Trip to New Hampshire!

Well, this weekend was of firsts. On Friday, while I was skipping the aforementioned day of service at BU, I headed up to New Hampshire for the first time to visit Amy and Andrew Daigle for a much-needed vacation after approximately 48 hours in Boston (sarcasm). I went straight to Manchester (first) to Republic, the restaurant that Andrew currently works at. It served great local food, and he was almost done with his shift, so I hung around looking shifty and complaining to the manager about Andrew's service.

After we were done, we decided to grab a drink before we went back to the house. So, we drove my car to a local bar (about a minute away) with the understanding that we would pick up his jeep after and head back to his house. So, when we were done, we got in the car, and he started directing me. After driving about 7-8 minutes, I began wondering how far away he parked from where he worked. Was there some kind of park-and-ride or shuttle service going in to downtown Manchester? Finally, I made mention of it: "Do you park this far away from work?" Nope. So, we turned around to get the jeep.

They live in a wooded paradise (maybe I'm looking at it through rose-colored glasses or city-smeared glasses) in Auburn, New Hampshire, and it was there we headed. That evening, we headed over to Amy's parents' house for my first true lobster experience (with a mussel opener). I have to say, it was pretty delicious and educational. I think I could now eat lobster without looking like a total idiot.

Saturday we got up late and ate a lazy breakfast (I think we actually ate after noon; it was a few hour process) of delicious salmon cake eggs benedict (also, should there be an eggs benedict arnold?) and solved most of the world's/church's problems over the next few hours. That afternoon we went to Portsmouth via Exeter stopping at Phillips Exeter Academy, the most prestigious private high school in the nation that has been the breeding ground of presidents, senators, and big-wigs in many different fields. You can send your child there for one simple payment of $45,000 a year. I'm one day hoping to make that much money in a single year. In Portsmouth, we sauntered around the area, checked out a brewery, and ended the night by eating at a Mexican restaurant in the area.

We had driven the jeep there sans doors, which was awesome. However, it cooled off nicely throughout the evening leaving us with a sizable and chilly drive on the way home. About halfway through the drive, I started nodding off, but thought I better stay alert in case this was the first signs of hypothermia setting in. However, we made it. I am so glad/blessed/excited that these two are in my area and give me some continuity. I think continuity in transition is like manna in the wilderness.

I headed home on Saturday to attend my first Sunday at Trinity Covenant Church, which was great, by the way! It's good to finally worship with the church you will be serving. After lunch, I came home and took a lovely, monster Sunday nap.

Also, good news, I only have classes on Tuesday/Thursday! I ended up rounding off my schedule with class called Jewish Liturgy taught by a rabbi at Boston College, so I'm excited about that! Classes start Tuesday. I feel like I'm in this scene with Gandalf and Pippin:



Granted, I don't think the program is equivalent to an attack from Mordor, but you get the idea. Okay, I'm going for an evening run to make up for my ravenous eating patterns this weekend.