Look in the mirror and keep on shining
On Friday we had breakfast at the hotel since it was so fancy. We went to Mike's aunt's huge house for a while and then drove to Friendly's to meet my brother and Kelly. I hadn't seen them since the wedding but they were in NJ for Kelly's family. I had been wanting to go to Friendly's too, since we went there all the time in high school with my friends. We all ordered ice cream, I got the clown sundae from the kid's menu. I don't think I had ever ordered it but they made no objection, it was the perfect size too. They gave me a necklace and some pics of us from the wedding. After that we had to go to Mike's grandfather's place, 19 people came to dinner. I got to light a menorah candle. There were a lot of people to talk to so it was fun and we saw the Thanksgiving video we made. We stayed there fairly late but when we got back no one else was going to bed. I was tired so I fell asleep in the basement and then moved up to an air mattress in the living room. There were a lot of people sleeping at his grandmother's.
On Saturday we went to NYC. When we got there we first went to the museum of modern art. There were some cool things to see like Monet, van Gogh, Seurat, Picasso, Dali. Where we were most of the time was all abstract, which I don't like. There were a ton of people by the time we left. We took the subway to Chinatown which was new for me. I loved the open air seafood markets where crabs were still moving and there were lots of stuff I'd never seen. There were also fruit stands all over, so cheap. We went to an "authentic" restaurant with whole cooked birds hanging upside down and ordered way too much food. I got chicken with veggies and Mike got pork lo mein, there was also soup, fried rice, and there was a ton. I tried to eat mostly veggies. After that we went into a few shops and the Virgin store which is just like a hipper FYE. We went to Sardi's for dinner and the elder generation joined us. Sardi's is a fancy movie star restaurant. All the older people got steak tartare which is just raw beef mixed with various condiments. I do not see the appeal. I got a creamy mushroom soup with creme fraiche and the steak because it came with mashed potatoes. I can't help ordering something that comes with mashed potatoes. I don't like wine sauces so I used the potatoes as a kind of buffer. But there was asparagus too. For dessert Mike and I got the creme brulee, which we usually order. We were there for a really long time. It was such a fancy place I don't know why they don't have a dress code, they even have a bathroom attendant.
After dinner we went across the street to the theater to see Equus. As artsy plays go, of which I have no experience, I guess it was good, but as a form of entertainment it was way too disturbing. The acting was good but for a play that is running twice a day every day, hardly anybody was there. We didn't get to pick the play. After it was over we had to wait outside while Mike's brother tried to get an autograph? a picture? of Harry Potter. By this time I was tired and we had been on our feet most of the day. Mike's brother wanted to drive home and he is a terrible driver, both of us were feeling carsick and it was really foggy also. We got home super late and had to drive back to NY the next day.
On Sunday we went to his grandfather's for breakfast because it was on the way and then set out for my parents. Somehow the GPS changed the time zone so we thought we were getting there an hour earlier but it lied. We hung out for a bit before going to Paula's new apartment for a get together. Alissa was there also and a lot of people I didn't know. The best part was when Alissa came in I ran at her like one of those reunions you see on TV. Mostly we talked for a while and there was a ton of food, and then we played Catch Phrase which is just like charades. A whole bunch of us were playing and it was really fun, I like to think I'm pretty good at it. We had to leave though because we had to drive back to Rochester, both of us. I was picking up my car. It was a very long day.
Tuesday I went home and my parents and I went to the Belhurst for lunch. It was ok but something made me feel sick. I was also really bored at home waiting for our pedicure. There is nothing to do there. No cable or even decent noncable channels, the internet is slower every time I get there. It takes five minutes to sign into my email. Finally we went for our pedicures. I was kind of disappointed because it wasn't as good as the last one, they didn't do nearly as thorough of a job as she did. But it was fun and my mom had never been. The people doing it were really funny and chatted the entire time. My mom even got her nails painted which she never does. For New Year's Eve Mike and I went over to Alissa's, he had some beers and I helped Alissa with the jello shots. It was fun but we left right after midnight because we were tired.
On Friday night we went to my parents because we were leaving early Saturday to visit my dad's family. We rented Finding Amanda and watched it with them. It was pretty funny but I really wanted to see Kabluey also. Luckily this district we're in with Blockbuster has a trial $1/night deal, otherwise they are more than $4 to rent. I wish it was that cheap in Muncie. On Saturday we drove the 3 hours to my aunt and uncle's, I slept almost the entire way. Besides my aunt and uncle, my cousin and her husband with their 3 kids were there, my stepgrandmother, and my cousin and her new twins were there also. I had never met them, they are ten months now. They were hilarious to watch. One drooled almost constantly like a St Bernard. We didn't participate in the gift exchange so we didn't get anything. But my aunt and uncle said we should come boating with them when I am free, which isn't until August. I will be back for Paula's wedding in April but probably not until August after that. I slept about half of the way back.
On Sunday we went to the mall, we were going to see Australia but it wasn't playing in Rochester anymore which makes me really sad. It's still playing in Muncie as of now though, so I might be able to see it when I get back. Mike bought me some shirts online, 2 from AF (burgundy polo, white and green flower print shirt), 1 from Hollister (yellow v neck), and 1 from Victoria's Secret (pink half sleeve hoodie). But we couldn't find anything at the mall. We had a coupon for AE so he bought some body wash. I went to every department store looking for an undershirt with straps, white, no design, and not silky or skin tight. I couldn't find any that fit the bill in my size.
On to today. Since we stayed up so late Saturday night we were really tired last night and went to bed at 9. So I got up when Mike did and told him I would go feed the dog at the house he is house sitting, it would give me something to do and I could spend more time with the dog than he could. I brought my book. I was going down the driveway, which is super steep, and put on my brakes. But my car wouldn't stop. It was complete ice and short of driving into a snowbank (which might have been an option if I thought of it) I was going to go into the street during rush hour. If I had been ten seconds earlier I wouldn't have hit anyone. But I wasn't and I did. Luckily the person behind her stopped and didn't hit me, which would have done a lot of damage to the side of my car. I backed my car into the driveway and picked up the pieces of my fiberglass bumper and the styrofoam. Luckily they were all women and were super nice, especially when I came really close to bawling. Traffic started again and the lady I hit left her car, I told her to go move it and sat in mine. Mike texted me: Drive way is all ice. Be careful. I told him I had just gotten in an accident. Probably not the answer he was expecting. The lady turned around and called the police and we waited for them to arrive. They did an accident report but I didn't get a ticket, it wasn't even my fault I don't think. But my bumper was completely gone. Anyway, she left and I drove to take care of the dog and watched the videos on VH1 and read my book. I have an appointment with a claims adjuster on Wednesday and then I'll be able to get it fixed after that. Luckily none of my headlights were broken. Her car was dented a little and a hubcab was chipped. I was still extremely upset because my car means a lot to me and I already have to pay for repairs from the inspection, plus I have to drive it to Indiana on Saturday. Mike was really upset too because he said he was going to text me sooner but he didn't think I would leave that early. I keep saying it could've been worse.
On Saturday we went to NYC. When we got there we first went to the museum of modern art. There were some cool things to see like Monet, van Gogh, Seurat, Picasso, Dali. Where we were most of the time was all abstract, which I don't like. There were a ton of people by the time we left. We took the subway to Chinatown which was new for me. I loved the open air seafood markets where crabs were still moving and there were lots of stuff I'd never seen. There were also fruit stands all over, so cheap. We went to an "authentic" restaurant with whole cooked birds hanging upside down and ordered way too much food. I got chicken with veggies and Mike got pork lo mein, there was also soup, fried rice, and there was a ton. I tried to eat mostly veggies. After that we went into a few shops and the Virgin store which is just like a hipper FYE. We went to Sardi's for dinner and the elder generation joined us. Sardi's is a fancy movie star restaurant. All the older people got steak tartare which is just raw beef mixed with various condiments. I do not see the appeal. I got a creamy mushroom soup with creme fraiche and the steak because it came with mashed potatoes. I can't help ordering something that comes with mashed potatoes. I don't like wine sauces so I used the potatoes as a kind of buffer. But there was asparagus too. For dessert Mike and I got the creme brulee, which we usually order. We were there for a really long time. It was such a fancy place I don't know why they don't have a dress code, they even have a bathroom attendant.
After dinner we went across the street to the theater to see Equus. As artsy plays go, of which I have no experience, I guess it was good, but as a form of entertainment it was way too disturbing. The acting was good but for a play that is running twice a day every day, hardly anybody was there. We didn't get to pick the play. After it was over we had to wait outside while Mike's brother tried to get an autograph? a picture? of Harry Potter. By this time I was tired and we had been on our feet most of the day. Mike's brother wanted to drive home and he is a terrible driver, both of us were feeling carsick and it was really foggy also. We got home super late and had to drive back to NY the next day.
On Sunday we went to his grandfather's for breakfast because it was on the way and then set out for my parents. Somehow the GPS changed the time zone so we thought we were getting there an hour earlier but it lied. We hung out for a bit before going to Paula's new apartment for a get together. Alissa was there also and a lot of people I didn't know. The best part was when Alissa came in I ran at her like one of those reunions you see on TV. Mostly we talked for a while and there was a ton of food, and then we played Catch Phrase which is just like charades. A whole bunch of us were playing and it was really fun, I like to think I'm pretty good at it. We had to leave though because we had to drive back to Rochester, both of us. I was picking up my car. It was a very long day.
Tuesday I went home and my parents and I went to the Belhurst for lunch. It was ok but something made me feel sick. I was also really bored at home waiting for our pedicure. There is nothing to do there. No cable or even decent noncable channels, the internet is slower every time I get there. It takes five minutes to sign into my email. Finally we went for our pedicures. I was kind of disappointed because it wasn't as good as the last one, they didn't do nearly as thorough of a job as she did. But it was fun and my mom had never been. The people doing it were really funny and chatted the entire time. My mom even got her nails painted which she never does. For New Year's Eve Mike and I went over to Alissa's, he had some beers and I helped Alissa with the jello shots. It was fun but we left right after midnight because we were tired.
On Friday night we went to my parents because we were leaving early Saturday to visit my dad's family. We rented Finding Amanda and watched it with them. It was pretty funny but I really wanted to see Kabluey also. Luckily this district we're in with Blockbuster has a trial $1/night deal, otherwise they are more than $4 to rent. I wish it was that cheap in Muncie. On Saturday we drove the 3 hours to my aunt and uncle's, I slept almost the entire way. Besides my aunt and uncle, my cousin and her husband with their 3 kids were there, my stepgrandmother, and my cousin and her new twins were there also. I had never met them, they are ten months now. They were hilarious to watch. One drooled almost constantly like a St Bernard. We didn't participate in the gift exchange so we didn't get anything. But my aunt and uncle said we should come boating with them when I am free, which isn't until August. I will be back for Paula's wedding in April but probably not until August after that. I slept about half of the way back.
On Sunday we went to the mall, we were going to see Australia but it wasn't playing in Rochester anymore which makes me really sad. It's still playing in Muncie as of now though, so I might be able to see it when I get back. Mike bought me some shirts online, 2 from AF (burgundy polo, white and green flower print shirt), 1 from Hollister (yellow v neck), and 1 from Victoria's Secret (pink half sleeve hoodie). But we couldn't find anything at the mall. We had a coupon for AE so he bought some body wash. I went to every department store looking for an undershirt with straps, white, no design, and not silky or skin tight. I couldn't find any that fit the bill in my size.
On to today. Since we stayed up so late Saturday night we were really tired last night and went to bed at 9. So I got up when Mike did and told him I would go feed the dog at the house he is house sitting, it would give me something to do and I could spend more time with the dog than he could. I brought my book. I was going down the driveway, which is super steep, and put on my brakes. But my car wouldn't stop. It was complete ice and short of driving into a snowbank (which might have been an option if I thought of it) I was going to go into the street during rush hour. If I had been ten seconds earlier I wouldn't have hit anyone. But I wasn't and I did. Luckily the person behind her stopped and didn't hit me, which would have done a lot of damage to the side of my car. I backed my car into the driveway and picked up the pieces of my fiberglass bumper and the styrofoam. Luckily they were all women and were super nice, especially when I came really close to bawling. Traffic started again and the lady I hit left her car, I told her to go move it and sat in mine. Mike texted me: Drive way is all ice. Be careful. I told him I had just gotten in an accident. Probably not the answer he was expecting. The lady turned around and called the police and we waited for them to arrive. They did an accident report but I didn't get a ticket, it wasn't even my fault I don't think. But my bumper was completely gone. Anyway, she left and I drove to take care of the dog and watched the videos on VH1 and read my book. I have an appointment with a claims adjuster on Wednesday and then I'll be able to get it fixed after that. Luckily none of my headlights were broken. Her car was dented a little and a hubcab was chipped. I was still extremely upset because my car means a lot to me and I already have to pay for repairs from the inspection, plus I have to drive it to Indiana on Saturday. Mike was really upset too because he said he was going to text me sooner but he didn't think I would leave that early. I keep saying it could've been worse.