Home Sweet Snowy Home
Ah, New Jersey. Land of my childhood. Land where my family dwells. Land of such cultural and culinary meccas as Floyd's Brick Oven Sushi.
The last few days were spent visiting my mom and sister in my old hometown, which is always an odd experience - not because of them, but because each time I go back it feels more and more odd to drive down roads that I know every inch of on a subconscious level, and see the stores and parks I knew slowly replaced by different chain stores and hotels. It's like pulling out a favorite pair of jeans that you haven't worn for years, and finding out that they still fit perfectly but somehow they changed color completely while they were in the closet.
The visit was good, though, and it was nice to spend time with my family. I had a lot of fun and good luck buying presents for people, and it seems I was successful in my choices. I do have to admit, though, that the best present was the one I gave to myself - we stayed at a hotel instead of in my mother's house, and when we checked in I saw a sign at the front desk advertising jacuzzi rooms. Since the hotel was nearly empty, they offered us a room upgrade for half the usual price difference, and I leaped at the chance.
So three days of good family, good food, and soaking for as long as I liked in a hot tub in the evenings meant that I made it out of the holidays with minimal stress and drama, and shoulders less tense than I can ever remember.
Unfortunately, any good that the jacuzzi did was promptly undone by the 11 hour car drive home. By the time we left New Jersey around 10am it was already flurrying, and we seemed to keep even with the leading edge of the storm the whole way up. I'm glad that we pushed on through instead of stopping for the night, since we made it home just as the snow was getting bad, but it was a long, slow, arduous drive.
And now I am home, and my cats are happy to see me, and my husband and I are snugly snowed in. Luckily, I have a Friday the 13th: The Series marathon, a good book, and a new pasta maker to keep me entertained.
Happy holidays, y'all. Stay warm and safe.
The last few days were spent visiting my mom and sister in my old hometown, which is always an odd experience - not because of them, but because each time I go back it feels more and more odd to drive down roads that I know every inch of on a subconscious level, and see the stores and parks I knew slowly replaced by different chain stores and hotels. It's like pulling out a favorite pair of jeans that you haven't worn for years, and finding out that they still fit perfectly but somehow they changed color completely while they were in the closet.
The visit was good, though, and it was nice to spend time with my family. I had a lot of fun and good luck buying presents for people, and it seems I was successful in my choices. I do have to admit, though, that the best present was the one I gave to myself - we stayed at a hotel instead of in my mother's house, and when we checked in I saw a sign at the front desk advertising jacuzzi rooms. Since the hotel was nearly empty, they offered us a room upgrade for half the usual price difference, and I leaped at the chance.
So three days of good family, good food, and soaking for as long as I liked in a hot tub in the evenings meant that I made it out of the holidays with minimal stress and drama, and shoulders less tense than I can ever remember.
Unfortunately, any good that the jacuzzi did was promptly undone by the 11 hour car drive home. By the time we left New Jersey around 10am it was already flurrying, and we seemed to keep even with the leading edge of the storm the whole way up. I'm glad that we pushed on through instead of stopping for the night, since we made it home just as the snow was getting bad, but it was a long, slow, arduous drive.
And now I am home, and my cats are happy to see me, and my husband and I are snugly snowed in. Luckily, I have a Friday the 13th: The Series marathon, a good book, and a new pasta maker to keep me entertained.
Happy holidays, y'all. Stay warm and safe.
