Liver spots-

This weekend was AWESOME and sad. Awesome because we had eventful times. Sad because I left my fantastic girls.

Friday we were going to see a Rugby game, but ended up doing something else. Jas and I pretty much spent the day together. I went to her history class, then we read at the library, cleaned our house for Saturday cleaning checks. We headed to her brother's house for a soccer dinner party. It was fun. We arrived pretty early and slipped out for a second to shop at the creamery.

We got to Colton, Jasmyn's brother, 's house again and they were watching basketball. There were a couple boys there sitting far from us. This boy named Steve was there. He got off his mission at the end of January. He's a suiter.

Anyways, he was watching me talk about Europe to Colton and just laughed at me. I was animated, I'm excited to be going to Europe. Colton was talking about coming with me and Jasmyn and we started researching plane tickets. Colton got enthused. We were nuts, ecstatic, Colton was hitting the couch. It was getting crazy. Then we prayed and ate.

While we ate, Steve sat by me and we had a wonderful talk. He lives in Idaho and was visiting for a couple days b/c of his recent mission return. He was cute, friendly, he touched my arm. I touched his arm. Ok, I admit it, I held his arm with my hand a couple times and just felt his bicep. It's a weird thing to admit. I can't help myself. I loved it.

Then I thought I felt a googie in my nose. I itched it. He itched his nose. I felt awkward, he felt awkward. We kept swiping. I'm sure he thought I was trying to tell him something. There was nothing to tell, it was all me. I should have just said something like, "Wow, my nose itches." The situation could have easily diffused. Oops. Manlove ruination.

Saturday Jas, Braden who loves her, and I went hiking. We went up Rock Canyon. It was fine outside, I wore sandals and capris, and we loved inside us some pancakes at 7 a.m. Jas conjured them up. She makes some delicious good pancakes. They have oats, brown sugar, and all sorts of love.

Ten minutes into the hike snow started rearing its ugly face. Snow, all sorts of snow, and piles of snow started piling alongside and into the trail. We hiked to a campground and warmed our feet by a fire. These guys had spent the night there. They said it was freezing that night. I believe it. The snow up there was knee deep. We held our feet over the fire and tried drying our socks. Then we hurried down so we could go to our roomie Julene's performance. She was amazing.

Then we headed up to Spanish Fork for the Hari Krishna color festival. I didn't spell it right, that's ok. Then we threw colors around and had an amazing time. I invited Jeff and his friend Tyler to come b/c he wanted to see me before I left for Germany.

I also invited my friend Ryan to come with us. He rode with the boys and had some good times in their truck. After the color throwing Jeff and Tyler got lost. I had their phones with me... inconvenient. So we searched for them in the throngs of people forever. Then we ate at Cafe Rio. I had 10 punches on my 11 punch Cafe Rio card. I was leaving the next day for MO. Cafe Rio isn't in MO. So Jas and I bought our meals together and we just split the cost. Meaning we got our meals for half price. Well, Jas gave me a fiver and told me to keep it all because she's amazing and she said I deserved it b/c it was my free me. So yeah, turned out well for both of us.

We watched Back to the Future after cleaning off all the colors. Pink water spattered all over the walls and the runoff was brown. It was awesome! We looked at color festival pictures and watched the movie.

I drove home to MO Sunday. I woke up at 5:30, left at 7 because Jas made me pancakes, and I drove all day. It was not bad at all. I only got tired twice. The first time was an hour after I left. That would have been pathetic..to stop then. So I slipped in a cd my roomie Julene had made me the night before. Luckily, it conjured up sweet sweet memories of our apartment, home, and I bawled like a baby. I could only listen to the first couple songs. That woke me up for a while, then the day was in full swing and I was fine. I listened to the radio and heard many of the same new country songs. One was called "Hey, ya'll." There were others. Turns out the main stations in Nebraska are country. Who knew?

I also got lost on the way and turned too early. That meant lots of driving in rural Nebraska. I talked to Jas, Sarah, my mom, and Ryan on the phone. I ate leftover pepper jack cheese. I ate the pbj sandwich Jas made me. I listened to the second half of the cd. One of the songs was by the Andrew's Sisters. It was about a stripper and the chorus is, "Take it off, take it off, take it off." The ugly crying started then. I was sobbing. It was sad because we always joked about stripping in our house. You know about that stuff. It disheartened me a bit, but I still loved the cd Julene.

I lasted the rest of the night because I talked with hilarious Ryan for a bit, until I got pulled over for going 79 in a 70 mph zone. I kept telling myself to slow down, but didn't do it. I saw policemen all over in Kansas and that's where the tickets always happen. I was slowing down anyway, but I slowed to 65 when I recognized the state print on the side. He still pulled me over.

He said I was going 79 in a 70 and I said, "Seriously?" He said he could prove it to me if I went back to his patrol car to look at it. I said it was ok. I gave him my license, he didn't ask for my registration, he checked me out, and gave me a warning. I think he gave me that b/c I was only going 9 over the limit and because I looked so miserable when he pulled me over.

Then I continued on. My cell battery was low and I had no car charger, so I went on singing to cds. I started following other cars. Then the hallucinations started. I started hallucinating the car lights in front of me were animated characters. They developed faces and personalities. I kept shaking my head and sat forward. I tried to look elsewhere, but the red lights drew my eyes.

I decided I should take a break and barely pulled off to a gas station in Topeka, KS. I sat in the car for about 5 min, staring at the steering wheel. I used the toilet and went outside. I ran around the pumps about 5 times and did 20 jumping jacks. I'm sure they thought I was crazy. Those exercises are suggested by the safe driving movie we watched for bus tours.

The hallucinations stopped and I drove to MO. I got home about 2:30 and was soooo tired. My Dad and youngest brother were awake. I could not believe it b/c they both had school the next day. My Dad asked me a bunch of questions I couldn't classify b/c of my exhaustion and I went to my nightly routine. I slipped into the couch at 4 am MO time.

I woke up at 11 am and moved all my boxes from UT to the attic. My sister Cookie came over with Subway sandwiches and her youngest 2 girls. Afterwards I went to watch One Acts at the high school and tennis practice. The One Acts were done, but tennis happened.

I played tennis with Christian when that was over. I'm a sick player. No seriously, if you are a serious tennis player, you would have thrown up. I'm that good. Kimberly (Oliphant) Call came up to visit and we talked while I was lobbing balls over the fence to Christian. I'm pretty sure both of them got wet and it was my fault. It was great to see her.

Then we watched Twilight. I liked the chemistry. Cheesy. I like that. And now I'm tired. I leave for Germany tomorrow at 5 pm. I leave my phone at 1. Email me, I would like that.

Turns out I'm an idiot-

And shouldn't be allowed to manage my own money. Seriously. I am not kidding you. I found out today, the $13 monthly charge I thought was my accident insurance, was really purchasing shield insurance through my bank. I'm an idiot. I just called about it and found out what it is. It's insurance for big purchases, like washers, fridges, computers- you know, crap I never buy.

When I found out what it was, I canceled it immediately. I asked when I had gotten that insurance, and they said I'd gotten it on trial for a month and hadn't canceled it. I said that was impossible, since I'm not a complete idiot and would never need that service so I must have canceled it 2 weeks in. I'm sure of it. Anyways, turns out I am an idiot and lost about $130 on my journey to prove that.

Second, I have been spending way too much money on my car insurance- $360 or so every six months. I don't have that great of a car, and I don't have a job. Further proof I should not be allowed to take care of my own finances. So I've canceled my auto insurance until September, then I'm going to call Geico and maybe change it again, b/c my brother-in-law only pays $160 every six months and he has two cars and the same coverage as me. So yeah.

Third, I'm going to Germany in a week and am missing out on the best month of the school year with my roomies. Granted, I'm taking my life off hold and am going to Europe, but there's that touch of sadness I can't shake. I'm leaving Sunday morning bright and early and will probably call every person I know so I don't fall asleep at the wheel

I went snowboarding for the first time in my life two weeks ago. I went night boarding. It was a blast but tiring. I found out the boy I liked is amazing and likes my roomie Jas. That's just fine with me. I don't like these boys I know. Too easily crossed off the list. Boys, bah right now.

I'm going to be trying to keep up this blog for the next couple weeks, months, forever. Keep on keeping on. I leave for Germany Tuesday. A week from today. Ba ha ha. Anyone want to come with me? Love, Merilee

P.s. Please don't be offended if I don't answer your phone calls in the next three months...I'm putting my phone on hold, so I'll just be emailing and blogging etc.

Today

I fed the ducks some green hash browns. We tried making them Sunday and they were a bust. Well, the ones Jas and I made were a bust because they oxidized. Cyndi's were no bust b/c they were sitting in cold water after a good grating and were rolled in butter and eggs. Way to go roomie of the stars! We also had a Samaritan-Braden- from the ward grate and peel like 10 potatoes. It was nice of him, but the ducks didn't even like 'em. They kept sinking to the bottom of the pond. Way to get on my crush list though B.

Also, I went running with my roomie Jas at 10:30. We ran around the RB, up past the temple, and by the creamery we had to stop because my knee was bustin up... Lame. So we had to walk back the rest of the way. Weirdly enough I think it's because of the warm weather we're having. It's so nice outside- like 60 today.

I should sit outside and that's all. Funny story time. My friend Mike asked this girl he met at a store on a date with peanut butter on his face. Then they doubled with his married friends Ryan and Amberly. Then they told her they had no plans. They decided to knock on doors around Provo and see if someone would feed them.

Amberly did it first, she ran to a door, knocked, and waved them inside. The girl who fed them hors d'oeuvres asked if they were too cheap to buy their dates dinner etc. They also found out the girl Mike had asked out was in high school and he's 25. Hah.

After snacks, they went to a family neighborhood. They knocked on the door of a family, the girl was standing with Mike, but he hid behind a corner, so she looked to be standing alone on the steps. When the lady opened the door, she just stood there on the stoop, looking awkward. Mike popped his head over and asked if they could eat there.

The lady let them in, saying her husband used to be a bishop for a singles ward, so they're used to shenanegans. She said they were having company later, so they could eat some of that food. The girl was sitting by the fridge and looked at it. Then she looked at Ryan, then she looked back at the fridge.

She said, "Do you know these people?" She had seen their wedding invite on the fridge. Ryan said, "Awww man, I thought I'd hid all the pictures with us on them." It was his parents house and the hors d'oeuvre girl was a friend of theirs. Funny huh?

My brother Canute is going to school at BYU right now. We are probably going to do the same thing to a girl he's asking out next week. Funny. We're going to try and keep it a secret we know each other. I'll let you know what happens. Hah.