Beef. It's What's for Dinner!

Hmm... delicious! I made my first pot roast yesterday. It was very exciting! I had the pleasure of hosting a couple college friends, Zach and Kristin. One of those "crazy-small world" friendships. I met Zach in my very first college class: Music Theory I. He was a Choral Ed. Major, like myself. I met Kristin in my dorm because she was randomly assigned to live with one of my closest friends from high school: Jill B. (I have two BFF Jills) They lived just around the corner from my new room. Zach and Kristin had been dating since high school. Imagine our excitement when we figured all of this out!

We shared many late nights during those first few years of school... Going to Perkins, playing taboo: the roommates versus the music nerds. Zach and I usually lost. Jill and Kristin could read each others minds! The four of us, plus another friend, went on an amazing trip to Chattanooga when UNI made it to the national title football game in Dec. '06. There's talk of going again if the Panthers do well in the play-offs. So many memories! We ate in a Wendy's and the people behind us in line kept mumbling about speaking clearly so the Yanks could understand. It is such a different world down there! My favorite moment was listening to the radio and hearing about the "Twelve Strays of Christmas." The stray dog of the day was named Zippy... one of Zach's nicknames. I laughed hard for about two hours.

The moral of the story: if you visit me, I cook for you.

Breaking and Entering

I have been wondering when it would happen... and what I would do to fix the problem. It happened today, and let me tell you all about it! I came home around 3:30 from the 2nd Annual Pumpkin Fest. I unlocked the door, and dropped the first load right inside. I then spent about half an hour checking my e-mail and straightening up the apartment. I went back out to the car around 4:00 to get the last load. When I got back to the door, it was locked. Obscenities!

I went back out to my car and sat there for a few minutes, contemplating my plan of attack. I first took inventory of what I could use to break in. Items I lacked: keys (obviously), phone to call landlord, and a ladder to reach any of my windows. Items that were available: a map of Iowa, my school ID, some cds, pumpkin bars, and a saxophone lyre that someone left near the football field after a game a few weeks ago.

I quickly hatched a plan. I would break in using the lyre. I bent the life out of it, and it didn't work.

My next plan was to talk to the nice lady who lives downstairs. I hadn't officially met her yet, but this was my best plan. Dustin, the neighbor I have talked to, wasn't home, nor was his new roommate whose name I don't know.

I trudged around the building and knocked on her door. "Hi," I said, "I'm the girl who lives upstairs."

"Come on in" she says, as I asked if I could borrow her phone to call the landlord. She introduced herself as Becky and then proceeds to tell me that she has done this herself and knows exactly how to break in. Oh, cool, I thought! So she grabs her butterknife and away we go. We worked and worked at it. She even went back downstairs to get a long sharp knife and a spatula. Nothing would get it! We cut up the door a bit too. Oops.

We eventually conceded to the fact that we were not going to be able to break in. I knowthat this is a actually a good thing, but it was frustrating today! Her door won't keep anyone out if they know what to do. We finally had to call Cyndi for a key. The first time we dialed she didn't answer. While we waited I continued to learn more about my downstairs neighbor. She is a grandma who has raised her kids and has been divorced for about eleven years. She lives with her cat Esmeralda. She likes to move a lot and loves pro-football. Awesome! I know things about pro-football! We talked for quite awhile. It turns out we are both Chargers fans. Who knew football would be a common thread with me and my grandmotherly neighbor!

While we watched the Chicago-Philadelphia game, Cyndi called back and said she would come over. I felt really bad, but then when I talked to her, it wasn't a big deal. Cyndi was going to ride her motorcycle anyhow, and needed somewhere to go. She was wearing some sweet chaps! She also mentioned that she sings for the Metropolitan Chorale. Their director conducts the top choirs at Wartburg and also the IAM Europpean tour that I went on in high school. It's so crazy how everyone has connections.

I was finally able to get into my apartment around 5:00. It sure is a good thing that it's Sunday and I only have a few things to do before tomorrow. I can assure you that this won't happen anytime soon! I guess if it does I can hang out with the neighbor.

Prunes are good for you!

This post could probably be 5 pages long, but I go to bed before ten, so that is unlikely. That's right, I'm a first year teacher. I go to bed hours before my Grandma and my idea of a good time is a trip to the grocery store. Complete truth! My apartment has curtains and a sofa now. Good times! I should probably share photos of the apartment. Look forward to those in a few months. I'm too tired right now. I rather enjoy cooking for myself. I made a fabulous lasagna a few weeks ago, almost entirely from scratch. It was delicious the first time, and all of the leftovers since. I still have two servings in the freezer. After my success with lasagna, I nearly ruined a frozen pizza. The smoke alarm went off, but mostly it was because I tried to bake it without a pan. Yes, I am dumb. I do know better. I have added a pizza pan to my Christmas list. Swing Show is November 2 and 3. I don't want to talk about it... I will be thrilled when it is over. I spend too much time in the picture above. This picture is a game... Where's Waldo?!? Only not Waldo... You can find Mandy, Debra, Jaron, and Joel if you squint really hard. Don't hurt yourself. The pictures below are other angles on the main room.

That's all for now friends. I'll try not to be a dried up old plum! I WILL be hitting the hay soon...