a LOOOONG holiday post

Hey everyone! So it's been a hectic break, but an enjoyable one. This is going to be a gigantic post, I apologize in advance. I meant to write in bits and pieces throughout the holiday, but I forgot to bring along my camera card reader, so I had to wait till I get home to post with pictures.

Anyway, so I got home from Scotland after a long day of traveling, and enjoyed a quiet night at home with my dad. The next day I got up and did a bit of shopping, and then got my hair done. Then afterward my dad and I had dinner with my friend Kaitlin, whom I've known practically forever. She gave me a really sweet gift of an angel doll, which was similar to something she had received as a child, so it meant a lot to me.

On the 22nd I think it was, we left Connecticut, picked up my grandma, and began the long drive down to South Carolina to visit my brother, whom I haven't seen in about 8 years. On the way down we stopped at some outlets and did some shopping, which was nice. I got some shirts and sweaters I'd been needing. South Carolina was surprisingly not very warm. There was one day (I think Christmas, oddly enough) when it was around 70 degrees, but the rest of the time it was pretty chilly. We visited my brother on Christmas Eve, Christmas, and the day after, and then began the drive back up.

Christmas itself was a bit strange, mostly because we were in a hotel, but especially (and perhaps obviously) because my mom wasn't there. Also I was sick, which didn't help any. I had brought along a tiny foot-tall Christmas tree, which I decorated with mini-lights and tiny ornaments. So that helped a bit, but I still missed having a real tree. We did the present thing on Christmas Eve, and I got a few things from my dad I'd asked for, like a few video games and what not, and he also got me a really pretty Swarofski ornament of a Christmas tree, and a miniature crystal dog tchatchki. I got my dad and grandma each a cashmere scarf from Scotland, and also some shortbread (yum!). On Christmas Eve and Christmas we had dinner at a restaurant in Charleston, SC, called Poogin's Porch (which I discovered to my delight was named after a dog), and had delicious food. Being sick meant I couldn't eat a whole lot, and I'm sure things would have tasted better had I not been sick, but it was still pretty good. I tried fried alligator (which was very good, kind of like a cross between chicken and fried clams), and had delicious duck, and pumpkin pie, which I have been sorely missing in Scotland.

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Our teeny Christmas tree
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Nana, Dad and Me
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Visiting my brother was great. I hadn't seen him in going on 8 years I think (long story), and I was nervous at first, because I had no idea what it was going to be like, and I'm rather inept at conversation and I thought it might be awkward. But it turned out to be really good. He looked partly different than I remembered, and partly exactly the same. I imagine it must have been weirder for him, because I think I've changed a whole lot in the last 8 years. But we settled right back into brother and sister mode, and got a kick out of bickering and ganging up on my dad during a card game.

So then on the 27th we arrived in Arlington, VA, where we picked up my friend Thomas, whom I know from Colby, and went to eat dinner at a local pizza place. It was quite good. Afterward my dad and grandma left me in VA, and drove the rest of the way home.

On Sunday Thomas and I went to the Manassus National Park, which is a famous Civil War battleground, and we took a little walking tour, learning about the first battle of Manassus (I think also known as the battle of Bull Run?), and then explored a bit on our own. It was a very pretty area, and we were walking around as the sun was setting (and the weather was gorgeous and warm, minus about 2 minutes of very slight drizzle). We had fun trying to figure out if the cannons were real or replicas, and trying on union soldier hats in the gift shop. We had also brought a long a picnic lunch/early dinner, which we ate by the Stone Bridge, which was built before the Civil War. It was pretty cool. I was hoping the place would be haunted, because the Stone Bridge seemed like a spooky-ish place, particularly as dusk fell, but alas, no ghostly sightings. Later that night Thomas gave me a bagpipe lesson, which was fun. He's quite a good teacher, and he taught me a song, as well as how to read bagpipe music and everything.

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Messing about in the park's gift shop
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Manassus National Park at Sunset
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Our lunch picnic spot - The Stone Bridge
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On Monday Thomas had to work, so I hung around the apartment and basically was a lazy bum all day long. But that was fine by me; not having a tv in Scotland meant I was all too happy to sit my butt down in front of the telly for hours and hours. I also did a bit of reading, and played a few video games. When Thomas got home we went out to a local Tapas restaurant called La Tasca, and had some really yummy Paella with spanish sausage and chicken. And of course I can't forget the Sangrea. The kind we got was Sangrea Rosada, which had strawberries, blueberries, and was made with rose wine. It was soooo delicious!

On Tuesday Thomas had to work again, so I set out to explore the area, and ended up in the Pentagon City shopping centre. I got some things I'd been needing, like a gigantic Starbucks pumpkin-spice latte, thank you cards for my Aunt Cherie and grandma (for very generous birthday and Christmas gifts), and some new brushes for my makeup, as my old blush brush was getting kind of disgusting to the point where I was cringing every time I had to use it (it had a good 5 or 6 years worth of makeup caked into it). I also got cleaning pads, so hopefully I can prevent the new ones from getting to the state my last one was in, so hopefully they'll last for awhile. Anyway, then I returned back to Thomas's flat and hung out for a bit, and around 5:30 headed back to Pentagon City to meet Thomas and his roommate Chris for Mexican food (nachos and Margarita happy hour!) and more shopping! I didn't buy anything, but I helped Chris and Thomas pick out some things.

Wednesday I was on my own all day again, and I did much the same thing as Tuesday. I hit up the shopping centre and got a few pairs of jeans from JCrew, and got my nails done. A very girly day :) That night, being New Year's, Thomas and I decided to go to a New Year's Eve event at a pub called Whitlow's on Wilson nearby. We trekked there in the FREEZING cold weather (We tried to hail a cab for the 10-minute walk, that's how cold it was, but of course as soon as we decided we wanted to cab it, there were no cabs available).

So anyway, when we got there, the place was practically deserted. So instead we walked down the street to a little pub called Galaxy Hut, which had tables that were old school Pac Man and pinball games, and planned on getting a drink or two and then going back to check out the party to see if it had picked up at all. After a drink though, we decided where we were was as good as the other place, and given that the other place had a $40 cover charge, we weren't going to miss much. So we got some delicious pub food and another drink, and stayed where we were. We attempted to play the pinball game, but the flippers were broken or something, which was sad, and the other tables with PacMan were taken. Oh well. There was only a tiny TV in the pub, and before we knew it the whole pub was counting down, and then it was 2009! It was very low key, but at the same time, very nice.

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Thomas and our pin-ball table
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Next day was also nice. We went to the National Postal Museum, which was surpisingly cool, and hung around there for a few hours, then went to Pho75 (amazing Vietnamese restaurant) for lunch, and then out to a movie, Slumdog Millionaire, which is about a kid from the slums of India who ends up on the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire show, and the whole movie is about how and why he knows the answers to all the questions. It was FANTASTIC. I highly recommend it to everyone. Afterwards we attempted to play the Claw machine outside the movie theatre, but for whatever reason the god of cheap games hates me this week, and the game wasn't working. Boo.

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The Postal Service's mascot, Owney
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I forget exactly why there was a truck, but Thomas displays it wonderfully.
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I'm a mean trucker
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Friday Thomas had to work again, so I got up and went to brunch with Katie (another friend from Colby), and did laundry and played video games. Basically I was a lazy bum, which was nonetheless, awesome. :)

Saturday Thomas was dragged into work again for a half day, so I hung about the flat until he returned. That evening we met up with Katie and some others for broomball, which sadly I didn't take pictures of, but it was a game we all loved at Colby, which they happen to have at the ice rink by Thomas's. Basically, it's hockey, played with a larger ball, on the ice, in sneakers, with special sticks in the shape of brooms.

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Conveniently I found this picture of Thomas playing broomball with mostly the same people at the same ice rink we played at, just so you have a feel of the game. Just pretend I was there.
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After broomball we went downstairs in the mall to a GIGANTIC bar, and had drinks and delicious barfood and had fun.

Sunday Thomas had a friend coming over, named Julia, who plays guitar and sings. So for a couple hours he played bagpipes with her while she played guitar. It was a nice way to spend a Sunday morning, and Julia was very nice. Afterward we went to Trader Joe's, after spending about 45 minutes searching for a parking space (it was a madhouse!), and then came back home. Later that evening, Thomas had a pipe band practice, so I tagged along. I brought along my book and read while they were playing (earplugs in!). It was really cool! Watching how fast their fingers move on the pipe was nothing short of amazing. Seriously. Also it was cool to hear the actual bagpipes. It reminds me why I put up with the rather abysmal sound of the chanter. :)

My last day, Monday, Thomas had to work (dang the real world and it's jobs!), so I headed to the Mall (the National Mall, not the shopping mall), and checked out the National Museum of Natural History, after getting a dirty water dog from a street vendor.

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The Rotunda of the museum
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Hamster (on a piano), and squirrel
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Prehistoric dog!
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Giant sea turtle!
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Butterfly garden!
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The Mall at night
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Afterward we went to a local pub for pub trivia. I knew a few answers, but not a whole lot. One particular one I DID know, and got really excited about, was "The lateral collateral and cranial cruciate are examples of what?" Ligaments! Haha. Glad to know vet school was good for something, eh? :)

Anyhoo, the next morning after Thomas left for work I lugged all my stuff on the metro, and made my way to Union Station to catch the Amtrak. My train ride was uneventful, and I arrived back in Connecticut about 3pm. I relaxed all of that night, which was nice.

Yesterday I ate lunch with Kaitlin and her mom, then went back to Kaitlin's and hung out for a bit. I've known Kaitlin since 1st grade, so getting together with her is amazing. Even when I haven't seen her in awhile, when we get together it's like always. It's so great to have a friend like her.

After visiting Kaitlin, my dad and I went out to dinner at a local pan-Asian restaurant, and then to visit Mrs. Bucholz, my old piano teacher. We haven't seen her in years as well, so it was nice to see her again and have a chat. I played a little piano for her, what I could remember of my old songs, anyway. Then I got home and relaxed some more.

So here I am. Today we're going to visit my grandma for lunch, then my cousins for dinner I think. I'm kind of sad it's my last night at home. The thought of going back and studying makes me cringe a little. I know it'll be great to get back, but I'm having fun just relaxing!

Anyway, that's all for my loooong post. I guess I'll see you all back across the pond!