A Triumphant Return

Alright guys. I've got TWO YEARS worth of blogging to catch up on. Can I do it? I'm going to do it even if I die trying! My blog is kind of my scrapbook. I don't scrapbook anymore- even though I have a million dollars worth of scrapping supplies taking up a whole corner of my garage. So here's the plan. I'm going to do my bestest to catch up. I'm going to post them, let them sit for a week or so and then edit them to reflect the actual date they SHOULD have been posted to start with. That way I don't have 800 blog posts in 2020 and only 4 (oops) in 2019.  It's ambitious- but I have missed writing and I miss reading my own blog. (self absorbed much?)

Why the sudden interest in blogging again? WELL aside from the aforementioned reason, I have FINALLY learned how to get my pics off my phone without having to sift through every cookie that is stored on my phone. Am I a little late in the technology game? Yes. Are we shocked at that discovery? I would say probably not.   So having explained myself... Let's start with the more recent stuff and let history tell it's own story in reverse. 

The most exciting thing that has happened lately was the trip I got to take for work. Have I told you lately that I love my new job? Well, yeah. I do. It's still an adjustment, this whole working from home business, but I love training full time. 

I am one of the few people that teach a special system that we use at only 4 of our 180 hospitals. They are slowly moving the training of this system from my department to another department so I got to meet with the old team and the new team to see where there are gaps in our training and train the new trainer so that our developer can slowly step back into the role for which he was hired.

SO

I got all my crap packed. I had a major anxiety breakdown because I was traveling to and through cities that I've never been to before. I've heard tales of the O'hare airport and I was so nervous that I would not make my connecting flights. I cried the day before I left I was such a basket case. I don't even know why. I am a lucky traveler! I guess I know better than to challenge the universe. You never know when your luck will run out so I don't press it.

I got up and ready Dark and Early Monday morning and headed to the airport. I've never been to the Boise Airport before! I had no idea what to expect! But- I got my car parked in an easy to find spot and went in to get checked in. My suitcase was too big to carry on so I had to check it- but that just meant that I didn't have to keep track of it and drag it all across creation. 

After I got checked in, my first sign that this trip was going to be awesome was the first airport store that I saw. 

Yep. Things were going to go my way. (incidentally, when I got off the plane at the end of the week to return home, the first sign I saw had a sign for Baker, OR)

The flight from Boise to Chicago was sadly boring. I like a little turbulence... it's like a free roller coaster!

I love to fly. I'm never afraid to fly because if I die on an airplane then it means I'll die doing something I love. I LOVE to travel!

Every flight I was on I had a window seat. I do that on purpose. You know that scene in the Wedding Singer where Julia gets her elbow smashed by the drink cart and bad-guy Glen is like, Hey look at the view? Yeah... I'm Glen. Sorry folks. 

I found it interesting that the entire western United States was covered by the SAME cloud. Seriously. I did not see land from beginning to end. 

Chicago has always been on my bucket list. Someday I'll get there for realisies- but I was at least hoping to see the skyline. 

Once we were under the cloud blanket, I saw Lake Michigan... aaaand nothing else. They were experiencing a very dismal day. Next time.... next time.

While I was waiting for my next flight (my anxiety was all for nought- I had like, an hour to kill on my layover) I decided to forage for some lunch. They had the staples- McDs and Subway... but I knew Melanie would roll over in her grave if she knew I was in a new city and ate food that I could get three blocks from home. So when in Chicago what do you eat? Deep dish pizza! It was...

not great.

BUT I know better than to judge a city's cuisine by its airport food.   I'll give you another chance Chicago.

The flight from Chicago to Savannah was on the smallest plane I've ever been on. I was smooshed into the wall- but there was more leg room... so waddaya gonna do?

 As I flew over Savannah- I was excited that I could finally see land. There are so many rivers and streams there. It was a very interesting landscape.

 I flew over shipping yards. Being a kid from a landlocked state this is not something I have ever seen. This picture doesn't capture it- but those boats have hundreds of these shipping containers- and then there are acres and acres of land covered in them as well. You wanna know how all that imported stuff gets into the country? This is how! This is the second largest shipping port in the country- second only to New York.

My coworker picked me up at the airport- their flight had gotten in earlier. There were four of us on the trip but one did not make it until after Midnight on Monday. So the three of us who were there got together for dinner. We walked through the streets of Savannah and though it was already dark I could tell I was going to love this city. So old. So much charm. Awesome!

We found a place called Planters Tavern- which was in the basement of the Olde Pink House (a place that was on my must-see list)

I was brave again (you'll find this a recurring theme through the week- I tried something new every day!) and ate fried green tomatoes. They were covered in pickled onions and sitting in a creamed corn.

Guys. It was so gross. Haha! But I HATE fresh tomatoes- so I didn't plan on liking it- but you know, when you travel and authentic food magically tastes amazing? Yeah... the others liked it- but they probably like tomatoes. But I tried.

For my dinner I ordered authentic Southern Fried Chicken. Oh. My. Gosh. It was amazing. It came with a side of Mac and Cheese which was only just OK- but the chicken. Yowza!

The Olde Pink House dates back to 1771 and is the most famous restaurant in Savannah.

 Want a history lesson? Read this to learn about the Olde Pink House.

The next morning we were up dark and early and headed to the local hospital to work. It was an adventure for sure!

That evening we went for a walk down River Street. There was a cool looking antique shop so we wandered in. The only think in there I saw that I would have wanted to buy was this LP. Pat Boone and Irving Berlin? My mom's two favorites! I should have bought it for her... but it would have just gone from his box of junk to ours... so I took a picture of it to send to my mom to let her know I was thinking about her- and I carried on.

This was the craziest antique store I've ever been in. You could spend a month in there and still see new things every day. Just looking at this picture I see things I've never seen before. I took it because it seemed so much like one of those Eye-Spy pictures. Can you find the creepy marionette? The topless Barbie driving a convertible? The Darkwing Duck (is that really an antique?)? and my personal favorite, the severed foot holding a pencil in its toes?

 What other treasures did you find in that picture? Isn't it nuts?

As we continued down River Street we saw the Georgia Queen. The Disney girl in me geeked out just a little. Not only is this the big sister to the Mark Twain, but it was also featured in a recent Disney+ movie: the live action Lady and the Tramp. Did you know that was filmed in Savannah?

 Now I have to watch it again so I can see if I recognize any of the places they filmed.

I love history- and I kind of geeked out over these incredible buildings. Sure, they hold lame stores now- filled with tourist trap junk- but if you close your eyes and time travel back a couple of hundred years, you can hear the ship bells ringing. You can hear- and feel- the clatter of wagon wheels, heavy laden with cotton. You can hear the cotton factors shouting out prices and trying to get the best deal. Making a profit. Your toes curl at the horrors and atrocities that took place here- buying and selling human beings. A lot of history happened here. It's very awe inspiring. Even if our 21st century has somewhat marred its memory.

To get from River street up to Bay street above, you have to walk these treacherous staircases. So treacherous that they come with a warning. I don't care for stairs on a good day- but when they warn that I might actually die on them? eesh!

Actually, this one wasn't so bad- but the one down the street that we descended on...? yeah. that was scary. There were actually a few of them that were closed off they've become so decrepit.

Savannah is known for its cobblestone roads. This is leading down to River Street. Fun history fact: All of these cobble stones were used in ships as ballast rocks. You have to weigh a ship down so it doesn't list (see how I use nautical terms? not bad for a landlocked girl #readingmakesyousmarter) So when the ships would come in- they wanted to get rid of the ballast to make room for the cargo. Someone had the brilliant idea to take all these piles of rocks and use them to pave the roads. So there you have it!

 This bell- which you can hardly see because I was so enamored with these tulip Magnolias- was the bell the rang to signify the end of the work day.

 Seriously though- It's January for crying out loud and these ridiculously beautiful flowers are just like, "whatever, we grow when we want! Welcome to the South."

If you're still in your historic time travel mode- Here is the original Cotton Exchange.

I'm totally in love with that Lion fountain!

That night we ate dinner at the Moon River Brewing Company- said to be one of the more violently haunted places in Savannah. None of us had our hair pulled, nor were we pushed down stairs- BUT we also were not trying to do construction on the third floor. So... I guess we didn't tick anyone off.

I again came out of my food comfort zone and tried new things. The first appetizer we got was called Devils on horseback.  Sounds fun, right? They are bacon wrapped dates stuffed with almonds. You think it's weird that I don't like tomatoes? Will you still speak to me if I tell you I don't like bacon?

It's OK... you can unfriend me now.

If you stayed with me this long- you deserve to know that I found these were actually really good! I don't know that I would order them every time I went there- and there were four of us so we each got to taste one- and that was enough. But it was actually pretty tasty. The date had a weird texture and that was what made it a one time experience for me.

Our second app was Stuffed Mushrooms. Mexican chorizo and bleu cheese topped with a chipotle creama.

Oh. My. Gosh. It was amazing! once again- we split them four ways- but I could have easily ordered this and eaten it as my meal. Soooo Yummy! See? I'm trying new things and learning that not everything is nasty!

My dinner was a New York Strip steak and scalloped potatoes and broccoli. Let's just say that I dined well that night and left with a very happy tummy.

There is so much more adventure to come! I will try so hard to keep up on this blog and not get two years behind again. I know that only my family reads it and like, 6 friends- but I'm here for you. I'm here for all 18 of you!