come on eileen.net

I love summer, but time passes and it must end.  I’m personally looking forward to Fall.  Barcelona in November, will obviously be the big highlight for me, but I honestly look forward to wearing my comfy sweater and the crisp cool air.

A few of my friends will be adding a new family member (Sarah & Rachel) , and my sister will start a new job! Hooray! I can’t wait to see what the future holds for her

Maybe I’ll finally organize the chaos that is called “the office”. Maybe “work” will no longer be a four-letter word to me.  Maybe I’ll be content after travelling.

In other news – I have finally separated my chocolate reviews from this site.  You can now find them exclusively at eloveschocolate.com. It’s definitely still a work in progress (can you say, I need a new header?), but it’ll do for now.

E

PS – My renewed passport came in the mail a day after my panic attack blog post.  Barcelona is officially on! Que Bueno!

My passport expires this month, and this past May, I applied for a new one.  Without really thinking about it, I also booked a vacation to Barcelona this November.  Now with the federal government clamping down on the issuing of passports I’m starting to scratch my head.

I’m not freaking out just yet, but in the back of my mind I’m wondering if I will have to go to the passport agency to beg and plead for help.  My tickets are non-refundable and I really need to go on this vacation.

I guess I can (and will) officially freak out in October.

E

8/21 UPDATE: the saga continues 

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I guess i’m a bit ignorant, but I just don’t understand. Rescuing a skunk to be a house pet?

“…I found him in the middle of the street the poor thing didn’t even have teeth so I raised him on goats milk…“

This post is a joke right?

E

…well, maybe I have a little something to share.

I spent most of the week with an annoying head cold. In the haze of sudafed and nyquil, I really feel like I accomplished next to nothing. Unless you consider a beat down on the germs squirming around in my body, an accomplishment.

Since I was stuck in bed, with tissue and a plastic bag (for a trash can) I turned my little attention span to the SYTYCD finale – Go Sabra!  Yup, that was pretty much the highlight for the week.  But in all honesty, those dancers are pretty inspiring, even though I feel like a big fat cow after watching any of those routines. Cap that with a little crazy Mary Murphy, and you’ve got a show that is starting to rival “Dancing with the Stars”!

I did change the look of this site, and for now I’m satisfied. After 2 years of staring at an umbrella pitched on a beach off the Great Barrier Reef (see my homepage), I decided I needed a fresh look.

The current yellow template works for my mood now, but I’m still scouring the internet for other interesting blog templates. Hmm, maybe I had something to say after all?

I find it weird to brush up on Spanish by listening to a podcast produced by 2 people from Scotland! But the thing is, I like it and I’m learning. The podcast is called Coffee Break Spanish, and while I was doubtful from the beginning, I’ve changed my mind.

The hosts’ (Mark & Kara) Scottish accents don’t really get in the way, although it did at the beginning. I think the lessons are very helpful, and sometimes quite entertaining. Most of all, it’s audible — unlike other language podcasts that sound like it’s produced in a garage.

While I know that my visit to Barcelona in November, will be challenging due to the primary use of the Catalan language, I might as well arm myself with Espanol. Afterall, who wants to be the “ugly American” in a foreign country?

I have a big habit of perusing the Craigslist Pets section. I tell myself, “Ooh, maybe Jango’s brother or sister is out there somewhere, waiting to be adopted”. The trouble is, we’re in no position to adopt another dog.

So why do I constantly visit the page?

Truth is, I am sucked in by all the hardship stories of people who can’t keep their pet due to the following things: moving (which is why Jango was dumped in the shelter before we adopted her), having a baby, not enough room, didn’t know how big of a responsibility owning a pet would be, financial hardship, etc.

Then there are the posting of dogs on death row. Shelter Volunteers are doing as much as they can to spread the word about very adoptable dogs that have somehow ended up in a crowded shelter. They sometimes post sad pictures of puppies (and kitties) who will lose their life due to pet overpopulation, unless a rescue agency or adopter gives them a home.

Then there are those who post arguments and “debate” (for lack of a better word).

Each day I visit this section of craigslist, I hope to see a post about a dog’s successful adoption (which sometimes happens). Why do I care? I just do.

Bottom line, I frequently visit the Craiglist Pets page because I can’t believe people can be so cruel, but I should know better. I can just pick up the paper and find all sorts of crappy events happening all over the world.

I can’t save all the homeless animals, but I’m gonna think of ways I can help them.

E

Note to self – next time I visit Seattle, I must include in my itinerary a Theo Chocolate Factory tour!

Last time I ate a bar that was more than 90% cacao, I almost melted it for baking. When I found this bar at Sur La Table, the “Limited Edition” sticker caught me hook, line and sinker. I fall for that kind of branding all the time! But I also love Venezuelan Chocolate.

First – a little bit about Theo Chocolate (and straight from their website):

“We are proud to be the first roaster of Fair Trade Certifiedâ„¢ cocoa beans and the only roaster of organic cocoa beans in the United States“.

Okay – conscientious and different. It bodes well for the environment and our tummies. But what about the taste?

I can tell you that the bar itself smells fabulous. Once you bust open the wrapping, a rich, deep chocolate aroma lingers close by. It’s a fairly thin bar, with a healthy snap. The aftertaste is coffee-like – heavy and satisfying.

Sugar-fiends might balk at its lack of sweetness, but most dark chocolate lovers will enjoy the lack of harsh bitterness in this high percentage bar. Though the company says otherwise, I believe that you have to already have an appreciation for dark chocolate to understand its greatness.

Price: $5.95
Rating: 5 cacao beans out of 5