2012!!!!!!!!!

Well, it's been a while.  Blah, blah, blah, skip that part.  It's 2012 and already February!  I can't believe last year went as fast as it did.  Obviously, there were days when it felt like there were 48 hours rather than 24, but all-in-all it went fast.  And talk about busy!  Whoa.  A lot has changed in my life, some good and some not as good all in 12 short months.
My birthday was Sunday.  I turned 21 for the second time.  I decided last January that I was never going to get any older than 21.  Jamie said that would be ok as long as he can live to be 100 and receive a letter from the King (or Queen whichever it is come 2088). 
I have a veggie garden that is flourishing in leaps and bounds.  The woman at the nursery convinced me to plant zucchini, and since it's just the two of us we have zucchini coming out our noses.  Trust me, it's that isn't as appealing as it sounds.  I also have five tomato plants with only one tomato growing so far.  I call it progress considering I planted broccoli in last year's garden and never saw one head come up. 
I might throw it out there that it is summer-time full on right now.  107 *F and 80% humidity.  My favourite part is that most houses here don't have air-conditioning including ours.  I've gotten used to it for the most part, but forgive me for saying, "It's 2012 PEOPLE!!"  I just haven't wrapped my head around why air-conditioning hasn't made a bigger hit over here, but I keep my mouth shut (except on the world-wide-web) because it's a very "American" way of thinking.  Australia is a very rich and advanced country, but I just recently learned how spoiled I grew up even in my father's house where the air-conditioning didn't come on until you were drowning in June sweat.  I distinctly remember Jodie hitting me once because Dad had finally turned the air on one summer evening and I pulled a throw-blanket out to cover my feet while we watched a movie.  "Put that away and get some socks or Dad will turn the air off!" she said.  At least we had a swimming pool back then.  We have a big garden tub in our guest bathroom here and I fill it up with cold water on the hottest of days and siphon the water onto my veggies when I'm done!  Yikes, listen to me complain.  My apologies.  It's actually been a lovely summer.  We've been to the beach several times and I can't count the number of delicious evenings we've spent on the veranda enjoying the sun-set.  And!!!  Wait for it!  I have a tan line!  Oh yeah :).  I have spent my entire life burning and pealing back to pale as the moon, but now thanks to the hole in the ozone layer above Antarctica (so Jamie tells me), I have a proud tan this summer. 
I have a lot more to write about, but I'll leave it and force myself to write soon.  I miss you all and hope that 2012 has started off for you as well as it has for Jamie and me. 

Quote for the day:  "You is smart, you is kind, you is beautiful."  from The Help