Allison's Wonderland

As a child I thought 30 was old and forever away.  Now here I am approaching the big 3-0 in only a mere five years.  Five years seems like a long time, but I know it's going to fly! I've  put together a list of some thing's that I just want to get done before August 5, 2017 comes.

*30 Things to Do Before 30

1.  Write a Novel

2.  Live Overseas - CHECK - Italy and England 11'-12'


3.  Attend an NFL Football Game - CHECK - November 15th, Bills vs. Dolphins and December 2nd, Bills vs. Jacksonville


4.  Work in a Coffee shop - CHECK - The Orange Cat Coffee Co. - September 26, 2012

5.  Be in a Flash Dance Mob
6.  Go Parasailing
7.  Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride
8.  See the Northern Lights
9.  Become Fluent in a Foreign Language
10.  Road Trip Across the U.S.A.

11.  Go Sandboarding
12.  Fall in Love
13.  Sky Dive - CHECK - September 15, 2013!  - FRONTIER SKY DIVING NEWFANE, NY
14.  Ride a Camel
15.  Teach English as a Second Language Overseas
16.  White Water Raft the Gauley River - CHECK - Lower Gauley, September 2011

17.  See all 50 States - 26 and counting
18.  Smoke Marijiuana with my best friends 
19.  Fit into a size 6 jeans (My bum is so big this really would be a miracle)
20.  Live in a loft apartment with a view
21.  Go snowboarding down a slope without falling
22.  Go on a Mission's Trip
23.  See Beyonce in Concert -CHECK!!! - July 29, 2013 - Washington D.C.  So close I could touch her! 

24.  Meet someone famous (preferably Meryll Streep or James Marsden)
25.  Be in a Movie - CHECK - Evan Almighty
26.  See a Legitimate Russian Ballet
27.  Attend the Oscars as a "Seat-Filler"  or actually be invited.
28.  Squash grapes in a big barrel with my feet at a vineyard

29.  Run in a race - Mud Run, 5K, Marathon, Color Run - Any will do because I hate to run
30.  Kiss a Real Irishman 
31.  Attend the Holi Color Festival in Utah (This can be done after 30). :)

*Subject to Change

 I might seem a little harsh by saying the absolute WORST of humanity, but whenever a huge group of people descend on one place, the worst of humanity seems to come out.  Add 80,000 people plus alcohol plus football and you got yourself a people watching smorgasbord.  I loooovveee people watching! It has always been one of my favorite past times, and when you have a best friend who shares that same love, well it's what you do together.

Best Soup EVER!

I have never attended a Professional NFL football game, so when the opportunity arose to go with my family to a night Buffalo Bills game vs. the Miami Dolphins I was all for it.  I have a list of 30 things to do before 30 and go to an NFL game is on there.  I was thrilled!  We decided to skip the tailgating aspect of the game and head for this place called Pearl Street in Downtown Buffalo.  Greta and I went there a couple of weekends ago and I LOVED this place!  I got the beer cheese soup which was seriously out of this world!  I can't wait to go back.  After our amazing meal we headed towards Orchard Park and the Ralph Wilson stadium.  We got stuck in traffic of course.  We all knew that was going to happen.  As we neared the stadium we

Gurt & I at Pearl Street

came across house after house offering up their lawn as a sacrifice for $15 bucks a car to park.  These poor lawns were all wheel marked and torn up but hey, if you were able to park 15 cars on your lawn for 15 bucks a pop that's some pretty good profit ($225 bucks to be exact) :).  Not sure if I would risk trashing my lawn for $225 bucks, but ya never know.  The holidays are approaching.  Our goal was to get out of traffic as quick as possible upon exiting the stadium so we took one of the farthest houses away from the stadium meaning we would have to walk a mile through drunken tailgaters.  This is gonna be fun.  Prime people watching time.

As we're walking through the mayhem of the tailgaters we pass these two guys who are just standing by the road kinda doing the drunken stand weave.  You know what I'm talking about.  Well as Gurt and I passed him he screams, "Let's Go Buffalo" so I replied very loudly with 4 loud grunts that kinda went with his tune.  Greta just thought that was hilarious and went to pieces.  We passed people having bonfires, people fighting, people blaring music out of their vehicles.  It was all pretty exciting.  Once we got to the stadium it was time for security/pat down.  This big black lady who was working security made me throw my water bottle out.  I was very disappointed.  I guess she thought I was going to chuck it at someone's head.   Instead I had to buy a $4.50 water bottle from the concession stand where they wouldn't give you a lid.  I guess with the lid on it's more of a missile.  People. 

Aunt Bevy and Her Poster

As we walked to our seats I got the first glimpse of what is The Ralph Wilson Stadium.  It was pretty awe inspiring I must say.  It seats about 80,000 people and is just plain huge.  We were going to the sold out night game, so even arriving an hour early there were people everywhere.  Since Sunday was Veterans Day they did a big salute to veterans where we as the fans had to do what is called, a "Card Trick."  Our section was the letter "U" in the signs that said, "Thank

Me and my part of the "U"

You Veterans".  Pretty cool.  But these big posters would prove to a problem later on.  There was a huge flag that was rolled out that took up the entire 100 yards of the field.  It made me proud to be American in my heart. The game began with the Bills in the first minute scoring a touchdown by a kickoff return.  All the fans were on their feet and it was kinda amazing.  I was not disappointed with my first NFL Football game.  That's for sure!  The only thing I was disappointed about was the price of water which was $4.50 a bottle.  Talk about price gouging.

Me and my cousin Heidi

My cousin and I were having a good old time throughout the game, dancing to songs, and just being stupid.  That was until one of those cardboard posters that we had used at the beginning of the game turned into a paper airplane and hit my cousin Greta right in the neck.  Now Greta is a lovable gill but she can be very dramatic at times and this time was no exception.  She turns around and screams, "Who did that!?!  That freakin hurt?!?  I'm gonna come back there and punch whoever did that in the face."  By this time we had a little crowd of onlookers to witness my cousin's rant.  I could feel the heat rising to my face and awash of red take over.  I simply turned around and tried

Gurt & I

to ignore the situation as I wish little Gurt would've done.  Five minutes later, Greta was still complaining about her neck throbbing due to the paper airplane.  Five minutes after that I got hit in the shoulder, and about two minutes after that the guy in front of me got hit in the head.  I was starting to see a pattern and Greta was getting even more furious about the whole thing.  That's when I put two and two together.  It's like when you're kids and your brother or sister does something really annoying like poking you constantly.  If you react and they can get a rise out of you, they continue to do it.  If you ignore them, they stop.  It was the same with the drunken idiots 5 rows behind us.  Greta gave them a show and they liked what they saw, so they continued to aim their stupid paper airplanes in our direction.  By the time the game was finished we had about 15 paper airplanes all around our seats.  Who does that?  Seriously? 

WE WON!!!

The end resulted in a win which we were hoping for.  Although Buffalo only got one touchdown the entire game, the rest were field goals.  Final score was Buffalo 19-14 Miami.  As we were exiting the Ralph Wilson stadium, we were able to witness some of the "humanity" I was talking about earlier. One woman screaming the "F" word about how they've been waiting 15 Fing minutes to get out of the parking lot.  Umm...get over yourself.  You're probably going to be waiting a LOT longer.  Read a book!  There were guys falling down drunk everywhere.  Which was kinda funny.  Not gonna lie.  A group of four guys were riding in their car and the one dude was so excited the Bills won he kept screaming "F**K!!!"  out of his window with a huge smile on his face.  Is it just me or isn't there other words to describe your excitement?  Needless to say it made my Aunt, cousin and I laugh.  The amount of litter that was all over the place was enough to make a person wretch.  It seriously looked like a scene from WALL-E where the earth was just torn apart and crap and disgusting litter was everywhere.  I was appalled!  Also on our walk back, a guy in front of us bought several ounces of weed from a car that was stuck in traffic.  Nice.  Once we walked back to the random house who's lawn we parked on, they lit the back yard by one of those mosquito torches steadied by a huge pile of leaves.  Did the owner really think that was smart?  Put an open flame in the midst of a huge pile of dry leaves while drunk people walk all around there?  Not the brightest crayon in the box I would say. 

All in all it was a great time.  Loved the time with my fam, loved the football, and most of all the people watching.  It wasn't till the next day we learned that one of those drunken nut cases ended up in a ravine after the game dead.  Pretty sad, but I guess he was ejected from the game for being really really publicly drunk. His brother reported him missing and the next day...bam...in the gutter.  Kinda sad.  I'm ready to do it all over again this SUNDAY!  Bills vs. Jacksonville Jags at 1:00!  One of our nice customers, Jeff, gave me four of his season tickets on the 30 yard line a couple rows back.  Can we say...NICE!!  Can't wait!








 

Well it's over folks.  The Big Game has been completed.  And that's what it is.  A big huge game.  Both teams gear up for the big day trying to win as many fans as possible.  Money is spent, people rally together, there's a huge scoreboard on the big day in red and blue colors.  The game has live coverage all day on all major networks.  I'm very competitive.  You can ask anybody.  If I play a board or card game and lose I'm mad for the whole night.  It's not a quality I like about myself, but it just is what it is.  So when my team lost the big "game", I hate to admit, but I cried.  I sat on my couch and cried like a baby.  Fox News tried to give a glimmer of hope in triple overtime that the opposing team didn't just win the 18 points it needed, but alas, it was in fact true.  Not only did the other team win, oh no.  My home State kicked me while I was down and decided to give their 13 points to the other team as well.  What has happened to the Old Dominion State?  I thought Virginia was for Lovers, not for individuals who want to turn our Christian founded nation to Socialism?

I hate politics.  I've never been passionate about them, and I don't intend to be, but I do always exercise my right to vote as a citizen of the United States.  Small election, big election, school board election, doesn't matter, I vote.  Too many lives have been lost for me not to.  I don't swallow the bull of "I exercise my right not to vote."  It's pure laziness.  I'll get off my soap box in a second, but apathy is inexusable.  I don't buy it. 


My heart was heavy last night.  I couldn't sleep.  I shouldn't have stayed up to watch the live coverage of one of the biggest games America experiences where the winner remains champion for the next four years.  I shouldn't have done it, but I did.  I was absolutely abysmal this morning at work. I felt bad, but I couldn't get out of the funk I was in.  Any celebratory comments made me want to puke (like I said, very competitive).  I didn't want to deal with customers or people, so I asked if I could work in the kitchen for the day.  The fact that I'm PMSing probably doesn't help the situation either.  The whole situation makes me tired.  Tired and angry. Not going to lie, I wanted to be the one to gloat.  I wanted to be the one that could say, "Look at my team!  We won!  We pulled it in triple overtime when you didn't think it could happen."  As much as I wanted to say that come the morning of November 7th, I couldn't because well, we lost. 

America is America because of all the hard work that has been put into the country by our predecessor's.  Blood, sweat, and tears has been shed so that we can experience the freedoms that we have today.  But the question I keep asking myself is how long will it last?  Our Democracy is slowly turning into Socialism and it's difficult for me to understand how others don't see it.  When did we start to think it's okay to sit on our butt and not work and be taken care of by the government?  When did we start to think it's okay to murder children in the womb without consequence?  When did we start to think it's okay to hike up the national debt even more, so we are at the mercy of other countries?  When?  I don't know when this country changed but it has and it's turning into a big scary monster.  The values that Washingon, Jefferson, Monroe, Madison, and Lincoln held to as some of the founder's of our country have flown right out the window.  Food Stamps, welfare, and government handouts are the name of the game now.  People no longer want to take responsibilities for their own actions.  They want someone else to point the finger to.  It's maddening, sickening, and extremely disheartening.  Sometimes I think, "Why don't we just get ourselves a dictator and get it over with?"  And then I know that we still have it pretty good.  We could be suffering under people like Nero, Stalin, or even Hitler.  That's the kind of positive encouragement I give myself. :)

As I drove through the streets of downtown Niagara Falls to pick up a library book, I drove past 7 different houses where there were more than 3 people sitting on each front porch at 1:00 in the afternoon.  An immediate red flag went up.  "Why aren't these people at work?" I thought to myself.  Now I do love to have a good porch sit, but everyday I couldn't do.  I work during the day.  I wasn't at work on this particular day because I had the day off.  Were my tax dollars paying to allow these individuals to sit on their front porch and do nothing?  Like I said...it's MADDENING!!

After all my ranting and raving I'll leave you with this . . .

George Washington's Farewell address on Political Parties:
“It serves to distract the Public Councils,
and enfeeble the Public Administration....
agitates the Community with ill-founded
jealousies and false alarms; kindles the
animosity of one.... against another....
it opens the door to foreign influence and
corruption... thus the policy and the will
of one country are subjected to the policy
and will of another.”

2 Thessalonians 3:10 - "For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat."

All the Ladies Minus Greta :(

I love tea.  I always have.  I always will.  It's one of those things that's engrained in me.  Tea makes me feel sophisticated in the same way as drinking wine and having cheese and crackers does.  I feel more lady like, cultured and powerful.  If I'm drinking tea out of nice china and wearing a hat, I feel almost like Queen Elizabeth or even Lady Kate.  My friends and I started a reading group called, "The Finer Things Club."  It may sound stupid but in the "Finer Things Ten Commandment's" one of the rules was we had to have tea or wine present at every meeting.  Like I said before tea just makes you feel finer. 

Tea set Micah gave me

Since I've been living in New York with my Niagara Falls family, I've been having afternoon tea with my Grandmother and sometimes I go over to my Aunt Beverly's house and have afternoon tea there as we sit on the porch and discuss the happenings of the day (that's what afternoon tea is for, right?).  Afternoon tea is not fun alone, although sometimes I must admit, I do sit at the table and drink a cup or two by myself.  My friend Micah gave me a beautiful clay tea set for being in her wedding and as of late it's been my teapot of choice.  I left all of my collected tea pots from my travels back in Lynchburg, so as of now it's the only one I have in New York.  We sit and drink Vanilla Chai, Chamomile, Irish Breakfast Tea, Green Tea, etc while eating cheese and crackers and these amazing cookies that come from Scotland called Walker's Short Bread.  They are pure butter which doesn't do much for the hips and thighs, but does amazing things for the taste buds. 

Hand Made Invitations

While in Italy I would have tea every afternoon out of Simona's tea box that someone had given her from England.  One of my favorite from the box was a wood flavored tea.  It was absolutely wonderful!  I got the brilliant idea that once I was home in the States and living in NY we should have a lady's tea with all of the ladies in the family.  I called up my Grandmother and she suggested having it at a place called "The White Linen Tea Room."  I was all for it.  My Grandmother Brooks is excellent at all things crafty.  She helped me design and write out the invitations using her little calligraphy pens.  The next day I mailed them to all the ladies of the family and I must say that I was pretty proud of my handiwork.  Hey.  You would be too after spending about 5 hours cutting out little tea pots and writing fancy script all over them. 

Aunt and I in our new Hats

After all the arrangements had been made, invitations sent out, and complaints about the $25 dollar charge had come in, it was time for me to find a hat.  My Aunt Beverly and I went to the Antique Barn to find a little hat for myself.  She found a beautiful powder blue hat for $25 but I still was hatless after our 2 hour excursion.  I went out to my GMA Brooks' house that night to finish up the last touches of the invitations and low and behold I found a little black hat for $5 at the Lockport Antique Store.  Woot Woot! 

Cousin Picture!  Katie, Me and Aftonian

All the Ladies at the Table

Sunday November 4th had rolled around and I was all excited about the tea.  I love tea and I love dressing up so the nerd in me was super excited.  My cousin, Gurt, Grandma and I were all brave and wore our hats to church.  My cousin Katie sported a headband with a big flower on it as her head is too small for hats.  She just looks kinda of weird in them.  I wore the outfit that I wore to the Ascot Royale Races along with the shoes that I had bought in England.  I will admit they are ridiculously high heels, but sometimes a girl wants to look sexy once and awhile and heels are a sure way to make that happen.  A lady at church, who I never met and did not know, saw me walking in my shoes and complaining to my cousin about how they were too big for me.  She decided to make a comment and say, "In 25 years you're going to be making a visit to the Pediatrist.  I use to wear heels like that and now look at me!"  (This was all said as she waddled and limped across the floor.)  I just smiled at her.  Then she spoke up again and said, "Mark my words.  You shouldn't be wearing heels like that."  Umm....thanks lady?  I don't think I asked for comments from the peanut gallery.  Why do people feel the need to make comments to unsuspecting strangers?  It was weird and after I gave her a nice smile I turned around, rolled my eyes, and held in my anger.  I don't wear high heels every day.  Just on special occasions so I would be thankful if little gray hairs would keep their comments to
 themeselves.

Enjoying my Blue Mango Tea

Greta & her Mocha Tea

We were off to the tea party after church and I rode there with Road Rage Greta.  I thought we were going to die on the way, but thank the Lord we didn't.  We all arrived at the White Linen Tea Room and we each checked out each others outfits and oooed and awed.  The little tea place is decorated sooo stinkin cute.  We had a long table right next to the fire place.  The menu of teas seemed endless and I finally decided on a tea called "Blue Mango".  It was a

Amazing Strawberry Salad

Green Tea and I must say it was very good although I had tea envy for the people who ordered the Mocha Red Rooibos.  My cousin Katie literally got yelled at by our server who named herself the "Tea Nazi".  Katie went to put cream in her team and she was quickly scolded due to the fact that you are NEVER suppose to put cream in your tea.  Only milk.  Cream is too heavy I guess for the tea so creaming it is a BIG No No.  The service was ridiculously slow and Greta was very nervous she wasn't going to be able to eat before she had to go to work at 3.  We were all getting a little antsy for her and besides we were HUNGRY!  Our salads finally came and they were absolutely delicious.  It was this strawberry and orange salad with strawberry dressing.   So good!

Afton & I's Tier of Food

After our salads were finished my cousin Marnie arrived.  We didn't think she would be able to make it since she worked till 1:30 but low and behold she was able to come!  Our food finally came and it was so cute on these little three tiered trays.  Our choice of sandwiches were tuna, egg salad, cucumber and cream cheese, garden medley, apple walnut & cream cheese, and chicken salad.  They were all very yummy.  I loved all the little finger desserts as well.  After all the complaints about slow service and not enough food we were all completely stuffed by the end of it.  Who knew afternoon tea could be so filling?  After we were all stuffed and cultured, it was time for the bill to arrive.  We were all like "Wow!  Bazinga!"  It was a little high priced after tax and tip it ended up being about 31 bucks a person.  So yeah a little steep but again, it's not like we do this every day.  Next time it might be more like having afternoon tea at someone's house.  I enjoyed myself immensely and I hope all the ladies in the family did too.  Nothing like afternoon tea to bring a family together!  :) 

The Demster ladies and little Grandma G

Aunt Becky and Me :)

The Himes Sisters and Aunt Elaine

All the Maines Girls

What were you doing a year ago today?  I know exactly where I was and what I was doing which is not normal for me.  Most of the time I don't know what I did yesterday. But a year ago today sticks out in my mind like a sore thumb.  It's crazy to me that a year ago today I was sitting in the Raleigh International Airport headed for London Heathrow to await another airplane which would take me to Milan Linate and start my journey as an Au Pair.  Looking back I can't believe I got up the courage to fly by myself to a foreign country where I knew no one, they didn't speak my language, and let's not forget the fact I was alone.  My father always called me his "little scarity cat" who always wanted to stay at home, but I've since gotten the travel bug and get cabin fever if I'm at home too long.  Now all I want to do is travel and get away, but money always seems to get in the way of things.  Isn't it always the way?

The experiences I've taken away from being in Italy for 7 months and being in England for 3 are times I would not trade for anything else in the world.  I had the opportunity to meet people all over the globe and not one would I ever take back.  Even though some of my experiences didn't always have a fairy tale ending, like I said I wouldn't trade any of it.  Many of the people I've met overseas I still keep in contact with which is fortunate for me!  Free places to stay all over the globe! :)  I just wanted to take this time, if not anything but for myself to reminisce on some of the amazing times I had through pictures.  I can't wait to have enough money saved to go on my next adventure.  Right now I'm just working at the Orange Cat in Lewiston but that presents a new experience every day only in a little less adventurous form.  Here's some pics!

First time rolling homemade Italian Ravioli

First Moped ride around the city of Genova

New Year's Eve in the Conga with the girls.  Will NEVER forget this night!

First visit to Sestri Levante

Manaraola - Village #4 of the Cinque Terre

Absolutely amazing snow in Prato Nevoso

Snow Fever nights with the girls

All the times hanging with Mattia

Wine Tour in the Alba Countryside on St. Patrick's Day

Pirate Night at Snow Fever

Movie Moment night in Cuneo

Wisteria and Sunshine in the Italian Riviera

Megan and I visit Portofino & Via Del Amor

The Mediterranean

Skiing Mt. Cervino with Mattia and Simona

Road Trip Across the Tuscan Countryside

"White Night" in Firenze

Simona and I Tour Milano

Parigi!  One of the best trips ever

Jen comes to visit and we spend Carnevale in Venezia

Lots of good times in ITALIA!