My adventure to visit my besties! Ashley and Jordon :)
I arrived in Ohio today at 11:15am (Eastern time). I took at "red eye" with one 3 hour layover in Atlanta, Georgia. The layover passed by quickly. I sipped on hot tea and ate my banana nut muffin from Atlanta Breads while I watched Sin City on my portable DVD player. I caught cat naps during my chilly flights but after traveling all night on split flights but when I arrived in Akron/ Canton, Ohio... I was tired and jet lagged. Being bundled up like the Christmas Story little brother probably didn't help either. Mind you- I had 2 camis, one shirt, one flux fur lined Aeropostale zip up sweater- all under a flux fur lined and hooded jacket with fur lined boots I was breaking in for the first time (my puppies were yelpin').
Once I landed, I freshened up and met Ashley's hubby for lunch. He treated me to a local hometown bar and grill. It was packed and they had a good 1/2 price burger deal. I had the bleu cheese/bacon burger and Thomas had a burger dressed with mozzarella sticks and marinara sauce (unique combo on a burger). We shared the best fried pickle spears I've ever had for an appetizer. It came complete with homemade peppercorn, ausiago ranch dipping sauce. Indulging in such a great lunch made me comfortable. We met Ashley at her school, she was just ending her school day and I loaded all my 2 carry-ons up in her 2010 Jeep (aka: the General) and we were off to Wooster about an hour away. I was getting nauseous from the temperature changes and wavy roads but the scenery was unimaginable. Even though Ashley said it looked ugly because it is between Fall and Winter, the mix of half colored/ half naked trees were beautiful against the gorgeous green farm fields. I have a weakness for old houses and they are everywhere here! Just the type of house I'd always imagined buying and growing old in... too bad they aren't in Arizona. We stopped by a locally based grocery store that delivers groceries right to your car the way back. I picked up some snacks for down time: chips, ice cream and fruit. Ash got some bomb Pumpkin Bars! Mmmm... creamy cream cheese frosting topped with walnuts. I'm in love. Once we went to their apartment, we watched Walked Dead Season 2 and I took a much needed nap. She made Chicken Parmesan (a recipe I'll have to repeat) with a fresh side salad. I was amazed at for healthy Nick (their 2 year old son) is! He snacked on celery, cucumber, apples and usually drinks nothing but water, milk and juice occasionally. Rare but awesome. They are such good, honest, patient parents.
That's all tonight folks... on to plan tomorrows festivities with Nick and Ashley!
Side note: I miss my babies and my boy :) Boy and I have had some great days and date nights lately- were happy.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
I woke up today about 9:30am. That's a whooping 10.5 hours of sleep! Wowser. It felt goooood though :) I woke up slowly and made my way into the bathroom to begin getting ready for the day. Ashley was still at school so it left me a little time to slowly get ready. When she got home, I munched on a banana and we were out the door for Amish Country. We drove approximately an hour get get there through the curvy, scenic country roads. I joked saying that I should have taken some Dramamine (anti-nausea medication). I felt woozy during the car ride. I couldn't get over how the fall leaves looked, the farm animals, the farm land, and just the simple way of life in general.
I saw the Amish riding in their horse and buggy carts, both on the road and in the fields tilling the land. The fast drivers made me nervous for the Amish. I was afraid they would get run over! We had some regular country Dale Earnhardts out there flying around like a bat outta Hell.
Along the ride, we saw their clothes hung out on the line. All the women wore plain, simple dresses and the men wore formal wear with hats. The men with beards were married and to bare skinned boys were bachelors.
First, we stopped in Berlin, Ohio (part of Amish Country). We ate lunch at a country kitchen where legendary homemade, thick-sliced bread was served with fresh apple butter and honey peanut butter spread. I ate a huge "small" taco salad with sour cream and a sweet, tart dressing. Ashley had swiss steak with mashed potatoes and carrots. The pricing was fair and tax free. We walked around to the nearby shops that were in the downtown area. Most of them were crafty, quality type places that sold country goods... candles, canned goods, baked goods, and such.
Two shops stood out mostly. First, a chocolate shoppe, Coblentz Chocolate Company. They sold all sorts of candy including chocolate, non-chocolate goods and various boutique items like scarfs, purses and various handcrafted jewelry. Ashley picked out a box of truffles and I picked out of piece of salted caramel and a milk chocolate turtle- yum! Last, the was this nifty little vintage trinket and toy shop that I fell in love with. They had all this old movie memorbilia like I Love Lucy, Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, Elvis, Coca Cola products, Wizard of Oz, etc. They also had vintage candy and magic tricks that reminded me of my boy. I think I could've done some damage in that store if I had the greenage.
Then, we went to Guggisburg Cheese Factory in Millersberg, Ohio. This was a cute little German cheese factory known for their Baby Swiss Cheese. We picked up some of their creamy cheese tidbits.
Next, we proceeded to the Hershberger's Farm & Bakery, also in Millersberg, Ohio. We saw the CuTeSt little puppies, English Bulldogs and other mixed fur babies that stole our hearts! The farm usually has a section of farm animals and an ice cream shoppe, but since it was a bit chilly outside and out of season... those sections were closed. We were mesmerized by the puppies that buttered us up before we drifted off to the bakery. Surprise, surprise... more food! I sampled some of the creamiest maple pastry and wound up buying a small jar of apple butter, a pecan tart, and a white chocolate turtle cluster with soft, creamy caramel.
We went back to Ashley's part of town after that.
On the way to her house we got some spir-of-the-moment manicures. Awe, a much needed pampering in deed. I got this wild, sparkly red polish for going out tomorrow- it's Ashley's birthday and our winery trip on Saturday. Even though I smudged it shortly after and had to go back for a repair- I enjoyed it. Can't remember when the last time was that I actually got to enjoy something like that. While waiting for Thomas and Nick to get home, I polished off the treats I'd bought in Amish Country. We went to dinner next. Ashley and Thomas took me to CV's. This was like a 3 restaurant in one building type of establishment. The section we ate in was in the basement. Tonight was part of a special deal letting students have 25% off the bill- score! I ate boneless chicken wings with 3 sauces: spicy garlic, spicy Thai, and teriyaki. It was delish! Only $6 smack-a-roo's too! Not too shabby~ All in all... I'd some up this day as being a "foodie day" and I'm stuffed! Jordon will be leaving his house at 6am in Indiana and should be here by 11am. It's 8:15pm and believe it or not... I'm actually a little sleepy. Nighty night.
Friday, November 16, 2012
I rolled out of bed at nearly 10am! Jordon was due to be there about 11am. I began getting ready for the day and knew we'd be busy later on that night so I did everything all at once. Much to my surprise, Jordon arrived early. It was so nice seeing him! He seemed like he lost alot of weight from the last time I'd seen him. I listened to Ashley and Jordon catch up as I finished getting ready. We snacked on lunch meat and cheese before deciding to catch margaritas and Mexican food for lunch. I thought the Mexican food wouldn't be so hot from Ohio but, surprisingly, it was good! I just ordered a chicken hard taco with some water. Ashley and Jordon enjoyed margaritas and full meals. I didn't drink... seemed a little too early in the day for me. My bill came out to a whoppin' $1.64.
Woooo... as if to break the bank. I drove "the general" to the movies. We planned to catch the 1:30pm showing of Twilight- Breaking Dawn: Part 2. The ticket pricing was awesome! Only $5.50 for matinee. We treated ourselves to popcorn and Twilight souvenir cups :) The movie did not disappoint! We were so excited to see what was going to be different from the book. Bella was beautiful as a vampire and the twists were interesting and suspenseful. I liked how the character of Bella outgrew the awkwardness and grew into a nurturing mother. All in all: 10 out of 10. We went to the Department of Motor Vehicles so Ashley could renew her tags after the movie. Once we returned to Ashley's house, Nickolas was dropped off to Opa's House and it was time to get ready for the adults birthday night. Glasses of wine and pre-mixed margaritas began our pre-gaming. We started out going to The Olde Jail/ Pub, which was like a downtown bar and grill. I ate a Reuben sandwich, it originally came with Corned Beef with Swiss Cheese on Rye with Sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing. I had it without the Sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing- just spicy mustard. I try to always eat bread before I drink so I'm not barfing after a drink or two.
Everyone started getting their beginning drinks. I knew I wouldn't be able keep up if I started drinking there, so I stuck with water. I'm not much of a drinker to begin with. Honestly, I didn't feel like drinking heavily, but how many times did I get the opportunity to drink, guilt-free, for my best friends 27th birthday? We walked downtown, where they were doing the tree lighting ceremony and Santa made an appearance. I was neat to see the towns people congregate and get together. The Christmas music was playing and everyone was bundled up in their boots and coats. We went the The Market Grill. They had cheap drinks and the atmosphere was comfortable. We found spots at the bar. There was a patio, nice bathrooms, plenty of bartenders, pool tables and packed full of people our age. As Jordon, Ashley, Thomas and Shawn (Thomas's friend) were getting swawasted on beer, jack & cokes, and jagar drinks... I stuck with my regular- house tequila shots with lime and salt. Turns out... the house tequila was Jose Cuervo Silver (not my friend from previous experiences). 3 turned into 5... 5 turned into 8... a few were bought for me turning into 12 and at the end of the night... I ended up with 15 shots, 2 glasses of wine and 4 mixed drinks. Needless to say, I made it to last call and proceeded to the bathroom to try to quietly get sick on my own. Ashley appeared in there with my and I projectily threw up as I spun around from the pot and in the upchuck position. Ashley, being the good friend she is, reassured me and protected me from the dumb woman trying to barge in. We left after that. It seemed like every little motion or sound made me feel worse and worse off. Therefore, I started to get drunkenly belligerent and angry as I shouted at people to shut up.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
(HAPPY 27TH BIRTHDAY, ASHLEY!)
Yeah- I felt sheepish this morning over that... and apologized. I made it to the car with the help of Thomas. They drove thru McDonald's on the way home and then I was happy to know I made it though the ride without ralphing and calmly into the bathroom. I yakked a little more and very carefully got my comfy clothes on and off to bed at 3am. Curling up on my side always makes me feel better when I'm sick, in general, so I cuddled up to my pillow with wastebasket nearby and off the snooze land I went. I woke up two hours later with the sudden urge to take a shower. There was no circulation in the room and I was hot. Naturally, I felt like I could conquer the world when I was laying in bed. When I got up, I felt extremely queasy and my world was spinning. I stumbled to the bathroom and sat in the tub. I wound up turning the shower on and sitting in the tub so I wouldn't get sick trying to stand up bathing. What can I say- it worked. I managed in getting back to the room and fell back asleep until 9am. Ashley and Jordon woke up and they were ready for breakfast and to pick up Nickolas from the sitter. I forced myself to remove myself from the bed and get dressed. I walked hunched over and nauseous. The car ride was challenging- it took everything in me to function. We ate breakfast at The Parlor, the cutest little 1960's-70's dinner, were the cooked down home food for suppppper cheap. I could only stomach a bagel and a side of bacon. I figured bread would be the best thing to cure my killer hangover. Of course, I was still getting sick prior to my breakfast munch. After picking up Nickolas and going back to the house, I layed down to settle my stomach and slowly recovered. We eventually kicked off our original plans in going to the winery, since they already had a babysitter coming over. We kicked off to the winery about 2pm. Jordon and I rested on the way and it felt good- just the thing I needed. Jeremy, Thomas's friend, decided to ride along with us and Shawn, his other friend, met up there. The winery was located in Canton, Ohio.
The place was absolutely gorgeous with the half naked trees, fall leaves, lake, swans, ducks, bridges, gazebos, merchandise shop and fire pit. The winery and Italian bistro was located in an 1800's barn. The authentic decor of this upscale place was emaculant. It was held up by its original beams from the 1800's and modernized through renovations.
They had decorated for Christmas already and everything was so elegant.
We sat at a high top table and sampled flights of three sample glasses and ordered appetizers and small bistro meals. We were dressy casual. I, unfortunately, didn't feel up to sampling wine but I did order the pear and brie salad with a bruchetta trio appetizer- delish! The pricing was very reasonable too.
We took the free tour and learned about their wine making process and proceeded to enjoy the outdoor glory.
We witnessed a bride getting her pictures taken across the lake. The weather was perfect- sunny and chilly. Just perfect for my scarf and fur lined sweater.
It was an unimaginable first winery experience that I'll always enjoy. We decided to go back to their house and enjoy a night of relaxation. We watched Hunger Games and ate authentic pizza that had toppings for days. I gave me a little heart burn but that's okay- it was worth it. Relaxing at the house gave my an opportunity to prepare for going home by washing my clothes and spending time with my two friends for one last night before returning home tomorrow. My trip here has been comforting, busy, eventful, and exausting. I loved being able to open up to my closest friends and catching up. However, I miss my babies and ready to get back to my day-to-day routine.
Were watching comedian, Ralphie May. Hilairious!!! The bit about mullets is the shiznit.
Got to fold my clothes and pack my bag.
Night night, Folks!
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Welp! Today is "Ship Out" day. I woke up approximately 9am and feeling MUCH better. I joined Jordon in the living room while he was watching America's Next Top Model. Since I washed clothes and packed the night before, it didn't leave me much to do but get dressed. Once the show was over, we said our "see you laters" to Jordon and was off for his 3-4 hour drive back to Indiana. Ashley made her homemade biscuits and gravy which was hands down- the best gravy on Earth!
Country Sausage Gravy
One roll of regular pork breakfast sausage. Brown it and take the meat out of the pan. Keep drippings and add some butter. Once butter is melted, add 1/4 cup of flour... whisk until bubbly and light brown. Slowly add 2 cups of milk... and keep stirring. Add ground pepper to taste. Once it starts getting thick, add the meat back in and season again with pepper as needed. Then you should be done. You can add more milk later if it gets too thick.
Thomas's sister, Evelyn, stopped by to say hello. She remembered me from the wedding. She had since then graduated from school and opened her own Veterinarian Practice. Her bubbly presence was whole hearted and warm. She played with and read books to Nickholas during her brief visit. When she left, she took Nickholas with her to spend time with Oma.
Next, Ashley and I visited for a while and got ready to go to the airport. Once we got there, I was 3 hours early. We ate Subway for lunch, she gave me last minute bestie advice and said our "see you laters". I made it through the security line pretty fast. They took my Amish apple butter though :( Apparently it had to be less than 3.5 ounces. I had an hour layover in Detroit, MI that passed by quickly. The last leg home was the longest- 5 hours. I couldn't go to sleep for the life of me. I passed the time by playing solitaire and watching the in-flight movie, The Odd Life of Timothy Green. I had originally saw that movie in theatre with my mother and I LOVED IT!
The long flight finally came to an end and I was anxious to see the Boy. He was waiting for me by the security gate. I felt so relieved to be in his arms again. I couldn't let go of his arm as we were walking from the airport and driving home. He seemed like he genuinely missed me too.
That concludes my trip to Ohio!
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