I recently found out who I'll be staying with in Sydney for the next three months. They have three kids from the fathers previous marraige, 12, 9 and 7. and two Griffon Bruxellios.
He could only manage to dig up a picture of their Dogs to send me. Meet Pearl Jam and Monkey Face. I couldn't be more excited.

Oh Little Red Bay.

This Past week I went to Little Red Bay Ontario where my fathers side of the family owns two little cottages on the water front. This year I traveled up there with my littlest sister Madeiline and my Boyfriend Jon. My Aunt Marty and Grandmother were already up there with their dogs. in the cabin next dorr were some second cousins and my great Aunt Jan and Uncle Mike.

I've been going to Red by since I was....well....since I was born, and this is also true of my three sisters and my father and his four sisters.

Although the same timeless beauty of the bay is there, a lot has changed since I first started going. for one thing the tide is about 500 feet farther out than it was when i was a child and there is a wire fence around the sand dunes that my sisters and I along with some cousins would play. But I think the biggest change of all is that my Grandfather isn't there anymore. My grandparents usually head up there at the end of May, open up the cottage, and stay there untill labor day weekend. My Grandfather passed away in Feb. of this year so this summer it is only my grandmother.

Now Grandma is a fireball of energy, at 80 yrs she goes rowing every day (thats more than i do already) and sometimes finds the time for some long distance swimming around the bay. She's the mother of five mother in law of five more, grandmother of (wait a sec) [counts on fingers] 12 ,4 of whom have been married, and 6 great grandchildren. But ever since grandpa Died, the man that she was deeply and utterly in love with, she has been so sad and mopey ad I don't know what to do with it.

I was so glad to get to spend time with my little sister Maddy Before I head around the world to study abroad in Sydney. She's pretty awesome. Awesomly weird. But anyways my pictures should explain the rest of the trip.

This is my Aunt Mart and Grandma sitting on the breeze way with Marty's two springers Majic and Lucy. This is the veiw from the kitchen entrance.

This is my little sister Maddy with Majic. Majic is 12 and def and adorible. Maddy is 17 healthy and usually very strange.

Me and Jon on the beach after a brisk swim. To adorible for anymore explination.

Marty and Duchess (my grandmas dog). When ever Duchess hears a beep or whir of your camera she's on her feet to get the heck away, so it's always a challenge to get good pictures of her.

This is a lepord Frog that Maddy caught. Heh.

I'm in the white Kayak and Jon is in the Green one next to me. At night the water can get calm as glass and makes for breath taking sun sets on the water.

Basically I like the look of Blogger more than xanga.

This past weekend I went to Chicago (home), where I stayed with my best buddy Kristina and her lovely roomates. The weekend consisted of:

1. Going to the beat kitchen to see Series play
2. pitchfork music festival
3. pitchfork music festival

This was the first time that I was really able to put my new digital camera to use. I took maybe too many pictures of the walkmen and Bode do Role, but it was worth it. I mean look how cute the guy is.

Even though it was approximately 95 degrees all weekend, you barely notice after standing in the heat for 6 hours. It was, however, hard to ignore the fact that everyone was sweating more than ever before in their lives. (or atleast i was) we were litterally sliding off of each other.

My favorite acts of the weekend:

1.Diplo - this was the best way to end the weekend, this guy has magical hands that can't be stopped once they have touched those tables. no one under that tent wasn't dacing to the beats he produce for us. The thing that really completed his set were the images he projected on the slanted ceiling of the tent, weather they were old school super hero television shows, or commercials straight out of the early 90's or fight scenes from Kill Bill, what ever it was, it went right along with the set. The image would be scrambled or changed to the beat of the music, and I'm not sure if it was some how electronically hooked up to his tables or if the guy standing next to him was controling it. anyways.....it was mind blowing.
http://formdiplo.com/

2. Aesop-Rock and Mr. Lif - They know how to control a crowd. First of all, Ace rock is white.......how come no one ever told me that? Secondly these guys are so wise so their lyrics are packed with wisdom and truth along with impressive rhythms that you can almost hear him swinging. My friend craig concluded that they must listen to alot of Jazz. I say that these guys are just telling stories through rap, none of this dumb "Rich bitches gunna fuck me and rob a bank" shit. Stories about "Don't follow your dreams because dreams are something you persue and never do, Just live your life and do it untill it's done".........wow. They got the whole crowd singing a pretty complicated tag line "All I ever wanted was to pick up on the day put the peices back together my way". And they could get us to scream when ever they wanted. NOT TO MENTION that their DJ blew my effing mind. Best of All Mr. Liff walked around after his set so i got to chat with him and get him to sign my ticket.....what a nice guy, all smiles and amazing drealocks. http://definitivejux.net/jukies/aesop_rock/

3. Dominik Eulberg - This guy was on right before Diplo, he's from Germany bust sadly we only got to hear him speak when the announcer had him pronounce his name for everyone....adorible. He's this kind of chubby white german kid with long blonde hair who got everyone to scream and dance with out even having to look up. Equiped with tables and a computer Dominik got everybody jumping to his electronica (almost techno) music. It was very fun. It was very sweet when at the end he made a heart shape with his hands and pointed to everyone and then simulated a beating heart by putting his hand under his shirt where his heart it. very sweet. http://dominik-eulberg.de/ (this site is in German but it might be worth looking at)

4. CSS - These girls were great. The lead singer might be the only girl on this planet who can pull off rainbow and lepord print spandex pants. Their Brazilian and they look like their 16 but I doubt us american types would let them drink on stage like they were if they were actually 16. These girls sang about Bubble Gum, Rollar skates and Alchohol like there is nothing better in this life. I left my wonderful 5th row center spot early though, so I could get a front row center spot for Aesop-Rock :). poppy rock n roll baby. http://trama.com.br/portalv2/css/index.jsp


5. The Walkmen - I've been a fan for about 2 years now, an I don't know about you but when EVER I hear "The Rat" I go a little out of my mind. Their known for their broken Piano sound (they had two on stage) and their hard harmonic guitar chords. I love every inch of it. I got a good spot for this show to. Good Enough to realize how very attractive the lead singer is. "YOOOOOU"VE GOT A NEERVE TO BE AAASKIN A FAAVOR!!" UHG! I love it. http://www.marcata.net/walkmen/








6. Bonde do Role - These guys aren't the best but their MC's have cool voices and their background soundscapes are pretty origional...I think that might have something to do with the fact that they are the first band on Diplo's new label. Well they're from Brazil just like CSS only they actually sang in Portegese (CSS sang all in english). They are: One big Chubby guy who DJ's and every so often adds grummbly mc vocals. One skinny dude and a short stalky chick who was dressed like a safari girl, she brought this to our attention at the beginning when she shouted "I"M A SAFARI GIRL!" I think she was a little drunk, I only say this because she stage dove (where I promptly got to touch her back) and when it was time for her to return to the sage she missed! and hit her head and was rushed to the hospital, Diplo informed the crowd later that she was just fine but.....geez. They were fun. http://myspace.com/bondedorole

At the beginning of the second day (sunday) my boyfriend Jon Texted me saying "Hey we're both getting work experience, except you're at a concert and I'm at church" lol

Yeah, work experience.....I hope.


Chicago, I miss you and it was soo good to see you. I'll be back in August before I go to Sydney.



love peace Leigh