Blossom Time 2010

Memorial Day weekend is my favorite weekend of the year. Better than Christmas, better than my birthday- I LOVE IT.


The little town I lived in for a while here called Chagrin Falls has their Blossom Time. I have blogged about it before. It's pretty much just one long party. The reason I love it so much is that it is the one weekend a year where I pretty much get to see everyone I enjoy spending time with, all at one time. People show up out of the woodwork at parties, the fair, bars, the parade. It just makes me so happy!

I didn't take as many pictures this year, but here are a few!

Baumer couldn't make it from Charlotte because she is preggers with twins, so we kissed her wedding coozie instead.
My cousin Heather's baby enjoying her first Blossom parade!

It was REALLY hot and sunny out, so everyone had to find shelter during the parade

Pig Roastin' and Island Relaxin'

A few weeks ago, I flew down to Chapel Hill to visit Kevin. We were planning on going to the island in Canada, but he realized that there was a party in NC that he really wanted to go to, so we switched our plans around, and I went there instead.

Kevin's dream came true that weekend. He finally cooked a whole pig! Being from Ohio, I had never seen this before. We went to this kind of run-down place that sold meat and literally threw a 100 pound pig in the back of his truck, and put a pig cooker on his hitch. We took the pig to his friends house where they put it in a bathtub, and brined it (did I spell that right?) overnight. Then he woke up at 5am, and they started cooking it for the party.

It was SO GOOD. There was so much left over- I think we ate pig for about a week after that party. I had no idea that you could just cook a whole pig, and it would all turn into yummy deliciousness.

During my few days there, we also had fun visiting with his parents and friends. NC is a little hot for me though. 90 in May? Really? But I sucked it up, and had a great week.

After our time down there, we drove back up to Cleveland for a few days, and then went up to the island for a week. While I am still bummed we didn't make the trip to Europe, I think we were honestly just as happy to be in Canada. It's so nice and quiet and private at the house. It was a typical Canada vacation week. Beautiful weather and sunsets, board games, drinks, movies, eating (amazing food, thanks to Kevin's cooking skills). And I went in the water! It was about 55 degrees. I just had to do it. We are going back in a few weeks with my sister and her Frenchie boyfriend, and hopefully we will be able to make it up a few more times.

This unemployment thing isn't so bad. :)

Condo Living

Well, I'm (almost) all moved in to the new condo. I can't believe how TIME CONSUMING it is to move! Especially because all of my stuff was in storage for two years. I really think that made it harder, because I forgot what I had, and then wound up with a lot of the same things. Like five pairs of tongs, and about 10 wine keys.

I really like my place, and the building. I have met a lot of my neighbors, and feel really safe there. I just can't believe what it looked like the first time I saw it compared to what it looks like now. Pictures soon- I promise. I just want to get things a little bit more in order before I share my home with the blog world.

Moving also helped me get other things in life in order. I had some furniture that was damaged in storage (due to rodents- sick) which made me call my insurance company, and switch things around for my rental, condo and car. I had to get rid of some furniture, which made me get rid of some more stuff since the city was coming to pick it up. I have my grandmothers dining room table and chairs- I got my act together and put them on craigslist. I was in and out of my rental (I stored my stuff in the basement) and it made me get that in order- cleaners, landscapers, put it up for rent. And it rented today for next year- woo hoo!

I have started to send out my resume. I don't want to work right away, but I'm obviously going to need a job eventually. I have sent it out to production companies letting them know I am interested in tour management for next year. I wouldn't go back on tour unless it was in a management position. It's the only thing that can help further my career at this point in time, unless I get a job at one of our offices, which doesn't look good. I will be sending out more as the week goes on, and will be interested to see what, if anything, happens. My fabulous idea of being a flight attended just hit bottom when United bought Continental this week, which means we might not have a hub here anymore. Poor Cleveland.

I'm in Cleveland for about another week, then headed to visit Kevin in North Carolina, and then we are island bound. No, not the Caribbean. Ontario. Our cruise plans kind of took a dive for a few reasons, so we will be cruising on my 18 foot boat in Georgian Bay instead. Which I am perfectly happy with.

Goodbye 101

Well, it's over. The tour has ended, about a year earlier than I hoped it would. It was a fun show, and a great company. And at least we ended the tour at Madison Square Garden-we went out in style!

NYC Week Two

Our second week in NY was actually really nice. Minus the fact that I don't really care for the City, but I made the best of it.


We had Monday and Tuesday off, and came into the City on Tuesday to meet up with friends and hang out for the day. I intended on doing something New York-ish, but we wound up meeting up with so many different people that the day kind of slipped away. But Thursday, we went to get sushi, and went to the Top Of The Rock. It was $21 a person. I thought that was insane! Like it really costs that to run an elevator all day? They did have information you could read about the history of Rockefeller Center, which was interesting. But it was a really nice day, and the views were great. That night, everyone met out to celebrate Kevin's birthday, and it was kind of the last night all of us could go out together. Sad, but really, really fun.

One of the best things about being here was seeing old friends. My cousin, Jen, Tim Goebel, one of the figure skaters I worked with, and lots of friends from Superstar. My career has given me the opportunity to meet so many genuinely good friends from all over, the above being a few of them.

Headed back to Cleveland tonight- time to get that condo in order!

NYC Week One

We are here in New York City for two weeks. Our LAST two weeks of this tour, actually. As much as I would like to say I have been a tourist, I have kind of been slacking. But I had big plans headed into this! Kevin and I are staying out on Long Island, and it's an hour commute each way for us to get to Madison Square Garden. I think if I was actually staying in Manhattan that I would have gotten out more, but I kind of like hanging out where it is quiet and slower paced.


I have met up with friends and family over the last week, but the only touristy (is that a word?) thing we did was hop on the Staten Island Ferry last Thursday. It was a beautiful day out, and the ferry is free. So we just rode it over, and rode it back. I think I might have done it about 10 years ago, but I'm not positive. Something struck a memory cord there. Regardless, it was a fun thing to do when we had a few hours to kill.

On another note.... what comes next? Kevin and I were hoping to go to Europe this Monday (a little last minute, I know). We have had our eye on a cruise from Lauderdale to Barcelona, for 16 nights. We wanted to go over, spend some time in Spain, visit my sister in France, and his friend in Germany. Kevin had to wait to make the decision for reasons I won't even get into, and finally yesterday, we flipped a coin over it. The coin said we were going, but fate did not. Even though it was still advertised, the cruise was sold out when we called to book it. So there goes that month in Europe. There are some other options we are interested in for May, so we will keep an eye on those. Everything happens for a reason.

So now I am going to be responsible next week, and head back to Cleveland to finish up getting work done at the condo, and maybe even move. Then we might go to Canada for a week, then maybe a cruise to Europe? Who knows. As crazy as it might sound, I like being unemployed for short periods of time. It gives me the freedom to do what I want and go where I want, and I love that. It's going to be hard for me if I have to go back to a 9 to 5 after these last four years. I am confident that I will be able to come up with something that fits my lifestyle if I just give it time. I am not in a hurry to find a full time job- I'm enjoying life too much right now to start doing something just to do it. I would much rather spend the summer enjoying the people I care about and spending time with them. It will be like being a teacher, without the paycheck! I am actually looking into being a flight attendant, if nothing comes up with the companies I currently work for. Why not?

I AM going to be a tourist tomorrow- it's Twomey's birthday, so we are going out and having fun. Blogs to come about my last week in NY, and on tour....

Penn Station Plummet

I still can't believe I did this.

Last night we had our opening night party at Madison Square Garden. It was really great- my boss was in town, and I invited one of the figure skaters I used to work with, Tim. We had a great time catching up and visiting.

After the party, I headed into Penn Station to meet Kevin and a few friends at a bar before heading back home on the train for the night. I walked in, and the escalator was not working. No worries- just walk on down, right? Wrong.

About three steps into it, my heel slipped on the metal, and I started falling. And falling. And falling. Of course, there was no one on the ENTIRE escalator for me to run into and stop. I literally tumbled down about 20 to 25 stairs in the middle of Penn Station. And I'm not talking about like when you were a little kid and you would slide on your butt down the steps. I'm talking acrobat tumbling somersault falling. I heard a lot of "oh my gods" and "ddaaammmnnnns" and "ooohhhhhs" in the seven to eight seconds I think it took me to reach the bottom. I just kept thinking- maybe I'll stop on the next one. Nope. All the way down. It was unreal.

About 25 people had gathered around me, and security and an EMT showed up. I was "fine" according to me. But good lord you should see my bruises. They are pretty impressive. I'm even bruised behind one of my ears. And my chin is blue. And my legs and sides... oh my.

Luckily my purse was zipped up, but my BlackBerry was lost during the whole little adventure. It must have been in my jacket pocket, and someone picked it up. When we called it this morning, they had downloaded a nice rap song as a ring tone. Luckily, my clothes and shoes came out of the tumble unscathed.

So no phone for a few days until my replacement shows up, and I will no doubt be black and blue for quite a few weeks to come.