Vacation Recap (part 2)

Our first day of driving was south on I-5 to get to I-40, which pretty much meant being in CA for the entire day's drive.

I get a bit nostalgic over windmills because of the GTMO windmills and the scenery was gorgeous.

We stopped for dinner at a BBQ place.  I utilized lots of urbanspoon and yelp to find places to eat that weren't fast food chains close to the interstate.  This place was definitely a winner.  I couldn't eat all of my food and we got a box, but ended up leaving the leftovers at the hotel the next morning.  Oh well.

Apparently, there was a super moon.  It was crazy bright.  There was definitely no need for street lights.

When we came out of Death Valley, this was the price of gas at the first exit.  WTF!
We opted not to get gas here and moved on to the next exit where gas was more reasonably priced.

We tried to stop in a larger town to find a hotel the first night, but we were unlucky.  There was some river festival thing going on and every.single.hotel was booked solid.  We checked at least 4 different hotels for availability and were only disappointed each time.  We hit the road again, overly tired, and went to the first hotel we could find.  A super cheesy Route 66 hotel with the super awesome Route 66 theme as well.  The bed was so hard, we could have probably slept in the bed of the truck and been just as comfortable.  Since we didn't arrive till almost 1am, we didn't make it a goal to get up early to get on the road.

We had breakfast at The Roadkill Cafe, next door to our hotel, where the sizes for all the things were enormous.  Since I knew we would be driving and we hadn't picked up snacks, I consumed all the foods again, not knowing when we'd be stopping for lunch/dinner.

That is a quart size mason jar full of soda.
This explains so much about America.

Gettin' my toe tan on.

The first time I was allowed to drive the truck.  I just moved it up to the pump, but still, HUGE deal.

Teh Sister had requested that we make a stop for her in New Mexico if we took I-40.  She's lucky and spoiled.  We stopped at St. Clair Winery to restock Teh Sister's wine collection since this winery isn't allowed to ship to NC for some reason.  We also had dinner there since we were already there and they served food that Teh Sister said was pretty good.  We started sitting outside, but when I heard thunder and saw lightning, you can bet your ass we moved inside.  This girl doesn't play.

9 bottles of wine later..

Brownie dessert = NOMNOMNOM

More super moon.  It was hella big and the cloud was cutting it in half.
It only got better.

We left Albuquerque, NM and kept driving.  Mr. Mystery wanted to make it into Texas, but I talked him into stopping at a town a little bit before the border.  Our hotel wasn't Route 66 themed, but it was still pretty sketchy.  Whatevs, we were just tired and needed a place to sleep.

We got gas before heading out the next morning and I spotted a silver Yurtle!  Yurtle's were few and far between the entire time I was on vacation.  I told Teh Roomies that Finding Yurtle was a better game than punch bug.

We stopped for lunch in Amarillo, TX.  Mr. Mystery had wanted to get tacos in NM, but we had failed at that mission.  I think that Joe Taco definitely hit the spot.  Or at least it was good for me.

2 pork tacos and 1 mushroom-spinach taco.
OMFG DEEEEEELIIIGHTFUL to my belly.

After lunch we got back on the road, determined to make it to Little Rock, Arkansas that night.

The cleaning cart was just sitting there, no one was cleaning.
It was like the gas station was trying to deter people from using the restrooms, although from the state of the bathrooms, I could see why.

Cool sculpture in Oklahoma City.

We stopped at a brewery for dinner just outside of OKC.  I had looked for somewhere more interesting on yelp and urbanspoon, but we were tired and just wanted to eat and the brewery was right there.  It ended up working out nicely because there was an ice cream place right down the road and we got milkshakes for the road.

I asked Mr. Mystery to get a pic of me and the first sweet tea I was able to order since I started vacation.
He said beer was more important.

But seriously, the sweet nectar of life is imperative to this southern girl.

Nomnomnom, steakkkkk.
This was the same steak that ended up leaking out of the box and got on the uniforms that were hanging in the back seat.  I freaked out!  I was doing emergency stain removal with water with my ass in the air while I was trying to reach things in the backseat.  We definitely made a pitstop at Walmart that night before we got to our hotel for some Shout in efforts to not have 2 sets of stained uniforms. 

We stayed at a decent hotel in Little Rock and it was much needed after the crappy beds we'd endured the prior nights.  Apparently, neither of us wanted to get up, because when my alarm went off at 0630 or 0730 or whenever it was, I told Mr. Mystery and he didn't really rouse, so I snoozed it and woke him up again when it went off.  Then I turned off the alarm, thinking that his alarm would go off in the next few minutes.  Nope.  I woke up at 0820 and informed him that we had overslept.  Coincidentally, his alarm started to go off within moments of me informing him of my revelation.  I just giggled and giggled.

Our driving goal was to reach home, home, NC, which was going to take 10ish hours plus stops. 

I'm not even sure who came up with this gas station name, but the perv in me always giggles when I see this.

Remember that one time when I was all like, I'm moving to Millington, TN?  Yeah well, we passed through Memphis and gave Millington the finger.  It was full-o-win.

Name that skyline:
Memphis

Thank Allah this wasn't the end of the roadtrip!

Teh MD Teenage Roomie made sure to ask me how the 1.91" of snow was in TN.  I definitely sent her back a sad face photo.

We stopped in Memphis for lunch and we opted to eat at a Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives restaurant called Three Angels Diner.  It was pretty delicious, but there were other restaurants on urbanspoon and yelp with better reviews. 

On the way to the diner we saw this.
Interesting.

Pinup girls in the women's bathroom.

And the record wall, which was pretty awesome.

After lunch, we got back on the road and booked it to home, home.  We stopped in TN for some adult beverages since we knew the stores were going to be closed when we got to NC.  Mr. Mystery got a good laugh at the guy running the register who was a redneck with a full southern accent.  Mr. Mystery had pointed out the MoonPie Moonshine sitting on the counter and the guy commented that it tasted like shit, but then added, if your moonshine didn't taste like shit, it wasn't good moonshine.  We walked out laughing and I almost tripped over the guy sitting at the door in his rocking chair smoking a cigarette.  We got out of there quickly.

We made it to home, home by midnight and I quickly realized that I was locked out.  /sadface.  I had left my keys in MD since I knew I wasn't going to need them.. except that Teh Dad's house key was on my keyring anddddd he was out of town visiting Teh NY Family which meant that all the doors were locked, even to the garage, which was my backup plan for getting in the house (we go into the garage and get the house garage door opener from the car and get in the house that way). 

So at midnight, I called Teh Dad unable to get in.  I was lucky he even answered because historically, we don't have cell phone coverage where his family is from.  He informed me there was no hidden spare key.  I'm not even sure who this man is anymore.  We always had a hidden key.  ALWAYS.  2 people had keys to Teh Dad's house.  The first person I tried apparently sleeps like the dead and didn't hear me banging on his door and he turned his phone to silent at night (which I can't even fault him for).  The 2nd person was Teh Dad's neighbor and he said that he hadn't even been asleep yet.  Nonetheless, I apologized over and over and over.

Mr. Mystery and I finally got in the house.  He made beverages for us and we decided to melt off our skin in the hot tub that Teh Dad insists needs to be kept at 1 million°F.  Unable to stay awake any longer, we both finally called it a night.

CA to SC adventure!

Part 1 - California

Part 2 - CA to TN

Part 3 - NC to SC

Part 4 - South Carolina

Vacation Recap (part 1)

So you remember that one time when I wasn't a good blogger and was like YAY vacation!  Well, I'm back and I'm going to tell you all about it (in 4 parts because of all the photos) because it was FANTASTIC.  Usually my vacations fly by and it seems like 14 days isn't long enough, and while 14 days wasn't long enough, it didn't fly by.  I was able to enjoy every.single.moment of being on vacation and it was glorious.

My first stop was Sacramento, CA to hang out with Mr. Mystery and his family for a few days before we started the drive from CA to SC. Teh MD Adult Roomie was awesome and woke up with me at 2am to drive me to Dulles so I could catch my flight.  Did I mention she's awesome?  She is.

I didn't get to use the TSA Pre-Check because it was too early for it to be open, which was stupid because then I had to wait in line at security (not that I didn't have time to burn, but still no waiting in line is always better).  First things first, breakfast.  I grabbed a coffee and a delicious pretzel and took the seat next to the power outlet, because duh.


Please note the t-shirt I'm wearing.
Teh MD Roomies got it for me since it's so accurate.  Lub.



I watched a middle eastern family while reading confession posts.  One of the young boys was out of control and the mom didn't seem to be willing to reign him in and the dad didn't seem to notice the kid at all.  The grandmother was there and what seemed to be a brother and another wife.. there were just a lot of family members there that could have told the little heathen to pipe down, but nothing ever happened.  I was waiting on him to hit my computer or me so I could have a round with him, but I must have had on my scary face because he stayed away.

I had a quick layover in Long Beach, CA where I grabbed lunch because going from east coast time to west coast time is super tricky, especially when you're on my eating schedule and you wake up at 2am, which just throws everything off.  After scarfing down some sushi and making sure my computer didn't commit suicide (I realized about halfway through my flight that my computer was SUPER hot in my backpack like it couldn't turn off for some reason so I took off the battery and it cooled down in a matter of seconds but wouldn't start back up which I attributed to a dead battery), it was time to reboard and head to Sacramento!

I did find these at the airport in Long Beach.  I said oh HELL NO when I saw they were $7.  We pay that much for 2lbs.

Mr. Mystery didn't meet me in the airport, which was sad, but I got over it when he handed me these when I found him in the pick-up area:

After a short drive around town, we stopped for milkshakes and then headed to his house where I got to meet his mom, uncle, and brother and Molly the puppy for his Baba.

Selfies with the puppy were a requirement.

Our first group activity was lunch.  They decided on sushi and I went with an adult beverage since I had already eaten lunch.  I was day drinking.  Vacation was official at that point.  Everyone kept claiming it was hot, which I wasn't really understanding because there was almost no humidity.  We decided to go swimming after picking up some adult beverage materials.  I proceeded to drink way too much Malibu Black after not enough food and flying and swimming and being awake since 2am, oops.  And then I was expected to function for a very large gathering at a Korean BBQ place where I managed to get more and more sober the more I ate, thank Allah. 

Molly doesn't look impressed, but she was being cute before I started taking photos just laying between our legs.

When we got back home after dinner, where I had sobered up, it was east coast midnight and I was absolutely exhausted.  I ended up taking a 2 hour nap and then got up and socialized for a short while before everyone left and it was bedtime again.

The next morning, I got up and went on a short run.  I probably could have went further, but being in an unknown area and running an area for the first time always makes it seem like it takes super long.  I came back home and was able to sit outside to cool down!  That would NOT have been possible on the east coast, ever.

After everyone started to get up, it was brunch/breakfast time at a diner in town.  I actually ate an entire omelet, I couldn't even believe it, but it was delicious and I couldn't help it.  Mr. Mystery commented when the plate was set down in front of me that I wouldn't be able to eat it all.  WRONG.  Running also makes me ravenous, so I had that going for me too.

When we got back home, we decided it was a good time to mail off the monies for the SC house, so we headed to FedEx to mail off the checks where we learned that FedEx won't ship to PO boxes, which I guess makes sense when you think about it, but it hadn't ever crossed our minds so we were confused when the FedEx lady said she couldn't do it.  Le siiigh.

Instead, we hit up Jamba Juice for a snack and then hit up the USPS, since they do, in fact, ship to PO boxes...

So CA healthy.
I know there are Jamba Juices in not CA, but I don't frequent them.

That evening involved more swimming and then we decided to do dinner at Frasinetti's where Mr. Mystery and several of his friends worked/had worked.  I watched several of the guys at the bar place dice and I knew better than to even bother because my luck is such crap.  Mr. Mystery gave me a tour of the winery, which was old and awesome.  Eventually, his brother kicked us out so he could close up the bar.  We went home and I ended up taking a nap (yep, at 10pm) until midnight when I woke up and joined everyone for shots and dominoes.  The switch to west coast time was very difficult and we ended up going to be around 3am (so 6am east coast time) and all I could think of was how jacked up my sleep schedule was going to be when we got back to the east coast (and oh how right I was/am). 

Friday, we got up and Mr. Mystery decided that we were going to go into San Francisco to meet his Baba (grandmother) and some other relatives and have dinner in "The City."  I learned that "The City" in CA is San Francisco, where "The City" on the east coast is NYC.  Los Angeles is NOT "The City" because it's "LA."  There's your west coast education of the day.

The drive was a little over an hour and we got to pass through the golden hills of CA and through the salt flats.  I've done the drive from San Jose to San Francisco, so it was just Highway 101 all the way, not really many vistas to look at.  It was the opposite from Sacramento to San Francisco.  All the pretty things to look at!


Salt flats.



Of course, photos of the Golden Gate Bridge were a requirement!

After we found a place to park, we made our way to Baba's house so I could meet her and we could hang out for a little bit.  Eventually, I needed to be fed, so Mr. Mystery led us to Pasquale's a most delicious pizza place.  Over dinner I got to learn about Mr. Mystery's family and how they came to San Francisco, I was quite enlightened.  I people watched the passersby outside who were wearing jackets because of the breeze, which I thought was silly.. until we left the restaurant.


NOMNOMNOM sourdough bread.



After dinner, I should have asked if they had a cannoli, but I didn't.  This is actually relevant.  We headed back to Baba's for a bit more socializing and then we finally headed back to Sacramento since we didn't want to be out too late since we were starting the cross-country drive the next day.  On the way back into town, I found a bakery that claimed to sell cannoli's so we stopped in and the girl at the counter proceeded to tell me that they don't carry the mini-desserts in the bakery and cannolis were a mini dessert and the more she talked the more the urge to smother her with a cake got stronger.  Mr. Mystery was able to get his dessert though and I gave up my cannoli requirement for the evening.  When we got home, Mr. Mystery's brother found another bakery that was open till 1am that sold cannolis and we talked about going to get some, but then after several shots, it never ended up happening.

After socializing till 0230, I finally had to call it quits and crashed.  I didn't even hear Mr. Mystery come to bed I was out so hard.  The alarms started going off around 9 so we could get up and get the truck packed up and hit the road.

It was very strange to me to see my behaviors in someone else.  Mr. Mystery didn't seem to want to leave.  He kept finding things to clean and he watered the yard and rinsed off the truck and kept getting distracted by all the things.  It took me at least 30 minutes to figure out what was happening and then I finally got it.  I finally started bringing things out to put in the truck and with great hesitation he finally started loading his stuff as well.

Not gonna lie, I didn't really want to leave either because being in CA was relaxing and fun and there wasn't really any responsibilities I had to attend to (except for SC house issues because that damn relator /grumblegrumblegrumble).  I did manage to get the internet/cable installation scheduled and got the electricity and water switched over into our names while I was in CA, so that was helpful for our imminent arrival.


Mr. Mystery finally upgraded from a 2009 Blackberry Storm to a LG G3.
He then refused to pull the sticker protectors off and so it looked like he had the Guiness World Record's Fingernails coming off his phone.  It was so gross.  No one was allowed to pull them off.  The first one finally vanished when we hit TN and the other side was removed by Mr. Myserty in SC.  I was never so relieved over stickers before.

 

This poor guy was T-boned coming back from San Francisco.  He never fell off and Mr. Mystery had to actually remove him because he wouldn't come off when the truck was rinsed off either.  Apparently he had wanted a ride to SC.



Of course I'd drop my suitcase on my foot 10 minute before we leave.
Le sigh.

We finally got on the road about lunch time and our first stop was lunch at In-N-Out, because that's a CA requirement that I hadn't checked off yet.

We finally got on the road after picking up beverages.. and ice cream, in my case.  I spent most of the ride across the country with ear plugs in because Mr. Mystery likes to listen to his music at decibels that make my brain hurt.  Actually, I could understand the words better with earplugs in and the bass wasn't making me regret life and I could block out the noise when I wanted to concentrate on my reading, so it worked out nicely.

 

Next up: ROADTRIP!

 

CA to SC adventure!

Part 1 - California

Part 2 - CA to TN

Part 3 - NC to SC

Part 4 - South Carolina

Humpday Confessions #18

This post almost didn't happen, but I've been feeling like a shitty blogger since I went on vacation and didn't schedule blogs...  Life is just getting ahead of me.

Confessions:

-I learned last week that if I don't link up early/in the morning, I don't get as much love.  I guess there is a plus to having to be at work by 6am.  I also learned the week before that, that 0430 isn't early enough to be in the top 3.  Confessions posters are serious business!

-Coming home from vacation was bittersweet.  I missed my roomies, but now I'm going to miss Mr. Mystery.

-I've now reached the point of my "No Mo' Navy" countdown that I'm getting petrified.  I still have no job yet which is a big concern.  Yes, I have a fall back plan, but I really don't want to have to use it.

-I bought a pair of flippie-floppies in exactly the same style, but a different color as a pair I already have.  I overcame many temptations to buy other flippie floppies, but I stood my ground and when I remembered to look for them online, Kohl's had them on sale.  It was like the internet shopping gods were smiling down on me and supported my purchase.

-I didn't post a Music Monday post and I'm a host of the linkup...  I spent the weekend and Monday unpacking and any other time was spent with Mr. Mystery since I was leaving Charleston on Tuesday morning.  I'm have a semi-guilty feeling, but non-blogging priorities are a thing sometimes.

-I'm afraid to open my Feedly.  But I know that I'll get to see some confessions, so I'm not going to mark all read... yet.

-Meri really, REALLY, needs to be groomed and trimmed, but the lady that I'd like to do it lives 2 hours away and I'm afraid that if I take her to a local place she will be scarred for life and then it will be a bitch to get her groomed after this.  But holy lion mane.

-I got my Teacher Redditgift Matches.  I'm super pumped.  I signed up for 2 teachers and one of them is in NC, woot!  She only asked for glue sticks.  I was like whhhhaaattt?  So I sent her a message and asked if there was anything else she wanted.  The other teacher is from Michigan.  I had to stop doing the other Reddit gift exchanges due to my dollas situation (and how little I need more stuff) but I always like doing the teacher one because most teachers are underpaid and overworked and pay for many things out of pocket.

-Speaking of stuff, apparently I have too much of it.  OMG SO MUCH STUFFSSSS.  I had to unpack it all before I left Charleston and it wasn't an issued except that the movers arrived a day after I'd planned on them, so I was short one day for unpacking.  I vowed to purge some closet items when I arrive back to SC.  It will also help that I no longer need those mabillion uniform items.  Although, when the option to buy fresh garlic or already chopped garlic came up, the fact that I had a garlic press meant that we were able to buy fresh.  HA!  (and then it proceeded to break as I used it, le sigh)

-Confessions were short and sweet this week because I don't really have anything to bitch about.. but tomorrow is my first day back at work after being gone for 2 weeks, I'm sure it won't take me long to draft up next Wednesday's post..  I missed you guys!!

Fashion doesn't agree with me... #62

The irony isn't lost on me…

I love the TimeHop app.  It makes me happy.  It helps me remember how clever I was in years prior.  It also helps me to remember things that happened. 

August is a notoriously eventful month of my life.  For the majority of my life, it was the month school started, which meant school clothes/supplies shopping, worrying about classes and teachers, eventually worrying about dealing with a job after school and homework.  Then was college and while August meant worrying about school, it meant worrying about getting to school and finding my classes and making time to eat and having the money to eat and hanging out with friends. 

After I was done with school, August became pretty uneventful, kinda.

August 2008 I didn't have to worry about school starting, there was an incident where a “friend” came to visit and it didn't turn out to be a good visit at all.  That was eventful.

August 2009 I was graduating from NMITC and heading to Gulfport, MS to get GTMO-ready.

August 2010, I was preparing to leave GTMO to head to Bahrain.  I was Teh Kaar-less for a little while, which was painful. 

August 2011, Teh Bear had just left Bahrain and I was finishing up my EIDWS and begging the PCS gods for a transfer package so I could leave Bahrain.  This wasn't a bad August, but EIDWS was pretty stressful and I was totally Bahrain burnt-out.

August 2012, I was fostering Joey the Ibizian Hound.  This wasn't overly stressful, but Joey did add an element of fun to my life that I hadn't been expecting.  I was sad to let him go, but I knew he had an excellent home to go to where they were waiting to spoil him beyond measure.

August 2013, Teh Bear finally moved up to MD.

And this year?  August 2014, I took vacation to go to CA and help Mr. Mystery drive cross country and move my stuff into the Charleston house, which I am absolutely smitten with (the house and Mr. Mystery, of course).

Actually, per Timehop, moving in of stuffs actually happened on the same day in 2013 and 2014.  Ironic much? 

I’m not in the least bit sad how things have turned out.  It’s a super scary thing that we’re planning, moving in together, but for all the scariness, we survived a cross country drive, which I think is a true testament of a relationship.  Being together with no break for a week straight and not killing each other is a feat, Gentle Readers.  And really, there was only the one time that it got a bit iffy.   

So yeah, welcome to my life.  August is an exciting month in the life of Teh Megan.  May is a month that doesn't exist.  February is the best month.  October is 2nd best because that’s when autumn usually rolls in.  Any month with snow comes in 3rd.

Also, based on the amount of phone calls and issues I've had today between the bank and the internet people and the realtor and the MD power company, I can't actually be sure that it's not really Friday the 13th.