Friday, August 17, 2018

Celebrating 1 Year in Connecticut & a Big Announcement!

Wednesday was my 1-year anniversary of moving to Connecticut!  I can't believe how fast the time as gone by, and how much has changed.  Also I have a big announcement.  But first, here's some fun random things that have happened:

Outdoor movie night in Glastonbury with Adam--"The Goonies" (an old favorite :)


Finally toured Gillette Castle

 


Had lunch with Erin at a cute little cafe "Something Simple"


Tried virtual reality at Adam's at it was awesome.

Saw a bunch of movies...


Went to Music at the Gazebo downtown


and "Music at the Mansion" (Wadsworth)


Had Shauna & Sebastian over for tacos & swimming in the pool :)

Explored more of New London County and took a long, lovely hike at Bluff Point State Park... (not my pics, b/c my phone was dead, but this is exactly what it looks like).


Been reading a LOT...


I'm on a bit of an Alice Hoffman kick, and I am LOVING "The Museum of Extraordinary Things."

And now for my big announcement...

I finished the second draft of my novel, "The Suspension of William Worthington," and I'm submitting it to a contest next month.  ALSO, I finished the first draft of my Memoir, "I'd Rather be in Stars Hollow," and I have no idea what I'm doing next :)


The weather lately has been hot and humid, and I am really looking forward to fall.  But first, going to a pool party, fireworks, a concert, and white water rafting.  Because summer.




Friday, August 3, 2018

A Mini-Vacation with Adam to NY and MA

It's really strange to me now that aside from "how are you doing?" the most common question I get asked now is "how are things going with Adam?"  So to answer this burning question everyone seems to have--things are going great with Adam.  We're pretty much best friends and we have fun no matter what we're doing.  We had an especially fun time a few weeks ago, when we took a trip to New York (state).  This was our first time being in the car together for such a long amount of time, and that can make or break things, haha.  But I'm happy to say that besides drastic differences in music taste and how quickly we get ready (I'm not naming names, but one if us is much more efficient and low-maintenance than the other...and it's me), we got along very well.  

We walked around the town of Watkins Glen and had a super yummy lunch at this cool pub called the Crooked Rooster.  Loved their sign.  Our waitress was efficient and friendly, the food was freaking delicious, and the place just had a nice ambiance.

 Image result for crooked rooster pub in watkins glen, ny  

Next we took a beautiful 1.5 mile hike at the gorge in Watkins Glen, where there is a series of 19 waterfalls!  (And you KNOW I am all about waterfalls.) 

 
I'd love to do the hike again in the fall, preferably with no other people and while listening to the LOTR soundtrack, because this place is crazy magical.






This was my favorite section, where you walk behind the cascades.  It was a hot day, but it was shady and cool along most of the trail.



 

If you go, be mindful that there are no bathrooms along the way, but there are at the beginning and the end of the trail.  Also, you can hike up and take a bus back down to the parking area, or take the bus up and hike down.  (Or hike both ways, if you're up to it, it's only 3 miles...)  The park is free, but you have to pay for parking and the bus is $5 pp, cash only.





Then that night we went to Palmyra, where we had a delicious dinner at Chill & Grill and met some really lovely people.  The weather was perfect that night for watching the Hill Cumorah Pageant, which is performed outdoors, right on the side of the Hill.  It's a cast of over 700, and I couldn't believe how well organized it was.  Between the colorful costumes, the stage design, the music, and the awesome special effects, it was way more than I was expecting.





The next day we drove another 6 hours, this time to Mansfield, Mass, to see the Evanescence/Lindsey Stirling Synthesis Concert and IT.WAS.AWESOME.


Lindsey is an incredibly talented performer and really puts on a good show.  Just look at this backbend--while playing violin.  Insane...



Evanescence I hadn't really listened to since High School, but I was amazed how I still knew all the words to a couple songs, and it was definitely nostalgic.  



My favorite, though, was a cover she sang of "Nothing's Gonna Change My World," by the Beatles.  Everyone in the audience was holding up their cell lights and swaying them in the air, and singing along, it was a really emotional moment for me, actually.  I just felt so connected to everyone and happy to be living in the moment.  The lead singer, Amy Lee, echoed this thought by affirming to all of us in the crowd, "Right now, in this moment, you are exactly where you're meant to be."





Photo credits for this trip go to Adam Korza (my bf), who though I tease for looking like a tourist wherever we go, takes a pretty sweet picture with his big, fancy camera.  Our next big trip is at the end of August, when we are going...(drumroll please)... WHITE WATER RAFTING IN MAINE!!! Can't wait :)

Saying Goodbye...

  I am writing this post almost 3 years after I took this picture, of a bouquet my lovely friends in my writing group gave me as a fare...