Home is whenever I'm with you

So I guess this is the part where we sit down together and you pretend to be interested in my vacation pictures and stories?  Fabulous!

Verdict on traveling as Just Sunny: it was amazing.  Did I miss my family?  Absolutely.  Did I have the constant nagging feeling that a part of myself (or four parts of myself) was missing?  Of course.  Was it awkward not having children around to blame for random food stains on my shirt?  Naturally.

But have no worries, my friends, I got past it and had an incredible weekend.

Let's move on to the pictures first, shall we?

Kicked off the weekend at a spa.  I spent the time in between appointments texting my friends.  Because the only thing that's better than being completely pampered is bragging about it.

Oh yes we did.

Quack quack, baby!

I don't have many good pictures from the Duck Tour for two reasons.  First, it didn't occur to me to pack my telephoto lens, so all the pictures are far away.  Second, who can remember all of the famous buildings and landmarks, anyway?  I have at least a dozen random photos that mean nothing to me, like this one.

And this one.

Yet another meaningless snapshot.

It's sad when the most interesting thing in your picture is the side of some strange dude's head.

I do remember this one, though!  The second largest remaining piece of the Berlin Wall.  It was given to a guy as a birthday gift, and he leaves it right there, for some reason.  The rounded top was designed to be physically impossible for a person to hurl himself over.  Take that, barbed wire!

Ah, Dunkin' Donuts, how I have missed you.  This chain does not exist in the state of Washington.  Rumor has it that Dunkin' Donuts coffee cannot compete with Starbucks in Seattle -- it runs in people's veins -- so they pulled out of the market completely.  I'm not sure if that's true, but it's another reason I don't patronize Starbucks (unless for a salted caramel hot chocolate when absolutely necessary).

Speak of the devil.

The Boston Public Library, can't you practically smell the sweet scene of literature?  But as beautiful as the building is, it's the King County, Wash. library system with 22.4 million items checked out that was recently named the busiest library system in the United States.  Currently, five of those are mine as I work my way through one of Gena Showalter's series.  Just sayin'.



After spending the day gawking like a tourist, I felt positively Bostonian as we enjoyed a fancy Italian dinner on the North End and finished with a cannoli from Modern Pastry.  Heavenly!

We were lucky enough to be joined by one of my sorority sisters, whom I hadn't seen in nine years.  Thanks for coming out to join us, Kel!  It was great to catch up.

As if the spa, shopping, restaurants, touring, more shopping, donuts, and resting (I ACTUALLY GOT TO REST DURING THE DAY SEVERAL TIMES!! SITTING ON THE COUCH WITH NO ONE CLIMBING ON ME!!) wasn't enough, my friend booked us on a Chocolate Walking Tour of Cambridge.  Yes, the very home of Harvard.  They asked me to stay and professor some classes in the fall, but I politely explained that I had previously committed to co-leading the fundraising efforts of a cooperative preschool on the other side of the country.  Maybe another time.

It was my third trip to the East Coast, and as before, it struck me how different it is than other places I have lived in the country.  Instead of casual Keens and cargo shorts: preppy boat shoes and collared shirts.  Instead of hiking in the Cascades: weekending on the Cape.  Instead of lush, towering Evergreens: those other kind of trees that are not Evergreens.  I was just as captivated looking at (and listening to) the locals as I was admiring the one-if-by-land-two-if-by-sea Paul Revere church tower.

I wish I had some great epiphany to share following this very rare long weekend spent as Just Sunny, with no responsibilities to anyone but myself.  It felt rather like college to me, during which time DH and I spent the better part of four years in a long-distance relationship.  I could do it on my own, I had a fabulous time, it was good for me to do it -- but I was comforted knowing that at the end of it, I would be back with my honey (and now our mini-honeys as well).  I am perfectly fine being Just Sunny out in the world, but I feel best being Sunny With Her Boys here in Seattle.  Even if I don't like Starbucks.  And hiking, if we are being truly honest.  Although the trees are nice.