Cupcakes and Air Mattresses

I never considered myself a blogger.  I never really thought I had something that was so important or interesting enough that I should share it with the Internet world.  Honestly, those who know me know that I am going to tell you the story 10 different times anyway, so why put it on the Internet?  But, I decided that as I make my move to Chicago, things are bound to get interesting.  I know for a fact my own mother is terrified at the thought of me living on my own.  She is probably more worried for Matt's sake.

I do want to preface that for those of you who follow my sister's blog, you might be thoroughly disappointed in this one.  My sister's blog in simply unbelievable.  I want her to turn it into a book.  Its extremely powerful - she shares her story of trying to change lives one student at time.  It will make you laugh, it will make you cry and it will make you thankful that you are not a teacher where she is.  But most importantly, its inspiring.  Mine is probably none of the above.  I am okay with that.  I am not creating this blog to blow people's minds like Courtney's story does.  Hopefully mine can just bring a smile to someone's face after a rough day.  I just want to be able to share my (mis)adventures with the people that have been there for my other (mis)adventures throughout the years. 

The moment I decided that I should go ahead with this blog was about two weeks ago when I went up to Chicago for a week to visit Matt, see the new place, get familiar with neighborhood, etc.  The moving company had come to Matt's apartment in Richmond two days before to pick up all of our belongings.  We were told that the moving company would be in Chicago anywhere between May 19 and May 31.  As soon as they told us that  I KNEW we were not going to be getting our stuff while I was there (May 18-24).  That is just the kind of luck I have.  Sure enough, I was in Chicago for 6 days sleeping on an air mattress in an empty apartment.  We could hear the echo in the apartment as we turned the key to unlock our apartment, that's how empty it was.

So, it was then that I knew this was going to be one crazy ride.  If that's how its starts out, then there is no question in my mind that future hilarity is going to ensue.

Other than spending a week in an empty apartment, the rest of the week was amazing.  For those of you who are familiar with Richmond, in terms of downtown Chicago, our place is like living in the fan.  We are three miles from downtown Chicago and you can see the skyline from one of the streets by our place.  However, the best part is that its like being in the GOOD parts of the fan ALL the time.  We have three parks within walking distance from the apartment and most importantly for Matt, there is a Starbucks literally across the street from us.  It doesn't matter to him that we just bought a brand new coffee maker.  Starbucks or bust.

Most importantly for me, I found three cupcake shops all walking distance from the apartment as well.  Dangerous.  The last day I was there I got to live out one of my dreams and be a cupcake judge.  Every time I watch cupcake wars I always wonder how in the world those judges got to be the test tasters and what I needed to do to become one.  Are you kidding me?  That's your job?  To taste cupcakes?  Sign me up.  So, on the last day, I went to each cupcake shop and bought one cupcake from each place to taste.  And to the surprise of Matt, I really did only taste.  I have SOME will power.  Something about eating 3 cupcakes in their entirety was not justified by my 2 hours walking around the neighborhood that morning.

The results?  Sweet Mandy B's French Toast Cupcake took the cake (you see what I did there?)!  Best part about Sweet Mandy B's: its an 8 minute walk and is home to over 30 other desserts.  Particularly delicious was the peanut butter rice crispy treat that I sampled the day before.  I left the remaining parts of the cupcakes for Matt to try, but he was not nearly as excited as I was.  However, he did manage to finish all three of them after I twisted his arm about trying them.  I'm just saying - don't argue with me about desserts.  I am always right when it comes to finding the delicious ones.

What Matt and I both did agree on about the neighborhood was how awesome the bars are.  There are two bars each two blocks from our apartment.  One does not serve food.  That means, you can order a pizza from the pizza place down the street and have them deliver it to the Wrightwood Tap.  Since we had no TV the week I was there, we were "forced" to go to Wrightwood every night to either watch a baseball game or the playoffs.  Tough life.  We made friends with the bar tender one night because we were literally the only two people in there at one point.  Apparently at 8:00 pm on a Saturday people are still out eating dinner.  Win-win for us though - the bar tender hooked us up with free shots and a couple of free beers for being the first customers of the night.  Could have been embarrassing had we cared, but the playoffs were starting and you DON'T come between us and our basketball.

I think the funniest things that happened while I was there involved two different trips to one of the parks down the street from us.  On Friday, Matt had to go into the office for a couple of hours, so I went for a run before heading our to explore the neighborhood.  It was a gorgeous day so I brought my Kindle to the park with the plan of reading for a couple of hours.  While I was there, I met a couple of women who bring their dogs to the park every day for their doggie dates.  They were all very friendly and when they found out I was from Virginia, they told me I was moving at the perfect time of year.  Apparently the summers in Chicago are "magical."  But, according to one woman, there are about 2 weeks in July that are just "unbearable."  She said that it just gets so hot and humid and no one can stand it.
Those of you from Virginia,  yes, you just read that correctly.  Two weeks.  I DID refrain from laughing out loud at the woman.  I gently reminded her that I am moving from Virginia where the 90+ degree days start in May and don't end until early October.  She wants to hear complaining about the weather, I'll give her complaining about the weather come December. 

The other thing that was funny but confused the heck out of me was the sunbathing.  One of the days I was there, the temperature reached about 72 degrees.  Apparently people lose their minds when it hits 70 and think that it is sunbathing weather.  I was walking around in pants and a sweatshirt and I walked by about 10 people sunbathing in the park.  Excuse me?  When I asked Andy, the director of operations for the DePaul team, about this, he told me that after I spend a winter here I too will be sunbathing in 72 degree weather.  I think my mother will back me up on this one and tell him that regardless of how cold it gets there in the winter, I will NOT be putting on a bathing suit in 72 degree weather. 

There is a chance I will not make it through the winter in Chicago.  I just want to throw that out there.

So, that sums up my week in Chicago sans our stuff which sat on a moving van God-knows-where.  Just to get you up to date, our stuff can two days after I left.  Awesome.

Tomorrow I will pull out of my driveway to make the 13 hours drive with mom.  We are breaking it up in two days so hopefully it will be more comfortable.  But the hardest part is going to be that my dad is not making the trip with us.  Something about having a job...so overrated.  As many of you know, my dad and I have a very close relationship - most people can see this from just one interaction.  So, having to drive away with him standing in the driveway is going to be the hardest part about this move.

I have been truly blessed over the years with an unbelieveable group of family and friends.  I am fortunate to have neighbors who are more like family than friends.  Two best friends that I have known for 13 years.  Teammates who I won't see for months, but the moment we all get together we can't stop laughing.  Friends that I have made the past two years through VCU who have forever made an impact on me.  A sister who has been my number one supporter without even knowing that she is MY hero.  And a family who helped me become the woman that I am today.  Even though I am starting this new chapter of my life very far from Glen Allen, I take with me the memories and stories of the past 24 years that have made me realize how much I have to be thankful for.  Someone has, without a doubt, been looking down on me and has blessed me with the gift of friendship and love. 

Next time I write it will be from my brand new (well, to me - its old as dirt) apartment in Chicago!  I love you all and visitors are always welcome :)