So if all goes well and the adoption papers go through, Bella and I will be proud parents come Tuesday.



eh? Come again, you say?



I'll give you a hint: it starts with a "k," ends in an "s" and has "itten" in the middle.


Bella and I decided that we wanted to get a (singular, one, uno, less than two...) cat together, so we went to PETCO ("where the pets go") on Sunday to check out the kittens brought in by Kitten Rescue, which is a non profit in the LA area that helps to find homes for cats/kittens that need them. We got there just as the cat lady was finishing setting up the kittens she brought in. We found a really cute one that we both really liked, but it was a long hair and Bella didn't want a long hair cat because it'd be harder to keep everything else clean. So we kept looking and the whole time the cat lady was pressuring us to get two so they can keep eachother company. We were suckers and fell for it. Oh well.

So these are the kittens we chose:
This one is the girl and Bella decided to name her Elizabeth Bennett or Lizzy for short.


This one is the boy and I decided to name him Beowulf, or Wolfie for short.


So a note on the names. We were racking our brains trying to think of names because we didn't really want to keep the names the cat lady gave them (Tiffany and Bailey, respectively). I didn't want a typical person name, but instead something cool. We were in the car when I was struck with inspiration: Beowulf. I really like the book/poem and Beowulf is a great fearsome warrior. What better name for a male cat? Bella kinda liked it too and then came up with the idea that I name the boy and she the girl. Bella really likes Pride and Predjudice, so she chose the name of the main character: Elizabeth Bennett.



[co-posted on blog.skizzot.com]

Co-Posted on scott's blog.

it just clicked. i felt so at ease when we left our hotel in sydney for the very first time. we were on our way to see the opera house and harbour bridge. the weather was absolutely beautiful. but there was something else about being there. it's as if the city was glad that i was there; glad that bella and i were there together. it felt so perfect. in fact, the whole time we were there felt perfect.

bella had been to sydney before, so she was taking me along the dramatic route for my first glimpse of the opera house. on our right side was a cliff that went straight up and was getting taller as we walked. on the opposite side of the street was a row of tall buildings. my view of the harbor was narrow. all of a sudden the cliff ends and as you look past it to the right you're thrust into the presence of one of the most amazing structures ever.

(Please excuse the person and light pole in the way.)

Spaceship? Giant sales? Is it even possible? Magnificent!

Swivel your head the other direction and you're greeted with something even larger:

It's profound in its own way. Makes you just want to hang your shirt over it and put it back in the closet, huh? Seriously tho, its definitely something else.

the very next day was my birthday (24th, to be exact). bella had some surprise planned. i had a suspicion of what it it might be before i got there. i ended up being right, too. two of her friends at school accidentally let it slip and i caught it both times. the first time i let it slide because i didn't want to spoil the surprise. but the 2nd time was waaay too obvious and i always have a hard time keeping a straight face. i just couldn't help the huge smile that appeared on my face.

the surprise was the Bridge Climb. the sydney harbour bridge (i spell harboUr with a U because that's how they spell it in Australia and that's its name. it may be in a harbor, but it's called the Sydney Harbour Bridge.) you get dressed up in special jump suits that help you blend into the bridge (don't' wanna run people's photos of it). you strap on special belts that hold your radio (guide commentary as you walk) and keep you physically attached to the bridge (via steel cable). It's an amazing experience. I think it's one of those things you have to experience to understand.

(If you look right above Bella's head, you can see the cliff I was talking about earlier)

She's amazing. Not 'cuz she gets me cool things for my birthday, but because she knows exactly what to get me. And she makes me laugh, too:


it's an amazing feeling to fall in love with another person. if anything could be more amazing than that, then it would have to be falling deeper in love with the same person. it's like falling in love for the first time, only better. i love you, bella. thank you for an amazing week.

__________________________________________________


this is my favorite artsy picture of the trip:

Co-Posting on scott's blog.

As most of you know, I've returned from Down Under. I had a fantastic time and I'd say that Sydney is my new favorite city in the world. Granted, I haven't been to many of the "great cities," but my opinion still stands. {:o)

I've finally gotten through uploading and commenting on all of my pictures. You can find them here:


There are 295 in that set, so be warned. I understand how boring that can be at times, so I created another set with the best of those (not that any of the others are bad...hehe...I'm really not that full of myself). The 'trimmed' set has 108 and can be found here:


And you'll actually be able to see both of those pics in both sets.

Enjoy!

[EDIT]
I intend to post about trip highlights soon...

Bella and I are having a great time in Australia! Proof:


Bella surprised me on my Birthday with the "Harbour Bridge Climb!" We hiked to the very top of this bridge. It was SUPER AWESOME! Bella = the coolest. {:o)

Bye for now.

Bella went and took a plane to Australia...


I think we'll talk pretty often...


but I still miss her so very much. I dream about her, and I think she dreams about me too...


In the end, though, we'll be okay because we have our...

...for eachother.

i miss my bella girl.

bella never went camping as a kid. i, on the other hand, went many times growing up. i love camping with my family and friends - enjoying the beauty of nature, living on the "minimums," being away from the light and noise of the city, and just enjoying eachothers company in front of a fire. {:o)

bella was excited and nervous at the same time. she's not afraid of getting a little dirty, but her boss scared her with stories of mountain lions. i assured her that there wouldn't be any, and that i would protect her.

we bought a tent together:

so i guess you could say this is our first house. {:o)

we did see some 'wild animals':

i tried to get bella to sing the "banana slug song" with me, but she didn't know it. i'll practice with her so she's ready next time.

so bella's reaction to camping? she had a really good time, and "it was easier than i thought it would be." admittedly, when my friends and i go camping, we go in style. no electronics or fancy tents, but lots of food. good food too. we cook up a storm. jambalaya. bbq chicken. garlic bread. s'mores. easy stuff, but good and hardy. and we break out the board games. which are totally awesome. who ever invented board games are super cool.

now bella wants to go backpacking. that's something i want to do, but never have. {:o)


good times. {:o)

my buddy adrian sends me an email and this is what he says...

hey scotto... i was thinking... during your wedding (wow!)... you better alot me one spot to make a speech during the reception... since everyone that knows you will be there... i figured i'll just unleash the "my computer's on fire" story all at once... maybe i should bring
hand puppets and act it out... whaddya say?

and in a separate email...

as for the hand puppets... i'm gonna have to search for a puppet that can match my handsome physique... and for scott i'll get a fraggle-rock muppet... hahahaha... j/k... (yeah scott... you might
want to think twice before u invite me and trev to your wedding..)