VEDA Day 3 // On Being Adult...

So I was sick most of yesterday, but once I finally roused from my death bed, I was feeling much better.... so yeah!

VEDA Day 2 // My Pets

Today's Topic:
Pet Love
Today we're talking about my favoritist subject ever... my puppies of course!!
I spent allllllll day working on this stupid video. Can you feel my enthusiasm?
Yeah. Me Neither.

Monday Musings

Ways to know its Monday:

(In case you are like me, and are wildly hoping you got itconfused with Friday)

• Waking up at 8:00AM [time you need to be up]
• Waking up again at 8:30AM [the time you need to be in thecar]
• Prying yourself out of bed and almost getting hit by a kamikazebird, IN YOUR HOUSE.
• Standing on the porch, with the door wide open straining tosee (with your near sighted vision) if the bird is still fluttering around inthe house.
• Giving up, and dashing for the bedroom to complete yourmorning toilette

Welcome to my life.

The good news is, by the time I got dressed, and the glassesin place, the bird was nowhere to be seen. I declare, I have never had such anissue with vermin, wild animals, or bugs in my entire life!

Things Are Looking Up!

At the beginning of the month, I started writing a draftregarding my goals and such like for February, [a draft that has yet to beposted] it went a little something like this:

“…I just so much more optimistic about February, like things might start to happen. Perhaps, I'm still just giddy from the fact, that the Judge dismissed my ticket yesterday. (As long as I don't get another one in thenext 30 days) or maybe I'm excited that my puppy will be born this month.. regardless,I believe February will be a good month.”

And things did happen.

Just not in the “good” way I was thinking.

• Losing a loved one?
• Gaining two new bills in a week?
• A fruitless job search?
• Living paycheck to paycheck?

Not exactly the good I was thinking.. 

Last week, seemed to be especially hard, for reasons I can’t explain, it just was. So God knew I needed the ONE of the phone calls I got Friday morning. (The other I really could have done without but whatever)

By 12PM Friday afternoon, I had secured something to fill those lonely, long hours for the next year at least.

Life is Officially Good. 

[You want pictures? Check out his blog here: Chronicles of a Puppy Walker] 

Goal Update: 

• Early to Rise[Otherwise known as my 12 in 12 goal]  - This month I've been working on getting up at least 30 minutes early, as well as attempting to be at least 5 minutes early- on time for things such as work, church or etc..  There were a couple of days were I just couldn't get it going, but for the most part I've done really well on this. 
• Continue working towards my 100 books in 2012 goal. [ 25 down!]
• Continue to drink more water and less soda [ so/so]

Short,sweet and attainable. :)  

A Summation of the Week Thus Far..

This Week: I almost feel as if I have developed some sort of phobia when it comes to writing about my personal life. Every time I open the post editor, my mind goes blank, my heart rate speeds up and I can't think of a single intelligent thing to say.  This may be in part, due to the fact, that this week: Nothing Happened. To be honest, free time is fun when you've been slammed with work and school, as I had been a mere two weeks ago. Now... its boring. Its lonely, and a bit depressing. Yes it was a Holiday, and I got off work and all that, but I pretty much stayed at home, cleaned my house, play computer games and listened to a audio book.

Cleaning, Organizing and DIYing 

 A fifty six chapter audio book, I should mention, one in which the author dies before completing the final chapter of. The bad thing about it was that it was such a good story, and knowing the ending wasn't complete was a tragedy in and of its self, however it was nicely summed up by, some other dude. No he didn't go as far as too write the chapter himself, but he voiced what we hoped happened in the end. If you are a Jane Austen Fan you will adore Wives & Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell.

iPhone and Speaker playing Wives & Daughters

The remainder of the week will see me, working, carting my brothers & sisters around while my parents are on a "romantic getaway" and more baby-sitting. I know, don't be jealous.

In Other Blogs: Puppy Xander spent the night and helped me Baby-Sit and We were asked to give a review of Mr. Chewy on Texas's Blog. Be sure to check them out!

Insta-Friday #2

Another Insta-Friday ... with finals right around the corner, I have spent the majority of my week in front of a computer, slaving away over last minute homework. By Wednesday my brain was fried. HOWEVER getting an 85 on my exam...? TOTALLY WORTH IT. Looks like I'll make a "B" in Math. For the first time in my college history. Yes I'm a little excited about that fact. 

And because Finals we're going "so" well, I decided to take puppy sit for a day. You can read about that BIG mistake on my other blog. :) 

But he's oh-so-cute

How was your week?

A Post with a Point: Emotions

Disclaimer: This post has a point. Hey! Don't look so shocked! I can do it when I set my mind to it! 

It all beings with emotions:

Fickle things really, they come and go like the wind, one day you're happy, and then something happens to suck all that happiness away. I used to like to think of myself as an emotionless person, until I realized that no one is emotionless, but some just express them in different ways. 

For instance, I'm not someone to cry at the drop of a hat,I don't get visibly agitated about events that upset me, I'm not going to stomp, yell, scream and curse when I'm angry, and very few things just make me giddy with happiness. For the most part I tend to be very low key in my outward expressions of emotions,  (I like to blame my dad for this trait) but inside...I'm typically a roiling mess.

Like... Now.

Today was a very emotional day for me, Happy, Sad, Giddy, Melancholy, Upset, Stress..you name it, I felt it. 

It started out this morning, with the realization that next Sunday I would be roommate-less. 

The wave of sadness that swept over me, was startling, as it hit me this.is.our last Sunday together... 

I think it startled me mostly because I didn't realize how attached I was to C. Sure we've lived in the same house for about a year and half now, but I don't think close would be us. We're more comfortable with each other and have gotten used to the presence of another in the house...but close? Not overly. 

Didn't I expect to miss her? Sure, I guess I didn't realize how much of a role she played in my life, and I wonder if she knows how much either. 

Than as the morning progressed, we went to church, and then home I suddenly realized that I would be expecting a phone call from Pompei's (4th puppy raised for the Guide Dog Foundation) new handler. Though eager to hear about Pompei, I was attacked by nerves at the prospect of speaking to a complete stranger for any length of time. I need'nt have worried, when the trainer from the Foundation called, the conversation flowed freely. Pompei's new handler is perfect for Pompei and I couldn't have asked for a better matched. Its funny since his partner sounds identical to my own grandfather, I know I've gained another friend through this organization. He wants to keep in contact with me, which makes me so happy as that's a big worry I have when sending my pups away. I don't know if I could handle not being able to hear something about my dogs at some point. 

I ended the conversation feeling as if I could dance around the car. I cannot describe the feeling...

Knowing I was able to be a small part of increasing someone's freedom? Priceless!

I went back into the house and returned to my forgotten book, on a cloud of air. 

After the evening service was over (though equally emotional in a good way) the girls decided to have one last "hurrah" with C and descended on Sonic's for an after church treat...

Along with half of the church...who "showed up". 

I had fun, but something said so innocently stirred up a little bit of annoyance in me, that kept trying to grow, and at first I thought to confront the person about it, but quickly decided that it really wasn't worth starting an argument. 

Than add a small child into a home with 2-not-really-small-child-friendly-dogs in the house, and the day was capped off with a cup of stress and slight frustration. It is clear to me, that at least one of my dogs will have to have passed on before I have any children. And since the likely hood of that event is in the far,far,futre.. we can rest a little easier and focus on managing our lives at present. 

And on that note, I will end this day.... eagerly looking forward to what tomorrow brings...

Erin

Show & Tell

Its been a little minute since I've participated in a photo challenge...lots some followers because it too, but its all good, in the grand scheme of things. However since I've jumped back on the 365 bandwagon, over at my photography blog... I decided to get back into challenging myself through blog challenges. Cause its not as if my classes will be challenging enough. A whole semester of shooting still life? Lord take me now!

But I digress. What most of you came to see was the photo, that Showed: Looking Up

Pompei - Guide Dog Puppy in Training - 14 months old - Lab/Golden Cross

Tell: Pompei gazes at my hand in hopes that the treat will magically appear into it. Sorry bud. I tricked you. I'm going to miss this face when he leaves me for bigger and better things next weekend. Sigh. 

December 7 Community Prompt:

Community.
Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011? (Author: Cali Harris)

I am blessed to be a part of many different communities. The first and biggest community would be my Church both here in TN and  in NC. Over the years, these people have been closer to my family and I, then our distant family. If we needed something, anything they have been right there, no questions asked. You can imagine the pain we felt when making the decision to move from NC, they were heartbroken, we were heartbroken...but our new family here welcomed us with open arms. I don't know what I would without that support system. 


Next in line, for me, would be the Service/Guide Dog Community. The puppy raiser blogging community was a tremendous help for me, when I first began raising with the Guide Dog Foundation. We had some rough patches, and even though most were as far away as CA, AZ, OR...they were right there for me. We created the "Teen Puppy Raisers" group, and spent many a Saturday, whiling away the hours chatting via IM online. Sam, Natalie, Amy B, Mickelle, Anna..(oh boy), MK, Sarah....talking about everything and nothing at all. Oh the drama!  I miss those days. 


Looking back I'm surprised my parents didn't have too much trouble with me chatting with a bunch of people I didn't know... oh well, its not like we revealed TOO much about ourselves.... :) Not to mention all the people I've "met" through the Guide Dog Foundation's Talk-List. I learned more about blind people, how the guide dogs helped them, and got to hear first hand story's about the impact these dogs made on their lives. That in and of it self, made the pain of loosing "my" dog worth it too me.  


Defenintly can't forget those puppy walkers/handlers I've met in real life. Upon finding a fellow puppy raiser, or meeting a graduate and their working dog, its almost an instant connection. I've only had one person was kind of abrupt when I started talking to them, but most's faces light up, and though complete strangers we can talk for ...hours! If we had time. 


Then you have just the Dog Bloggers Community, and just the Blog community as a whole.., for the most part amazing people. 


Imagine, without the internet, I wouldn't have been able to discover many of these people! How sad my life would be. 

November 9: Twitter Thought Tuesdays

This week I'm joining in with Twitter Thought Tuesday at DutchBeingMe!

I had...way.too.much.fun with this post if you can't tell. :) 

First we'll start with the random stuff....

Then for the bird Saga. This is bird #5 that's INVADED my home. 5!!! 

Thank God for Neighbors.
Err.. and start from the bottom up...

And last but not least....my baby preparing to leave me in two weeks, 3 days, 10 hours....*sigh*

A Series of Adjustments

I have this bad habit of starting a post and never finishing them, so in an attempt to go ahead and post them here are some I started last week. Let's hope I can remember WHY I started those posts! :) 


- Monday October 11, 2010 


Life is a series of adjustments.
And most of the time I hate having to adjust.
Its the before God, Honest, Truth.
I don't like big changes.
Hence why it took me two years to move to TN.
I couldn't comprehend laying aside all my plans and diving off a cliff into the unknown.
God had to straighten me out on that one.
However I have found that I'm sort of a control freak.
I hate it when things don't the way I've carefully planned them to go.
As in go into slight panic attack, shortness of breath, tightening of chest sort of "hate". 


After the first six months of this year, I'd thought I'd gotten past this stage. If you haven't notice, this has been a, less than ideal year for me, I hate complaining or even mentioning anything about it, because I know there are those going through MUCH WORSE then being broke. At least I have a job to keep the money coming in (as it goes out the back door).  But that doesn't mean its any less serious. 


Without any money that meant a LOT of what I had planned for this year, in regards to trips, and just life things such as school etc.. had to go by the wayside. I had to change a LOT of what I had in mind for this year. 


So one would think I'd be used to it by now. 


I'm not. 


So I had this plan, Pompei (the yellow lab/golden pup I'm training to be a future guide dog aka seeing eye dog) was to stay with me for about a year. I raise and train him during that time, and then send him back to the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, so he can continue his journey to becoming someone's eyes. I found out around May that my group leader was housing a German Shepherd that was to be used as a Breeder for a new line of dogs that GDF was going to work with. I asked our representative if I could raise one of the puppies and was given the affirmative. So I began planning my life towards getting a fifth guide dog puppy around late November, and sending Pompei back around that time as well. 


Now this may seem like a little thing to those who are not puppy raisers. Its just a dog.  Um..No. When I say I'm a volunteer I mean I pretty much center my life around this pup for the year its with me. When they are puppies we can only leave them alone for a certain amount of time, so I have to arrange for someone to check in or watch said puppy if I can't do it. Since my job doesn't allow me to have the pups at work with me, I having to make my schedule so I can have time to go home, pick up the puppy and proceed on to school. 


So 75% of my life is spent wearing my puppy raiser hat. And I love it. My plan was to go ahead bring puppy number 5 into my home and after that take a break for a couple of months, just to have a little down time. 


That was MY plans. 


So when I heard that we welcomed 9 more future guide dog puppies into the world  on 10/10/10. I was estactic! Not only would I get to follow my newest baby before he/she got here but I was FINALLY raising something without "retriever" in its name. 

All those plans were shattered today. Yes shattered may be a bit dramatic...but I had the last couple months of this year set to go in a certain vein, I had my trips and school planned around it. I had my mind getting prepared for it, and within five minutes of sending an email those plans were tip off the self they were sitting precariously on. 


Apparently my name was never written down on the list for one of these special pups, thus knocking me out of the running for one. 


I'd forgotten the puppy raiser motto to "write it in pencil" and had most satisfactorily written that down in ink. 


::Saturday October 16, 2010:: 


Now that I've had time to work through my feelings, move on, face bigger more important "problems" such as my $193.50 charge for those registration tickets, and having the money for that....I've come to realize this is a little deeper then just not getting a GSD pup. Its more about loosing Pompei.


Pompei is special. This is another one of those "you've got to be a PR to know what i'm talking about moments" but I'll try to explain. 

With the high volume of dogs going through my home, you don't BOND  with every dog. There are some dogs you just live with. Out of 12 trainee's only four would I have kept as a long term pet..had I been given the option. The fourth of that group being Pompei. 

I think I was hoping by getting a GSD that it wouldn't feel like I was replacing Pompei's presence in my house. This next puppy has some high standards to live up to, and I guess I didn't want just ANY puppy that was available. I can understand a little better why people don't get new dogs soon after their previous one passes. 


Now that I've had time to work through my emotions and adjust my thinking, I'll most likely wait and see what I feel closer to Pompei's IFT. I've never been through a semester dog-less.  I've never been without a service dog pup for more than a month in the last five years.


I don't know if could take a break now, even if I wanted to. 


We.Shall.See. 


Though I've heard rumors that Midnight (first picture) is supposed to go into heat sometime soon....thinking about waiting for one of her pups...  

Until another thought strikes me,

                                             

Before and After Blog Hop

As my photography teachers like to say, its easier to lighten a photo then to darken one. I'm giving my sister some tips as to how to use my camera in manual mode (which is all I shoot nowadays) so she was having a hard time getting my skin properly exposed without whiting out Pompei completely. If anyone has any tips at how to shoot white and black people without over exposing one or the other, I would love to know! Anyway raised the exposure and saturation levels, and warmed the temperature up in the camera raw editor, and then ran the Pioneer Woman's "Lovely and Fresh" action on it. I think it came out ok, the photo is now a little noisy...but it happens. 

See More Edits at Pixel Perfect!

Blog Comments

Hello Bloggy World!

I have a dilemma, how you write a post about comments without sounding like you are begging people to comment? Its something I've been mulling over for a couple of days now and can't quite figure out how to do it just yet. I don't want to sound superficial, but at the same time, it kind of makes you wonder with 94 followers (Insert shocked face) and perhaps 1 or 2 comments here and there, if perhaps you are just so "one of a kind" no one can relate to you!

However, I am pleased and grateful to those of you who comment on a regular basis. (I love you guys!)  I blog partly for me, and partly to meet new people. Through my other blogs I have met TONS of people, who I am glad to call "friends" thou we've never met in person. I was hoping it would be that way through this blog as well.

I have met several people, and am very glad to know them!! But I would love to interact with my other readers more as well!! If you stop by today, I'd love to hear from you!!


In the meantime I live you with Pompei's opinion of "Studio Photography 1"

{Ok, we're not in Studio here, Pompei was feeling a little goofy during Digital Imaging this morning}

{Pompei does a reluctant "down/stay" while I'm across the room}

{Bringing a dog to college, is like having a well behaved 3-year-old. After six hours of class he was ready to go home.}

BTW Shooting RAW is awesome and totally the way to go! First photo I hate the white balance set to "Daylight/Sunlight" and then when in the "Camera Raw" editor and dialed down the temperature some and still ended up with a "good" photo. 

Any Takers?

What's bad, is when people start referring to their bad days..as "Erin Days". For instance, I was talking to my friend Rebekah, and she starts the conversation out: "So I had an Erin day today..." I knew instantly it was either bizarre, or had something to do with money. Story of my 2010. 


I knew at the beginning of this year,I stated that this would be a "year to remember" but..I'd really held out hope that it would be a GOOD year. So far...I'm just starting to become paranoid about leaving my home! 


So what's happened now? Well I'm driving to work its 7:55AM I have 5 minutes to get through three stop lights and too work. Only the Lord knows why I decided to take this particular route to get too work. Anyway The first light I come to is at the top of a hill, and is green, I slow down since its been green for a while, but am making it through. All of the sudden, I see this black car, which had been sitting at the light, start making a right turn...directly into me! There was nothing I could do but pray she saw me and stopped moving! 


She didn't. 


Nope ran right into the back passenger door, causing a nice little dent. Truthfully, my gut reaction was just to keep going. But since the car is not mine, I knew I had to stop. So I pulled onto the sidewalk and got out too see the damage. The car that hit me pulled into the parking lot and another car stopped in front of me. The first woman got out, handed me her card and told me to contact her if we needed a witness, as she saw the whole thing. *THANK YOU MA'AM!!* 


I then called my father quickly to tell him what happened, being an insurance agent he told me to file a police report, especially if Party B turns anything in too their insurance company; that way we know clearly who was at fault. After getting off the phone with him, the woman turned to me and started babbling about how she didn't know what happened, what to do, she had a court date and was just a tizzy. 


I will admit I really could have cared less, but that wouldn't be very Christ-like , so I allowed her to use my phone, despite really feeling I should just call the police at that point.  15 calls later, I take my phone back call the police, and then let her try her family one more time. Apparently they aren't early risers.


She finally reaches them, and gets their insurance information. At this point I realize the police will probably want my registration and proof of insurance. 


*cue panic* 


*girl dives into car and hauls all of junk out of glove compartment* 


Nothing. Nada.ZILCH. Citation here we come.


Ok, now what. I call my father just as the police officer arrives. Random Thought: I didn't know woman were on the Motorcylce "troup" cool. Anyway thankfully she was nice, and took what information I had, my insurance info, and my license.....After coming to the conclusion that I didn't have the information I needed. I hung up and just waited for the other shoe to drop. 


Police Officer to Party B: Ok ma'am this is a citation for failure to yield at a stop light, blah, blah, blah
Police Officer to Me: Ok this is for your expired tag and no proof of insurance. 
Me: Man.


After that I left and went on to work, were my co-workers we happy to see I was well, and happy to hear it wasn't my fault. I love them. :)


Then I come home. I walk in and I hear a tapping sound at my window, thinking it was one of my siblings being funny, I walk to the window and open it quickly and reveal...........a BIRD!!!!! 


Completely freaked me out of course. Seriously HOW in the WORLD does a bird get into my house?! So after while of ......snap bird is still in  the house...brb... 


7:00pm - Ok so I had to leave for class before I was able to finish this, but as you may have guessed, the bird reappeared.....however I've been home for approximently two hours and no sign of said bird. Hope springs eternal, but I know its waiting for the exact moment to fly out and scare me to death. Probably literally. 


Class Day 1 (English 1010)  - So that was an interesting experience, one my teacher is very young...30ish, and has annoying way of sound interested yet bored at the same time. But I think I'm going to like him..I don't just yet. He made us tell something interesting about ourselves, and halfway through, one young lady pipes up and says "I'm was home-schooled and this is my first day at real school."


*HEAD DESK*


Here's a tip homeschoolers. Never.ever. announce this. It just makes you sounds like you've been holed away in your home, with no socialization. People already assume stupid stuff about homeschoolers....pretty much like they do with every probably. Blonds, Blacks, Mexicans....you get the point but if you walk right in and fulfill what they are thinking...then you will just have to...."deal with it".  


That's just my opinion of course. 


So of course I had to break the stereotype a little, not that I have to try hard to do so...as far as I know there aren't too many black people being home-schooled, that and I'm not exactly whatcha call shy (anymore) and we were very very very involved with our community  through 4-H and the Guide Dog Foundation and our church, other homeschool groups..you name it we were probably in it. 


I typically don't volunteer that I'm a ex-homeschooler right off the bat, I'll let people get used to me, before I "break it too them" then its just "Oh ok" verses..Oooohh......ooookkk. See the difference?
Yeah.
I did feel bad for the girl, as there were some snickers and giggles to that statement, but she'll learn. The hard way unfortunately. *sigh*


Anyway I think I'm all out of words now. 


BTW- If you need me, I'll be in my  bed, with the covers over my head. I don't plan on coming out anytime soon. 


TA TA!

The Paper Mama Photo Challenge: Self Portraits

First off I can't believe my little dude, is not.so.little anymore. Seriously the dog is possibly very close to 80lbs without an ounce of fat on him.  Second of all, I can't believe in a couple of days he'll be 10 months old!!! 

For those of you who don't know, Pompeii is a Guide Dog in Training so, the closer we get to the dreaded 12 month mark, the closer we come to having to give up said pup, and the closer we get to heartbreak. Typically the pups are sent back to the Guide Dog Foundation at around 14 months old, but lately I've been hearing more and more, they are taking them back at 12 months....um me no likey that at all.

Seriously that would be October or November......*gulp*. There are many days I wonder why in the world I do this too myself. But am quick to remind myself of the benefits doing this. 

Summer Week 5

[1] Fun weekend. Finally. I was way tired of staying home, and felt less guilty about ditching the pups for a day, since Pompei got neutered and is on "house arrest". So Rebekah and I  went to Panera and talked and talked, then to McKay's Bookstore, and the mall for some splurging fun. :) I finally found some white shoes at Payless.. I may have to return them for now, so I can make it through the week, but its breaking my heart! I also finally got around to using my Areopostle gift card, which Roomie gave to me at Christmas.. I know, I know.

[2] After all that spending, I came to the sad realization that I was broke, and still have another week before payday. So Sunday I spent a lot of the day budgeting, planning what have you. I really really need to save some monies, cause I really really really really really really really want another car. Like real bad.
[3] Umm...listing my Canon Rebel xti on Ebay. Good bye Camera, you were good too me but its time for to find a new home. Works great, but I like my Sony a lot better, the colors on it are so much better SOOC. 3 out of 4 pics on here were took with Sony can you tell which one was with a different camera?  Also listing my school books as well. Finally.

[4] My life is ridiculously boring right now. If you can't tell.
[5] Summer Projects: About me Scrapbook, Daily Photo, Photobook for Rei's handler, photobook for Midnight's new family, and of course Pompei's scrapbook, and wittle down my 101 N 1001
[6] The job hunt has slowed down to a crawl. I really waiting to see them outcome of certain things going on here, before I move too a more active hunt, plus I'd really like to be a job more than well 8-12 months for once. Plus who says having a career in one field is fun anyhow? My roommate is trying to get to come work with her at her school for Special Ed. I'm tempted but scared, that I'm not qualified.
[7] Finished the Vampire Diaries series last night, how anti-climatic I can't believe it ended the way it did! ARGH!!!

[8] Re-Organized my closet Friday. I need more summer clothes still. I need money to buy more summer clothes. I need another job, so I can have extra money to purchase summe....you get the point.


[9] Baby my neighbor was babysitting

[10] Good Bye

The Weekend

One would think I am completely prepared student if they happened to have visited my house this weekend.
Why?
Well so I wasn't there for the most part. Wednesday my teacher told us if we had our Portfolios in by Thursday, we didn't have to come to class on Friday. You'd better believe I sat up late Thursday night and finished that baby. Which automatically means I didn't get up until I absolutely had too on Friday.
Then I spent the morning cleaning and doing laundry, before taking my sister to work and running some errands with Pompei. Once we got home, I didn't make a valiant effort at studying but yeah.

Anyways my roommate got home early, as we were going to see Man of LaMancha at UTK later. Out of all the plays I saw this semester, this was the best! Loved it!!!
And the staff was super helpful with Pompei, let us sit in the assessable sitting didn't give us one iota of a problem. Granted I know all the "head honchos in the security department, so it would have been funny if they had wanted to call security.
"Oh yeah say Hi to my boss while you're on there!" :) 

Anyway we stopped by a friends house on the way home, and C played a round of volleyball while I chatted with others, and chased Pompei away from the game etc..etc..

I was beginning to wonder if I really wanted to go on a hike in the morning, and ok I have to admit I was hoping it would rain us out, but was satisfied I'd convinced C not to do the 13 mile hike, but a shorter 8 mile one. Forgive me for not wanting to get stuck on the side of a mountain, with little cell service in the rain.

But I needn't have worried as it turns out.

We finally got up and left the house around 10am and stopped to get some drinks, and Subway for lunch, once we got up there that is, I decided today would be a great day to AMP energy drink. If you don't know already I'm a caffeine addict, but can go one or two days...and pretty much drink the stuff on a daily basis. Mountain Dews is what I'll drink to get a quick pick me up, Dr. Pepper is my "staple" drink. Anyways I'd heard their commercials on the radio and was curious. So I grabbed two Dr.Pepper Cherry and a Berry Blast AMP. I was nervous, I am ridiculously picky about my food and really dislike wasting food or drink because I didn't like it.
Did I mention I live in a box?
I've tried Monster - Nastiest.Drink.Ever.
Coffee. - Worst than Monsters
And the other stuff looked weird.

Anyway we got our lunch, and headed to Gatlinburg TN.
Once arriving at the trail.
Guess what we found.
NO.DOGS.ALLOWED.

Oops.

I'm sorry but I'm not about to leave my $6,000 guide dog puppy, in the car for 5-6 hours because of a squirrel that might get chased.So fine me.
The first 1.5 was a nice, flat, gravel path, Pompei had a blast exploring, and fulfilling allt he tourists puppy fixes. I told C that you can tell those who are away from their dogs, because they are begging Pompei to come over and say hi, and its not just a pet on the head; but a full body hug.
Which Pompei totally loved.
I hate to admit but I do the same thing.
Hey its hard leaving your "babies' behind!
Oh. C says she doesn't do that. I told her nobody asked her.

Then we hit "part two" 2.5 miles of scrambling up and over boulders, across narrow one railed bridges, C's BF had bought her a nice hydration pack, while I was stuck with my camera bag.

Note to self: You really don't need two cameras + three lens.

 Pompei was leading the way, and I kept calling him to "wait" as he happily dashed up the trail. It took us about two hours to get up there, but once there it was defiantly worth it. While I ate my lunch, C hiked to the top of the falls and on her way back spotted two plaques that stated a Mom, Dad and son had died up there somewhere.

Creepy.

We sat up their for about thirty minutes before heading back down due to impending rain clouds. I'd decided to drink my AMP with my sandwhich and I'm 95.5% sure that Pompei must have licked the top or something because he was tearing off down the trail, with me hot on his hills.

Note to self 2: Two Dr.Peppers + Amp = 180+mm of Caffeine. DO NOT DO THAT AGAIN. 

Once I started moving quickly after Pompei, I literally could not stop. I tripped and twisted my ankle so.many.times its not even funny. Jittery doesn't even describe how I felt.
I was really nervous about crossing those stupid little bridges, in my current state...what I failed to mention earlier was, Pompei has this fear of heights. As does his mother.
And going over those bridges required C to straddle him, to keep him from diving over board, and me to WALK BACKWARDS, to encourage him forward.
Did I mention there was nothing but rocks six feet down?
So now we had to do this twice, with me all hyped up.
Thankfully Pompei decided it was better for him to walk all by his self, and we made our slow way across.The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful we stopped at Baskin Robbins on the way home, and then pretty much crashed.
No I didn't....I was still jazzed up on caffeine....
Oh well, our next house I'm most DEFIANTLY getting another bag.