another day, another dollar...er, make that 50 cents

Another delightful day at work! (Yes, read that one: Another slow day with not much to do at work.) Today though, I am more than glad for it! I spent yesterday with Sonya, Jason and Meagan at Dorney Park and I am so extremely exhausted!
The day started sorta early (okay, so I guess leaving the house at 9AM isn't THAT early...) but since I didn't have to drive, it wasn't that bad. We made it to the park shortly after it had opened and it felt EMPTY! No, seriously, it was really empty. We went to the Ferris wheel first (I know, high thrills) to plan out our day and when we got there we all said, "Wait...is this ride open? No one is in line! Is there even a ride operator here??" The ride was open and there was a person (actually, two persons! I bet they had fun all day!) to operate the ride, even though it was a super boring one. We spent the ride contemplating the empty-ness of the park and comparing it to the one at Knoebels, that we didn't do a lot of planning.
We hit the Talon and a bunch of other roller coasters next. Even Sonya went on some! But, as Jason noted later in the day, "Sonya screams." This is very true, but we love her so it's okay. Jason doesn't ride the ones that spin around a lot, so after we did the Tilt-a-Whirl and a crazy one called the Enterprise (it made Sonya and Meagan Vulcans), we let Jason pick a ride. He picked the Log Flume. We all (at least us girls) had the one from Knoebels in our minds but when we left, well, let's just say it isn't the same! You got wet on this one BEFORE you get half way through it and no where near the last big plunge! I mean, there was a water fall on this one! I don't think we let Jason pick the next ride after that one.
Following our lunch at Burger Barn (where I was the only one who got a chicken wrap) we did the paddle boats at the edge of the park. This was the most exercise (besides walking the park) we got all day. It wasn't just me--it was really tough to paddle! After that, we were all pretty tired so we plotted out the last few rides we wanted to ride again. Steel Force was the last roller coaster of the day. Meagan and Sonya took a nap while me and Jason took our last 'high thrill ride'. (I'm not making this thrill level thing up. It's how Dorney classifies their rides. Seriously, look it up.) What they forgot to tell us was that after a certain time, they turn the coasters on 'turbo force' which makes them 10 times crazier than normal! We had trouble walking after that one. It shook us up, gave us headaches, and if it hadn't been for the seat belts and lap bars, we would have been riding home in an ambulance.
We made it home, all in one piece, and hung out by Jason's pool for a while. When we finally got to my house, I felt like I had been up all night writing a paper. I was so tired that I almost passed out on the living room floor. And let's not talk about how hard it was getting up for work today. Ugh. And while I'm dying for another cup of coffee, I picked up a book called "Buzzed" that dealt with all kinds of addictions, including caffeine. I learn that caffeine from coffee can affect the weight of my unborn baby, hurt my heart in excess and possible hinder my future efforts to have children. Score. Now I have a headache, am falling asleep AND have the seed of fear planted in my subconscious about future consumption of coffee. Thank you, you mighty printed word.
The day at work continues to be slow, but it's okay. I have a devotional to write for the church's advent collection due 30 June. I know. I can sense the shock in you all as you think, "Laura, you have 7 days still! Way to work ahead!" Let me stop that right now: I'm going on vacation this Friday, so it must be done by Thursday. See? I'm still the same old me :)

the girl who lived in the library...

Summer is now in full swing --and I have the pay checks to prove it! Well, I have the pay-stubs to prove it. Not quite the same thing, unfortunately.
Meagan came home the last day of finals week and I did my happy-to-see-you dance for her...as I wrote the conclusion for my last paper and headed out the door with a folder full of final papers to hand in. It is great having her home, though she is working like a ton and I hardly see her. She is going back to school next week to work at a theatre camp, but will be home again about a month before school starts. :)
My summer has been full of work, work, reading, and work. I started work the Monday after finals week, which seemed like a good idea at the time. It has all worked out though, and I would have just been lazing about if I had started work a week later. I made amazing book progress in those first two weeks of work. Finished "The Boneman's Daughter" (a birthday present) in 2 days! It is a must read for all of you DekKer fans! Also finished "The Historian", a much better alternative to the Twilight saga as it is about REAL vampires. That is, unless you like light and fluffy romance a la Stephanie Meyer.
Since Meagan is going to be gone over our regular family vacation time, we all (including Jason) took a bus trip to Cape May. I had a fantastic time, even if I did get a little burnt. Oh well. Cape May is a great little town that, of course, made me miss Brighton. Though, I must say, sand beaches are easier to walk on even if they are 10 times messier! Pictures to follow!
Lately, I've been listening to Leon Jackson, the winner of Britain's X-Factor. My dear friend Rachel got his CD whilst we were in London and shared it with me. Now all it does is remind me of Room 1.50 and King's Cross in Islington. So, excuse me while I go down memory lane, finish up my day at work, and then head out for the long-awaited girls night with Debbs.

I don't know if you can see

The changes that have come over me

In these last few days I've been afraid

That I might drift away

So I've been telling old stories singing songs

That make me think about where I came from

And that's the reason why I seem so far away today

So let me tell you that I love you

That I think about you all the time

Caledonia you're calling me

And now I'm going home

And if I should become a stranger

You know that it would make me more than sad

Caledonia's been everything I've ever had

~Leon Jackson, Caledonia~