Spring is upon us

This year, I was afraid DC weather would do it's typical tap dance: skipping right over Spring. We would get maybe a week of weather in the 60s and 70s, and then we would be right into the humid bitch that is Summer.

This past weekend didn't really do much to assuage my fears: late April and it was already 90 freaking degrees. And since my air conditioning doesn't kick on until tomorrow, it meant that I spent the weekend slowly roasting to death in my condo. I couldn't really leave since I had put off doing all my chores and housework for that weekend, so me = screwed.

But! Blessedly the weather has cooled off again, and the other harbinger of Spring (other than the cherry blossoms) has returned! I am of course speaking of thunder storms.

I love thunder storms. I love sitting on my balcony and watching them roll in. The wind picks up, the temperature drops, the air feels heavy with the promise of rain....and I love the anticipation of when the rain drops will actually fall.

When I was a kid and a storm would approach, I would pretend that I was a character in some natural disaster movie (think Twister) and would turn my face to the wind, let my hair blow around, and stare meaningfully into the distance as if I was sensing some kind of oncoming danger. Yes, I was a giant dork, but I bet most of us have done the same at some point, right?

Right?

Hmm.

Anyway, just such a storm rolled in last week, and I snapped some pics from my balcony! Enjoy!

Edge of the storm.

Cloud cover.

Rain falling over the trees of Fort Ward.

Random heart-shaped balloon caught in the winds.

Chocolate World

This I had to share. Earlier this month, Lori and I drove up to Hershey, Pennsylvania. Why, you ask? Duh. CHOCOLATE.

And oh did we find it. And in addition to the chocolate, we found the world's best ice cream sundae.

Observe.

And another look...

What you're looking at is culinary perfection. Chocolate Hershey's ice cream, chocolate syrup, peanut butter topping, crushed up Reese's peanut butter cups, whip cream, and of course, a cherry.

This was more than a sundae, people. It was a meal. It was a legend. While eating, all Lori had to do was look at me, and I responded, "I know." It was that good. Hands down, the best ice cream sundae I have ever had in my entire life. This sundae alone was worth the 3 hour drive. And that's not counting all the different kinds of chocolate in the factory store and the awesome deals we got at the outlet mall.

All in all, totally worth it. Even if we kind of sort of maybe possibly got a little lost on the way there. And back. But I stopped at a gas station and got a map. So it was alllll good.

Atlantic City!

I finally got around to uploading my most recent pics from my camera, and I realized I have so much to share! Most recently, my trip this past weekend to Atlantic City with Chris and Kent. That's right! The travelling trio reunites for a quick mini-break one nighter at Las Vegas' older more scuzzy sister.

Driving into town on a cloudy Sunday.

I've been to Atlantic City I think five or six times, mostly with Chris and Kent. They love gambling, so they get free hotel stays on weeknights (including Sunday). Since the three of us get Mondays off every so often, it works out pretty well.

Two things of note on the drive up. First, I randomly saw a guy with a donkey. No, that is not a euphemism. You know how the suburbs have built right up to I-95? I was looking into a cul-de-sac and I saw a dude with a donkey in the road. At first I thought it was like a wooden donkey or something, but then it moved. It was a real donkey.

The second story is more gross. Chris noticed a car on the side of the road with some girl standing next to it. Right at the moment he looked over, he figured out why the car was on the side of the road. Because one of the passengers was getting sick, and happened to upchuck right when he looked over. Fun, right?

Moving on....this trip we stayed at Harrahs Marina, which is off the boardwalk so it's a little less crowded. But the BIG draw is their huge indoor heated pool. There are cabanas and hot tubs all around the sides and the servers will bring your drinks right to the edge of the pool.

Living the good life.

Chris and Kent (and me, let's be honest) love the slots. The good news is, they let my push the button occasionally when they're playing so I don't have to wager my own meager funds.


Kent won $229 at the quarter slots. Here's his winning ticket. THEN at around 6 in the morning on Monday he won another $200. And proceeded to wake me up by slapping be on the ass to tell me about it. Here's the full conversation:

Kent: *slaps ass* Guess what?
Me: WHAT.
Kent: I won $200!
Me: Sweet! *snore*

All in all, it was a perfect mini-break, and we definitely plan on going back to the Marina. And the awesome outlet stores certainly helped. Retail therapy, FTW!

One last look at the pool!

Nebraska: Where the Cows Are

Last week, I was in Lincoln, Nebraska for work. While travelling there I learned several things about myself, Nebraska as a whole, and life in general.

1. I am, in fact, an East Coast liberal snob.

2. They keep the good beef, and ship us the leftovers. Damn, I had some good steak!'

3. It's possible to go into culture shock by being surrounded by white people. Very nice white people, but all white people nonetheless. Everyone in the service industry in Lincoln is a well-mannered white college student. Even my taxi cab driver.

4. Seafood is not "fresh" if it has to travel in a plane to get to you.

5. I had no idea single roads could stretch so far and be so straight.

6. People in the Midwest are actually very nice and much more relaxed...but that does not make them right.

7. I need me some rolling green hills to be happy.

8. Flying out of tiny airports is the best.

9. My perspective of how far away things are was all screwed up since the land is so flat. Example: "Oh, I see the grocery store up ahead on the left.....and we're still driving.....and we're still driving....ok, we should be there by now, but no."

10. Grain elevators look strange. And the locals like to talk about when they break and they have to flee the falling grain so as not to get crushed.

11. I can rock a University of Nebraska corn cob hat.

Told you.