Just returned from my dad's. What a time I had. Firstly, some sad news; the day that I left, my mom found one of our cats, Wendy, dead in the backyard, apparently frozen to death. She's since been buried. I debated whether or not to go, as my mom was quite upset, but ultimately she persuaded me to go. My sister and I drove to Tennessee. A fairly uneventful drive. We arrived at my dad's house in time to find him and Michelle, my stepmother, watching the last part of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The following day, we went out to eat at a restaurant called O'Charley's with Michelle's parents, George and Vicki, and two uncles, either George or Vicki's brothers, and finally a great-grandparent nicknamed "Meemaw," who is awesome.
That night, it was time for our belated Christmas presents. As to what I got my dad and step-siblings... well, I accidentally left those at the house. I'd gotten my father a DVD of Master of the World, and my stepbrother Dylan a Tennessee Volunteers football helmet. I couldn't think of what to get stepsister Paige. But with the shock of Wendy's death, I was a little preoccupied and consequently, as soon as I'd gotten my suitcases loaded into the car, I wanted to just be on the road. By the time I realized I'd forgotten the presents, it was way too late to turn back. We called my dad and he said it was fine. Later, both Dylan and Paige agreed that my reason for forgetting them was an understandable one. As it turns out, one of the movies we watched was Gremlins, and Paige thought Gizmo was adorable, and wouldn't shut up over how cute he was. I asked her if she wanted a Gizmo plush, and she said yes; so now I know what to send her when I send my dad's DVD and Dylan's football helmet.
I was given a silver pocketwatch with my initials engraved on it, a digital camera and a DVD of The Cabin in the Woods, as well as a new shirt almost identical to a favorite one I once had but tore up when angry. This, plus some spendin' money. An altogether decent haul! That day, we watched Where Eagles Dare and The Expendables 2. The following day, it was off to the nearby shopping center to blow my Christmas money. First stop, Target, where I nabbed some new pants. I also got Gremlins on DVD for my sister, she having misplaced her own copy. I also saw World War Z by Max Brooks in paperback for 20% cover price, but passed it up because Books-A-Million was on my list of stores to visit. At Best Buy, Dylan and I found nothing particularly worth getting, and so it was off to the bookstore. Here, I snatched up a graphic novel edition of The Hobbit, The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells and I Am Legend by Richard Matheson. They had World War Z... in hardcover for $30! So I said fuck that, returned to Target, and got theirs for far, far cheaper.
After eating at Barbecue Wild Wings, we went home. Before dinner, I went with my sister and Michelle to Wal-Mart, where I attempted to find the Axis and Allies board game. No dice. I did however find Resident Evil: Retribution on DVD with the first film as a bonus. Say what you will about the Paul W.S. Anderson Resident Evil films, but I'm a sucker for Milla Jovovich. This two-pack completes my collection. The following day was "lazy day," and we didn't really do much except play Clue a few times, which I'd brought with my (my old copy of the 1992 edition, missing the knife and lead pipe). Dylan won the first two games, the little sucker. Michelle won the third. I, shockingly, won the fourth and final game of the evening (it was Professor Plum in the ball room with the lead pipe!). Then it was bedtime. Up the next day and an early start to return home today, although a storm moving through Knoxville and Nashville slowed us down, as did traffic going through Raleigh.
At a Hess station, I found, amongst their DVD selection (which included of all things the two-disc special edition of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock!), Runaway starring Tom Selleck! Now there is a random movie to find for sale in a gas station! This became the fourth and final DVD I acquired on the trip. My sister and I also nabbed for my mother a little cat figurine and a plush leopard holding a flower. I clucked like a chicken most of the drive home, annoying my sister. Finally we arrived home. She dropped me off and then drove on to her house. I came inside, hugged my mom, ate dinner with her, told her of my adventures and so on and so forth, then shaved, showered, and wrote this little journal. Phew.
While I was away, Monty the rabbit had to go to Avian & Exotic to get some bunny dental work done, and although he's home now and eating fine, the vet said he needs some pain medicine. It's given in a little needle-less syringe. It tastes like apple and all I have to do is stick it in his mouth and squirt. He loves it. I was so happy seeing him, Scooter, my mom, and, yes, all the damn cats again. Be it ever so messy, there's no place like home.
Tomorrow we're gonna do a little funeral of sorts for poor Wendy. Yeah, she's just a cat, but we loved her. After this, I'm hoping I can get back to my regular schedule, seeing as how I owe some people some art and some stories and so on and so forth. Fear not, guys! I'll get around to it, hopefully soon.
