Home Sweet Home
I spent the holiday weekend in PA and had a super time!
My parents met me at the end of the Red Line around lunch time on Friday. I was really impatient to get there and bolted from my cube when the clock struck time. Thankfully, I got a seat on metro and even had a fun driver for the trip. He announced every station as though it were a new batter coming up to plate to strike a home run! Mom and Dad were waiting for me when I reached the bottom of the escalator :) We hit the road without any trouble, but when we reached Frederick, we found ourselves sitting in traffic. After a while, Dad got us off at the available exit and through a combination of GPS and cell phone support for a local Marylander, we wound our way up through the countryside of Maryland to my grandparent's house. Meanwhile, they cut up 40 pounds of chicken for storage.
Shortly after we arrived, my cousin and her family pulled into the driveway. Her little son was sleeping and we spent a nice while sitting around the living room chatting while he rested. Later, we ate a dinner of turkey, gravy, filling, sweet potatoes, corn, red beats, lima beans, and cole slaw. My little 2nd cousin also ate some food with us, though some food ended up on the floor! After that, we spent the afternoon touring the garden, chatting, celebrating my grandmother's birthday, and taking photos. I was really happy to spend time with them all - it was the first time that I had met my 2nd cousin.
We all began to nod off around 9 and 10 pm. Just after I made my way upstairs, I heard...boom...boom...BOOM! It was fireworks! They went on for about a half an hour, but I fell asleep shortly after they started.
Saturday was an exciting day. We woke up to the smell of berry pancakes and the heat of summer sun. While my brother drove in from Philly, we enjoyed breakfast, took a walk to the post office, visited neighbors, and got lunch ready. When Matt pulled in the driveway in his car, we all cheered! It had been broken just the day before and we didn't know if he'd make it. Apparently the trip across southern PA took my brother through some interesting places. Sometime I hope I can join him on a trip :)
We ate lunch, played cards, and shot clay pigeons. I didn't shoot this year - but I did shoot photos! It felt wonderful to sit out in the lawn chair under the shade of a maple tree on a breezy summer day with earplugs in my ears watching clays shoot across the sky. When dinner time rolled around, we hopped in cars and drove out to the excellent homestyle restaurant (formerly a barn!) that we look forward to each year. As always, the food was excellent - spiced peaches, fresh bread, apple butter, salad with hot bacon dressing, iced tea, roast beef, chicken, filling, veggies, corn fritters, crab imperial, baked apples, and raspberry ice cream pie for dessert. Delicious! We took a short evening walk before hopping back in the cars to head home.
On Sunday, we woke up in good time for church where we learned about Matthew - the tax collector and disciple of Jesus. After church, we went to my grandparents' house for a 4th of July picnic. We brought corn, beans, and a special kind of cole slaw. My grandparents provided the hamburgers, hot dogs, deviled eggs, and macaroni and cheese. We had a lovely lunch outside - the food was delicious and the company was so nice. After lunch we sat around and chatted the rest of the afternoon. My brother took a quick nap and was then visited by the cat, who snuggled next to him and listened to the stories we shared. That evening we all took it easy.
On Monday, we got my brother restocked and packed for a return to his apartment. He hit the road early that afternoon. The rest of us watched the 1980's Transformers cartoon on TV that afternoon. Beware of cosmic rust, Megatron!! hehee We went out for homemade teaberry and cake batter ice cream that afternoon. I wish I could invite all my MDC friends up to PA to try some teaberry ice cream! Monday night, we were invited to a fireworks show at a friend's house out in the country. It was fantastic! The fireworks were beautiful and I had to stand a little ways back to see them in all their glory.
On Tuesday, I got a fun new haircut and then caught my bus in the afternoon. I really didn't want to return to DC, but work was waiting for me on Wednesday... I'm still trying to find excuses to move back home. My mom doesn't approve of my idea of working at the tomato factory :P hehe
My parents met me at the end of the Red Line around lunch time on Friday. I was really impatient to get there and bolted from my cube when the clock struck time. Thankfully, I got a seat on metro and even had a fun driver for the trip. He announced every station as though it were a new batter coming up to plate to strike a home run! Mom and Dad were waiting for me when I reached the bottom of the escalator :) We hit the road without any trouble, but when we reached Frederick, we found ourselves sitting in traffic. After a while, Dad got us off at the available exit and through a combination of GPS and cell phone support for a local Marylander, we wound our way up through the countryside of Maryland to my grandparent's house. Meanwhile, they cut up 40 pounds of chicken for storage.
Shortly after we arrived, my cousin and her family pulled into the driveway. Her little son was sleeping and we spent a nice while sitting around the living room chatting while he rested. Later, we ate a dinner of turkey, gravy, filling, sweet potatoes, corn, red beats, lima beans, and cole slaw. My little 2nd cousin also ate some food with us, though some food ended up on the floor! After that, we spent the afternoon touring the garden, chatting, celebrating my grandmother's birthday, and taking photos. I was really happy to spend time with them all - it was the first time that I had met my 2nd cousin.
We all began to nod off around 9 and 10 pm. Just after I made my way upstairs, I heard...boom...boom...BOOM! It was fireworks! They went on for about a half an hour, but I fell asleep shortly after they started.
Saturday was an exciting day. We woke up to the smell of berry pancakes and the heat of summer sun. While my brother drove in from Philly, we enjoyed breakfast, took a walk to the post office, visited neighbors, and got lunch ready. When Matt pulled in the driveway in his car, we all cheered! It had been broken just the day before and we didn't know if he'd make it. Apparently the trip across southern PA took my brother through some interesting places. Sometime I hope I can join him on a trip :)
We ate lunch, played cards, and shot clay pigeons. I didn't shoot this year - but I did shoot photos! It felt wonderful to sit out in the lawn chair under the shade of a maple tree on a breezy summer day with earplugs in my ears watching clays shoot across the sky. When dinner time rolled around, we hopped in cars and drove out to the excellent homestyle restaurant (formerly a barn!) that we look forward to each year. As always, the food was excellent - spiced peaches, fresh bread, apple butter, salad with hot bacon dressing, iced tea, roast beef, chicken, filling, veggies, corn fritters, crab imperial, baked apples, and raspberry ice cream pie for dessert. Delicious! We took a short evening walk before hopping back in the cars to head home.
On Sunday, we woke up in good time for church where we learned about Matthew - the tax collector and disciple of Jesus. After church, we went to my grandparents' house for a 4th of July picnic. We brought corn, beans, and a special kind of cole slaw. My grandparents provided the hamburgers, hot dogs, deviled eggs, and macaroni and cheese. We had a lovely lunch outside - the food was delicious and the company was so nice. After lunch we sat around and chatted the rest of the afternoon. My brother took a quick nap and was then visited by the cat, who snuggled next to him and listened to the stories we shared. That evening we all took it easy.
On Monday, we got my brother restocked and packed for a return to his apartment. He hit the road early that afternoon. The rest of us watched the 1980's Transformers cartoon on TV that afternoon. Beware of cosmic rust, Megatron!! hehee We went out for homemade teaberry and cake batter ice cream that afternoon. I wish I could invite all my MDC friends up to PA to try some teaberry ice cream! Monday night, we were invited to a fireworks show at a friend's house out in the country. It was fantastic! The fireworks were beautiful and I had to stand a little ways back to see them in all their glory.
On Tuesday, I got a fun new haircut and then caught my bus in the afternoon. I really didn't want to return to DC, but work was waiting for me on Wednesday... I'm still trying to find excuses to move back home. My mom doesn't approve of my idea of working at the tomato factory :P hehe