Summer came and went fairly quickly. I flew home to St. Louis with Pat, and spent all of a week at home. Most of that time was spent sleeping and hanging out with the family. Then Mom and I packed up the Subaru and headed east, stopping briefly in Ohio before heading to Boston. We spent a single night in Boston before Mom had to fly home (a choice I know she regrets - she didn't even get to see the ocean!) and before I drove to Dan's apartment in Worcester. I spent a few weeks job hunting, sadly finding out that I am over-qualified or under-qualified for just about every part time job there is. I couldn't even get my old job back, but I did connect with one of my former co-workers, who pointed me in the direction of a restaurant that had just opened in a prime location in Worcester. The food there is delicious, and the owners are wonderful, which made working there a good time. I saved a little - naturally not enough, but some - to get me through the first month of living in Austria.
Early in the summer, Dan and I took a day trip up to Kittery, ME, because I was having a Maine craving. The craving was satiated with a lobster meal at Chauncey Creek and a foggy view over the tidal river there.
In July, my friend Ashley came up to Nantucket with her family. I went down for the day - my first time in Nantucket! - because of work and because her family's house didn't have enough space. We spent the day in the sun on the beach and exploring the shops, and spent the evening barbecuing on the beach. I always forget how much I miss my college friends until I see them again! And Nantucket is stunning!
In August we did our traditional Rockport thing, except that we rented a house for the first time ever. One night we went out with Dan's family (without Dan, since he's a busy doctor-to-be), and one night we ate at the Lobster Pool, which has the best sunset views you will ever find anywhere. The boys spent a day fishing, while the ladies went kayaking around the coves. And after the Ohio-contingent returned home, the rest of us headed up to Portsmouth, NH and Portland, ME. Dan joined for two days and a night, which was nice. He tried to avoid the sun on the beach in York, and enjoyed lobster Chauncey Creek (again).
I suppose plenty of other things happened over the summer, but basically this is the gist of it. Work, play, friends, family, work some more - it's like my life in Austria, except without the mountains and with a little more time with my family and boyfriend. |
