Extended Midwest Vacation!

Alright, I think that most people in the NYC area might agree that I've been pretty MIA for the last couple of months...but it's with good reason! Back in June I did a show out at the Gateway called SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE, an experience that was honestly one of the best times I've ever had, with some of the most wonderful people I've ever met, doing a show that is very near and dear to my heart.   That same production is headed out on tour!  However, I had a couple of months in between to play with.  Most of that I spent in the city working at The Skylark, but honestly the money there was just not what it should be.  SOOOO, I decided that it would be a better option for September to just sublet my apartment a month early and head home for a couple of weeks.  I don't think that it's ever been a secret that New York City gets on my nerves sometimes....the over-crowdedness, the smell, the cost, the dirt, the grind.  I love NY, but I LOVE to leave NY too.  So instead of just working to pay rent, I went home and ate all of my parents' food. :)

My extended trip home was much, much needed.  It's been so long since I've had very much time at home without a wedding or a holiday or other event...and it is SO nice to wake up and literally have nothing that I have to do that day.  NOTHING.  No responsibilities, no plans, no nothing.  I spent a lot of time bike riding on the bike path along the river, exploring places that I haven't been since I was a kid - Pottawatomie Park, Island Park, the Japanese Garden, the Fabayan Windmill - and places that I never knew existed either.  I hung out in downtown Geneva a bit, which has actually become an awesome little downtown with new wine bars, chocolate shops, boutiques, trendy restaurants, outdoor seating and festivals (I finally got to enjoy Festival of the Vine...I did NOT appreciate the joy of a wine fest in my youth!).



It was also so great to spend time with my family.  I made a lot of meals and watched a lot of football with my mom and dad.  I also got to spend time with Ryan and Sadie and Abby, which I love.  Sadie was helping me learn to knit (made much more difficult by a previous few rounds of beer...haha) - I'll post a picture when my first project gets a little farther a long!!  It was also so fun to spend time with my niece, Abby.  It's great to get to a point where she is comfortable with me and knows me and has fun with me.  It's hard to form a relationship with a 2 year old when you live hundreds of miles away and only see each other for a few hours at a time once every few months... Makes me very happy to hear her call me "Auntie" or "Eein" when I walk in the door! And she's such a sweet little girl, I just love getting to spend time with her...



What else did I do for 3 weeks?  I went to the library, worked out at my parents gym, went out to eat, took a side trip to Ann Arbor for a Michigan game,  drove down to Starved Rock for some hiking and nature, baked pies, went shopping with my mom, caught up with old friends, met my dad for lunch, watched HGTV, slept 9 hours a night, woke up at a decent time every day, and generally felt healthy, happy and renewed.  It was awesome.  And just what my sanity needed before I popped back to NYC for a couple of days of rehearsal before heading out on the SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE tour....but THAT'S a whole other post! :)