happy 2009

I can't believe another year is here, it seemed like just yesterday I was on Croagh Patrick on New Year's Eve Day with some friends enjoying a nice day on the mountain and then ringing in the new year at the random pub in the middle of gorgeous Connemara with the club... But what a year 2008 has been. I'm writing the 2008 review, so that will be coming. 

So what I've been up to:

-Saturday night, my parents, little bro, sister and her boyfriend went into NYC for the evening. We had a great time walking around seeing the tree and all the Christmastastic parts of the city. It was a madhouse, so much more crowded than usual. But we had a great time :)

the fam at the tree

Sis and I being silly at the Bergdof windows

Times Square - it was a MADHOUSE

-Sunday I went to Pennsylvania with my Mom to see my Grandmother and Aunt. I hadn't seen them since Summer 2007, so it was a nice long lunch full of talking and catching up.

-Monday I spent home, getting stuff done. I put together the bookshelf I got for Christmas and cleaned. I also read a fabulous book! The Widow's War by Sally Gunning. It is set in 1761 in Cape Cod and all about a whaling widow and her fighting the status quo of a women after her husband's death of her property going to a male relative. It was a quick read and I enjoyed it. Amy it made me think of you!

my bookshelf - all full of books :)

-Tuesday was a mad day! I made quick plans to see my twin (best friend in the world, not really my twin) as she was working up in my area. So I met up with her and her co-workers and helped them look at the water quality in streams. She works as a Watershed Ambassador. So that was fun. I had to leave early, to take my little bro to the orthodontist. Then I met my mom for a super quick lunch and she dropped me off at the train station. 

how hot do we look? me and my twin

-Tuesday afternoon I was on my way to NYC (again) to meet one of my longest friends, who also is my pen-pal. Thanks to the American Girl Magazine (one of my favs growing up, you know you loved it too) pen-pal exchange. We began exhanging letters in August of 2008 and have kept in pretty good contact ever since. I have a showbox full of letters (most are from 1998-2002) and we emailed and imed a lot through HS. During college we didn't talk as much, but still sent occassional letters, and birthday/Christmas cards. But during the summer of 2004 where I worked at a camp in Michigan (where she is from) we met up for a weekend and it was FABULOUS to finally meet her! So over the summer we started writing letters to each other again (can I just say how much I love getting real mail) and so we made plans to see each other while I was home. So I got into the city and went to the Met. YAY art museums. I had a good time walking through, but OMG is the Met confusing. And it was super crowded. But I enjoyed seeing some European Art. Yay for Monets, Manets, Seurat and others. I didn't get a chance to get over to the American art. Next time. Then I met up with Holly and we went out to dinner with her husband (She got married in October). It was fabulous, we sat around talking for hours and then back to their apartment, where they have seriously the best view of Manhattan. And played with their kittens and just talked more :)

Monet's Bridge Over a Pond of Water Lillies

holly and I

the view from her apartment

-Wednesday - We went out to brunch, and again talked for hours. Then I caught my train home, went to my Grandma's where I waited for my Mom to pick me up and take me to work. I cocktail waitressed for NY Eve and was home by 11.45. I watched the ball drop curled up on the couch and then went to bed at 12.05. 

-I am watching the Winter Classic Hockey game right now. It is pretty awesome. On Wrigley Field (baseball) in Chicago, they turned it into an ice rink and the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Redwings played an outdoor game. It's been a good game, last year they played in Buffalo and next year is either Toronto or NYC. When my dad was telling me about it, I was like I'm sure the players love it, as the last time most of them probably played on real ice was when they were 12.  

-My sister's boyfriend just explained how one farts in their own face... He is a diver, and while we were talking about farting, he goes have you ever farted in a wetsuit? And then continues it with when he wears his diving helmet, it has a neoprene collar, so it gets stuck in the helmet. It was pretty funny when he was telling us.

- I'm only home a few more days and a lot more to do! So happy 2009 :)