Besides ending up spending over 7 hours in the ER at MCV one Saturday night (actually the night I went up to Glen Allen, so the last time I wrote an entry... and don't worry it was not for me, but for a friend-that's a story in itself), August consisted of 3 weekends of missing home. I've never felt homesick as much as I have here. I miss the weather (no humidity, no rain), feeling in shape & healthy, exercising outdoors whenever I want, and my friends and family. I've been working a lot and teaching more classes at the YMCA lately. I got an A in my MNT (medical nutrition therapy) class... I felt like I had to get an A because I am currently a clinical dietitian which means I do MNT for a living... but I didn't want to study because I am lazy/I do MNT all the time. So, I didn't study and I still got an A. Good times.
I went to Boston and hung out with Donovan and her roommate Sam. It was awesome. We explored the Pilgrim Line... aka the Freedom Trail together. It was the first time for all of us to follow the red line around Boston and see all the old historical sites from Paul Revere's house to the oldest tavern in America. I finally went to Fenway. We sat in the bleachers to the left of the green monster. I saw 3 bombs go over the green monster, 4 HR total. I was less than impressed. I felt like the 'monster' should be more difficult to hit a HR over it. I still really liked the park and the historical feeling of the city and that you could walk around it. 'Walker friendly' as some people call it. I have also decided that I LOVE cannolis! They are so glorious with their delightful fluffy chocolate mousse filling and ribbons of drizzled chocolate over the top. Just another one of God's gifts to people.
I worked last weekend and this weekend spending my days off cleaning and organizing what I'm going to take home while taking a few breaks to have lunch with friends. I drove out to Staunton, VA where my friend Shannon lives. She goes to Mary Baldwin College which is affiliated with the ASC or American Shakespeare Center. Apparently it's the only place in America that has authentic Shakepeare productions. You have to go to London to have a similar experience. I loved the production of Henry the IV, Part I that we went to see. We were perched on stools on the stage where the rich people would sit during Shakepeare's time so that everyone could see them and their embellished attire. We went to Italian food before the play, watched it and hit the Split Banana for some gelato in a waffle cone afterward. The next morning before I had to leave we went to breakfast a little outside of Staunton toward the highway and I had a fabulous waffle with blueberries and whipped cream. I was reminded of how much I dearly love my waffles. I'm definitely tempted to bring my Belgian waffle iron back to Virginia with me when I go home for my mom's birthday. However, I know if I brought it, I wouldn't have time to use it very often and I wouldn't want it to get dirty downstairs amongst the children's cereal on the counter and random roaches. Ugh.After breakfast I drove 2.5 hours to Petersburg, went to work and then visited Commonwealth Chapel's Saturday night service with Trina, Andre and Joshua. I may be making the Saturday night service my regular service once this All-You-Can-Jet month is through. I had to work this morning and then teach body sculpt at the Y. I feel like I'm always doing something or going somewhere. I am getting a little tuckered out. I need to get my rest so that I can be 'alive, awake, enthusiastic' for my adventures this month.
I'll be heading out to Buffalo, NY via JetBlue after work Wednesday night and driving to Niagara Falls which should only be 15 minutes, trapesing around there for an hour or so and then off to Toronto to watch the Blue Jays batting practice and game. After the game I'll head straight back to the airport and Friday morning at 5:50AM hop on a plane back to RIC for work that day. Saturday I'll head off to Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The airport is 17 miles from the Florida Marlins where they will be playing the Nats. Not the best of games, but it fits into my schedule and I haven't been ultra picky thus far. That will be stadium 29. I will have only Tampa Bay left for the 2010 season. (That doesn't count the Twins because their new stadium - Target Field will be opening next season and I'll be going there too, but technically I will have only one left for next season since I've been to the dome already.)
The following weekend I'll be heading home since my mom's birthday is in September and there is an A's fireworks game that I will be attending with friends from home. The weekend after that I'll be in SoCal for an Angels vs. A's game (hopefully the A's will win) with Herny and friends and Anita's engagement party. The first weekend in October is the Portland marathon so I'll be in Oregon to hang out with Juice, Blair, Allie, Alyssa, hopefully Mersh and who ever else is in Portland this time of year.
I'm excited. Time to bum it up and watch a movie while resting for my coming adventures.
- run for life
