The Aislin Chronicles

Part XXVII

A/n: Look! An update! And a new thread! WEEE! I've never had a fourth thread before, well, nor have I had a fic with 27 chapters either, so I guess this story is just full of firsts. Well, Part XXVII, enjoy!

7-7-03

2:30 PM

Well, Sydney finally caught us. Last night Dad and I were playing poker (Monday night's are whatever we feel like playing, same with Sundays), and it was maybe 11:30 and I was kicking his butt, and suddenly we heard, "What are you doing?"

It was Sydney, rather sleepily, standing in the hallway scratching her head and squinting at us. Dad looked kind of like 'Uh….' So I took charge. "Playin' poker."

"Oh. Do you always do this after I go to sleep?"

"No," I told her, "sometimes it's blackjack."

"Spit."

"Cribbage."

"Uno."

"Rummy."

"Checkers… But that was a special occasion." He winked at me.

Sydney looked pretty confused. "Well, okay."

She stood their for awhile, I guess not sure what to do with herself, while Dad totally fell for my bluff and folded. Five more bucks, hehehe. I started shuffling and Dad kept glancing at Mom. "Syd, honey? Is there a reason you woke up?"

He seemed to startle her from something. "Oh! I forgot. I was hungry." I smirked at Dad as she wandered into the kitchen and started making something. At that point I got tired of beating him at poker and felt like beating him at something else. I knew I'd lose at Cribbage, so I opted for Egyptian Ratscrew. He didn't know how to play, but he's a fast learner and it didn't take long. Actually, he learned almost too fast. Because he started beating me. Darn him and his fast-slapping reflexes. My little hands can only take so much.

Mom came to the table once I began my comeback. She had the most massive sandwich I've ever seen in my entire life. We're talking triple-decker with every kind of meat, cheese, pickle, and vegetable you could possibly imagine on a sandwich. I was like, "Whoa…" She just looked at me like, "What?" and glanced at Vaughn with the same look as if she wasn't eating anything out of the ordinary. I mean, she could hardly fit the thing in her mouth.

And she ate the entire thing.

It was pretty impressive. Kinda makes me want to show her on display at a freak show. Come see The Amazing Sydney down massive sandwiches in record time! It was just… Wow.

Eventually my hands were red and sore and it didn't look like either Dad or I would win anytime soon so we called a truce and ended it.

Anyway, it made for a good story when Jess called earlier today. Definitely topped her story about Adam, which I wasn't really listening to, I'll admit, but she usually has some excellent stories so I take pride in mine topping hers. We're going to a movie tomorrow. Pirates of the Caribbean. Looks good, so I'm pretty excited.

Oh, by the way, I'm living out of a box now. Well, okay, my clothes fit in about four boxes, so I'm living out of four boxes. My poor room, it looks so bare and empty. I took all my little decorative things down and boxed them up, all the little things that made my room My Room. It makes me slightly sad, but then I think about my new room slash new house and I feel all happy again.

New house, new house, weeee!

All my room is now, besides a bunch of boxes on the floor is my bed, my dresser, my bookshelf, my desk, computer, and chair. But, like, they're all empty, except for the bed because it still has my pillows and stuff. And, well duh, this journal and pen sit on my desk still. Silly me. How could I forget my lil buddy here?

7-9-03

11:04 AM
So, Pirates of the Caribbean is like the best movie ever, savvy? Jess and I LOVED it. It was awesome. Johnny Depp is God. Johnny Depp as a drunk pirate in eyeliner is God. I mean, yes, Orlando is lovely as always, but Johnny Depp owns the movie. Captain Jack Sparrow is the man.

So Jess and I were so enthralled and hyper and inseparable so I spent the night at her house. Man, what a great movie. I just can't get over it.

Moving in two days. I'm pumped. But I know I'll be bored until then, and all I'll do is think about how I can't wait to move, and then the days will move really slowly, and I'll want to write in here and complain about absolutely nothing. Sigh. I need a hobby. I have to keep myself from the boredom. Journal, this may be the last time I write in here. I mean my room, not my journal. Don't freak out. I mean the room. Jeez. You scare too easily.

7-11-03

11:21 PM

Guess where I am, journal? In my new room! Ahh! It's not very room-like yet because I haven't had the time to decorate, and the time I do have I've chosen to do other things. Anyway! Dad rented one of those U-Hauls and Weiss and Dixon and even to my amused surprise Jack showed up at the apartment this morning (aww, I almost said our apartment, but it's not anymore– oh well). (Oh, and tell me why the CIA let them all have the day off?) They started with the heavy stuff, like the couches and the TV and mattresses and stuff. When Mom tried to start lifting something they all were like, "NO!" and freaked out like she was committing suicide. Crazy.

Mom and I were assigned to carry (small) boxes to the car just to drive over to the house. Mean men. She went on a pregnancy-hormonal rant about sexism while we drove over there with the car full of random boxes. She was funny, but I couldn't tell her that. I was afraid she'd snap at me, so I was quiet and just agreed with her. Yes, Mom, men are evil.

We made a few trips. The guys trips took longer than ours, but they had all the real moving to do. Somewhere throughout the course of the day Mom gave up on sexism and had me help her make lunch for everyone. That made her realize we need to buy food and stuff, so that was our next project. When we drove out the people across the street were getting out of their car and waved at us. I only saw the lady, but Mom said there was a man too. They looked like an older couple, probably older than Jack. Lady Neighbor had a friendly smile.

I wonder about our neighbors next door, with the pool. Haven't seen them. Or a car. Maybe they're on vacation or something. Whatever. When we got back from the grocery store (which we're so much closer to now, it's sooo convenient) the guys declared that they were done for the day, though unofficially so, they were all sitting around on the back porch drinking beer. I got the feeling it didn't thrill Mom but she didn't have a hormonal explosion, we got lucky.

Now we have most of the furniture set up, not all positioned in the right place, but most of it is in the house. I have my bed all set up, and it's right where I want it. I think I want to move my desk to the other wall, which will be easy since my computer isn't hooked up yet and there's an outlet over there.

Right now the bedrooms are the only thing that look half way decent. Well, my room and Mom and Dad's room anyway. The guest bedroom across from me is like box heaven, so is the little one down the hall. The living room is in shambles, a maze of tables and chairs and couches and boxes of DVDs and all sorts of electronics just waiting to be plugged in. And the kitchen, yikes, food that doesn't need to be refrigerated everywhere, since Mom hasn't decided where she's putting the plates and stuff. The dining room isn't half bad, since there's nothing in it. Dad decided to get rid of the table and the chairs are all in the living room, for some reason.

I'm glad Dad and Mom are taking the day off again tomorrow. I'm not sure why, but I am. I think I'll decorate my room tomorrow, see if Mom and Dad need help with anything. But for now I'll sleep. Nighty night, journal.

7-12-03

10:43 PM

Okay, the house is a little better looking now. At least all the boxes are in the garage, as is the old kitchen table and chairs, yes Mom and I convinced Dad to part with his precious chairs, and the cars are in the driveway. Haven't talked to any of the neighbors yet, but we waved to the people across the street again.

My room is looking prettyful. I got everything out of the boxes and into my dresser and closet and bookshelf and everywhere else and got rid of the boxes. I helped Mom with the kitchen today, I wasn't sure where Dad was. She told me out buying a new table, she trusted his judgment on one.

When he came back we had most of the dishes and stuff put away, and figured out what to do with all the food, decided we needed a china cabinet for some reason, and what was I talking about? Oh, Dad. So he says he has a surprise for us and makes us go upstairs for a few minutes. It was more like twenty minutes, and Mom helped me get my computer all set up, and then he called us downstairs, where Dad had the new table and chairs in the dining room, which are nice I guess, but he bought this cute round table with an umbrella and chairs for the porch, and this little plant for the backyard that's some kind of flowering bush. It made Mom cry, she was so happy for some reason. It was adorable though.

Oh, and Dad decided to make that random room at the bottom of the stairs an office for him and Mom. So they can escape while they work. Work. Suuuuure, Mom and Dad. Well, it's actually a good idea, I think, because when Syd-n-Vaughn junior comes along, Dad will still be working but Mom won't, so he'll need a place to get away.

10:51 PM

I think Donovan's adjusted nicely. As of now he's sleeping in the middle of the hallway between all of our rooms. He's started sleeping a lot lately, but I think he's kinda old for his breed so I don't blame him. He gets excited around breakfast time though and he runs through the living room and kitchen and barks at the glass door to go outside. I do believe he enjoys having his own backyard. At least we don't have to walk him anymore and chase after him when he sees a squirrel. He won't stay outside for too long, it's too hot for him. Poor baby. Anyway, I think Dad wants to get another one, which is fine by me.

Hm. He seems to be snoring.

Silly dog.

7-14-03

11:10 AM
Ooooooooooh my gosh. Ooooooh my gosh. Have I mentioned that I love this house? Because I do. I love it. LOVE IT. I especially happen to love it's location. And particularly love the people who have the pool next door.

Let me tell you a story. One morning (this morning) a girl named Aislin was eating breakfast in the kitchen standing up against the counter because for some reason she was too lazy to walk over to the dining room and sit down. Instead she decided to stand? What a loser. Anyway, Aislin was munching away on some Cheerios when she happened to be staring outside into the backyard. Just then she glanced into the neighbor's yard, to the pool, and… Was that a net moving around? Yes, and there was an arm holding the net. And then… WAHOO! HOT MAN! CLEANING THE POOL! SHIRT FREE!

Yes indeed, it is true, I, Aislin C. Vaughn have a hot neighbor man. I've taken to calling him Hot Neighbor Guy. I mean, wow, he was hot, I mean like WHOA hot. Like she stop and your jaw drops hot. You press your face against the glass door hot. You have to wipe the drool off the glass door hot. He's gorgeous! He was wearing these bright green shorts that were probably his swim trunks and he had no shirt and he was buff and really, really tan and had dark hair and, wow. He was hot.

Hot Neighbor Guy. Why did you have to stop cleaning your pool and go inside? I wonder… If I find a bunch of leaves and stuff and throw them over the fence into the water do you think he'll come back outside and clean? He makes me wonder, does he live with other Hot Neighbor Guys? What if these hot bachelors all lived next door. How awesome would that be? They would have to go swimming eventually, all in their swim trunks, without shirts, looking gorgeous, and I would just happen to be watching because I'm going to watch all day if they're half as gorgeous as Hot Neighbor Guy.

Wow.

He was HOT.

Oooh I think I need to cool down. In his pool, perhaps? Haha. I'm horrible. Hot man. Hot, hot man.

7-18-03

7:15 PM

Dad met Hot Neighbor Guy. I'm so jealous. His name is Jeff Lampi, and no, he doesn't live with a bunch of Hot Neighboring Men. He's married (sigh) and has two young kids. That's disappointing. Oh well. As long as he keeps cleaning his pool with his shirt off.

Why couldn't I have been home with Dad to meet him too? I want to see him up close more than anyone! But noooo, I had to go to the mall with Kathleen. Well, we had fun, I'll admit. We had stuff to get before our trip to Canada.

Oh! Canada! I forgot. (Haha, Oooooh Cannnnnnadaaaaaaaaaa. Get it? I started with Oh and Canada? Nevermind.) I leave on Sunday at like 7:30 in the morning. We're flying into Seattle and then driving to some city an hour away where Jess's aunt and uncle live (on her Dad's side, which reminds me that I haven't said anything about Aunt Melody yet, later) and then we're driving to Canada from there. To some lake, where it's really pretty. It's like an eight hour drive total, though. Crazy long.

I can't believe I've forgotten about Canada. Aw, I almost don't want to go, just because of the new house we're still settling into, and because of Hot Neighbor Guy, and, yeah. Only almost. I'm so excited for it, actually. I can't wait.

And I forgot about Aunt Melody too? When did I become so forgetful? Probably because school's out. Stupid school. Gives me so many problems. Anyway, Aunt Melody and Weiss went on a date. And they have plans for a second one. I didn't have any time to badger Weiss about it when he helped us move, I wish I could get some inside scoop. Oh well. Melody usually spills to Jess, or so Jess tells me. They're first date went well, apparently, and hence the second one.

I just realized… Right after I've finally finished unpacking all my stuff, I have to pack again for Canada. Sigh. Thus is life.

7-31-03

8:04 PM

Journal! Oh sweet journal! My precious little baby, I'm so, so sorry! I cannot believe I for got to pack you, of all things to forget! I like spazzed when we got on the plane and you weren't in my backpack. Oooh, journal, I'll never leave you ever again! Never ever!

Oooh, I wish I had you with me. Then there would be greatly recorded events that I can't recall in full detail right now because, for one, I'm really tired that that freaking long drive and flight, and two, I just can't remember things that well anymore, you know? Ugh.

Here's the best recap I can give:

Jess's family picked me up from the house, there were two cars. One was a giant mega-van that all the luggage and Jess's little brother and two sisters were in, and the adults. There was another car that Roxy drove with me, Krissy, Kathleen, and Jess, and another that Adam's brother Matt drove with him, Adam, his friend Chris, and Kelly Jess's other sister and her friend. It was crazy. There were tons of us. Anyway, I said bye to Mom and Dad. Mom cried. Damn hormones, they make her all weird. The drive to the airport was funny. Then the plane ride. Then the longest car ride of my life. We played twenty questions, and in fact, played the game out. No more twenty questions for Aislin.

Once we were up there we managed somehow to have an adult cabin and kids cabin with Roxy and Matt as our supervisors. They are possibly the worst supervisors in history, though, and made out all the time. Mostly we played Monopoly and Cranium, and made friendship bracelets and went swimming and occasionally fishing. Adam is officially the worst player of Cranium. Aunt Melody played with us this one night, had to draw the word "cartwheel" and drew the best picture step-by-step of someone doing a cartwheel. She even drew out a shopping cart, and a wheel. What does Adam say? "Cart pizza!" No, Adam, it's not 'Cart pizza.' And what the hell's a cart pizza?

Oh, I've also taken to swearing a bit. I blame Jess's older siblings. They're bad influences on us youngins. Fun bad influences though.

We also tried duct taping Adam (Jess's little brother Adam, not her boyfriend) to the bench at the table. Their sister Amanda suggested we put makeup on him, but then since he's only like a fourth grader he screamed bloody murder and we had to untape him. It would have been really funny though.

And now I'm home! Home sweet home! I missed Mom and Dad a lot, it's so good to see them again. Mom is actually showing, slightly. Like, you can tell she looks different. She says her jeans are tight, and I truly believe her. She's so cute about it though, and gets all happy at the thought. Dad looks the same. He might need a hair cut. But no, his jeans are not tighter too. Which is a good thing. Haha.

They've befriended Hot Neighbor Guy and Wifey, apparently. Hm. They're around the same age and Mom and Dad, a few years younger I guess. I'm not exactly sure what to think about that. Hm.

Well, I'm going to go hang with my parents for awhile, I've missed them. I think I spent some quality time with you, journal, and again, I'm soooo so so so so sorry for leaving you behind! I felt awful, really I did!

8-2-03

3:41 PM

Oh dear, I am truly an idiot. Or a genius. I haven't decided yet, but I'm leaning towards the idiot side. Journal, you will not believe what happened. So I'm home alone today, minding my own business, lounging in the living room watching TV, when knock knock knock, someone's at the door.

So I open it. Guess who? Hot Neighbor Guy. I'm frozen to the spot, speechless, my eyes glued to his hot body. He's even more gorgeous up close. So tan, so buff…

Anyway. He held up some envelopes. Then he spoke, "We got some of your mail again."

Me, I say, "Oh?" because I have no idea what he's talking about. But who cares? Speak, gorgeous man, speak.

I took it from him nonetheless. He told me that since we're 631 Woodside and they're 637 Woodside sometimes the mailman read the numbers wrong. It's happened before, I guess, when I was in Canada. After I got the mail from him, he started asking about me, and since he and Dad are all buddy-buddy now, he figured I was Aislin. Yup, I sure am.

And then– I just may never forgive myself for this –he asks, "Do you baby sit?"

"Yes."

Yes? I fricken said yes, I baby sit? Since when, Aislin? God. So anyway, long story short, guess what I'm doing tomorrow evening? Oh, Hot Neighbor Guy, how connivingly cruel of you to use your Hot ways against me. Damn it.

Ah, the phone is ringing.

A/n: Don't cha wish your neighbor was hot like hers? Don't cha? Don't cha, baby, don't cha?

I'm incredibly sorry for that. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review!