Wednesday - Saturday

Wednesday morning I woke up rather early and completed some "training" we have to finish prior to orientation in a couple of weeks. My roomie got home around lunch time and we decided to head to the beach! It was H-O-T, but still nice to be at the beach. We left after a couple of hours because we needed some cold water to drink! We then went to the grocery store to get food to make supper. Roommate had found a recipe for a veggie tart (looked like a veggie pizza....kind of) that she wanted to try, so we got the ingredients for that as well as for a yummy peach cobbler she wanted to make! Back at home, we both took showers and prepared the meal. We had to chop up a bunch of veggies - eggplant, red peppers, tomatoes, zucchini - and added oil and garlic and salt and pepper. We mixed that all and then had to bake them in the oven for half an hour or so. We then formed the crust and put the veggies in and let that cook for another half hour. In the meantime, she made the cobbler. It all turned out so well and was so delicious! We enjoyed it very much and decided to put it in the "make this again" file!

That night, a couple of roomie's friends from school came to hang out with us. It was fun getting to know them and hearing them talk about pharmacy school. It made me even more excited!

Thursday morning we got up and headed to her house. Her family lives in another part of Charleston on the river, so we went there. Her dad was home. We made breakfast - yummy scrambled cheese eggs and toast with black raspberry jam and grape juice. It was splendid! Then her dad took us out on the boat. He rode around for a while, showing us some of the elaborate homes that line the riverbanks. And then the fun began..... We took turns tubing. At first, her dad went easy on us, but then he turned up the heat! Somehow I didn't get thrown off, but I was worn out when I finished! Roomie unfortunately got thrown from the tube. We had to wear goggles to keep the salt water from stinging and getting into our eyes. It was fun. After that, we docked the boat and sat outside in the shade for a while. It would be so nice to have a home on the river! Her dad then treated us to lunch at Zaxby's! Delicious as usual! Then we headed back to the house. I was pretty much packed to go home, but then I remembered that my rent was due. I had explained to the realtor that I had just opened a new account and had no card or checks with me, so he said I could get cash from an ATM, go to a bank, get a cashier's check, and then turn that in. So I was expecting this to be an easy process and that it wouldn't take more than an hour. Ha, was I wrong!

Lessons learned:
1. Do not expect to easily access an ATM in downtown Charleston.
2. Do not expect to drive around easily in downtown Charleston.
3. Do not expect to take out a large amount of money, such as the money needed to pay one month's rent, in one day's time. Most banks have limits.
4. Do not expect to be able to get a cashier's check in a bank that you do not have an account with.
5. Do not expect girls your age to be nice to you when you are in a pickle and need help. Unfortunately, do expect them to judge you and be rude. I could do a whole separate post on this, and maybe will...... (NOTE: This is NOT a nock to all the girls out there my age. Just the ones who worked at the bank I went to and at another office who rolled their eyes at me and spoke to me like a 12-year-old.)
6. Do not ever move to a place without forgetting your new banking info.

My mother was a lifesaver to me during this times and encouraged me and helped me through it, just like she does with everything. Thanks, Mommy!

After all was said and done, I ended up having a little over half of what the rent was in cash, so he took that and asked that I bring the rest in a personal check on Monday. I cried as I walked back to my car, thankful that I had been spared, but so distressed from all that had happened in so short a time. I started driving home after that, and couldn't have been happier to get home! I unpacked and my boyfriend came to visit for a while. We watched a special on Shark Week about shark bites that was pretty awesome.

On Friday, I woke up early with my graduation present on my mind. My dad promised me a new computer, and I chose the 13 inch MacBook Pro. I would have gotten it earlier, but we decided to get it on tax-free weekend to save the extra money! My mom was kind enough to take off from work for a few hours to go with me, so off to the Apple store we went! I expected a line, and sure enough, there was one. We only had to wait 15 minutes. Now, let me preface this next part by saying that if you have never been to an Apple store to buy something or to talk to someone, you may be shocked by the quality of service you will receive. When it was time for Mom and I to enter the store, an employee came outside to meet us, introduced himself and found out our names, and guided us inside. I told him that I knew exactly what I wanted, and he answered all our questions and was extremely helpful. Below are a few highlights of the trip:

1. He went on a random MacBook in the store, got online and typed in a website, and then proceeded to "order" the products I needed, submitted the request, which then went to the back of the store, and within five minutes an employee brought out everything we wanted!
2. He scanned the credit card and printed the receipt from some kind of specialized iPod touch. I then had to sign it using only a finger!
3. I got a free* iPod touch (8 GB) and HP printer because I was buying the computer for school!
*I have to send a rebate in to get a Visa card back worth the amount of those items. 
4. I got a discount on the computer and on the protection plan because the computer is for school.

All in all, I walked out of the store happy! I have been playing with the new toys a lot the last couple of days and I LOVE them!

Friday afternoon, I took my sister to get matched for some new mineral makeup (like the kind I have been using for several months now), and then had to go get my hair highlighted and cut. That evening, I went to hang out with my boyfriend's family and had some of his dad's delicious cheeseburgers! I enjoyed my time with them, watching the Braves induct Tom Glavine into the hall of fame, watching Say Yes to the Dress, and just spending time with them before I go off to school for a while. I was sad when it was time to leave!

Saturday I woke up pretty early and talked to dad for a while. I then made scrambled cheese eggs and toast while he made grits and ham, and then we fed mom and Sissy too. I spent a good bit of time in the morning trying to get iTunes and some other things on my computer set up. I was also able to successfully download Microsoft Office '08 and get that set up. I still have a lot to learn with this computer, but luckily it is very user-friendly and there are a lot of helpful resources out there. In the afternoon, we all showered and got ready to brave the crowd to look for a few things that Sissy and I need for school. Some good finds from today:

1. New bowls and matching plates for my kitchen at school - turquoise, yellow, red, and white are the colors and I think they will match my new red kitchen very well! (Ross)
2. Ice cube trays - not your average ice cube trays, these are frozen in long thin cylinders so that they can easily be dropped into water bottles! (Bed Bath & Beyond)
3. Vanilla Lime Yankee Candle - my FAVORITE Yankee Candle scent! (Bed Bath & Beyond)
4. Casablanca special edition set for only $6.99 - have never seen the movie but have heard good things and can't wait to open this special set! I can't believe it was so cheap! (Ross)
5. Silicone cases for my new iPod touch - in teal and purple, these are good to keep the new toy safe! (Best Buy)

It has been a great day. Tomorrow we move Sissy back to school. I hope that I won't blubber like a baby after we leave her this time! It will be hard to see her go, but I know she must! Leaving mom and dad is always hard too, but they are so supportive and encouraging, even from hours away!