So, I finally broke down and ordered Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. I'm going to have to wait until next week to read it, so NO ONE SAY ANYTHING, should you read it before I do. Also, today, for those of you not in "the Know" is Sexy Underwear Day. Let your imaginations take that wherever your little heart desires. Adieu!

Yay! Today, I got to jump in our new pool, despite the rain! And it was awesome! Everything I thought it could be and more! Oh, and Happy Bastile Day everyone!

I'm tired right now and my job is making me nuts, but what else is new. Doesn't it just suck when you need to take off a day really, really bad and you can't! I can't take care of my school things that I need to, I can't take off to help my parents move, I can't take off because there is at least one person off in my bank branch until God knows when. I'm feeling the pressure, like I'm going to snap. If I didn't have a car payment and car insurance and student loans and credit card bills to pay, this week I would totally have told my boss to fuck off! Some days, what I would give to go back to being 6 years old again! I think that's about it for now. My best friend is away. I'm surviving without her. I can't wait 'til she comes home, but I hope very much that she's having a good time. Ciao.

Is there anything better than a compliment, except perhaps a compliment from a stranger? Last week, I had someone tell me that I look like Nicole Kidman. I don't, but thanks! ( I'm much too short and chubby.) And today, I had someone tell me I look like Drew Barrymore! (That one, especially when I was thinner, I would buy.) Sweet! As the rest of my day is pretty, "Eh", I'm clinging to these spontaneous moments of joy. And they are two of my favourite actresses that are still living. Sweet!

Tomorrow, my mother and I are going to be picking up the newest addition to the Szymanski family- our new puppy, Ella. She's about 8 weeks old and 20 pounds already! Isn't she just adorable!



She is our Bernese Mountain Dog. I cannot wait to see her little face! And pinch her little fat butt! (We're big on pinching chubby animal butts in my family. Don't ask!) I did not pick the name, surprisingly enough, my mother did, but as if *I* would ever object to the name Ella. So today, my mom and I went to buy last minute things like a Kong and a stuffed, squeeky cow and some treats.

I can't believe it! A puppy! We haven't had a dog in our family in like eight years. Nothing but cats in that entire time. I get the feeling we're in for a pretty big adjustment. So are our cats. YIKES! They've never seen a dog up close before, except for my little Jack, may he rest in peace, so this shall be interesting. I'm so excited! Ciao!

That cold feeling of dread crept up my spine this morning as my alarm clock went off and I heard the radio announcer say that there were attacks in London. Then, five minutes later, my brother called, wanting to know if the family was fine. The family is fine. Fortunately for my family, and for my sanity, my family lives, respectively, in Coventry in the Midlands and on the East coast in Lincolnshire. But for that moment, always that brief moment... I was the one who told my mother. I couldn't help but cry as I saw the footage as my brain kept thinking, "I was just there, not two months ago!" And I thought of one of my customer's whose twin daughters only just returned from studying in London and I knew she would be relieved. My heart and my prayers go out the victims and their families. One cannot help but wonder was this linked to the G8 summit, or to the Israeli summit that is taking place in London or a statement linked to the announcement of the Olympics. It's terrible no matter what, but why? Then again, can there ever be a reason good enough for something so horrific. I highly doubt it.