My Trip To NJ

I promise I promise that once my seasons start up I will have more coaching details, but right now I am doing what every great coach does, enjoying the off-season.

I decided I would take two trips this off-season, back up to New Jersey to visit my grandparents and to Smith Mountain Lake with R's family. I headed to NJ last weekend and head to SML this weekend!

So my trip to NJ started out per usual, at the creepy Richmond airport. The thing that makes RIC so creepy is that there is NEVER anyone in there. No matter what time of day, it always look deserted. Hoped on the plane with my Cosmo (I never fly with out one) and flew down to Charlotte, NC. Yes they made me fly South to head North... Apparently, Charlotte is a "hub" so more flights travel to and from there. Anyway, on my flight down I got to talk sports with a bunch of Navy recruits heading to boot camp. They started asking me about UVA football since I was wearing my lucky travel day UVA hat. I got to share stories with him about my "dad" the Navy Seal. They started asking me about all of his awesome adventures. They were a great group of young guys starting a new adventure in their life and were doing it to protect my freedom! Plus on the flight it was the first time I ever sat on a plane with out a chair in front of me... (picture)

Then on the flight from NC to NJ I had the pleasure of sitting next to a young man from Ireland. He was also a pleasure to talk to. We discussed his world travels and he inspired me to want to pick a date and just travel somewhere in 2013. He has been all over the world  and has even done one thing on my bucket list, go to an airport, pick a random place and go. But apparently, it is like the movies and security does not think to highly of that plan. But even cooler than that is that he has met so many people that he has this network of people to stay with when he travels places. He offered to introduce me to anyone once I decide where to travel to. So now I just have to pick a date and go... it will be easier said than done with my coaching schedule!

Finally after a couple of train rides and watching a man get arrested in the Newark Train Station, I got to my grandparents house! Of course the first thing I did (after saying hello of course) was take a picture of my sister's cat and send it to her. Sophie (the cat) is staying with them until T (the sister) gets done at camp in Rhode Island. (picture)

Friday was a blast! Grandma and I went over and visited "The Closet". It is a thrift store/tailor. The tailor is the father Bucky, who is 80 something, and the son Victor runs the thrift store. My grandparents have been friends with Bucky since they first moved to the area close to 50 years ago. Victor even lets my retired grandma come in dust for him to keep her from getting bored. Well the store always has the best stuff! This time my favorite find was a necklace from Spain and a cute pair of orangy.pink shoes to wear to UVA football games! After we went to Victor's we headed to the dollar store for party supplies for my SML vacation! It was a great day shopping with grandma! She let me go through her jewelry and gave me some family heirlooms which I am already enjoying wearing!  


Friday night was the only night that I would be able to see my friends from my home town. I would say friends from high school except we didn't really start hanging out until after graduation. I got to see my best friends Girl T and Boy T. It was fantastic to see them and meet Boy T's girlfriend! Then after I met up with them, Girl T and I headed to New Hope for a girls night. We ended up at two bars people watching and dancing in our chairs to songs like Call Me Maybe. I wish she lived closer because we always have so much fun when we hang out! 


Saturday I spent hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa. I looked around their house for the cool stuff I could find. You always fun awesome stuff there... 








That night we just relaxed and watched tv and then I decided I wanted to start drawing so I spent the evening drawing pictures.. 






Sunday morning grandma and I went to Brunch which was nice and then after packing up we went to the train. I hate leaving my grandparents house. I always miss them when I leave. They helped raised me and are so important in my life. The only thing I wish I had done was get a picture of the three of us.  But next time I will! 


** pictures to come later.. my phone is being a pain!