He better not give me Bird Flu.

I have this thing about castles. Blame reading too many fantasy novels. But when I see something that looks like a castle in the middle of Utah, I HAVE to investigate. It's happened 3 times now.

The first time was out in southern Utah when I was going to SUU. Cousin Jas and I found a castle out in the middle of NOWHERE by Cedar City. Drove through a little trailer camp to get to it, but got chased away. (Later we found out that some rich guy one of our poker friends knew owned it. I think he invited Coats out there with him for dinner, but he was interested in her and she was not interested in him, so she blew him off. I would have gone, just to see the castle.)

The second time I was driving down the freeway with Patrice when we thought we saw a PALACE. So I pulled off the exit and drove to it. It turned out to be the Hari Krishna Temple out in Salem. It is a really interesting place, but then, I am *fascinated* by religions. Because, oh yes, I made Patrice come with me for a tour of the place, much to her absolute HORROR. It was fun.

And now the 3rd time. A day or so ago I had to take a different way home from work and saw what looked like a castle with poker thingies on it and another building with a gorilla on top! Out in a neighborhood!

Well, I was in a hurry to get to a play (Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business at the Scera) so I couldn't go and explore but I HAD to know what it was. I planned to go back, but asked my Mom about it. She said it was a sort of private park built by a well-to-do man for his granddaughters to play in. She said he is trying to get approval to make it available to rent for receptions and such, that she'd just read about it. It is called Hatfieldadelphia. She said you could not go in it, yet though. However, I just HAD to. And, luckily, there was a back entrance to this mysterious place through some construction by it... apparently ALSO owned by the Grampa Hatfield. But a back way meant I could go in and make sure that the No Trespassing signs were the LAST thing I'd see, not the first. Which meant if I got yelled at I could honestly say, "No, I DIDN'T see any signs. I am sorry!" But I DIDN'T get caught... and it's not just a castle!

It's a castle, a witch's house, a soon to be MOAT, a playground under the Big Top (topped with that gorilla thing I saw), an Indian tepee, famous statues, pathways, swings, benches, just a DANG cool park thing! And it looks like a lot more will be done, too. But I didn't stay TOO long (didn't want to press my luck). Just enough to get some pictures...

and wish *I* had a rich grandpa.

Especially if his name was Hatfield.
Especially if he was MEAN! I would call him HateFilled!
Oh wait. If he was mean he would not build me a castle with a moat. Thus defeating the very purpose for wealthy grandfathers.

Never mind.

An odd thing happened BEFORE I left work, too. I was leaving Farm Country where I had clocked out and someone yelled my name from across the street at the Art Institute! I can't see that far, so I started across, thinking it must be one of the Cowboys that Rinny had introduced me too. But the voice sounded way too happy to see me to be business. He called me again and I said "Hi?"
"Do you work here now?"
"Yes?"
"Don't you remember me?" and that's when I WAS close enough to recognize him as my slightly druggie friend from high school AP Art classes! "I'm [RubyDoobie]!"
"From art!"
He looked kind of dejected then and said "well, and MySpace."
I had forgotten about that.

And that he had sort of flirted with me. And sort of was sounding like that now. Ummm... oops?

Anyway, he asked why he hadn't seen me in there at the studio yet and I told him because I hadn't GONE there yet. He said I needed to and come learn to blow glass. And so, yeah, sometime, I will.

So, other than that( the next day):
*I finally saw Stranger Than Fiction. Very good flick, that!
*I got attacked by Buddy, the new parrot. Stupid jerk of a bird. My thumb was almost sliced to the bone. I do NOT love him right now. He's semi-evil.
*I cried in the car after work. Because Rinny died.
Okay, fine, so it was Rinny, Jr. But still, I did cry. She was SO CUTE. And it makes me mad because I am pretty sure *I* could have helped her make it.
*The heating element in our dishwasher malfunctioned and almost started a fire! We smelled smoke and melting plastic and looked all over the house and couldn't find the source. Finally, I walked past the dishwasher... which burned my hand to TOUCH. And it was OFF. Opened it up and the dirty dishes were COOKING in there and the tupperware was burned and melted! I took everything out (with hot pads) and called my dad. He came over, fiddled with wires and finally just had to shut it off at the circuit breaker! And as soon as we switched it back on, same thing. So for right now we just have to hand wash and keep the machine's breaker off to avoid a fire hazard until Padre/Landie gets it fixed or replaced.

Anyway, yeah. Castles.