Ermahgerd

I am staying in Schenectady's historic Stockade District, which is one of the oldest historic neighborhoods in America apparently. This means lots of historic plaques but I found one that I think is particularly entertaining.

Anyone who knows me knows that I typically speak in the Ermahgerd language, and is it just me, or is this guy's name already in Ermahgerd?

Ermahgerd! Schermerhoorn!

My Bed is the Most Glorious Bed on Earth

As my residency in Massachusetts comes to an end and I prepare to drive back to New York for another week, I thought I should catch you up on how this week turned out. First, here is a collage of all of the different snap filters I collected as I went on my adventures throughout the city!

My last blog post came on Tuesday, but a lot has happened since then! On Wednesday, we went into Cambridge, aka my favorite place on Earth. We got dinner at The Friendly Toast, which is basically my favorite breakfast place on Earth. I had never been there for dinner but it was really, really good. I ordered the DGGC or Damn Good Grilled Cheese and it was damn good! It was spicy and came with strawberry habanero sauce, which was weird, but tasty.

The Friendly Toast also has a sweet retro vibe and I spotted some old Esso ads -- Esso is the one gas station in all of Canada that accepts MCT's gas card, so Mandy and I became masters at finding the closest Esso. After dinner, we bummed around Harvard and then crashed for the night.

On Thursday, I went to yoga. Nothing much to blog about. It was yoga, it was good.

Friday, I went to my mom's and she made mac and cheese!!!!! I love her mac and cheese. Her mac and cheese is my everything. We also drove back into the city because Rose texted me late on Thursday to say that she was making an impromptu trip to Boston! Perfect timing. We met in the North End and followed the Freedom Trail all the way to the site of the Boston Massacre, which has been a long running joke between us.Yeah, I know, we've got a weird sense of humor...

Yesterday was show day! My parents and high school drama director (who also happens to be a former TAD) were able to attend. It was really awesome to have them there plus the kids did a great job!

At the end of a long day (show day is always a long day), I got to go home for the night!!! My dad took my to my favorite place for dinner and frappes (MA milkshakes) and then I got to cuddle with all of my animals. One of my kitties was very protective of me and spent the whole night with me, climbing onto my chest every time I rolled onto my back. This morning, waking up was glorious because as this blog post suggests, my bed is the most glorious bed on Earth.

Heading to Schenectady, NY today and then Maine and then back to Montana. I can't believe that the summer is almost over now!

Take Your Mom to Laundry Day and Walden Pond

It isn't all fun and games when you're on the road -- even when you're close to home -- but what might be everyone's least favorite part of working for MCT got a lot better this week because my mom came to laundry day on Monday!

There typically isn't much to do on laundry day besides washing the clothes and sitting but we snuck in a few selfies.

She also managed to improve on laundry day by taking us to Shake Shack and back to her house to do our costume sorting, instead of staying at the laundromat for that portion like we normally would. She also helped bundle the penguin costumes!

Yesterday, it was boiling out so while our original plan had been to go back into the city, we decided that a better idea would be to return to Walden Pond since we couldn't get there on Sunday.

It's like the Stonehenge of Concord.

Not really a Thoreau fan (you can't be a fan of something you haven't read yet) but it's always cool to see historic/literary landmarks. You can walk around the pond to the site of where his cabin is, but I must say that for all of the hype over his book, he didn't really go that far away from civilization, but since he's the one with the best-selling literary classic and not me, I guess I'll give him some credit. There was also a large pile of rocks outside the "house" and I don't know why they were there but I was told to add one, so I did. 

There was a sign with an inspiring quote but no sign that said, this is why a bunch of weirdos have made a giant rock formation that now appears to be large than the actual house that we're honoring. Like really, no one thought that would be useful?! After that, we finished up our lap of the pond and decided to go for a dip. It was really nice and I saw some fish. Perhaps I might have been in greater awe if I was a Thoreau fan, but the truth was, I was just happy to cool off after a long, hot day!

Walden Pond.

Love That Dirty Water

THIS is the week I have been waiting for! It is our residency at the Hanscom Air Force Base, which is in MA! I've already blogged about this, so if you keep up with me, you already knew this, but I'm writing it all the same.

On Saturday, I got to go home, which is where I snapped the most adorable photo of MCT's newest TAD, Freo! And yesterday, we got a lot of stuff in before and after arriving on base and prepping for this coming week.

We started the day out with a trip to Concord, because it's only about 15 minutes away from where the base is.

Did you know that they close Walden Pond? Because they do, apparently. We wanted to visited to see all things Henry David Thoreau and were sent away because RUDE. I understand running out of parking but we weren't allowed to be dropped off by the gate either, while tons of other (smarter) people just parked down the road and walked over and were apparently welcome.

Shot heard round the world and such

We got lost in downtown Concord for a bit, of course. There were actually a lot of things that I wanted to see there! I haven't been there since I was a kid and I definitely didn't understand it's literary/historical significance back then. After we found our way, we visited the Old North Bridge because FREEDOM! It's where the Battle of Concord/the first battle of the Revolutionary War took place. Paul Revere and all that (more on him later).

Next we went to the house of my life idol, Louisa May Alcott. I'd been there before (technically, I think I'd been to the Old North Bridge before as well, but Louisa May Alcott is cooler in my humble opinion) but I was still very excited. I love Little Women so I think the idea that it is set in that house and that you can actually go in there and see all of the things that inspired such a classic is phenomenal.

Orchard House. Because old houses get cool names.

After that, it was time to meet our contact at the base. So far, the air force has been the hardest base to get onto. Our contact had to meet us at the gate and they had to print us passes that actually had our pictures on them! Can't lose that, otherwise, I'll be in big trouble...

After a quit turnaround, we met my mom back at a Stop and Shop so that we could ditch the truck and go into the city (Mom doesn't have a pass onto the base, so we have to go to her because I am not driving that monstrosity of a vehicle in Boston...).

Have I mentioned that Boston is the greatest place on Earth? Because I think it is. First off, they've got some great snapstickers!

We drove around for a while to show Melissa a lot of the different sights and sounds and then we started to follow the Freedom Trail into the North End for some sight seeing and dinner. We walked to Paul Revere's house and the Old North Church (I told you that you'd be hearing more about that guy!). They both closed before we got there but Melissa really only cared about seeing the outsides and wasn't too concerned with touring them, so that was fine.

After that, we got some really wonderful Italian food (what a surprise, considering that we were in the North End, aka Little Italy). After that, it was time to head for the base, but not before snapping a great pic with my mom! Somehow on the drive home, we conned her in to helping up out on laundry day, so we'll be heading back to Dedham this afternoon!

Happy to be home.

MCT's Newest TAD

Look at that pup! He's ready for the road.

If I Had One Wish...

I should clarify that I was at The West Point this last week, like the famous military academy. I don't think there is another West Point in New York, but my mom asked me this morning so I figured that I should mention it.

On Thursday, we got the opportunity to walk around West Point and see some spectacular views. We went to Trophy Point, which is kind of like an outdoor museum and amphitheater. It doesn't have great views or anything... Just kidding, it's gorgeous and while we were there, a helicopter was landing on a field across the street, because why not? I've lived on the east coast for a long time and yet, it continues to surprise me, but I don't think that's a bad thing!


Yesterday was show day, but that didn't stop up from checking out a local winery in the morning. We visited Brotherhood Winery which is the oldest winery in America, circa 1839. We got to do a tour and tasting. I would like to say that I learned about wine, but I didn't. It was really beautiful. I got to try some really good wine, apparently Bill Clinton served Brotherhood's Riesling at State dinners, so that was good to know.

It was a really lovely week and so, I end this post and my week in West Point with something a kid said to me as he returned his costume, "If I had a real genie and one wish, I would wish that you would come back and do another play with us."

It's official! One month from this very day, I will be flying to San Francisco to see the glorious Amanda Lauren Belscamper! I miss my former tour partner and I am so excited to see her!!!!!!! We're going on an adventure!