partake in summer, wont you

Well now that it is summer one would want to reach out and partake in all those fun summer activities and enjoyable little things that you can never find time to do while juggling school. Some may say summer is a time to relax and loll around their homes all day, but I would really enjoy doing something with my time. So in an attempt to make some type of a plan, or at least fill my mind with ideas, I, Cielle Charron, will make a list. This list will hold in it, things I mean to accomplish before the summer is up, and if I do not get done, will proceed to be disappointed in myself. I do understand that this is a very selfish thing to wright about in a blog that others may read, and the list was made for myself, but maybe it will come in handy to some bored kid like me, looking for a good use of time.

5 things to accomplish before the summer ends:

1.Read: DaVinci Code, The Orchid Thief, Paul was the Walrus, and The Whole

2.Visit: Portland, Ashland, Seattle, Eugen, a park, the beach,and a fair at least once

3.Attend: at least two concerts, five movies, one play, and a party or two

4.Ride: a train, a bus, my bike, and a horse (i think Lacey can work that out)

5.Make: a dress, some ugly dolls, a movie, some songs, and a drawing book.

So their it is. How many do you think I can do? Make a guess, make it a fun bet with your friends, or test your self and see how many you can do.

I'm sorry this post was a bit boring, and selfish. I should be posting interesting and helpful bits of information like , Lacey's little bit about the trains, but give me a break, I've been working all week, and am not sleeping, so my brain has turned to gobbilty gook.

NARP

NARP the National Association of Rail Passengers, has just called my house and informed me of a rather grim announcement geared toward their railway system. This being that President Bush's fiscal budget for 2006 would render Amtrak non existent because they would not receive the appropriate amount of money to sustain their passenger system. Meaning goodbye train passenger transit in America. This is not a very pleasent thought for many who love trains like my Pop, he is a major train enthusiast and knows everything about trains old and new. Just ask him post a question about trains and I'll get an answer for you. The very thought that Amtrak may soon be devoured by a dastardly vote to eliminate funds by our president, gives every member of the NARP a rude spine aching shock.
So a moment ago a pre-recorded message pops up when I answer the phone and tells me this rather long talk about how late wedsenday to early thursday there will be a decision made on this issue. To get further information on this ACTUAL NEWS TOPIC click here and read more.

Kira

So you haven’t the slightest idea who kira is. And you wonder every day who it could be, you ponder, you imagine you contemplate and think, who is Kira? Though you may not have thought that it was a dog. Because I have a theory that it, she is, not only a dog but a cat, rooster, pig and rabbit. I’ll explain why in a moment.
This dog has a weird way of behaving, she is mild and tame, but screams and yelps incredibly deafening squeals when one tries their best to pick her up smoothly. There really isn’t a correct way, except, don’t pick her up. She is afraid, all the time, and not from big things such as loud noises or someone who wishes to hold her, but from minor things. She is scared when someone comes over to pet her, someone blows gently into her face, a touch on the nose, or even a slight movement of her food or water bowl. When her best friend died she quickly found out and started to hang out with rabbits or any other creature she met. She’ll chase a ball but won’t give it back, she’ll let you pet her, but not pick her up, she’ll eat her food, only if it is mixed, she’ll go for walks, only if she can choose where to go, and she’ll go outside for a bathroom break but when she comes back in she expects to get a treat.

Now here are the reasons I think Kira has had animals of another species as role models:

1. Kira arches her back like a cat when you pet her on her there: cat role model.
2. Kira doesn’t bark, she crows like a rooster: rooster role model.
3. Kira is afraid of any sudden motions: cat role model.
4. Kira perks up her ears at the sound of any noise and hops around the yard as would a rabbit: rabbit role model.
5. Kira eats vegetables willingly but won’t eat everything you hand her.: rabbit role model.
6. Her tail curls up in a spiral like look when she is excited: pig role model.

I also think she has been influenced by a number of human coach potatoes because she enjoys watching TV and sits around in the same spot for hours.
We didn’t buy Kira when she was little she had a previous owner and a previous name. Her original owner was going to die from a horrible disease and needed to get rid of her many pets, it’s a very sad story. Kira’s original name her original owner gave her was Marley.

A night in the trees

A word to the wise, it is best to decide that you have no desire to see a movie, before you actually pay for your ticket, and sit in your seat. This tip may have come to use Tuesday night when I "saw" Star Wars for the third time. The whole deal was started by our friend Maddie, who proposed we see a movie. We were all set to see a movie at 7:30, but only if our friends Wes and Rob came, and sure enough, come they did not. So we all went home to invite more people to the 9:00 showing of Star Wars. Our hour long search only ended in tears. Well not quite that far, but we found no soul to go, we couldn't even reach half the people we wanted, and the ones we did somehow reach were forced to listen to our uncoordinated chatter, and Maddie yelling in the phone. So the three of us, Maddie, Lacey and I, discouraged that we found no one, went by ourselves. When we sat down in the front row, I think we all unknowingly, thought the same thing, "oh god, not this again". I forget who first mentioned it, but we all soon realized that we were about to spend 2 hours+ in theater, watching a movie, we did not want to see. As we discussed what we should do (I suggested walking into another theater… they didn't go for it). The movie was slowly beginning, and when "In a Galaxy far far way..." began, a simultaneous grown came from the three of us. We soon found our way to the parking lot, trying to catch popcorn in our mouths, and waiting for a ride home, we made a mess, but give us a break, it was windy. What next? well, after a long debate, we decided the best course of action was to go sit in Maddie's old tree fort. About an hour latter we were sitting in the fort, wearing head lamps, eating newly bought brownie ice cream, and listening to the Queen tape I had bought a few days earlier.
We stayed up their for about two hours, only listening to half the tape because we ran out of batteries, and I wanted to listen to another tape that I got at Goodwill as well
but those damn batteries!
We also heard a pretty terrifying raccoon fight, it seemed I was the only one frightened, and Maddie is the one afraid of raccoons, that doesn't make me look too good.

Don't you fret, we saw a movie, the following night, last night, we saw Batman Begins, both Maddie and I have seen it twice. And we found people to go! Yes, it ended up being very lovely.

Maybe this proves I can not only sleepwalk but sleepthink.

This morning around twelve thirty I had a puissant impulse to write poetry. I couldn’t sleep so I thought, what the hemorrhoid! So I got myself a piece of paper and a writing instrument and began, and here is a snippet from what poured out of me at 12:43 am:

For so long you have been in the atmosphere,
Drifting slowly to another place in time
Reaching far up to the particles in space
Slowly do they then combine.
Show me now or show me then
What does lie within the thin,
of your thoughts?
Dare I ask you again?

You’ve become a cloud
Meeting up with love abounds.
Shooting stars and distant suns
Revolve around your little ones.
Through it all I see that you,
In a different world have moved
And live a life as pleasurable as mine,
Though you have much less than I.

Ten wild bucks to whoever can post an on topic comment first.

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I have been extremely busy working on this crazy patchwork design and so far out of the many hours I have been at it, I have only managed to sew 20 patches. I think I need to stop using the fancy design stitches a return to normal.
This weekend my next door neighbor has asked me a favor, and that is to take care of their American Eskimo for a few days while they visit Canada. Although it’s a miniscule summer job, I was glad to get it because they have a very nice backyard that is fun to sit in. They also have rows of raspberries, strawberries and peas, as you see here:

It goes back all the way to that far tall tree, and on the left in that dark area is a small tunnel that goes back all the way to the other side of their yard. (they live on a two acre lot, that’s big for a coldasac)

The Staff →

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We here at the blogger HQ, would like you to recognize a well laid out sidebar, with useful links and interesting to the eye displays. Nice job Lacey and Cielle.
We appreciate the effort all of you bloggers put into your blogs so keep it up, and maybe we will post this message on your blog also.

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Hail to the king

Hail to the king
Originally uploaded by Lacey_and_Cielle.

Nice picture, right?

Road Side Attractions

Road Side Attractions
Originally uploaded by Meticulouslymeddling.

On my trip to Salmon Idaho, a group of wild sheep had found their way down the hill on the opposite side of the road, to this wonderful patch of grass. My car and the small sudan coming from the other direction slowed down to almost a stop, so I could snap a photo, and get a good look. As we crawled past them they seemed unphased by us, they continued to enjoy the grass as if we weren't there. There must have been about 7 or 8 of them on the roadside, and still more comng across the road. I suggest you take the road to Lost Trail Pass from Missuola whenever you're in Montana.

Real Summer

Yes, yes it is summer. Its a magnificent feeling, not having any obligations, and the fact that the ones you do have are great fun! Despite the somewhat cloudy weather a bit of the time, every thing is good. Birds are singing, the grill is cooking, the emo kids are out of their long winter sulk, and are now just mildly depressed, and I am free to do as I please!

It works.

Summer's here, two and one half months of sanguinely pleasureable times before another year of work (for some). As Cielle had mentioned, this summer will be enjoyable, with trips, and other such amenities for fun. Yesterday I got a new watch, and for some strange reason I am proud of it, very proud.

It seems we have been updating flickr more than we have this blog, so I suggest, if you haven’t lately, to look at our flickr just click on Our Flickr over there on the links side! Come on you know you want to.
So I have been taking plenty of trips back and forth from Salmon Idaho, to visit family since my Grandpa had died on June 4th. Just Yesterday I returned on a 15 hour drive from Salmon to Corvallis, all the way, I did Mad Libs, discussed the gold rush and old railroad systems with my Dad, now I really want to take the Empire Builder Train from Portland to Chicago.
I think I want to read a lot of comic books this summer, I already have started reading a compilation of The Far Side cartoons, but it isn’t enough.

Graduation

Yesterday, my brother Brandon, graduated from highschool, all my cousins aunts and remaining grandparents came for the occasion. While Cielle took pictures of the cloud rippled sky I sat in a chair in the Cresent Valley courtyard, looking up at that sky. My Aunt adopted a boy from Russia, who is 3 right now, and only has one arm, as a result of Chernoble. My cousins, are active, while I hold my niece in one arm, Kuzma (the russian cousin) will want a piggy back ride, and try climbing on my back, as one will pull my free hand in an awkward direction, and last put not least one will tell me a not so thrilling review of a Disney movie, all at the same moment. FUN.

CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES! (That means you too Shakeer!)

Also while I was on my trip to Salmon last week, I wrote down some random thoughts, I'll post a preview later.

please, something to do

Once again, it is the weekend, and here I am, with nothing to do. I have been visiting the computer every 5 minutes, looking at the same things, hoping that something happened, and surprise surprise, this last 5 minutes, brought no more than the last. I really need to find something that I can do around the house, that is simple, but fun. The rush to find this thing is becoming even greater, due to the fact that I will soon be spending 24 hour periods, locked in the house. Yes, that’s right, summer. So if anyone has any suggestions, things to do, sites to look at, anything, that will pass the time fast, post a comment, and tell me. (If there is anyone that reads this blog, we would appreciate any input you have, in a comment). I really hope my summer is not all long boring periods of time stuck at home, relying on people to tell me what to do. I’m doing all I can to prevent that, I have already signed up for a few things here and there, Video editing class, volunteer corp., you know. I just wish I had a car,) and was able to drive that car) so I could go places you know, but for now, I’m gonna have to make do with a bus pass. If I had my way, my summer would be full of road trips, parties, and shows, someday, someday it will happen! I do have a few family trips, and might go to Seattle with some friends once or twice, and Lacey and I want to plan some trips, to wherever we can get without our own car (we want to take a train), but we’ll see. I know for sure we (Lacey and I) will hang around downtown a lot, and try going somewhere further away, but that is up to parents, so it’s not looking too bad!

Not so Happy in Salmon

I wish you the best of luck Cielle, and I'll see you Monday.
I left Wednesday afternoon from school, with my family headed to the tinsy tiny town of Salmon Idaho, backed into the corner of a narrow valley. We left so quickly and suddenly, because my granpa who was 91 had just died, not from sickness or bad health, he was just ready to go, he was old. (91, yes, I believe thats pretty old) It really came as a shock to the whole family, one day, he was happy and bubbly the next, dead. We had to stop everything, and leave town. With only three days of school left, of my eigth grade year, it wasn't easy to just leave.
All my cousins are here and when we head home Saturday, hopefully to get back before my brothers graduation on Sunday. We'll cut it rather close.

A mix?, for summer?, could it be?

Yes I am starting to make my very own mix, that I can listen to all summer long. I have most of the songs I want to use in it, I may add some later, and I am still uncertain on the song order, but its looking pretty good so far.
(itunes is not letting me change the order of the songs in the playlist, if anyone knows how to fix this, could you tell me how?)

So this is what the mix looks like, as of now, mind you it is a work in progress & that these are only the songs I want to use, not the final:

Falling Out Of Love (With You) - The 6ths
Tidal Wave - Apples in Stereo
Indian Summer - Beat Happening
Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles
A Summer Wasting - Belle & Sebastian
Watch the Sunrise - Big Star
If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out - Cat Stevens
All You Need Is Love (The Life At Brian’s Sessions) - Echo & The Bunnymen
In the Summer - Fastbacks
It’s Summertime - The Flaming Lips
Real Summer - Future Bible Heroes
Cool Guitar Boy - Heavenly
Celebrated Summer - Husker Du
Ice Cream Man - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers
The Luckiest Guy On The Lower East Side - The Magnetic Fields
Love Goes Home To Paris In The Spring - The Magnetic Fields
Theme From Nice - Nice
A Collection of Poems About Water - Of Montreal
Summer Babe (Winter Version) - Pavement
Ivy Boy - Polaris
The Gloating Sun - The Shins
Song For My Sugar Spun Sister - The Stone Roses

I understand I broke the rule of putting two songs by the same artist on the same mix, but god help me, I wanted both of them!
I am genuinely looking forward to listening to it this summer.


Speaking of summer, only one week of school remains. Summer is so close, I can almost taste the barbecues and ice cream! But for another week, I am a slave to school, and homework (altought the work could be a lot worse). I’m just going to have to enjoy the good elements of school, and ignore the allure of the lovely weather. Wish me luck!, or not, ‘cause that’s just as good.

Prank

My (Lacey) Brothers Fabulous Prank
Originally uploaded by Lacey_and_Cielle.

As many folks know, seniors in high school are known to have wild senior pranks, some may try to have confetti in balloons and some may hide clocks in people's lockers and have the alarms ring simultaneously.
My brother and a few other devoted seniors gathered to create their own prank to pull.
They spent a few weeks planning and a whole weekend putting their brilliant plan into action.
Their Plan: Flood the quad courtyard in their high school and use boats to carry people across this now lake-like courtyard. With flowers blooming around the miniature lake, it reminded me of the Union Station in St Louis, you know, Union Station waterfront; flooded high school courtyard, Same thing.
So yesterday, after a Marimba Band concert on a really remote farm near our town, my family visited the half-flooded quad, and it amazed me.
They had, sand bags and insulation spray to plug the holes, and they had covered the wooden benches with a thick plastic so they would not rot with all the water around them. There is a tall tree growing in the center of the courtyard, and in this square they built a deck so they would be able to raise the water level higher. It became an island, an island in the middle of the Crescent Valley quad. The hours of labor and pure genius of the plan stunned many teachers and students alike. The quad was now a gorgeous oasis complete with an island.
Then there's always the clean up and jerks who throw large rocks at the people getting ferry rides around the lake.
Some people today already knew about the plan, and I was proud to say, "Hey, My brother was in on that!" and he was, he totally was.
I saw a kid at my school today who was also in on the flooded quad, and surprisingly enough he was talking about it to someone so I said, "And hey, I was there." and he responds, "Oh yeah!" took him a bit to get who I was, "Only you're best friends sister!" and that’s that.
But anyway this is such a big even t I want you to…
More flooded quad photos will arrive soon.

I CAN play the guitar.

lalalalala, I have not posted for a week!

So now that I'm writing, I will write. Soooo, what to write, I guess my weekend. So on Friday night was the last school dance of the year, and of my middle school career, so I felt obligated to go. It was actualy quite a bit more enjoyable then the average dance, because there was quite a bit less dancing, and people that usualy don't go, went. One of those people, was Daniel, who spent the whole time doing the dance he had learnd from wathcing one too many Stevie Wonder concerts, and wearing a white polyester shirt, that tied up in the front. Yes, all kinds of crazy things, that are unspeakable, so I will not speak of them. Then Maddie spent the night, and we wathced Happy Gilmore, and I slept quite comfortably on the couch. She awakend quite early, because it was her sibling's birthday, and I slept for another 3 hours. Then, later that day my mother and I made shortbread cookies, and prepared a screen, for silk screening. This was all done fairly late at night, and while this was taking place I was also watching the Starlight parade, and making paper CD cases. We then watched Saturday Night Live, and retired to our sleeping quarters. This morning, I was rudely awakend by a phone call from none other then Lacey, who was inquiring to when she may come to my house, I quickly got ready and said "any time". When Lacey arived, about an hour later, we dipped the shortbread we had made the previous day, in chocolate. We then silk screaned pathces, with the screen we had prepared the previous day. The patches that were made were little K record symbols, K kitties, and Polaris constlations. Then we just ran around, visting a family friend, who just like myself, dog had died, (my dog died last Friday, the 27th).

When we got back, we ironed our patches, and I learned that I am in fact, not good with an iron. I burned myself three times. One of the burns came quite comically, I was attempting to dance and iron at the same time, which does in fact, not work, and I fell quite hard on the floor, pulling the iron on top of me, we had a good laugh. OOOOOHHH! BURN!
Most of the day was spent irritating my mother, on accident, I swear. Almost everything she would say, I would repeat, I was not even aware I was doing it! It was very similar to, if you ever read Kurt Vonnegut's "Breakfast of Champions", to when Dwayne Hoover had a short lived tic, that would make him repeat the last word of what was said to him. I also told her that she "reeked of death" when she asked why the neighbor's dog was avoiding her. It was not too unrealistic, the dog that was avoiding her was almost the same dog that had died in our house a week before. Do you think the dog could have known?

Well, I have to go do school stuff, yes I still have school for another week and a half!