The Mid-West?

This year's post-Thanksgiving weekend didn't involve lazy hours on the couch watching Friends marathons. As quickly as I embraced actual friends home visiting for the holiday, I was hugging them goodbye "until next time". Between Saturday morning and Sunday evening, I spent an intimate 16 hours in Subaru Susan from Concord, MA to Lancaster, PA and finally to Columbus, OH.

The first hour of my drive out of Massachusetts was bittersweet as I passed by the snow-covered apple orchards that, much like the couple on the night before Christmas, had just settled down for a long winter's nap. I knew it would be a long journey ahead, so of course I prepared by organizing my music and downloading audiobooks, only to find an hour in that my 2003 Subaru's cassette player (yes, they exist) was broken and therefore my entire entertainment plan was garbage. While laughing to suppress tears, I discovered my circle scarf would do more than keep me cozy. For the duration of the trip, my iPhone was nestled into the nook of my scarf just close enough to my ears that my singing remained in tune and the whooshing noises from my car cruising above 50 mph fell to the background. 

Fun Fact: All gas stations and rest stops are currently selling packages of 2 half-pound Reeses cups to promote Diabetes this holiday season. York Peppermint Patties are also participating. 

Let me tell you, the drive from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania is much more interesting than the drive from Pennsylvania to Ohio. If I was driving by myself PA → OH I probably would have turned around. You're basically on the same stretch of highway the entire 400 miles. Good news is gas costs .30 cents less than Boston at $2.63! 

Trey and I didn't actually get our apartment keys until Monday morning. While waiting for our keys to be copied, we toured ourselves around the "clubhouse". Here, you'll find a small private movie theater, a lounge room, as well as a small gym. An apartment with access to these amenities in Boston would easily be double the price, it's so silly what you get away with over here. But the extras are just icing on the cake - our apartment is so great! There's so much space! And the best part is the built-in e-center attached to the kitchen area which I have dubbed "The Blog Desk".

We're still missing a couch and any kind of lighting in the living room and bedroom areas but I don't even mind it right now. Oh and a bed. So last night we had a bit of an indoor camping situation as shown below. The idea is fun, the floor is hard.

The settling in to the apartment itself hasn't been very difficult; In fact, I find myself feeling much more comfortable in this new home than I ever expected. Then again, I haven't started to venture much outside the apartment yet so I should bite my tongue. I have, however, gone out for a large grocery run at Kroger, where I made a new friend. Meat Man Michael, I like to call him. His name is Michael and he works in the meat department. I had been told by multiple people that everyone in this area is super friendly, but it wasn't until MMM shared the story about his wife's endomitriosis issues when trying to conceive children that I understood what they were talking about. Michael explained that they offer free food and wine tastings on Monday nights. A new tradition might be starting next week.

Although the acquisition of a paycheck is time-sensitive, I'm certainly pacing myself. I really think it's for my own good. The job search will commence tomorrow, however much of a success or failure it might be. This week has completely messed with my internal clock and energy levels, but it's time to get back on track into some version of a routine. Early to rise, early to -- ? I'll be slowly figuring it all out and filling in the blanks over these next couple of weeks.

Missing the New England charm and all of my friends back home. Cheers to Christmas time in Boston! Without further adieu and without wishing away time...

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