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Been on the bus for 12 hours, which is much better than 26 the first year I came down to the States. I slept most of the trip this time anyway, since I didn't sleep the night before. Had too much to do; in the afternoon I took the town bus to Mom's place to do laundry, and when Mom got off work she had a coffee and then we went to my apartment to start organizing and moving the animals. Somehow, though spacial magic I only partially understand, we managed to fit everything in only two trips with Mom's little car. We were channeling Houdini or something, idk. So we settled the rabbits and cats at their temporary home in Mom's basement and then had dinner, after which we went back out so I could pick up rabbit/cat litter and a couple other misc. odds-and-sods that I needed to before I left. After that we went back so I could finish my laundry and then Mom took me home.
With the cats out from underfoot, I took the opportunity to clean and vacuum the house. YAY CLEAN FLOORS AND STUFF. I also did some baking; Broken Glass Torte for Dad (does that count as baking? XD;) and fruit loaf as well. It started off as banana bread to use up the bananas before I left, then I ended up adding pineapple, then cherries, then coconut. Then I realized I didn't have any flour. *facepalm* So I had to improvise and used my Magic Bullet to make corn and oat flour instead. It worked fine, just took less time to bake through and didn't rise as much as if I'd used white flour. So whatever. I made four loaves, so I took one to Mom and brought one with me for Dad and Lois as well. Baking done, I did the dishes, then continued cleaning. Then at like 3am I finally started packing for my trip. xD; Way to procrastinate, right? I know, I know.
Anyway, packing took FOREVER as usual, especially since it took me an entire hour to decide which beads I was going to bring with me. >>; Last year I managed to limit myself to like four boxes, plus a box of charms/pendants and a box of findings. Um. Yeah. This year? Like twelve boxes of beads, plus a big box of charms, a big box of pendants, and three boxes of findings. I fail, what can I say? I also had to pack Maddie and Chloe's Christmas and Birthday presents that I never got around to mailing. Because I also fail at THAT, too. So like half of my luggage this time is made up of stuff that I brought down for them. Then there's my cosplay stuff as well. I actually pack very light for ME, it's just that I can't go anywhere without bringing copious amounts of STUFF for other people and projects. ^_^;
So, having not slept a wink all night, Dad picked me and my luggage up atound 9am. We went out to the res for him to get smokes, then back into town so I could stop at Mom's and drop of my keys (so that she can get into my apartment to feed Genbu and Aya and the fish) and her vacuum (which I had borrowed the night before.) She and Lee were up, so I said a quick goodbye to them and then we were on our way. The trip from Orillia to Georgetown was mostly uneventful. Except for the massive detour because of an earlier car accident on the highway, our brakes almost going out because of sitting on them so much in stop-and-go-traffic, and a short stop at Toys R' Us in Mississagua. TOYS. YAY. Dad found something for his Star Wars collection, and I got come LPS for my own, as well as some animal erasers because SO CUTE OMG SQUEE. I also wanted a Transformers Ravage figure, but I managed to resist. Mostly by reminding myself that anything I bought there I would have to haul down to the US and back again lol.
Oh, note to self: 12th line outside of Orillia? FUCKING FULL TO BURSTING WITH CRAB APPLES. GET MOM TO TAKE YOU OUT THERE IN SEPTEMBER.
At the kennel, there was a little Lang family get together for one of Lois' granddaughters' birthday. It was slightly awkward for me to be there, but they were all nice to me. I did get some weird looks from the kids, though, since they had never met me before. Plus my hair cut is totally like a dude's now. But in general it was fine. After they left I got to talk with Lois some, which I always enjoy. But around 7 I HAD to lie down for a nap. I just hit the wall and couldn't keep going. My body was suddenly like "I QUIT". So I crashed on the living room couch for two hours. Then at 9pm I got back up so we could get underway.
Dad and Lois have accuired some dogs who aren't poms in the last year. First was Maggie, a pug/boxer cross that Lois' mother bought and then decided she didn't want, so Lois offered to take her. Then there was Lucy, a little Jack Russell who is really thin and lankey compared to most Jacks. Then a couple months ago they got another Jack, Sadie, who was half-starved and hadn't had any real affection or anything in her entire life. The pics from the day they first picked her up are just sad; she was so thin her ribs and spine stuck out. Poor thing. But she's all chubby and happy now, so it's all good. While Lucy has attached herself to Lois, Sadie has adopted Dad. And Dad is absolutely head-over-heels in love with her. But to be fair, Sadie is the suckiest, most friendly, affectionate little dog you could ever imagine. <3
Anyway, since the market for poms isn't great right now and the market for Jacks is still decent, they decided to give a litter of Jacks a try, so they went out and found a male, Max, who is the newest addition to the pack. Sort of. Because he's unaltered he has to stay in the kitchen and can't run with the girls or EVERYONE would be pregnant, including every human leg who happened too close. lol. Max is a sweetheart, but a little excitable. In more than one way. Haha. They plan to try breeding him to Maggie next year for some cross pups, and then Lucy the year after that. Sadie won't be old enough to breed safely for a couple of years yet, but she's the one that they're really looking forward to getting puppies from since her personality is so perfect. I guess we'll see!
Right now they have one litter of tiny itty bitty pom puppies that are RIGHT AT THE EPITOME OF CUTENESS. Two blacks, a cream (with siamese-like points and some white markings) and an orange-sable. (Their mother is black; idk about their father. It was this pairing that spawned the Parti Poms earlier this year.) They're maybe two weeks old, can see and hear and toddle around a little, but are generally just chubby round little poofy things that lay around with tubby milk!bellies and kind of resemble miniscule bear cubs. SO FREAKING ADORABLE. And they're all friendly as hell, and their mom has no trouble letting you reach in to pet them. Which is good because I spent a good amount of time smishing me some little pups and cooing at them and letting them suck on my nose and chin. X3 Dad says he'll take some pics so I can share. You guys. Seriously. You can't even comprehend the level of OMGCUTE!!1! these dogs are without seeing them. I WILL SHARE, AND YOU WILL SQUEE YOURSELVES TO DEATH I SWEAR.
If they weren't way too young to be sepparated from their mom, I would have been seriously tempted to try smuggling one of them out in my pocket. Heh.
Anyhow, around 9pm Dad and I took off and drove into Toronto so I could catch my bus. We even only got a tiny bit lost! And when we got to the terminal Dad hung around with me until it was time for my bus to board, then he headed home. He did call a few minutes later, though, just to make sure I was on board and on my way fine. Then the 12 hour ride commenced, but to be honest I only remember about 1/4 of it because it was dark and the bus was moving and I just fell asleep.
Ugh, US customs was a pain in the ass this year. And yet at the same time, managed to be really polite and friendly about it. It was weird.
First, the guy almost didn't let me into "his country" because of my passport photo. That one I had anticipated being a problem, since my passport photo was taken back when I was 260+ pounds. I've lost over a hundred pounds AND cut all my hair off since I had it taken, so it doesn't really look like me anymore. But eventually he decided the photo was workable, he just highly reccommended that I get a new one before next summer. Then he balked because I only have $300 US cash on me. WELL WHAT? I have more money, just not IN CASH ON MY PERSON. JEEZ. He was like "how are you going to support yourself while you're down there? $300 won't even feed one person for a whole month!" but I explained about the money situation and staying with friends and etc etc etc and he finally gave in... only to ask if I "had something to be nervous about". Because my hands were shaking. *FACEPALM*
I told him it was because of blood sugar, because that was esier than explaining that I SHAKE LIKE A CHIHUAHUA ON SPEED. ALL THE TIME. FOR NO REASON. So, that sorted... he wanted to know if I had any reason to return to Canada. I was like "...bwuh?" But apparently, because I'm not working, he was concerned I was going to just, yanno, STAY in the US and not go back to Canadaland. Forever. So what proof did I have that I would be going home after the trip? We finally decided that my family and pets were relatively decent reasons. At which point he demanded to know about Maddie and Chloe's home and job statuses, and expressed concerns for me being able to support myself (AGAIN) since neither of them has a full-time job. ASDGH. I was starting to get frustrated by then. I mean really, really frustrated.
I just smiled anyway.
But I finally did get out of there and on to baggage check, which is always interesting because of the weird shit I bring with me for cosplay and stuff. At least the baggage checkers usually get a laugh or two out of it. They take their jobs seriously, but not nearly as seriously as the guys asking the initial questions. =/ In any case, the guy checking my bags only had a problem with my snacks. He took my apple, my cherries, and my cherry tomatoes. Boooooo. But oh well. They're easily replaceable. And he didn't even make a mess of my bags like most customs guys do. I didn't have to reorganize anything at all! (...until later when my backpack kicked the bucket. Then I had to transfer my lunch stuff into another bag and just chucked the backpack in the trash. It was a dollar store one anyway, so meh.)
So, that done, back on the bus and on with the trip! ...so basically, more sleeping. lmao.
At Detroit, though, I had a stopover for an hour until my next bus came in. I got to talking to one of the girls that had been on the last bus and was going to be on the next one. Tyra was super nice and we got along great. So we chatted for the rest of the stopover and then on the bus some before both of us decided we needed to sleep some more. She got off two stops before I got off in Dayton, but we exchanged info so we can get ahold of each other later. ^^ That was once thing about the first year I came down here; I met that girl, Z, on the bus, and we got along great, but I forgot to get her email. I still kind of regret that. =/
But, all in all, it was a pretty good trip. I got in here at Dayton around 1pm and have been waiting for Maddie and Chloe while I've been writing this entry. Maddie had a test to do or whatever so they couldn't be here to meet me when I got in. But that's fine. I have Squall with me, so I've kept busy, and they're on their way now. Should be here any minute! ...and Squall is yelling at me that his battery is low. And I have to go to the bathroom. So I guess I'm done this journal. XD;;
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