Finally, a night off

Again, there's far too much time in between blog posts! Let's start with food, of course!  The night of our industry conference (LSTA), several of us went to dinner at a place called Quality Meats. Random name, I know. It's a steak restaurant, and was decorated cool.....even meat hangers for lights. I had quite possibly the best clam chowder I've ever had. Now THATS saying alot. It is right up there with the Barking Crab and Legals, both in Boston. For my main course I shared a steak for two, and also had corn creme brulee, creamed spinach, and mushrooms. FanTABulous! The steak I could leave, the sides were great.

Friday I flew to Dallas. Christine was kind enough to pick me up at the airport. I got in around 8:30. First thing on the agenda, mexican food. We went and had a good dinner at Uncle Julios. Saturday, Stacey, Jason, and Lauren picked me up and we met Meredith and Amy and Josh at the Back 9 to watch the Razorbacks lose a heart breaker, and we watched other games and the Rangers game. Saturday night I had dinner at PF Changs with my friends Thomas and Jason. Sunday I borrowed Christines car and went to my house in Plano to check on things (but not before stopping at my beloved Abuelos). It hasn't gotten any easier to say goodbye to the house. Then I had dinner with Camie and stayed there. I was a nomad my whole trip. Monday I worked, ate lunch at Mi Cocina (for those of you keeping track, my 3rd mexican meal) then met my nerds (Justin, Sarah, Karissa, Byron, Keith, and Nigel) at Chuys. Unfortunately I couldn't eat any food due to the repercussions from the 3 mexican meals I'd already had. Tuesday I went to work again and then got to see my parents. They were nice enough to drive back from visiting the grand baby and stop in Dallas to pick up my last few belongings from my house.

I had a bad feeling when I left mom and dad on Tuesday night. Sure enough....I get off the plane Wednesday in NYC to find out some IDIOT ran into them head-on on I-40. I'm fairly sure the car is totalled, but thankfully THEY are ok. Soooo scary. Ugh. Then my coworker Chris was in town on Wednesday so we went to dinner at a Belgian place. It was pretty good.

Last night is a story in and of itself. One of our exec's where I work was nice enough to offer the women of the company tickets to a fundraiser for the US Women's Ski Jumping Team. There were 8 tickets so I jumped at the chance to go. It's the only sport, summer or winter Olympics, that allows men to compete and not women. Someone with authority in the IOC has actually said that women shouldn't jump for medical reasons....and that "their uterus's could fall out". How preposterous does my last statement sound!??! It sounds like a JOKE! I got to meet several of the jumpers, including the current world champion, Lindsey Van. Hello, women can do aerial jumping, but not normal jumping? ANYWAY....great event, great food (go figure I would enjoy the food!), great cause. I won 3 auctions. 2 silent and one where you hold up a number.....like in the movies. I got a haircut in Soho for $45, a gift for mom and dad for Christmas (can't say what it is), and a trip to an exotic location. More on that when I have specifics, but I'm STOKED to say the least. What I ended up bidding turns out to be a great deal.

Tomorrow I go to Notre Dame game at the Meadowlands in Jersey with Chris, who is a Notre Dame grad. Excited about that too.

Quick update on house....it's under contract and we've agreed on repair terms. Let's hope this happens and gets off my plate/shoulders/pocketbook/etc. Option period ends Monday.

A big thanks to all my friends this weekend....whether it was rides, lodgings, cars, entertainment, etc. In no particular order, Christine and Britt, Karen and Richard, Amy and Neil, Lauren and Josh, Stacey and Jason, Camie and Meredith, Thomas and Jason. No, the last 4 aren't couples, LOL.

Things I've learned

1. My visit was fun, but weird. It's like I never lived there...or don't belong there...or am a visitor...or something. Obviously I was a visitor, but I didn't think I would feel so distant so fast. Don't get me wrong, my friends felt like home....just geographically and stuff.
2. I'm evidently a renegade when it comes to my fall attire. Everyone is bundled up and I've only worn a coat once. I will admit though that I had the door open for 30 minutes just now and had to shut it. BRRRRRRR!!!!
3. Saw a guy peeing into a grate on the sidewalk at 7 tonight. A little early in the evening, no?
4. I've said this before, but golly it's like down on the water is a different season. Three words. Freezing wind tunnel.
5. It never gets easier to say goodbye to a house, no matter how many times you do it.
6. I so wish I could transport my friends up here whenever I want. Just so many things to experience that I wish I could experience with them.
7. My apartment isn't getting any bigger.
8. I may have become a delivery eater more quickly than I thought I would.
9. A true friend is someone with no ties to Arkansas, but they proudly call the hogs with you in a bar in Texas. Multiple times.

Talk to y'all soon. I'll end this with thanking the good lord that Caroline's heart murmur is nothing to worry about, that mom and dad aren't hurt, that I had a safe trip to Dallas and back, and for the bestest friends and family in the world!

xoxox