1.18.2009
Riley's Room
Riley loves princesses and fairies and pretty things. :) While in Georgia, I had the pleasure of adding a splash of color and magic to her bedroom walls. I took the design from her bedspread and enlarged the flowers around the perameter of the room. I then added glittery bugs, a cute fairy and a quote above her dresser to encorporate her favorite colors and things. The best part is that it was a surprise...she had no idea I was painting, as she was downstairs watching a movie. This is a picture of her seeing the room for the first time:
1.17.2009
Georgia
Georgia was so beautiful. I was told I brought the nice weather with me, because for days prior, it had apparently been raining and miserable. I stayed with Joy, Greg, Riley and Cooper for a few days, in a plush guest bedroom that offered me one of the best night's sleep I have had in ages. Ahhhh....pillowtop mattress.
The Sandifers were a fun clan; from going to the YMCA to rockin' out to 'Single Ladies' with the kids in the car to enjoying fabulous dinners and drinks poolside (ok, we didn't SWIM in the pool, but we were sitting poolside and it wasn't frozen—quite a change from NH weather!), it was fun getting to know the fam. (It was also kind of cool, with their last name being Sandifer and all, that their monogrammed towels and such made me feel like I lived there...oh yeah, I took pictures of them). The weather was sunny and high 50's each day...what a treat. It was all a treat, in fact and thank you Sandifers for inviting me to come stay with you!
Zoey...my buddy. Oh my, I think this trip is turning me into a dog person.
The source of the best sleep I've had in a looooooooonnnnng time.
Riley put on pink eyeshadow and purple lipstick all by herself. :)
How can you not feel at home when the towels are monogrammed with your initials?
Sun? #9? Joy? I'll take it all!
The Sandifers were a fun clan; from going to the YMCA to rockin' out to 'Single Ladies' with the kids in the car to enjoying fabulous dinners and drinks poolside (ok, we didn't SWIM in the pool, but we were sitting poolside and it wasn't frozen—quite a change from NH weather!), it was fun getting to know the fam. (It was also kind of cool, with their last name being Sandifer and all, that their monogrammed towels and such made me feel like I lived there...oh yeah, I took pictures of them). The weather was sunny and high 50's each day...what a treat. It was all a treat, in fact and thank you Sandifers for inviting me to come stay with you!
Zoey...my buddy. Oh my, I think this trip is turning me into a dog person.
The source of the best sleep I've had in a looooooooonnnnng time. Riley put on pink eyeshadow and purple lipstick all by herself. :)
How can you not feel at home when the towels are monogrammed with your initials?
Sun? #9? Joy? I'll take it all!On the road again...
I woke Sunday morning in New Jersey (after perhaps one too many glasses of champagne with dinner) at 4:45 to be on the road by 5:00. I did it all right, but not without driving through an ice storm in the pitch black morning. It was freezing and Janis didn't want to start, but when she finally did, onward we went. I traveled just over 1000 miles that day, landing in Alpharetta (just outside Atlanta) Georgia in the evening at Joy and Greg's house, where I was warmly welcomed. And while it was a loooong drive, at the same time, it was quite beautiful. I was able to really take in the views of the east coast highways—from the dude ranches to the “adult toy stores” (which are a-plenty down south!) to the gorgeous farmland...I was happy to be driving through all of it. (Though I would like to take a moment to thank the following people for the mixed CD's: Bob, Jim, Tanya, Anna and Larry. They helped a lot.)
Bizarr-o things I noticed between New Jersey and Georgia:
1.) Buttzville, NJ had the worst weather ever. Ice. Wind. 35 on the highway. Oh, the irony.
2.) While crossing the Mason Dixon line, I actually had the Mason Dixon song playing (partially by coincidence—I skipped ahead, knowing it was in a song or two once I saw the sign indicating I was fast approaching it). Thanks Tanya, for the mix. It was a bit less uneventful than the song. Man, that is a good song. I gave that about 7 or 8 listens in my travels.
3.) You really can wear the same socks for 4 days and get away with it. Just turn them inside out every other day and air them out at night.
4.) I drove 14.5 hours and saw only 4 cops. I found this to be more than shocking. I see more than that driving to the store some days in Plymouth.
5.) Most of the cities Pennsylvania end in “burg.” Pittsburgh. Harrisburg. Gatlinburg. Each time I stopped in Penn., the sales clerk or gas station attendants told me to button up because it was “cold one out there.” It was nearly 40 degrees! I laughed at all of them. Wimps.
6.) If you have a cold and you cannot taste, the absolute worst snacks to eat are Bugles and Whoppers. Neither of them are known for their fabulous texture and neither of them were worth it. I ate both bags in their entirety.
7.) It is possible for someone to consume 2 Red Bulls, 1 large tea, a coffee and a diet soda and still get sleepy. Usually a decaf tea will keep me awake, but these beverages did nothing for me.
8.) There are no Mobil stations between NJ and GA. Where did they all go?
9.) I still am not sure what Meatloaf would not do for love. And I gave the song a good long listen...10 or 12 times. (Again, thank you Tanya for your musical genius)
Bizarr-o things I noticed between New Jersey and Georgia:
1.) Buttzville, NJ had the worst weather ever. Ice. Wind. 35 on the highway. Oh, the irony.
2.) While crossing the Mason Dixon line, I actually had the Mason Dixon song playing (partially by coincidence—I skipped ahead, knowing it was in a song or two once I saw the sign indicating I was fast approaching it). Thanks Tanya, for the mix. It was a bit less uneventful than the song. Man, that is a good song. I gave that about 7 or 8 listens in my travels.
3.) You really can wear the same socks for 4 days and get away with it. Just turn them inside out every other day and air them out at night.
4.) I drove 14.5 hours and saw only 4 cops. I found this to be more than shocking. I see more than that driving to the store some days in Plymouth.
5.) Most of the cities Pennsylvania end in “burg.” Pittsburgh. Harrisburg. Gatlinburg. Each time I stopped in Penn., the sales clerk or gas station attendants told me to button up because it was “cold one out there.” It was nearly 40 degrees! I laughed at all of them. Wimps.
6.) If you have a cold and you cannot taste, the absolute worst snacks to eat are Bugles and Whoppers. Neither of them are known for their fabulous texture and neither of them were worth it. I ate both bags in their entirety.
7.) It is possible for someone to consume 2 Red Bulls, 1 large tea, a coffee and a diet soda and still get sleepy. Usually a decaf tea will keep me awake, but these beverages did nothing for me.
8.) There are no Mobil stations between NJ and GA. Where did they all go?
9.) I still am not sure what Meatloaf would not do for love. And I gave the song a good long listen...10 or 12 times. (Again, thank you Tanya for your musical genius)
This pictures was taken on a cold morning in Allentown, PA, just as the sun was coming up. Billy Joel was no where to be found. I even tried Dunkin Donuts.
1.16.2009
New Jersey
The first leg of my trip was a short one, landing me eventually in Wayne, NJ for a couple of days. I passed through Connecticut in the afternoon to visit my grandpa in my hometown of Milford, CT. He was sleepy and we chatted for a while, but I hit the road around dinnertime to meet my friends in NY.
Next on my agenda was dinner with the Kliphouse family, in Suffern, NY. We dined at a fancy little Mexican restaurant called Ole Ole! (I had the shrimp salad...predictable, I know)
I stayed with Jeremy, Jen and Zoe for a couple of days in Wayne, where I got to meet their family. From the Saturday evening dinner (the champagne and tuna and wasabi were deeee-lish!) and football with their parents, to learning what Wonder Pets is, it was all so much fun. But the highlight would definitely be helping them adopt a puppy.
We woke early Saturday morning, because Jen heard word of a stray puppy, Nani, that was being put up for adoption at PetSmart at 10:00 a.m. I knew before meeting this dog that it was going to be a good fit (Nani was the nickname I had given my supercool grandmother who passed about two years ago...how could it not be?).
We initially saw Nani as we were pulling into the parking lot, but as it turns out, they were holding her in the backroom for some testing. There was a risk that she was exposed to kennel cough and Parvo, and they wanted to make sure she was all set to go. (She did in fact have a sniffly nose, probably kennel cough, but nothing that some doggie antibiotics couldn't take care of).
I fell in love with this dog right away and I'm not a dog person. Through the hours of waiting for Nani to appear, I was growing fond of another black puppy, Jasmine, who I was seriously considering taking with me on the road. But when Nani appeared, I knew it was the one. I knew if they didn't take this dog, then I was foolishly going to shell out the cash from my roadtrip funds to save this dog and give it a better life. I was already envisioning how I was going to fit a crate in my van and trying to remember where my sewing machine was so I could sew her a big, comfy bed.
But they got it. Driving home, they commented that the name Nani didn't fit the dog. So as we were listening to a Greg Brown & Ani Defranco complication on the stereo, I suggested that they change the name slightly to 'Ani.' It stuck for a bit, but it still wasn't fitting the personality of this super loving adorable dog with one fun black leg.
The verdict: they named her Lucas. :)
Thanks Jen, Jeremy and Zoe for a fun weekend! I hope Lucas isn't chewing your furniture!
I seriously dig this dog!
Next on my agenda was dinner with the Kliphouse family, in Suffern, NY. We dined at a fancy little Mexican restaurant called Ole Ole! (I had the shrimp salad...predictable, I know)
I stayed with Jeremy, Jen and Zoe for a couple of days in Wayne, where I got to meet their family. From the Saturday evening dinner (the champagne and tuna and wasabi were deeee-lish!) and football with their parents, to learning what Wonder Pets is, it was all so much fun. But the highlight would definitely be helping them adopt a puppy.
We woke early Saturday morning, because Jen heard word of a stray puppy, Nani, that was being put up for adoption at PetSmart at 10:00 a.m. I knew before meeting this dog that it was going to be a good fit (Nani was the nickname I had given my supercool grandmother who passed about two years ago...how could it not be?).
We initially saw Nani as we were pulling into the parking lot, but as it turns out, they were holding her in the backroom for some testing. There was a risk that she was exposed to kennel cough and Parvo, and they wanted to make sure she was all set to go. (She did in fact have a sniffly nose, probably kennel cough, but nothing that some doggie antibiotics couldn't take care of).
I fell in love with this dog right away and I'm not a dog person. Through the hours of waiting for Nani to appear, I was growing fond of another black puppy, Jasmine, who I was seriously considering taking with me on the road. But when Nani appeared, I knew it was the one. I knew if they didn't take this dog, then I was foolishly going to shell out the cash from my roadtrip funds to save this dog and give it a better life. I was already envisioning how I was going to fit a crate in my van and trying to remember where my sewing machine was so I could sew her a big, comfy bed.
But they got it. Driving home, they commented that the name Nani didn't fit the dog. So as we were listening to a Greg Brown & Ani Defranco complication on the stereo, I suggested that they change the name slightly to 'Ani.' It stuck for a bit, but it still wasn't fitting the personality of this super loving adorable dog with one fun black leg.
The verdict: they named her Lucas. :)
Thanks Jen, Jeremy and Zoe for a fun weekend! I hope Lucas isn't chewing your furniture!
I seriously dig this dog!1.15.2009
The beginning of my adventure:
Janis and I were all ready to go! 
Pulling out of my driveway, van full of crap, groovin' out to a Talking Heads tune (thanks Larry for the awesome trip mix!)
What's in the center console of my van:
1. Cat bank full of quarters for tolls
2. Miniature sock monkey for good luck
3. Random container of sour cream (you never know when you could happen upon a burrito in need of sauce!)
4. Track Phone for emergency calls
5. 'Snarky Goes to Asheville' mix and others, provided by many-a-fabulous friends
6. Juicebox. Apple.
7. Hula girl, still in need of mounting to my dash
8. Nag champa oil for the days I predicted I would go without showering
Pulling out of my driveway, van full of crap, groovin' out to a Talking Heads tune (thanks Larry for the awesome trip mix!)What's in the center console of my van:1. Cat bank full of quarters for tolls
2. Miniature sock monkey for good luck
3. Random container of sour cream (you never know when you could happen upon a burrito in need of sauce!)
4. Track Phone for emergency calls
5. 'Snarky Goes to Asheville' mix and others, provided by many-a-fabulous friends
6. Juicebox. Apple.
7. Hula girl, still in need of mounting to my dash
8. Nag champa oil for the days I predicted I would go without showering
1.14.2009
Balboas, beers & goodbyes.
Friday morning I hit the road south for Asheville! A couple of days prior to my departure, I sadly lost my fun, green camera in a tragic drop from a high-top table at Biederman's. One minute it was working just fine. The next minute, I was enjoying the melted cheesy goodness of a roast beef balboa and it dropped to the floor, and the screen shattered. Luckily I was able to save the pictures, and have a new fancy red Nikon (insert Paul Simon song here). Since I have been on the road and my belongings, which were jammed in the back of my van in a Tetris-like fashion, have shifted all over the place in the 1250 miles I have traveled thus far, I couldn't find the camera cord, which I'm sure was irresponsibly packed with my unmatched sock collection or box of unnecessary toiletries. Who knows. I have learned many things about myself in my last week of travel, but my first lesson learned is that I am a terrible packer. There is no rhyme or reason to what I brought, what I left behind, and I have an ongoing list of things that I should have brought, all left behind to bear the New Hampshire cold.
Oh well. All that aside, I am having a fabulous time. And as an added bonus, I just discovered that this handy new laptop of mine has a working card reader on the side, so voila!...I just downloaded my pics. In an effort to keep everything chronological, I will start with the last of my going away pics. Thursday night my friends gathered 'round a huge table at Biederman's (the site of my camera smashing) to wish me well in the best way—over beers and balboas. It was perfect, we shared laughs, and it was beautiful to have my most favorite people all in the same room. Following a few pints and some grub, we went to my place for afters, shared more laughs, and I was able to make it an early night before hitting the open road.
Oh well. All that aside, I am having a fabulous time. And as an added bonus, I just discovered that this handy new laptop of mine has a working card reader on the side, so voila!...I just downloaded my pics. In an effort to keep everything chronological, I will start with the last of my going away pics. Thursday night my friends gathered 'round a huge table at Biederman's (the site of my camera smashing) to wish me well in the best way—over beers and balboas. It was perfect, we shared laughs, and it was beautiful to have my most favorite people all in the same room. Following a few pints and some grub, we went to my place for afters, shared more laughs, and I was able to make it an early night before hitting the open road.
1.06.2009
A Redneck farewell
I'm getting ready to hit the road in the next couple of days. Aaaannnnddd, there have been a few roadblocks to say the least. I am stressed, as I usually am when it comes to much-dreaded change, but I am trying to maintain a solid level of denial about all of it. I'm not sure it's working.
I have to get back to packing, but I did want to share some pics from a going away party my friends threw me on Saturday. A redneck theme. Awesome. It was complete with pork rinds, bad music, fabulous costumes, a tower of Little Debbie snacks, a pot o' Spaghetti-o's, Hawaiian punch n' rum, cheap Jello shots and Nascar decor. Thank you to the best friends ever who put on such a fun shindig, and to everyone who made the trip to come say goodbye to me. I love you and I'll miss you. I mean...y'all.
Enjoy the pics! :o)
I have to get back to packing, but I did want to share some pics from a going away party my friends threw me on Saturday. A redneck theme. Awesome. It was complete with pork rinds, bad music, fabulous costumes, a tower of Little Debbie snacks, a pot o' Spaghetti-o's, Hawaiian punch n' rum, cheap Jello shots and Nascar decor. Thank you to the best friends ever who put on such a fun shindig, and to everyone who made the trip to come say goodbye to me. I love you and I'll miss you. I mean...y'all.
Enjoy the pics! :o)
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