one to three hours from home

Saturday morning I got up bright and early to drive to Charlottesville to help Lauren move from one apartment to another. I think she was surprised that I remembered, but also glad that I came.

Lauren’s move went very smoothly. Probably the easiest and fastest move I have ever helped out with. Everything she owned was already in a box and labeled except for her hanging clothes which were draped over stuff at the very end. Her uncle had a trailer and was very accustomed to packing it tightly and well, so after a few trips up and down, he stayed in the trailer and arranged things while the rest of us carried things down the stairs. Everything was loaded in an hour and a half. There was some loading before I got there of boxes into her car and Trevor’s truck… but even adding that it still didn’t take long.

We arrived at the new apartment and Lisa and her family were already there. We helped with the tail end of Lisa’s truck, and then all of them helped unload Lauren’s trailer. There were ten people carting stuff into the house and it didn’t take long, especially since Lisa and Lauren had already talked about what would go in which rooms, and because it was on the ground level. By noon, both trucks were unloaded and everything was in the apartment. That is amazing. Something to strive for when I move… so I am going to need a lot more boxes.

We sat around for a bit to rest and then started rearranging the stuff to get furniture where it was supposed to go, beds set up, and things more organized. Knowing Lauren, everything probably had a new home and was in its place by the time she went to bed. I headed over to Adam’s house for lunch, a chat, and a shower before heading to Lynchburg for Jamie’s get-together.

Googlemaps let me down. They gave me an exit number for a city that does not use exit numbers. I think I picked the right one anyway, but then there was some confusion on turns and street names so I had to call Jamie to figure out where I went wrong. Turns out it wasn’t that bad and I joined the gathering in less than ten minutes.

Jamie’s house is small and super-cute and I am green with house-envy. I think Jamie’s get together was sort of a Watson Avenue reunion and everyone was happy to chill, chat, and relax. We interrupted Jamie’s thought process a million times and put the boys in charge of grilling, but eventually a delicious dinner was served and enjoyed. Thank you Keegan for the tips on grilling squash, and thank you Jamie for suggesting the Creole seasoning.

Talking and drinks and Apples to Apples lasted well into the evening and eventually I called it quits. I thought it was ten thirty when I texted Adam to let him know I was heading back to his place, but it was one thirty. Oops. It didn’t matter. It was great to hang out with everyone and see Ellen and Keegan one more time before they head back to Korea.

Adam woke me up in the morning and we shortly hit the road with pit stops at the atm and Bodo’s Bagels. Bodo’s Bagels is a great bagel shop in Charlottesville that I have known about since middle school gym class (thank you Mr. Burke), but didn’t actually know was a real place until recently. The bagels were delicious. After that it was the long drive to Baltimore for the Orioles game. I didn’t mind the drive because I like talking to Adam and we talk about everything and anything.

Sort of like my goal to visit all 50 states (2 left), Adam wants to see every team play at their home stadium. He’s been to most in the Midwest United States, but still has a few to go. What’s interesting to me is that I have been to 4 major league baseball games and three of those are at stadiums that Adam has yet to visit, Seattle, San Diego, and Toronto, and I am not really a baseball fan. Also, if teams open new stadiums, then he is going to go back and visit those new stadiums as well.

Walking in, people were selling sodas and snacks and loudly proclaiming on the loudspeakers that they were cheaper than what you could get inside, and you could carry them in. We each bought a soda and walked in. I was expecting guards and bag checks and possible pat downs, but you pretty much just walk in with a cursory bag check. We could have brought a cooler filled with beer and it would have been ok as long as it fit the size requirement and there was no glass.

Adam purchased us 15 dollars tickets that he was pretty sure were 5 feet from the sun in the nosebleed section. I don’t care; I think baseball games are fun. Turns out they were rocking seats right above home plate and in the shade (and the third row down from the very top). There weren’t many people around us so we were able to stretch out and have space.

We watched the game for a while and then walked around so Adam could get better shots of the field. I followed him and took pictures of him taking pictures. The stands were fairly empty (they were playing Toronto) so we kind of sat wherever we wanted and in good seats. I also had the best sausage hot dog ever.

I like baseball games because the people-watching is interesting – especially when they start panning the cameras to show them on the big screen. Some people never notice and other people it seems like it makes their whole day. Plus some people start doing really funny things.

The Orioles won 4-2, but truthfully I only remember seeing one person round third and sprint for home. Adam says he saw all the scores; maybe I was doing too much people watching. It was surprisingly easy to get out of the parking lot and back on the highway and get all the way around DC.

When we arrived at Adam’s house, I tried out the new air hockey table and did much better than I usually do, even beating Adam to seven with the greatest comeback ever, but losing when playing to ten. He has a really neat puck that has twelve sides instead of being round that is fun to play with – using that puck is when I made my comeback.

A good weekend away, but time to get home and buckle down and work on that scrapbook, especially since it is already noon. I am leaving for Greenville to see Karrie and James mid-week and then flying to Arizona to see Kelley next week.