Home Sweet Home

Despite my "near-death" (so maybe it wasn't really "near-death," but it certainly felt like it at the time) experience of last weekend, everything else was fabulous. It seems like the more time I spend in this town of Greensboro, the more time I have found myself missing my "peeps" back home. (I think I've probably mentioned that a time or two.) Maybe it is because I have spent a lot of time on my days off, staring off into the green oblivion of the lawn that surrounds our apartment complex, wondering what I could do to entertain myself. I guess I just got a little too used to my favie always being home, like he was quite often while we were in Boston, when I was finished working for the week. Maybe I've just forgotten how to entertain myself. Maybe it is the huge contrast between the busy, almost overstimulating streets of Boston, compared to the vast openness of the terrain surrounding us: never-ending strip malls filled with chain restaurants are to one side of us, farms and manufacturing plants stretch to eternity on the other side. Or perhaps it is just the plain fact that we have been gone from the place we call home for eight months now, with our plans for return still two more long months away.

Whatever it is, can you tell that I'm bored and lonely? It's not a great combo, believe me. As always, I am trying to tell myself, it could be worse. We both have jobs that pay the bills, we have a roof over our head, we have the best kitty-cat in the world, and if nothing else, we do have each other. I also have to remember that it was my great big idea to strike out on our own for a while in the first place. (I'm sure that is something that has crossed many of your minds while I've been here complaining away.)

If nothing else, one thing I've learned while being away is that there are always good and bad things about every new place. So here are some things that I've been enjoying about being here:

• First and foremost: WARMTH! The high's in Boston are still staying around the 70's with low's in the 50's and 60's. (And I would definitely be complaining about that!) I am just fine with the warm, sunny days of the 80's down here!
• We have found a couple of local brewhouses around here that have nice patios and great food. At least it is enough to keep us out of the stinking old Applebee's, TGIF's, and Chili's (yuck, yuck, and more yuck!)
• There is also a really nice greenway that we have recently found to be a wonderful place to walk.
• It's a lot easier to go to the grocery store when you have a car.
• As a result of the above, we have been cooking meals at home a lot more, which is not only cheaper, but much healthier.
• Lastly, Atlanta is not that far anymore. It is at least manageable to take a weekend trip home whenever we can.

Having said all that, I now remember the original point of this post. I had a fabulous time last weekend. I surprised my dad for Father's Day, and spent a great night catching up with him and my stepmom. I got to have a wonderful dinner Saturday night with two of my oldest friends. No matter how long it is between times of seeing the two of them, it is always great to be able to pick right back up where we left off.

And lastly, although not a band nerd myself (sorry but I had to get one little jab in), I was glad that I was at least able to represent for my man, since he couldn't attend The Official-Unofficial Event himself. I was admittedly a little nervous about going by myself, not being an RCB Alumni. But as usual, I still felt like one of the clan, since now his friends have become our friends. I got to see a bunch of old friends, and I even got to meet some new friends, which is always a great treat for me. Overall, I was just really excited for an actual social engagement, in which I could bask in the glow of familiar faces, sharing old jokes and stories, and laughing about new ones together. Thanks to all for allowing me to be part of such a special night. It was a much-needed and refreshing reminder of the joys of friendship.