Cabin fever

   Think of a little cottage in the woods. Where civilization is scarce kinda. And you're surrounded by nothing but trees and critters. Like... Aurora. Banished to live in the woods in a small cottage with no way to escape. She just sings and stuff, until a stranger finds her and grabs her from the back and she's like who the fu

Yeah, a cottage in the woods. We stayed at one.

And this is how so many horror movies start out.

After work on Thursday, we were on our way. 

Much of the drive was the usual boring SoCal traffic with some idiot deciding to not pay attention and cause an accident, therefore slowing everyones' lives down by hours

jk, the drive wasn't bad. Once we reached the base of the mountain, things started getting really pretty as dusk approached. 

The trip up was absolutely beautiful. The roads were super windy, the sky had this cool orangey gradient from the sun setting, but it wasn't dark just yet. And there were barely any cars. All was quiet and tranquil the high up we went. Was awesome

Before making the trip, Chicken had looked up a spot for us to pull over and gaze out over the view. There are no words, honestly.

nothing is sacred anymore...

 i lied. there are but a couple.

 So, if you drive a manual car, mountains don't give a shit about that.

 I love views. 

There's this ominous tranquility that completely envelopes me as I only think of how insignificant we are. Views like this are humbling. 

I am entitled to absolutely nothing. I am owed nothing. And I am just happy to be here and alive. A fucking turn signal from a slowing car that's not even nearing the right side of the road before it comes to an almost completely unneccessary and dangerous basically full stop before it turns right onto the road at a busy traffic light, isn't asking for much... but I realize that I should just be glad I have a car. Because I know people who don't have cars, and that's a luxury they'd probably like to also complain about. So I should shut up and just be more grateful. 

I am, though. I am so grateful. Especially for my Chicken

 As we neared the cottage, everything just looked cooler and surreal.

When we arrived, it was the cutest little area ever. Like, I could've screamed if it wasn't 7 at night. We let our host know and they came right over to give us the tour. He was SO friendly. Also, gave us the most important assignment of waking up bright and early to make sure the Steller Jays were fed their peanuts. Very, very important.

Also, Rhett. 

Once he left, I did the photo thing while ugly crying on the inside.

 IT'S CREEPY, BUT ALSO CUTE, RIGHT?!

 

Everything was so cute. Like out of a little fairytale.
Normally, rustic themes aren't... like.. what even
BUT THIS WAS SO CUTE.

 When we went upstairs, it's a LOFT

Since we were arriving late-ish, Chicken prepared and brought some quick stuff for dinner lol.

 Was one of the most peaceful evenings of, probably ever. 

Wine, noodles, fireplace, and a K-Drama about ghosts, in Ben Brode's flannel shirts, all while enjoying the quiet of the forest surrounding us.

I brought my laptop thinking I'd... idk. I'm an idiot. 

But didn't even unpack it. If Chicken brought his, I wouldn't have known.

CYNTHIA, WHY'D YOU GUYS GO TO A COTTAGE IN THE MOUNTAINS? LIKE, TO DIE?

That's a great question!

Not putting Gollums' face on our address wasn't as fun. Nicki, the invitations are beautiful, I'm so sorry.

A wedding! Is that... a lembas bread leaf? WHY,

YES. 

YES, IT IS.

The wedding invitations were just... omg. And.. here I am, a cosplayer. And.. there it happened, my own overzealous, but hilarious downfall. 

We went out to stay in a mountain cottage for Nicki and Tom's Lord of the Wings themed wedding, and the excitement was just... unreal. I even bought stuff to wear for it that was like... themed-ish enough, with ear stuff and all that stuff. Very excited.

The morning of the wedding, we were up by 6:30 a.m. 

Because the jays said so.

 We followed directions and set a handful of peanuts out on the ledge of the porch. And they came

We sat inside and watched in awe.

And set out some more.

This time, in spite of the cold morning air, we sat out on the porch and watched. It was like magic.

 I totally understand why bird watching is a thing. I get it now, and it's really dorky, but also really cool.

If infant Bambi was with us, and we were teaching him how to say literally any other god forsaken word in the English language, he'd probably do a lot better here.

We spoiled those jays rotten. Until we noticed a visitor in a nearby tree.

As beautiful as the sunrise was, the cold drove us back inside, where we had a cute breakfast and made ourselves comfortable.

and left out more peanuts for the jays

The cottage was magical in the daylight. We sat on the couch and took a moment to just relax and take it all in when we saw a little friend scavenging for leftovers. So we set some peanuts out for it by the door.

 BUT SOMEONE ELSE SHOWED UP

Those jerks. 

... So we set out some more LOL

FINALLY, we left it at that, and sat down and went to have breakfast

Hi, Rhett.

No. It's not breakfast time for us. It's Rhett's turn. And fed her, we did.

She must've been the happiest squirrel.

We left her to finish, but then she um, let us know.
that she had eaten all of her peanuts.
and required more.

It's our fault.

And then it was time to get ready for the ceremony.

So, I wanted to do formal but also like... I've met Galadriel AND Saruman and helped the orcs to learn how to hold a quill properly. But still formal wear. Not full on cosplay, I didn't have time for that, nor the patience. Chicken wore a suit and looked so dapper ^_^

 Once we got there, we immediately spotted peeps. And I quickly realized.... it was a themed WEDDING. Not a THEMED wedding. That felt weird. Because the last thing I needed was to stick out like a sore thumb. Let alone... like... idk. I sincerely hoped with all of my soul that I didn't look like a total asshole to anyone because I genuinely thought people would dress up a bit with like... cloaks and hoods and leather pouches and shit. and floppy sleeved gowns. TURNS OUT, IT WAS JUST ME. AND IT'S MY OWN FAULT. AND IT'S FINE. (i was dying inside)

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO REASSURED ME THAT WHAT I FELT WAS UNWARRANTED. AND FOR YOUR GRACIOUS COMPLIMENTS uwu

 That's Fish and Lizzie

An autobiography

 There was so much cheese you guys. And we got these sick steins. I had Sapporo, he went with Guinness.

This is the first wedding I've been to since I was 3 years old.

 They look enthralled with one another. That's dope

Did I cry? I cried at this part:

The father-daughter dance. There's so much there that I could feel as they danced together. I love my father so much. SO much. And I know how much it hurts him that I'm not his little girl anymore. He sends me videos of my childhood, old photos and asks me if I remember moments when we were both much younger. When life was simpler. I know he yearns for me to also be happy, and to one day be at a wedding of my own. So... seeing them together was the tear-jerker for me. lol I cried typing this

The mother-son dance was also really sweet. His mom was enthusiastic and jovial. Smiling and hopping to the music happily. They were both so child-like. My mom is also like that. 

I fucking love my parents so much.

The evening was LIT. 

I ran into people I haven't seen in a long while. Some of which used to be at our work but moved on to pursue their own ambitions. It was SO good to see them again. I haven't been able to flash anyone at work my Bloods gang sign, and it really hurts you guys. But Friday night, I did. And.. and it was so beautiful you guys. T____T  

I MISS YOU SO MUCH, B'NAYNAY. We all do. 

I also never thought I'd be dancing like a ratchet potato next to Papa M and his fam. But... there we were. Disgusting wretches. Honestly though, it's the DJ's fault for playing the devil's music.

 I will say though, the DJ played my Edith Piaf request earlier in the evening, and that was dope. So he wasn't completely corrupted.

All in all though, the wedding was beautiful. Nicki and Tom looked enchanting together. Their vibe was just.. glowing all throughout and everyone could feel it. It's usually gross seeing people make out in public, but this was cool. Just... raw, amorous want and desire to unite with someone else so completely. Traverses love.

There are several of kinds of love, right? We love our parents, friends, pets, colleagues, even celebrities. And of course, we love our lovers. But I think there's another force beyond love that breaks the threshold to reaching an absolute and unyielding want of uniting with someone in every aspect of your life. Not obsession lol. This is the rational one, when you're an adult and know what it means to live as a responsible person. Experienced, even. This is a partnership, a team, but you're like... blue-toothed to each other. You love each other so much, that you take ANOTHER step to sync up, for life. That's crazy. And also beautiful.

So, robot penguins basically.

Kids, get married early. You're totally ready for it lol

For the first wedding I've been to in 29 years, this was pretty awesome. I'm extremely humbled to have been able to witness them blue-tooth, and to just experience a wedding, period lol. 

Also, during the part where Nicki and Tom were cutting their wedding cake, the Totoro theme song was playing. And I turned to Fish (Chicken's friend) and was like omg we have to do the thing where they're growing the trees out of the ground. And he was like huh? And I was like

you don't know? And he's like... ??? And I was like TOTORO? And he was like, oh Miyazaki? He did Grave of the Fireflies right? And we were like ya but wtf you've never seen Totoro? and he was like 

no and I'm not going to beCAUSE YOU SAW ME CRY THAT ONE TIME

everyone paused. and turned around too look at him because just as he was saying that, the music was turned down. and I'm pretty sure the cake cutting was being recorded.... and all you hear... when the volume goes down, instead of Nicki and Tom, beautifully holding the knife together cutting into the cake... in the background you just hear Fish.. very emotionally shouting... "YOU SAW ME CRY THAT ONE TIME" 

and in the crowd of people surround them, Tom knew exactly who it was.

Nicki and Tom.... again... we're so sorry Fish basically ruined your entire wedding

The next morning, we were up early, though not as early as the day before. But early enough to enjoy the last few hours we would have at our cute little cottage.

Chicken brought up Stouffer's mac n cheese... the large size ^_^

 We shared breakfast with Rhett, and a friend of hers.

Before we left, I took a final stroll around the cottage and captured everything I could to look back on.

This little cottage is home to so many little friendos.

It's so easy to get lost in nature. Thoreau had the right idea.

Leaving was extremely bittersweet. We would've stayed longer, but other guests had booked the cottage right after us. It's okay though, because we'll be back. I can't stress enough how amazing our stay was. I want to live in the mountains lol. 

We even mused about opening up a funeral home and our families would work there with us. And it'd be cute. Chicken would do the website, his mom would do the accounting and paperwork, my mom would work with the bodies and she'd LOVE it, our dads would do maintenance on the building, his sister would work with clients and his other sister would be our lawyer :) and I'd do a bit of everything. And we'd all be happy living in the mountains and working at a cute family owned funeral home ^_^ 

  

That's... my fantasy. Let me have it.

Before we left, we stopped by the local market. I wanted to take something back with me that I could use and remember our time there by. This was right next to the lake.

 The drive down the mountain was just as beautiful. Though I'll admit, I liked it much better at dusk.

back home.

This is what I picked up at the market. That soap is one of the things we had at the cottage. It changed my life. Annnnnd the candle... I couldn't resist. What can I say?


As soon as we got back, I went and go groceries to make stuff for today and tomorrow. Today I prepared seco de res. Tomorrow gonna make guiso de carne. I took a picture of the seco but accidentally deleted it lol and idc anymore but you can google it. it doesn't look appetizing at all. but it's one of my favorite Peruvian dishes. I don't put carrots in mine though, that's fucking weird.

And now we're here.

I finally beat that bastard Guardian Ape in Sekiro. and today discovered I had to do it AGAIN, but WORSE. Didn't even think that was possible, but... it is. I did it though. Fuck that fight. Jk, it wasn't even that bad, I'm just so over that damn monkey.


Anyway, yeah. Um. Blue-tooth. If I ever propose to someone, I've decided that it's gonna be by a dumb blue-tooth thing. Idk what yet, but... that's it. There it is. Spoilers.

ok jk I got leftovers because I made a bunch. and

weird exotic home cooked meals yeah fine whatever

but 

look at my plates though. I've had them forever

and 

got them at the 99 during the Halloween season, like 4 years ago. and they're so cute T_T

homewares during Halloween season are SO IMPORTANT. GO. GO NOW BEFORE THEY'RE ALL GONE, I'M TELLING YOU.

oKAY now that you've seen my cute plates, I'm ending it here. Gonna go blast that O'rin of the Water chola back into her grave

Musubi

  There's no real way to express the rip in my soul that I've been feeling these last few weeks. I get home, sit at my computer, log on to WoW Classic... and I don't know which server to pick. 

On one hand, my bf and our friendos are the one server that's always full

On the other, peeps from work are on a lesser (but still high pop) server that offered me a spot in their guild (which is appealing because I'm currently guildless)

And then on retail, I got an offer for an invite to a comfy guild where I'll know people. 

WOE, DEADASS.

A conundrum I can't solve. And when I do log on to ... the respective servers, people are away. And I cannot commit. SO I PLAY OVERWATCH INSTEAD OF TRYING TO DEFEAT THE GUARDIAN APE IN SEKIRO. YES, I STILL HAVEN'T BEATEN IT. 

uwu. WoW Classic has, not uncharacteristically, brought turmoil into my routine. What is one to do?! I can't keep playing OW every night (I mean, I can. It's so fun) when there's a guardian ape to kill in Sekiro so I can advance in the story?!?! That's a TERRIBLE excuse. At least Classic is like... understandable. But I'm at a stand-still. It hurts, guys. It really hurts. The server that my bf and our friendos are on .... NO ONE IS EVEN PLAYING TOGETHER. Is there a guild? I HAVE NO IDEA. So a part of me wants to just abandon it all together. But, it's the server with my highest level toon. And I've already leveled a NE toon THREE TIMES ALREADY, I'M SICK OF RE-ROLLING A NE. 

:D hay. how you doing? how's yoru day? mine was fine. EVERYTHING IS FINE

No really though, like... I think 2 weeks ago, I got this random craving for spam musubi. Like, it just seemed so delicious and perfect for an evening meal/snack thing. So we went out and got a shit ton of spam.

And Dylan made some for us previously, so he cut up and fried all the spam and showed me how to make them cute with the rice and nori.

 THEY WERE BEAUTIFUL AND DELICIOUS. We made a bunch of them and wrapped them and had trillions that would last for days.

 That was the best night ever. I ate 3 and had sesame ice cream with green tea mochi ice cream.
And the next day I had one for breakfast, and 3 more for lunch. I could live off of musubi probably for the rest of my life.

 ah yes, more galbi-jjim :D

hi yes Sun Nong Dan, go fuck yourselves up.

At this point, we deserve a frequent buyer card lol.

OH. OH MY GOD. CAN I SAY SOMETHING?!

Okay, so... over the last two years that we've been going, there's been a difference in the meat that comes with it. It's still ribs, but it's from the back closer to the spine, and less of the front part of the rib. And I think... like 2 visits ago? I asked the server about it, and he was like oooooohhh yeah, people have been asking for different parts of the rib because they like to turn into ferals and bite into the cartilage and suck out the spinal fluids and chew on the harder bits. And I was like oooooooooooohhh okay. I'm not a fan, because it seems like less meat, but it's probably the same amount, just... grows on the bones differently because.. the bones are shaped differently lol.

 And I asked if they still served the frontal rib pieces, and he said yeah can just ask for it next time. They were SUPER nice about it. 

SO ON OUR NEXT VISIT, he totally remembered us, and asked us before we finished putting in the order if we wanted that particular part of the rib and I smiled so big. Like, oh man. Thank you for remembering me and my shitty preference for front ribs instead of back ribs. It's mostly because the meat slides off the front ribs and I can cut them into little pieces. But the back ribs are... you have to bite it all off and... I have braces lol.

 And yeah, I love them and I can't wait to go back :D

 Okay so this last weekend, on Friday

we had another movie night thing and I wanted to bring special snacks

because I'm a good person

 And want to make memories. duh

 It was too lit

After some sippy sippies, I brought the spiky one out to the patio and prepared it for harvest.

 
Durians suck if you're not careful. Their spikes are sharp and painful.... just like mine ^_^
So after cutting it at the top, it takes some strength (which I'm lacking) to rip the pit open. But once opened up, it's the coolest looking fruit ever!

It smelled, yeah. But I think because we were outside, it wasn't as overpowering. 

Once people tasted it, those that hadn't tried it were surprised! And not in a bad way. I was happy ^_^

And even if they didn't completely love it, it was still cool of them to try it after all the bad rap durians get. They're weird, but I think they're also very delicious :D

the rest of the evening, we all were unbridled lushes.

someone brought jolly rancher infused vodka

 the margaritas didn't mess around

Back in Hawaii, Dylan was a bartender. So he was out for kills

 He got two headshots that night.

there it is. the loaf of bread

 we suck at selfies.

he's not hailing the camera, he's activating the shot for camera mode, but the timer wasn't on because I'm stupid lol

 whoa there

21 AND OVER PLS

 that there was a mix of all the jolly rancher vodkas. It was good lol

 T'WAS A GOOD EVE.
The rest of the weekend, we just lounged and went out to eat at this place that looks like something you'd come across in the Wasteland (in Fallout, not the other one where people only use baby wipes)

Was cool. There were people around so I rushed to take pictures and ran back to our booth.

He got this massive breakfast burrito, at like 4pm, and I got fish and chips and a strawberry milkshake. Was cute, I wanna go back ^_^

And nooooowwww, I want ice cream. 

This coming up weekend, we're on another adventure! Several hour long car ride up into the forest :D I can't wait!!!  And .... I just took like 30 minutes to order my last minute outfit. YAY.

There's a new cosplay I wanna make already, even though I just did Doujun earlier this year. It's from Kuon. But like, not technically an actual character. But we'll see. There's no rush for me to finish it, I just wanna do it and say that I did ^_^.  

Which by the way, if you like FromSoftware games, YOU SHOULD GIVE KUON A CHANCE because it's beautiful and extremely creepy. And one of my favorite survival horror games. I wouldn't steer you wrong with horror games. Believe it.

 

ok I'm gonna go cry at a k-drama with ghosts in it