First Week of Classes

By Erin | Published: August 19, 2010

This week, so far, I’ve:

  1. Chopped off all my hair. Well, ten inches of it. It’s now about chin length and dries remarkably fast.
  2. Made very yummy peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.
  3. Not cleaned the house.
  4. Started classes at UNCW. The first day, I was sitting in my windowless office, which is down a windowless corridor, when the power went off. My cell phone is super dim (energy efficient, or something like that), so I groped around the room, trying to get my class list and stacks of syllabi, trying to see well enough to lock the door behind me and make my way out to a place that had a window. Adventure!
  5. Gotten a summer cold. (Nice timing.) Stuffy nose and sneezing, oh the fun I’m having, aren’t you jealous?
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The Great Jesse and Erin Summer Adventure, 2010 Edition: Day Nine

By Erin | Published: August 18, 2010

The last day of vacation! We arrived in Philly a little late due to traffic and bad weather, and the sky was overcast and drizzly. We were so happy to be off the road when we got to our hotel, which was, we both agreed, the nicest of the three hotels we had this trip. (Bonus points: It was also the cheapest.) Our room was super clean, nicely designed, all gray and white and huge red curtains. The hotel was a little marvel.

Check out the view from the elevators (right). Faux-exterior front against some of the room windows. Also, there were "soundscapes" playing in the elevators. Going up, it might be a babbling brook. Going down, a horse running. Next time, a heartbeat? Jesse thought it weird, but I liked it.

We could have spent the whole time in the hotel relaxing but decided we needed to see a bit more of Philadelphia, so we ventured out, umbrella in hand.

We wandered through the Reading Terminal Market, where you can get everything from flowers to coffee to tea to honey to books to Pakistani food (why not?). Fresh meats, seafood, local produce. Lovely!

I'm pretty sure this place was designed with me in mind.

Next stop, more history! We saw the Liberty Bell and toured Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were written. I didn’t expect to be so awed, but I was. It’s a little overwhelming to see in person the place where your country was born.

Outside the Liberty Bell center, a woman was passing out free Cherry Dr. Peppers, so we snagged a couple, but then had to chug them because we couldn’t take them inside. That wasn’t the best idea.

Next on our Philadelphia Must-Do List: Cheesesteaks.

We walked to South Street, and if it hadn’t been raining and if it hadn’t been Sunday evening (a lot of shops were closed), we would have explored a bit more. It seemed like a fun area. We’ll put that top of the list for next time. We ate at Jim’s Steaks. Eating at Jim’s involves standing outside in a very long line, which wrapped around the corner of the building, and then getting inside so you can stand in another very long line, which twisted around the tiny downstairs interior.

Loooong line!

After finally ordering our sandwiches (with cheese, Provolone for me and American for Jesse, and with onions), we took them upstairs and relished being off our feet and finally getting some food in our hungry tummies.

I sure did eat a lot on this trip...but I also walked a lot too!

And then, though there was more to see, we decided to enjoy the calm of our hotel room, enjoy being off our feet, taking showers, watching cable (which we don’t have at home). The next day would be spent in the car, hours and hours of I-95, and there would be the oppressive Southern humidity to come home to, there would be traffic and heat and rushing. So that night, then, our last vacation night, we opted for an evening in, a big soft bed with fluffy pillows and a down comforter, the AC turned down way lower than we keep it at home, a TV much nicer than the one we have at home, snuggled up and comfy, just happy to be together.

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The Great Jesse and Erin Summer Adventure, 2010 Edition: Day Eight

By Erin | Published: August 17, 2010

We set off early for Boston, the first of two stops we’d make on our way home. After checking into our hotel, the Westin across from the Boston Public Library (Hotwire.com! I’m telling you!), we took off walking, stopping into an Irish pub for lunch. We split an order of Fish and Chips and a big steaming bowl of macaroni and cheese with Tasso ham. The macaroni was delightful, creamy and really quite sophisticated for being macaroni and cheese, and the fish and chips were perfectly crispy and mild.

Fueled up and ready to go, we hit the streets and headed for the Freedom Trail, a self-guided walking tour to a bundle of historic monuments and sights like:

The Granary Burial Ground, where Paul Revere’s remains reside:

Some of the oldest gravesites I've seen. Graves from the 1600s, 1700s, and I can't even think that far back. I kind of love the decorations.

The Old North Church, of one-if-by-land fame:

And a bunch of other places. In between historic sites, we ducked into Italian groceries to peer at homemade pasta and dozens of cheeses. We stopped at a huge Border’s just for the heck of it and passed a large outdoor market.

A giant macaroni noodle. Why not?

By evening, I was beat. All the walking plus a fitful sleep the night before and driving through Queens had me pretty pooped. We wandered around Back Bay and then decided to call it a day and head back to the hotel.

On the way back, though, we saw a girl with curly hair listening to an iPod, and I took off my sunglasses and turned to Jesse and said, “That is not Dana Sigmund.” And he said, “Oh yes it is.” I couldn’t believe it! Dana and I knew each other in college. She was in Sigma Tau and was VP the year I was president. She took over the club after I graduated. She’s remarkably similar to Miriam—she’s ridiculously cute and friendly and intelligent, and she’s got this fabulous curly hair that never, never looks bad.

After chatting for a few minutes in absolute shock, and in my shock completely forgetting to get a picture (Erin! For crying out loud! Get a picture!), we parted ways, Dana off to grocery shop, and Jesse and I off to find something cheap to eat (we were feeling the expenses of the trip, psychologically, though we were prepared financially for the cost).

In the end, we were completely lame and got fast food. I know. It wasn’t even good fast food. Burger King for him and Wendy’s for me (they were next to one another). We got it to go and walked our bags of fast food back to our fancy hotel, because apparently that’s how we roll, and then we ate at the desk in our room and then watched a movie we’d already seen and then went to bed. Goodnight, Boston.

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The Great Jesse and Erin Summer Adventure, 2010 Edition: Day Seven

By Erin | Published: August 16, 2010

Our last day in Maine was a perfectly leisurely one: We slept in, padded downstairs to blueberry pancakes (the blueberries having been picked straight from Evelyn’s property) and a giant pile of crispy bacon, which the four of us had shockingly little trouble polishing off.

The rest of the day was spent packing our things, visiting a few thrift shops (Jesse found an electric air organ with little retro star designs on its sides and I found an old carbide miner’s cap lamp—in Maine, of all places!).

We lazed around the backyard, sprawling over wooden chairs and looking at this:

Can you imagine? Can you imagine every day seeing this from your backyard?

That evening, we had an epic lobster dinner with baked potatoes and corn and salad with homemade creamy honey mustard dressing. Homemade lemonade in a big pale green Ball jar. Jesse and Dad opted for burgers and scallops, while Evelyn and I ripped our way through two bright-red lobsters from Tracey’s up the road.

I’d never had a whole lobster before, and it was a little fun and a little disturbing, the tearing off of legs, the twisting-ripping off of the head. Juice splattered everywhere. Butter dripped off the tips of my fingers. And, oh, the texture, the taste! Creamy, rich, silky, strong. Worth the effort.

We cleaned up and played Rummikub until it was past our bedtime, the night just outside the windows a deep, deep black.

And what a finish, what a day to end our time in Maine, watching seagulls congregate at the cove, finding treasures, relaxing in the shade and cool air, eating fresh lobster that had, of late, been swimming around the cold Maine waters, playing a game I grew up playing, staying up too late because we had to play just one more round.

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The Great Jesse and Erin Summer Adventure, 2010 Edition: Day Six

By Erin | Published: August 13, 2010

Baa-Haa-Baa

Our next-to-last day in Maine, we ventured out to Bar Harbor, a lovely little seaside place with rows of shops selling cute Maine-themed things and funny t-shirts. Our only complaints were that it was thick with tourists and we’d managed to pick the hottest day of our vacation to all wear jeans. My, my, were we sweating. Granted, it couldn’t have even reached the high-80s, but we’d been spoiled all week with cooler temperatures, ever-present breezes, and evenings that were downright chilly. So, with the warmer air and fewer breezes, and all the tourists (which always raise the temperature—just visit Florida if you need proof), there were times when we were all quite uncomfortable.

However, we did find a shady spot to eat lobster rolls for lunch. Yum!

Ah, lobster. In a roll.

First bite--LOVE.

For those of you who’ve not had the delight of a lobster roll, it’s chilled lobster meat and mayo on a toasted hot dog bun. (Ours had a bit of lettuce, too.) Of course, there are variations, like no-mayo versions and those with butter and those with salt and pepper. But the ones we had seemed perfect to us—cool, downright decadent, satisfying, fun. In fact, I could really go for another right about now. Too bad I’d have to drive like twenty hours to get one…

Refreshed and in much better spirits, we continued shopping and sightseeing.

In Bar Harbor, you can find pretty much anything with a lobster or a moose on it.

Our last stop in town was an ice cream place with a red and white awning where the Obamas had eaten at their recent trip to the coast. We ate on the shaded porch, mint chocolate chip for me, ginger for Dad, pistachio for Evelyn, and a flavor called “I haven’t decided yet” for Jesse.

Next up was a drive through Acadia National Park.

Near "Thunder Hole," where at certain times the waves hitting the rocks make the sound of thunder.

Every year, tourists are swept off to sea and killed by rogue waves because they refuse to stay within guardrails. I thought I might get a picture of one meeting demise and send it in to CNN.com, but I was disappointed.

Last for the day was Cadillac Mountain, where we saw views like these:

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Intermission, 2

By Erin | Published: August 12, 2010

Orientation for new teachers and teachers of basic studies courses at the university today. Temperatures in the mid-90s, heat index well over 100, a walk across campus in jeans and a black top (trying to look professional). But, then, slightly dark air conditioned rooms with projectors and white boards, the sleek glass-and-technology of the CIS building, a visit to the bookstore to make sure they had the anthologies for my courses. Sitting around with a group of people who all love literature and writing a bit too much for their own good, the feeling of having a real job. All the possibilities of school, the mentality of beginning and anything’s-possible. The homey feel of a college campus, the bricks, the frightened-looking freshmen walking with their parents, and the over-confident sophomores watching the freshmen, and I remember that feeling, of having arrived. Growing up without having to be an adult yet. And, then grad school, all the memories of being around that much talent, around so many people who knew exactly the value of a well-formed sentence. Ah, school. How have I stayed away from you so long?

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Intermission

By Erin | Published: August 11, 2010

Short break from vacation for a work-related story from last night (er, this morning):

Last night, I went to bed and Jesse was still up, but I thought he’d be right behind me. His computer (which he relies on to do freelance work at home) had been acting funny, and he wanted to start some diagnostics overnight. Maybe he’d come to bed a half hour later or something like that. So when I woke up at sometime later and realized he wasn’t in bed, my first thought was, Must not be so late. My second thought, after putting on my glasses and realizing it was four o’clock, was, Huh? And then, Huh? I went to check on him, but the light in his office was out. I opened the door and it stopped halfway, bumping into something, which I quickly realized was my husband.

“Jesse?” I said, kind of panicked–why was he lying on the floor of his office at four in the morning??

He made some kind of sound, so I figured he wasn’t dead.

I continued: “What the heck? It’s four o’clock. What are you doing?”

To which he replied, simply, and without a hint of irony, “Napping.” As if it were obvious.

I waited. I figured it would be clear I wanted more of an answer than that, but none was offered. I laughed and went back to bed. But, I couldn’t sleep, thinking about him on the floor of the office, so almost an hour of trying later I got up again and found him in chair this time, on the computer. Apparently the diagnostics and fixing of the machine had taken longer than hoped. (He didn’t have to say it, but I knew why he had to pull an all-nighter–when else was it going to get done? He needs nights and weekends right now for the projects he’s on.) He said he was getting ready to take another nap, so I suggested napping in bed this time. A few minutes later, he came to bed and I was able to go back to sleep (for the whole hour I had left before the alarm went off, that is).

I present this story to you in case you needed further evidence that my husband: 1. is insane, and 2. works hard. Good grief.

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