I gave Mike the URL of my blog, so he’s probably going to read this and roll his eyes  - heh.  (Hi Mike!)

Mike Friedman is the Longsjo cyclist who is staying at our house.  He arrived earlier today, and came with us to dinner at the Armory for the Longsjo fundraiser dinner. While at dinner, I found out that he was in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.  Seriously.

Then, he came back to the house, and appeased me on my birthday by playing Bananagrams with mom, Dylan, and myself.  Trevor came in halfway through with dad and helped me kicked their butts in our second game (Dylan won the first).

He also met President Bush, and was invited for a fancy dinner there.  There’s a hilarious story about the President asking him, “Do you have a sweating problem?”  But you’ll have to read it for yourself here.

This is Mike on the left.  (Dork.)  But he’s not that dorky in real life.  I think he just wants people to think he’s a dork.

I showed Mike my extreme level of dorkiness by bringing out my to-scale diorama of my mini house.  He thought it was just going to be a drawing, and then I brought out a large cardboard box.  I think he thought it was pretty great, though.

Mike also said that he was going to make us a fabulous breakfast one morning of greek yogurt, homemade granola, and fresh fruit.  I bet Megan wishes she were here for this!

After we had our awesome game of Bananagrams, which included many of us swearing and being loud (and finding out that my grandmother and his grandmother grew up in the same small town in New York) - Mike said that he couldn’t have asked for a better host family.  He would have come over last night, but it was late (9:30), and he didn’t realize how awesome we were.   (were those his words?  or my words?  I can’t remember - but he DID say he couldn’t have asked for a better family, which is very nice of him).  He also invited Megan, Mac and me to go to Spain to visit him in Girona while I’m over in Europe!  Sweeeet.

He’ll just have to remember us and come stay again next year.  That is, unless Emiliano books a room at el casa de streb first! 

This is SUCH a busy week for me.  Here’s the deal:

Saturday 6/28 - Brew Fest (it was fantastic - except it rained a bit)

Jeanne and Me.  She worked at a Brewery table.  I was in charge of giving away the free beer tickets to the bands, so I got a super cool apron to wear. Aprons are so handy - I held my car keys, iPhone, my tasting glass, and the free tickets in that little pouch.

Dad looking oh-so-cool in his hat.

Jason working at the Boulder Brewing Co. table

Trevor, Dad and Liz talking about stuff (notice the CIA-like ear pieces?) I have mine on in the picture of me and Jeanne, but I was obviously better at hiding mine!

The crowd

Sunday - Worked all day at Macy*s

Monday - ARC event at Destare (I got down there at 3pm, and we raised $5,000!)  I also got some awesome prizes in the silent auction.

Tuesday 6/30 (today) - Lunch with Jenny from Macy*s, and then dinner at the library to celebrate everyone who was a volunteer.

Wednesday 7/1- nothing in the day - then going out with Jason for my birthday

Thursday 7/2 - My birthday!!!!  I’m turning 25.  Plus, the first day of the Fitchburg Farmers Market!  Then, something fun at night?

Friday - Longsjo Race the Fitchburg State criterion which goes right around my house.  That night, Beers For Good is working an event for the Longsjo Riders and volunteers.  I only wish that Emiliano was coming back this year.  Here he is in Fitchburg in front of the library last year:  (he’s all the way to the left - the only rider in yellow/green)

Saturday is Independence Day!  I’m helping out in the parade in the morning.   Trevor is checking with the guy him and my dad play boccie with, so we can watch the fireworks from his building’s roof. During the day, I might work at Macy*s cause it’s time and a half, and they need someone to help them close up.  I’ll be out by 7pm, which means I’ll be able to make any cookouts.  I could also use the money for England.

Sunday - Another fun day of the Londsjo bike race - this time it’s the downtown criterium.  A bunch of us always get together and hang out at The Boulder to watch the race on Main Street.  It’s such a fun time in Fitchburg.

I’ll try to keep things updated - but I’ll be very busy in the upcoming days!  Next week (starting July 4th) Jenny from Macy*s has a week vacation.  We’re trying to think of all sorts of fun things we can do together before I leave for England.

As for England, I just purchased my coach ticket from the airport down to Megan, and vice versa. I don’t get into Southampton until after midnight!  I’ll be exhausted after leaving at 9am (midnight England time is only 7pm Boston time) - but it will be bed time for me, AND Megan and Mac.  Perfect timing.  On the way back, I leave England at 6pm, and get into Boston at 8:35pm (1:35 London time).  By the time I get back to Fitchburg, it will be 10pm - bed time AGAIN!  This trip is nothing but perfect timing.  Usually, trips TO London leave at night - 6pm, and then get in to London at 7am.  I’m ready for bed, but the Londoners are just getting up.  It is NO fun.  This time, however, everything will work out fine.  I’ll wake up after a full night’s sleep, and be ready to start my day - just like Megan and Mac.

I haven’t been blogging a lot lately and that’s because I haven’t been at my computer lately.  I’ve been out and about doing things!

Memorial Day weekend was fantastic, and I did a lot of fun things.  Saturday morning Jay and I headed out to Amherst because his sister was graduating.  We went to the UMASS AMherst graduation, and it was crazy.  There were thousands of people there, and it was amazing.  Unfortunately for the graduates, they don’t get their names read, or get to walk across the stage.  They just announce “Social and Behavioral Sciences” and those students stand up, and then some professor from their department says “Chancelor, these students are ready to graduate” (or something along those lines), and then they sit.  Then, at the very end, the entire glass graduates as a whole, and they all turn their tassles.  It was very different from my graduation, where I got my name called and I walked across the stage and shook hands and actually received my diploma.  While at this graduation, I couldn’t believe that I graduated three years ago.  How time flies!

After the graduation (where my back got burnt - d’oh!), we walked back to his sister’s apartment where they were having a pig roast!  Because of my low iodine diet (LID), I had to have a plain burger and unsalted chips and unsalted ketchup and homemade bread.  I had to explain to Jay’s mom while I had to eat special things, and doofus Jay never told him mom I have cancer.  He said that he didn’t want to tell her because it’s my business or something, but if he had cancer and I was in a relationship with him, I would probably be telling my parents.  Most definitely.  Unless, that is, he specifically told me not to.

After dinner, we left for the Cape.  It was a three hour drive, and we got there a bit after 8.  We were staying at Jay’s roommates house, and it just so happened that they had another friend who lived about a mile down the road. Some of the other guys were out mountain biking, so we waited for them to come home to have dinner.  We ended the night with some drinks and some games (I LOVE friends who enjoy playing games).

Sunday we had breakfast and hung about the house before going to the beach.  It was a chilly day at the beach, and it was on and off raining.  I hadn’t prepared, and had to borrow both a blanket and a jacket from other people.  I sat covered up on the beach while reading.  Once it got a bit nicer, I had a glass of wine and went for a nice walk.  Sunday night we went to  Bob’s house (the friend down the road), and had dinner.  I had a hamburger (I think I’d had one hamburger a day for the past four days at this point).  With my unsalted chips and salad, I was fine with this.  They had shrimp cocktail and grilled shrimp, and I made Jay describe to me how it tasted since I couldn’t have any.  I had been getting upset when I saw him eating something that I couldn’t have, so to fix that, I just started asking him how things tasted.  That way I made a bit of a joke out of it, rather than getting myself all worked up over food.  With a week and a half more of the diet, I have a lot left to do.  With my parents, they don’t eat food around me that I’m tempted to eat.  That way, I don’t have a problem.  If they want to have pie, then they make a kind of pie that I can eat.  Jason, however, isn’t as sensitive.  It’s hard on me and I’ve been a bit bitchy about everything.  I did give him fair warning about me being bitchy during this diet, so there’s that.

Monday we had a gorgeous day at the beach.  It was sunny and beautiful, and we were on the beach for six hours.  We all got way too much sun, and my sunburn still hurts!  I put on sunblock, but missed a spot on my hip!  I didn’t get burnt on my face or any part of my front, only on parts that were hard to reach.  We drove home after dinner, and it was a great weekend.  It was nice to have a mini vacation.

It’s May, so high 80 degree weather sounds just about right.

I’m going to the Cape for Memorial Day weekend, and it’s going to be about 15 degrees cooler. I’m thinking I just want to stay here to soak up some sun. But as my dad says when he sees me sun bathing, “What, was one kind of cancer not good enough for you?”

Jay and I were talking about how we needed something to do when we hang out and just watch a movie or TV (he’s the one who introduced me to How I Met Your Mother).  We tried playing checkers once, but neither of us could remember how to play, or what colors went on what squares.  The other weekend, I brought over two puzzles.  We set one up on the coffee table, and any free minute I’m at his house, I’m sitting on the couch working on it.  It’s a mini puzzle (10″ x 18″), but it’s 500 pieces!  They’re very little pieces.

Usually I do puzzles with Megan, but I work on it for an hour, and then I get sick of it.  She will either finish it, or we will both give up, and put it away.  This puzzle, however, is going to get finished!  It makes me think of Megan as I work on it, which is nice, and I had Jay take this picture so I could send it to her.

I went to a Clevland Indians versus Boston Red Sox game Wednesday. The Indians kicked butt. It was great.
We got there a bit late cause we to turn around to rescue my dad’s iPhone. I also had to listen to the three city workers bitch about the hard times at City Hall.

I also saw several of my friends at the game. I knew some were gonna be there, but two of them just surprised me by calling my name as I walked by.

All in all a good time.

It shouldn’t be possible to get a sunburn in April. And yet, I did. So did Niles while doing yard work, and Jay and Tom while on one of their mountain bike adventures.
Luckily for me, Niles had bought a real aloe leaf at Market Basket for $1. I borrowed it and lathered up my pink skin.

The Nashua River is a very long river (37.5 miles) that runs through Fitchburg and other cities in the area.  It’s not a great river, and this is how it looks in the hot summer in downtown Fitchburg:

Lots and lots of rocks.  Even in April, there wasn’t enough water to canoe on this part, so Trevor, Liz and I went searching for a spot where we could canoe.

We found a place almost in Leominster where we could put in, and then we found another place in Leominster where we could get out.

After much debate they settled on Sunday morning, which I couldn’t attend (I had to work).  Somehow, I managed to get Trevor and my dad to agree to go out Friday night after work.  We headed out about 5pm.  Trevor went to get his canoe, and dad and I changed at home.

Trevor gave me the smart advice to wear old tennis shoes, and said “Plan on getting wet.”  I decided to wear my Crocs because they’re waterproof.  Because I am oh-so-smart, I decided to attach a rubber band to my feet to make sure the shoes stayed on.  Sure, I looked like a big dork, but it was a great idea.

My dad wore his Crocs too, but he wore them with white socks.

We put on our lifejackets, which Trevor says we probably won’t need, and we can just sit on them if we want. We got in the canoe safely, and started to head down the river.

Because of the ice storm, there were branches sticking out into the river.  We came up on one after being in the water after a minute.  We were heading right into the branch, and my dad (who was in front), leaned over to avoid the branch.  He grabbed the left side rail, and we started tipping.  We went completely under, and I was sitting in the bottom of the canoe with my legs under the wood bars.  I stayed inside the canoe (with it upside down). Trevor jumped out, held on to the canoe, and instructed me to get out. Getting out, one of my Crocs slipped off at the heel, but because of my rubber band, it didn’t go anywhere.  I reached down to my foot and fixed it.

Luckily, we could all stand, but the water was probably waist deep.  Trevor held on to the canoe, and the three of us slowly walked over to the banking.  It was very slippery, and the current was pretty strong.  I had made the mistake of wearing capri sweat pants, and had to sit in them the entire rest of the way.

We got back into the canoe, and the rest of the trip went off without a hitch.  Trevor did a lot of stern talking to my dad, most of which was him saying “Just sit still, I got it.”  My dad kept pointing and shifting his weight, and I was terrified that we were going to go under again.  I was gripping the canoe and making my fingers white.  We were out for well over an hour, and when we were 90% done, I finally started to get very cold, and my teeth started to chatter.

It was a very fun, but I think we need to go back, wade through the water a bit, and trim off the tree branches that were in our way.  We had to paddle through them, and each time we had to cover our faces.  I got a few scratches on my arms, but nothing major.

We smelled like gross fish on the way home, and dad and I were desperate to take a shower.

I think my dad is covering his feet on purpose so you can’t see his white socks and black Crocs.

Sopping wet!

It was fun, and I would definitely do it again.  Next time, I would wear a bathing suit, and I would wear non-water absorbing shorts.   I have great running shorts that aren’t woven, so they’d be great.  I think we need to cut some of the branches first, though.  We also decided that three people in one canoe is too much.  It makes the canoe too heavy.  Trevor also thought that kayaking would be a lot easier.

They never did end up going Sunday morning.  Trevor thought it was too dangerous to bring other people out.  Trevor also realized Friday night that he had lost his wedding ring when we tipped over.  He grabbed on to the canoe, and the water rushing by so fast must have caught it, and pulled it off.  D’oh!  Luckily, it wasn’t the ring he was married in (they had replaced them when they got enough money).

Got an awesome fake tattoo at work last night. I went to a party after work, and brought some to share. It says “BadGal” and is an advertisement for Benefit’s BadGal mascara.

Saturday morning we went out to Coggshall to clean up some storm damage.  Coggshall is this very nice large park in Fitchburg (where Megan got married), but because of all the damage, the government Parks people said that we couldn’t open the park because of the damage.  Joel Kaddy organized a clean up on Saturday, and I went with my parents (at 8am!).

Trees were actually ripped out of the earth, and were laying across the street.  The DPW had been in earlier to chainsaw the large trees.

We were suppose to pick up these large branches, and carry them to the side of the road to be picked up.  Everything 30 feet back needed to be cleared.

I got a good slice in my arm that really hurt, and started bleeding.  I didn’t have crappy jeans to wear, so I wore yoga pants.  Bad idea, because the jeans would have protected my legs better.  I also have a big scrape and bruise on my upper thigh.

After cleaning, dad came home and changed to go to the movies with my mom.  Since I wasn’t going out with him, I told him he should add to his look by adding his bright red suspenders.  He thought it was a good idea.

Trevor came over on sunday to help chop firewood out of an old tree that we had taken down.  Trevor banged on the window, and said “If you want to live in a mini house by yourself, you better come outside and learn how to chop firewood!”

You can see this piece of wood nicely breaking in half.

I am currently down in Dartmouth visiting Rob again.  I’m coming every month, so this is my April trip.  In March, we ate a bunch of strawberries and watched a bunch of movies.  Last night we watched Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, which was awesome.  Later today we’re going to see Sunshine Cleaning.  He has a blog here.