Mid-Twenties!
Okay, so I've decided to take pity on your friends-list and put my normal super-long post under the
The last week has been very...interesting.
Last weekend I was lucky enough to spend a few days with James and Laura in West Virginia. However, I picked a very unlucky day to fly down to see them. Yep, two Thursday evenings ago. You remember, the night that half the east coast was being battered by storms and US Air canceled all of their flights out of Philly airport. Long (long long long) story short, my 8:40 pm flight left at 3:15 in the morning. And my poor poor friends had to drive an hour to pick me up, then drive me back while I slept in the backseat just to rub their lack of sleep in their faces a little more. Laura and James are officially my heroes. Not even a single complaint.
Anyway, the next few days were wonderful. I spent Friday in Frostburg and got a chance to tour the artisan village Laura works in. Since I was expecting a few tents in a muddy field, I was pleasantly surprised by the little grouping of workshop buildings, each holding items like homemade soap, bronze jewelry, and metal sculptures. Plus, Laura's jewelry amazed me. Gorgeously crafted bronze, really incredible stuff. My mom plans on commissioning Laura to make her something after she drooled all over the earrings she gave me for my b-day. Then, after spending some time with James at a yummy coffee shop and convincing Laura's dad that we were cheating on her, the three of us finished off the day with Mexican food, alcohol, and Shaun of the Dead.
Saturday was 'food day'. Lunch at a hippie place (avocado wraps make me very happy), plus a fondue dinner party that night. But the next day might have been my favorite. Minor hiking, swimming behind a waterfall, ridiculous and unnessecary 'beauty shots' while lying on rocks in the middle of a river. Unbelievably yummy bubble tea. Decembrists sing-along. Homemade pesto dinner while watching Da Ali G show. Staying up until 4am creating a crazy Facebook profile. Perfection :-)
Getting into a car accident the next day while leaving work? A rude wake up call. Spending next week consumed with to-do lists, anxious, upset, half-crazed trying to get everything done? Yeah, it totally sucked. I nearly broke down in my eye doctor's office and started crying because I didn't have the time to finish my check-up. I spent Friday evening alternating my time between couch vegging and bath soaking just to balance myself and prepare myself for my birthday weekend. Yay birthday weekend!
Okay, so this Saturday was King Tut time. My family and I packed into my car and drove over to the Franklin Institute early Saturday afternoon. We didn't get alot of time in the museum but we managed to spend a few hours in the Tut exhibit. Which was awesome! I know, I'm a total dork, but I've always had a soft spot for Ancient Egyptian artifacts. And these were incredible. Gold necklaces, gold sarcophagi, gold daggers, gold shrine, tiny board games, finely crafted furniture. I was like a kid in a candy store. A really shiny candy store. My family topped off the visit with dinner at Friendly's and my mom delighted in my mortification while a bunch of waiters crowded around me, singing at the top of their lungs.
My actual birthday was very low-key. Pajamas, board games with J, a homemade dinner, plus a balloon, cards, and yet another birthday cake. I was incredibly touched that they went to so much trouble and spent the night smiling (and stuffing my face).
So, on to the best part. My loot! My parent's gift was the exhibition tickets, my grandparents decided to give me a long white Coach raincoat (I still haven't figured out what I'm going to do with that), and Graeme bought two tickets to the Decembrists concert in London! Yay! London Decembrists! Plus, according to my sources, I still have a couple things en route. Still, the best part was all the phone calls and messages I received. I wasn't expecting much, but a ton of people called and left messages (not to mention the two international phone calls!). So, thank you everyone! It was a great birthday :-)
The last week has been very...interesting.
Last weekend I was lucky enough to spend a few days with James and Laura in West Virginia. However, I picked a very unlucky day to fly down to see them. Yep, two Thursday evenings ago. You remember, the night that half the east coast was being battered by storms and US Air canceled all of their flights out of Philly airport. Long (long long long) story short, my 8:40 pm flight left at 3:15 in the morning. And my poor poor friends had to drive an hour to pick me up, then drive me back while I slept in the backseat just to rub their lack of sleep in their faces a little more. Laura and James are officially my heroes. Not even a single complaint.
Anyway, the next few days were wonderful. I spent Friday in Frostburg and got a chance to tour the artisan village Laura works in. Since I was expecting a few tents in a muddy field, I was pleasantly surprised by the little grouping of workshop buildings, each holding items like homemade soap, bronze jewelry, and metal sculptures. Plus, Laura's jewelry amazed me. Gorgeously crafted bronze, really incredible stuff. My mom plans on commissioning Laura to make her something after she drooled all over the earrings she gave me for my b-day. Then, after spending some time with James at a yummy coffee shop and convincing Laura's dad that we were cheating on her, the three of us finished off the day with Mexican food, alcohol, and Shaun of the Dead.
Saturday was 'food day'. Lunch at a hippie place (avocado wraps make me very happy), plus a fondue dinner party that night. But the next day might have been my favorite. Minor hiking, swimming behind a waterfall, ridiculous and unnessecary 'beauty shots' while lying on rocks in the middle of a river. Unbelievably yummy bubble tea. Decembrists sing-along. Homemade pesto dinner while watching Da Ali G show. Staying up until 4am creating a crazy Facebook profile. Perfection :-)
Getting into a car accident the next day while leaving work? A rude wake up call. Spending next week consumed with to-do lists, anxious, upset, half-crazed trying to get everything done? Yeah, it totally sucked. I nearly broke down in my eye doctor's office and started crying because I didn't have the time to finish my check-up. I spent Friday evening alternating my time between couch vegging and bath soaking just to balance myself and prepare myself for my birthday weekend. Yay birthday weekend!
Okay, so this Saturday was King Tut time. My family and I packed into my car and drove over to the Franklin Institute early Saturday afternoon. We didn't get alot of time in the museum but we managed to spend a few hours in the Tut exhibit. Which was awesome! I know, I'm a total dork, but I've always had a soft spot for Ancient Egyptian artifacts. And these were incredible. Gold necklaces, gold sarcophagi, gold daggers, gold shrine, tiny board games, finely crafted furniture. I was like a kid in a candy store. A really shiny candy store. My family topped off the visit with dinner at Friendly's and my mom delighted in my mortification while a bunch of waiters crowded around me, singing at the top of their lungs.
My actual birthday was very low-key. Pajamas, board games with J, a homemade dinner, plus a balloon, cards, and yet another birthday cake. I was incredibly touched that they went to so much trouble and spent the night smiling (and stuffing my face).
So, on to the best part. My loot! My parent's gift was the exhibition tickets, my grandparents decided to give me a long white Coach raincoat (I still haven't figured out what I'm going to do with that), and Graeme bought two tickets to the Decembrists concert in London! Yay! London Decembrists! Plus, according to my sources, I still have a couple things en route. Still, the best part was all the phone calls and messages I received. I wasn't expecting much, but a ton of people called and left messages (not to mention the two international phone calls!). So, thank you everyone! It was a great birthday :-)