July 4th and the week thereafter..

Yes, I am back on the rollercoaster!  This time going up.. or down (whichever is the better of the two!).  My health has improved tremendously - and like a person in AA might profess:  “I am 4 weeks and without "symptoms" :) hooray!

July 4th was the week after my trip to Colorado. I can't decide if it was the change in environment that caused the change in me, or if whatever plagued me had just run its course. Needless to say, I can’t be bothered to figure it out - I am just grateful. Prayer, faith and due diligence must play a part somehow.

I had to make a very speedy trip to Los Angeles on July 4^th to get some legal documents signed by the South African Embassy.  It was a nice drive and spent the day at Santa Monica Beach, people watching, eating seafood and just walking up and down the bustling streets.  Spent the evening with friends laughing and then crashed.

The next day, it was all business and I must give kudos to the SA Embassy in Beverley Hills. They were SO friendly and helpful - and it was a small piece of home.  Actually, I am yet to encounter a bad experience with the South African Embassy anywhere in the world. I remember my first trip to Italy - it was an adventure, a whirlwind of an adventure. By the time we arrived in Italy and went up and down the Southern coast with huge bags, short shorts, tanned skin, a train ticket and great expectations:  eating, laughing touring etc. - as you do.. we got back to Rome.. Penniless and still 7 days away from our return flight.  We made a trip to the South African Embassy – It was as if we had been in exile – we were SO happy to be there and hear South Africans talking and just see smiling faces!  We didn’t even have to mitigate our penniless plight. Copies of our passports and signed forms later - we had cash in hand and could continue a lovely and most memorable vacation.  After sleeping in the train station one night and many other adventure stories in between.

Ahhh Street-side cannelloni.. hooray.

I digress.

The week that followed July 4th was SO busy - I had girl’s night out catch-up sessions with my girlies.  Movies to catch up on.  And ofcourse all the causes for which I had signed up in April started calling me for help!  SO I was running around like a headless chicken.

Last Saturday, I worked at "Project C.U.R.E" - I think this is the one that I will be committing to this year - we packed medical supplies that gets sent all over the world to help people who have very little to none (people who have to re-use needles and bandages.. etc.).  One of the reasons I love living in America.. there is always plenty of everything - over flow.. and If I can help distribute all this abundance to the ones who don't have, that would be awesome.

My physical goals have gone rather south. I am struggling to get back on the wagon of feeling that I look great to myself.  I went from 102lbs in Denver to 109 in Phoenix. I was stuck on 109 - which was not THAT bad, I guess.. but now I am at like 112lbs – and the scale is stuck.. everyone says: "Muscle weighs more than fat".. yeah - no - That’s ALL fat on me haha.   SO I am trying to stick to my workouts and just cut out the junk.. you all know me and how I love food.. but atleast if I cut out sugar and junk… and portion size better, I should be able to get there before my trip to Lisbon In September.

This week, I have booked tickets for Thursday night to watch the “Dark Knight” trilogy – excited. J  Although Friday, is going to SUCK.. the last showing (the new and most important one) is at midnight, which means, I will get home around 3am!  So… I hope no-one at work expects anything amazing from me on Friday!

I am going to Los Angeles again this weekend, for about 10 days. My friend is away and has kindly agreed for me to stay at her place in Calabasas.  We have an office in LA now. This will be a little bit of a LSD trip for me (Look-see-Decide) – I know I am going to encounter the traffic and all the fun things that are downers for me about LA.. but it will atleast give me an idea of what to expect if I decide to relocate there.

I must be honest – Phoenix has now crept into my heart a little. I have started seeing the ability to plant roots here.  Even if it’s just for a year.. I hated this place – well, not the place, but the people.  People in Phoenix are SO hard to connect with.  I don’t know what it is.. if you are not blonde no one could be bothered to even be friendly to you – have you ever heard of anything more bizarre?  Not sure what it is, I have made some nice friends here.. but are they are “for-lifers”? Not so sure.  Nevertheless I have found some worthy causes, and the heat hasn’t killed me yet!!

SO we shall see what is in store.

I will post after my LA adventure. J