four corners

there are places i've always wanted to see in my life. the hills of scotland, the beauty of australia, any revolutionary and/or civil war battle field ... well, the list goes on.

i finally realized one of those experiences today.

i'm on vacation in the heart of new mexico. this morning we loaded up the suv and my grandparents, an aunt, a couple of cousins and i took a little road trip to the northwest worner of the state -- literally!

it's a four-and-a-half hour drive from albuquerque to four corners; the intersection of utah, colorado, new mexico and arizona. it's marked with a monument.

we stopped in shiprock, new mexico for lunch, just about 20 minutes prior to arriving at the monument marker.

unfortunately, we could not get on the marker itself because it's under construction and, in fact, nearly completed. i was able to get close to it and to walk around it, passing through one state, then another, then another, then back into new mexico!

the marker is maintained and upkept by navajo tribal parks. i was aware that there was a heavy native american population in the region, but was unaware that many communities consisted of up to 98 percent native american from a population standpoint.

they were very nice and welcoming. i had a chance to talk to one woman who was very knowledgeable about her region. it only made the visit that much more interesting.

when these state borders were being outlined, the caucasions and native americans faced many differences. i find it very ironic that given that, the native americans are very proud and honored that four corners is in their back yard.

needless to say, i was impressed.

~ Kassandra

note: the actual intersection of the states is located approximately two-and-a-half miles east of the actual marker. this is due rough surveying techiniques in the late 1800s. despite the discrepancy, the monument is considered the legal marker of four corners according to the unites states government.

and ... i'm in albuquerque!

okay now, i'm updating y'all ... on my phone so perhaps this will be short. i made it safely to my grandparents in new mexico. everything went routinely and my grandfather was there to pick me up at the airport, along with my cousin, Aubrey, whom we have determined i've never met in person. she's promised to be my tour guide here.

i have already taken her up on it!

i'll tell you more about Aubrey later!

as I wrote previously, i am leaving the sightseeing plans to my family, but one such event has already become clear ... in a couple of short days, my own little butt will be sitting in four -- count 'em ... four states! we're going to the four corners, probably saturday or maybe sunday!

i know i said things went routinely, but there was a minor incident at my one hour and five minute layover in phoenix.

i wandered into a giftshop and browsed through t-shirts, finding a section of shirts featuring the phoenix suns, and specifically Amar'e Stoudimire (who has since bolted phoenix for new york). being a good trail blazers fan, i rolled my eyes. this kid working there asked if i had a problem with the suns.

i said 'no, i'm looking forward to knocking them out of the playoffs this year (i didn't even tell him who my team is!)!'

i walked out of the giftshop feeling triumphant.

~ Kassandra

mid-summer blues

new hair

actually, i'm not blue at all. truth be told, i'm blonde! my natural hair color is dark brown, but since this is the summer between high school and college, i decided to have a little fun with it. rather than just dye the whole thing, i put blonde highlights in there.

the truth is, i don't really care for the look. it was nice to try, but i think it'll be back to dark brown very soon. i guess i'm just a brunette at heart!

the grandparents

my visit to the grandparents is nearly here. i leave july 29 for my mother's parents in albequerque, new mexico, where i'll also see some cousins i haven't seen in quite a while. i'm told some surprises planned for the visit.

the southwest has always interested me; i've always felt that mainstream education usually glosses over the mystery and beauty of the area.

after six days, i hop on a plane in albequerque and head to my father's parents just outside of lincoln, nebraska. i bet that'll be a huge culture shock!

these grandparents are not farmers, but they rely heavily on the agriculture industry. this is the heartland of america and i am honored to be hanging out there for another 6 days before returning home to portland.

i look at this as a very special time, as my grandparents are footing the bill for this trip -- my high school graduation present. i'm honored that i am able to spend this time with each of them.

trail blazers

with the exception of a few trade rumors and some fans' player wish lists, this is a very slow time of year for the portland trail blazers. i remain skeptical about many things involving the moves they have made.

however, this is my team and i will not stop supporting them and pulling for them to win. that's called loyalty, and that's what i'm all about.

not working

other than my travel, i feel like i'm not doing much this summer. i'm not working steadily for my dad like i have the past two summers (my 16-year-old sister, Jessica has that honor this year).

my mother is still settling into the new business and it's taking up a lot of her time. therefore, my responsibilities at home, especially with Monika, have increased. i have no problem with this since i am beginning to fear leaving my family behind when i go off to college. of course, that's a whole other blog.

Monika is truly the light of my heart. i love her immensely. i shall miss her more than i can fathom.

more updates to come!

~ Kassandra