"beautiful" is the only word i can think of to describe madison, wi. the people, the weather, and the city itself are all ungodly nice and pleasant. the farmer's market (which cat and megan...you would lose your minds over) is full of fresh veggies and dairy products (among ninety other things), all of which are availble for free samplin'. i've been up to it in home remodeling so i can settle in and trying to keep in contact with people, which i've been much better about since moving further away from them. classes start again in a little over two weeks, and i'm both not prepared nor looking forward to writing papers about the importance of the internet in school libraries again. I should have majored in something cool and fascinating, like piracy on the high seas or karate.

i have three "trips" planned for chicago, which grabs me, even though i said i was moving so that I could travel more. the first one is random. labor day i go to fort bragg, NC to see tony before he ships to iraq. we're headed to myrtle beach from there because i like the beach and he's only been once. the day after i get back i'm going to anaheim, CA for work to get a "hands on" feel for what i'll be doing. i'm pretty stoked about it, although believe hands-on could also be done by sending me to minneapolis, but whatever...no complaints. the third trip is heading to chicago for my first experience there and some shopping while hopefully catching a cubs game. always wanted to go to wrigley field and now have the chance. basically, september will be a month of firsts; first time on an army base, in myrtle beach, in CA, farthest west i'll have ever been, first time in chicago, first game @ wrigley field. just keepin' my fingers crossed that all sails quasi-smoothly.

susie is wreaking havoc on molly's pup ramsey. rams is more of an easy-going, "i'm going to sleep all day" type of dog, while susie is a whirling dervish of ankle biting madness. hopefully, a balance is reached soon. i would hate to see susie end up as a donation to a UW fraternity. she doesn't stomach booze so well.