Sooooooo..... a year and *cough cough* pounds later.....

Alright. I know.

It's been a year. I'm aware.

I'M SORRY!!  Really. Really. Sorry.

I won't make a list of excuses but I'll fill you in on what has been going on with me this last year.

For those of you who saw my posts about my kitty, she ended up dying in October last year. I had her for 17.5 years of her 19 year life. So it was, needless to say, very sad.  I did adopt a cat from the local Animal Control Authority in Feb. I went there to just look. Just look!!!  And what happens? I adopt one. But she's adorable. It was a good decision.

Then, in April, my puppy dog died very suddenly. He was my buddy boy.  He was just shy of 13 years old.  And I miss him lots and lots and lots.  Okay, I'm changing subject since talking about this makes me sad.

BUT!!! On a big life change note!  I moved from California to Florida.  I KNOW! Quite the move. I came out here to take a visiting professor job at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. (Hopefully it will turn into something more permanent.)  I'm really loving the job so this is a good thing!  However - to get here, I had to drive across country.

Wyoming close to the Utah border. 

 I did take some pictures on the way.  Instead of taking the southern route through Arizona, New Mexico, etc. I went the northern route so I could go through Colorado. My friend, Katie, agreed to come with me on my road trip.  There were some extremely picturesque parts of the drive.

(I didn't take pictures through Kansas. Because... well, there wasn't anything to take pictures of.)

Elvis' Boyhood Home in Tupelo, MS.

After stopping at my hometown, we headed on towards Florida.  On the way, we passed through Tupelo, MS.  We thought it was a good idea and decided to stop by Elvis' old boyhood home. I thought my apartment had been small?  That was NOTHING to this small two room house.

The Magic Kingdom

When we finally got to Florida, Katie and I went to DisneyWorld. I wanted to thank her for being cooped up in the car for so long! (And for her doing the driving through Kansas. Which deserves more than just a trip to DisneyWorld.)

Post STS-135 Launch

And the BEST thing about getting out here to Florida:  I got to see STS-135 launch!!!!  (I'm a space geek so this is a big deal for me.) I can't believe that I had never seen a shuttle launch before. But this was the most amazing thing I have EVER seen.

Atlantis after Landing

I got see see Atlantis come home and give my love to her. Yes, I'm aware that it is an inanimate object.  But she seems real to me!














Being so close to the space coast just adds to the coolness factor of living here. I do love it. Well, with the exception of the humidity. Holy heckfire! What is with this humidity?!?!  I like my job. And while I am working... a lot.... I'm still managing to find time to have some "me" time.  I even got a trainer at a local gym!!

So here comes the confession.... with all of this crap that went on.... I gained weight back. A lot of it really.  I'm trying very hard to get back on the wagon.  Getting the eating back on track, getting exercise in. (Oh - which is hard because I now have a stress fracture in my foot. But it's healing.)

Cross your fingers for me! And I'll be back here soon. PROMISE! (And I mean it!)