Baseball's Never Been Hotter.. with the Jacksonville Suns!

So since I complained about being bored this summer, a lot has been going on! It's a little crazy here in the life of Ashley now. I mean, I've gone from potential bummer-summer to a bomb-dot-com break! If everything can go as "planned," then I'll be a world traveler by mid June!

Let's start with a couple of days ago.. with Thursday. Thirsty Thursday, to be exact was Lindsey's 21st birthday! I spent the ENTIRE afternoon at lunch and back at the dealership with dad picking out a car, well picking out options. It's down to a Tahoe and an SRX now!

Thursday night to Monday night has worn me out, and today has been my re-coop day! Thursday I met up with friends at the Suns baseball game for Lindsey's birthday, and everyone and their moms, literally I saw my friends' moms, were there. It was good to finally see so many people home, and I even ran into my brothers. After the game we went out to celebrate Lindsey's birthday, and apparently she had enough fun to not make it out after the game, so I went on to celebrate Zach's 21st at midnight, since his birthday was Friday! Friday was also Nick's baccalaureate. So we went out for that, and then to Ruth's Chris for Zach's birthday with the family. I'm talkin.. our close family, then Zach's dad and aunts on his side, then his mom's mom and sister. What interesting conversations we had at dinner!

Sunday I spent the day at the beach with Mama, partially for her birthday, partially for a break! It was the most gorgeous day yet, so well worth it.. and we didn't burn! I went to lunch with her at La Nop for her birthday on Monday and then dinner with her at the Brick tonight! Monday night was Zach's party and some of his fraternity brothers came in town- so of course it was fun! We took a party bus to Outback Crabshack for lots of seafood, beer, and Jimmy Buffett tunes! Then we rode out to the towncenter to go to Whiskey River, one of the new bars in town. Needless to say, the entire night was fun and I've been recovering all day.

I've also been planning my potential spontaneous trip to see Caroline in Brussels, and se Bruges and London as well! Hopefully it all works out, and I'll update soon! What a time to go.. 21 years old and free-spirited.. that's me. And I'm hoping that I'll have no chains to bear, holding me back!

XOXO

Ashley

Summer Bummin'

Alright, it's come to the point in my life when I don't necessarily look all too forward to summer. Coming home is great for a while, but it gets to be pretty boring. The adventures kind of fade until I get used to the home-life again. And Mom has to get used to me being here, too. It's a weird time so far.

Today's a good example; I was by myself all day. I had a dentist appointment, and thank God I didn't have any cavities, but after that 11am appointment that I thought was at 11:30am, I had to fill my day with trying to figure out something to do. Not everyone's home yet, and I could have gone to the pool to work on my tan.. but, well, that wasn't quite intriguing today. I instead went to the Super Target, where they did not have what I was looking for- a cooler of all things. I'm going to paint a cooler for my brother for his 21st! I'm hoping that's a good idea, but we'll see if he likes it. It's popular in Clemson, so maybe it'll catch on in Auburn. I haven't seen one from Auburn, yet.

I have less that a week now to do that, his birthday is Friday. And my other brother's graduation is this weekend, too. I should be excited, but it's going to be interesting. And I've got to figure out what to get him, too. Probably an Auburn bowtie. We'll see what I end up getting though.

After I looked around for the cooler, I decided I was too hungry to go elsewhere, and I picked up lunch at the new bbq place in town. It was pretty good. I brought it home and sat on the couch, watched more television this afternoon than I did all semester combined, and chilled with Toby- my dog, until Mom came home. I checked facebook a few times, and I joined a group: "Summer you've lost your charm already, I'd rather be in CLEMSON."

And that's when I realized.. it's true. I'm over the summer already, and I'm wishing I had just gotten an internship in Clemson. And that's when I started thinking.. I don't think I can come back here after college. I might be miserable. It's always been between home and South Carolina, and South Carolina happens to be winning the race now. It's really hard to think about leaving Clemson, too.. you know, graduating? It's going to be this feeling.. but ten times worse!

I know I'll be excited about some job that I'll hopefully get, but I'm just deteriorating now. Going from four roommates to just me and Mom, who isn't home until about 5 everyday. All my friends being in a five mile radius, to the biggest city land-wise in the United States. My internship this summer is kind of the same as last summer, but hopefully will keep me busier this time around. I'm kind of wishing, also, that I would have just gone back to camp!

I think, and hope, that it will get better- my internship starts not this, but the next weekend. And I'm trying to figure out when I can make it back to Clemson/Greenville/Camp this summer.

Until then.. I've got to find things to keep me busy, or I swear I'll go insane. It's weird, too because my high school friends just graduated college, and most of my other friends will be working non-stop or out of town.

Football season's sounding good.. bring on Senior year (and a half)!

xoxo

Ashley