Layla's Dark and Foreboding Weblog

I'm one of those people who needs to constantly be looking forward to something. It doesn't have to be huge, just something. More times than not, it's a trip - either one that I'm making, or someone coming to visit me. Well, I'll tell y'all right the hell now, I'm done with visitors for a while. My summer has been a non-stop revolving door of houseguests, from my little bro A getting here in mid-June and staying until late August, to my brother J, M's cousin and her band consisting of 7 people, Z spending a fun-filled birthday weekend, to my Dad being here for almost a week. ENOUGH! I love it, really. But last night, M and I stretched out on the couch to watch TV and eat leftovers, we were in heaven. In all-alone-and-can-fart-as-loud-as-we-want Heaven.

So now that the hub-bub of summer is dying down, things will start to slow down until we hit the holidays. That's cool. I'm ok with that. But before we get all comfy, we have some really awesome things to look forward to:

First, a trip to San Diego. We were last there in April, and this trip is for a wedding for M's friends that will be a lovely drinkfest/reunion of the people who came to ours last year. We're really excited about this. We'll hang with my Mom for a few days, play with her new dog, drink, sleep...you know. Vacationy stuff.

Second, I figured that the most responsible thing to do when one gets fired is to plan a huge trip with your girlfriends. Right? So...Z, S and I are going to Paris! We're heading out in mid-October for a week there, we rented an apartment and everything. I'm so excited, it's not even funny. I'm brushing up on my crappy French, and even bought a phrase book, so I can whip it out on the street and embarrass Z and S by leafing through it on the street. I'll even use a French accent. I've been obsessed with the whole trip over the past few days, I even had a dream ENTIRELY in French the other night. I'd venture to guess that it wasn't actually French, but fake, dream French. But I was so confused and frustrated. I mean, I took French for years in school, so I do remember a bit, but not enough to actually have a conversation.

Either way, I'm a good traveler. I can walk for miles, and I love pastry. I can drink a lot of wine and eat a lot of rich foods. I'm polite to people, and never assume you can speak English. I'll always attempt to butcher your language first, before saying "Parlez vous Anglais?” I know the drill. But at the end of the day, I'M GOING TO PARIS! With my girls! M is slightly jealous, but is getting over it quickly by planning a fishing trip in Florida with his pops. Have fun fishing, honey! I'll be drinking Bordeaux and eating things like Religieuse à la fraise and Millefeuille praliné.

So. Excited! If any of you have good Paris tips, please let me know. Last time I was there was when I was 8 years old, nursing a 102.3 fever (or whatever the metric equivalent of that is), and I was force fed a jambon and fromage sandwich. Ham and swiss, people. From that day on, I have never, ever, ever eaten ham or swiss. The smell of both makes me want to hurl. Hopefully this trip will be hurl free. Wish me bon chance!

YAY!

*Would you show me that in this dictionary?