Back in the Northeast

I'd forgotten how much I love fall! Not just the months between September and December... but the colors, smells, feeling of fall.

Over Thanksgiving (and a little before and after), I went back to the Northeast - NYC, Newark, Audubon, PA, to be exact. On Friday, I flew to Newark, NJ. When I left my house at 4am, the temperature was around 65 degrees. When I left the Newark airport at 11:30am, the temperature was around 40 degrees. Talk about a shock! When I finally got to NYC (Penn Station, to be exact) it was flurrying! Once I got over the initial shock of freezing, I remembered how much I love fall. As I walked around Fordham's campus, visiting my sister, I couldn't help but breathe deeply, walk in crunchy leaves, and shiver. When I got home on Tuesday, the realization hit me further. I took Ceili for a walk around 1am and the cold crisp smell - the pinpoint clear stars - the smell of rotting leaves - the sounds of fall - overwhelmed me. I didn't realize how much I'd missed the northeast.

(That's Ceili, in her new sweater!)

But, past the reminiscing... on Saturday, Eileen and I went to the Fordham v. Bucknell football game, the (last) home game of the season. I froze and the team lost. :( After sitting under several blankets and drinking hot chocolate, I was ready to head back out. Taking Metro North into Manhattan, we met up with Colette to try Burgers and Cupcakes, a restaurant Eileen wanted to try out... because who can resist burgers and cupcakes. The burgers were great, the cupcakes not so much. Next, we headed to Bryant Park to go ICE-SKATING!!! Again, I forgot how much fun ice-skating is. After wearing ourselves out, we headed back to Aunt Kate's for some warmth and movies.

Sunday we met up with Chrissy and walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and took the Staten Island Ferry - four boroughs in one day (stupid Queens). It was great to catch up with Chrissy! After a long (and cold, wet day), Eileen and I finally headed back to Fordham with a taxi driver who didn't know where to go! We got there safely though.

Monday - colder and rainier. We planned on going to the Bronx Zoo but my lack of warm clothes (and thicker blood) prevented it.

Tuesday - I putzed around while Eileen went to class then met up with Dad to go visit Aunt Peggy. She faithfully sat through my pictures of New Orleans (only someone who truly loves me could do that) and then we went out to dinner with Eileen on Arthur Avenue. Finally, we headed back to good ol' PA.

Wednesday - hmm... what did I do? Much of nothing.

Thursday - Thanksgiving... headed BACK to NYC for a Sheahan family gathering... all 24 of us! (Mom, Dad, Eileen, Katie, Aunt Kate, Michael, Maria, Santiago, Megan, Jim, Tommy, Dennis, Jenn, Kyle, Patrick, Brendan, Uncle Mal, Aunt Danielle, BreeAyn, Scott, Connor, Mal, Claudie, M4) A true nut house!

Friday - stupid NY parking laws! I had to get up early to go sit in the car until the street cleaner came by, drive around the block, and sit in the car again. Then we headed home. That night, I met up with Jess and we talked :)

Saturday - hung out with Smelli Muscelli! I went over to her house and we talked for a while then went to a furniture show at Chelsea Smith's house. I haven't seen her since graduation. It was a little weird but nice to hear how she was doing. Then, that night, we went to Applebee's and met up with Liz, Andy, Govind, Kyle, Jon, Andrew, Melissa, and some other people. It was REALLY weird seeing people from high school but also a lot of fun. Then we went midnight bowling. Fun day!

Sunday - oh the day of craziness! Started uneventfully with the Thomas's coming over to say hi. Molly and Kate are so big now and adorable. Riley, AJ, and Reagan are also growing... it makes me feel old 'cause Reagan's almost in middle school! I was her first babysitter! Anyway, shortly after, my dad was outside, slipped down the hill and broke his ankle (although we didn't know it at the time). Rising to the occasion by bringing out some true McCarthy stubbornness (of which every McCarthy, myself included, has varying degrees of), he decided it wasn't broken and that he could take the Thomas's family picture while kneeling! When he finally got inside and I pointed out the swelling that was occurring despite the super-tight socks he wears, he finally decided it might be a good idea to stop walking on it and go to the hospital to get it checked out.

Poor Eileen was left to leave without saying a real goodbye and I was left home alone on the last night I'd be there. Luckily, Nicole came by to keep me company and we mercilessly made fun of and gossiped about almost everyone in our high school yearbook.

Monday I flew back to Nola. Miserable flights, but I finally made it back, only 2 hours or so late. Since then, I've been doing work and being boring.

Pictures to come!