapped in tissue paper. I thought that was a bit overkill but whatever. Still interesting.

Then we finally came home and went food shopping. When we came home we had a nice family dinner and cheered on Phelps. About to set down to a movie, my brother got a call from his boss at the resto he works at about how the only other cook was getting fired. He started swearing at the top of his lungs, now being the only chef left. We keep trying to convince him to leave the place because it's so awful and they don't respect him at all there and don't pay him nearly enough. We finally had him convinced after two hours of talking. He felt obligated because the resto couldn't run without him and his co-workers would be out of jobs.

Come to find out his boss got laid off and they didn't fire the other cook. And thus, my brother is thinking about staying. Back to square one. My parents are really stressed out about my brother and whether or not he can survive on his own and if he can make ends meet. Right now he can't at this job. He couldn't pay rent and all his bills at this point. I really hope he pursues another job like he says he's going to. It worries me. Will he ever move out?

So tomorrow morning I have a fasting blood test and right now I'm starving. I see cookies calling to me. Even salad, I don't care. I'm just so hungry! I guess sleep is the best remedy to that.