in this installment, our heroine attempts to drive her new (to her) car to the north shore of massachusetts--the first time she's ever attempted the trip. armed with only her trusty travel companion, father, a purse, cds that are never played, and a set of golf clubs in the trunk. what adventures will befall her?

i made it to my grandmother's with little difficulty, the only part that made me nervous was trying to get onto 114 just as a really big truck was getting off of some other road. little car vs. big truck. you do the math. keep in mind that i'm from vermont. we don't have these types of roads (or drivers) in vermont.

the drive was fun--we listened to the red sox game and yelled at players together, chatted and reminisced (i went on a tangent trying to remember bits of my early childhood--dad provided key information that had been lost to me as of late--the name of my kindgergarten teacher. it had been eating me up inside that i couldn't remember. MS. DRISCOLL. fuck yeah.)

yet we arrived around 11 p.m. and sat and talked with my uncle and my grandmother before i collapsed into bed. i'd worked a 10-7 shift and it was exhausting. driving drained the last of my energy. lying in my bed at her house was wonderful--i hadn't made it to beverly in awhile, and i missed it.

i awoke around 10, grams went to get her hair done, dad went to play golf. i watched "mystery, alaska" for the millionth time (love it) until grams arrived home, at which point we embarked on our afternoon of spending time together. we went shopping--she bought me things, i protested, she insisted, i grumbled about how she shouldn't--we talked, and i had a great time. i'd been missing her lately, and the fact that she specificially told my mother that she missed me and wanted me to visit made me feel really good, in my own sentimental sappy way.

we got back and relaxed until dad showed back up, then we all piled into my car and drove to my great aunt's house to briefly visit (i'd wanted grams to get to ride in the car). i hadn't seen aunt caroline for awhile, how much she's aged amazed me. i found myself staring at a small cd player in the corner of the living room--it seemed out of place, new where the rest of the house was the same way i'd remembered it since i was a tiny girl--except not having uncle roy in the back room in his leather recliner. we all watched the red sox press conference at 3 p.m. sharp, providing our own color commentary as they announced jimy's departure and joe's promotion.

then dad and i dropped grams off at the house, loaded up the car, and stopped at a couple of stores before heading home. i had a chance to stop at newbury comics (dear, dear newbury comics, i've MISSED IT), and i was pleased to see that the rumors were true--"australia" is available for sale in a record store. it was neat seeing the name "howie day" on its own white separator card.

i drove home, dealing with 5 p.m traffic for the beginning of the trip, my father and i singing along to oldies (my father rarely sings with any of us in the car with him--he hates his voice--so i was happy to sing along with the beatles and others in my normal loud fashion, hearing him quietly singing in the passenger seat), then listening to the red sox game, my dad laughing as i cheered when nomar hit his home run (note to self: see if they actually won, they were leading 3-1 when we got home).

arriving home, i found my license plates and registration waiting for me--which means i can finally get my car inspected and be done with all of the paperwork one goes through when buying a car.

i arrived home with:
--two pairs of jeans
--pair of black pants
--turtleneck/sweater
--shoes
--buckley poster (thank you newbury!)
--buckley bio--the streak continues
--butterfly chair
otherwise known as a lot of things i didn't plan on getting.

i'm exhausted, need to pack tomorrow, and also need to get the rest of the crap i need for "back to school". which means i need sleep.