Deep Creek Vacation Fun

As with most of our gatherings with the Sarrges, we have to deep fry a turkey. That's a given and it was delicious. Our new adventure this time was roasting a whole pig (59-lbs) in a La Caja China box. We also deep-fried donuts, Oreos, and pigskin. All came out amazingly well. The pig roasting was not complicated, just a matter of babysitting and following the instructions. So good. A few were squeamish on seeing the real deal up close, but everyone agreed the taste was fantastic. It was nice to spend time with Don, Laura, Dakota, Lisa, Tony, Ethan, and Kathryn. 

Traveling with Friends

Julia went to Philadelphia to visit friends from the University of Leeds, then on to NYC. There, she spent time with Jessie (from the 'hood) as well as her Leeds friends. Julia is really good at making friends and staying connected with them all. Aly drove her back from NYC and stayed with us. The last time she was here was summer 2020 and we were wearing masks, eating outside... don't miss any of that. Hugs all around. Benjamin also had some adventures in Alaska: saw 3 minke whales, 3 bears, and 2 walruses.  It looks so cold! 

NASA Award, Birthday, and Bonding

An exciting week for Julia, the University of Minnesota announced her Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology (FINESST) Award! All of her hard work and perseverance are paying off. We went to the Westfall's to celebrate Todd's birthday. It was so nice to be around the family--and without masks! Cat pics included to up the cuteness factor. :)

Carolina Beach Vibes

Six hours south of DC landed us at Carolina Beach, NC, just outside of Wilmington. It was wonderful to get away, relax, and recharge. The weather was breezy, high 70s/low 80s--i.e., perfect! There was a small boardwalk, little boutique shops, and a beautiful park that hosts a market on Saturdays. Steven and Julia got coffee from Majik Beanz every morning (no Starbucks anywhere). Another highlight was getting a "squigley" from Squigley's Ice Cream & Treats, which was named by the Today Show as one of the top 10 ice cream shops in America. They also tried Fun Time's soft-serve ice cream (super soft and melty) and strawberry shortcake with cheesecake ice cream (huge hit). Renting a house near the beach brought back many fond memories of our Outer Banks family vacations of long ago. 

Gang Back Together

It is so nice to have glimpses of normalcy. We had a lovely visit with Meme, Mariam, Benjamin, and the family. Didn't think twice about hugging or wearing a mask; it was wonderful. We are looking forward to many more dinners and visits with friends and family this summer. 

Back in the Hood and Mother's Day Weekend

Julia and Benjamin have been back in DC for a full week and it has been wonderful. The house is a bit more lively and the cats are happier with the better cat to human ratio. Laura came to celebrate Mother's Day. We also celebrated Ethan's 19th birthday (with Georgetown Cupcake). We got mani/pedis and deep-fried a turkey from Wagshals. It was delicious. On Sunday, mom came over for some Rocklands and a visit to the new Eisenhower Memorial. It is spread across four acres on Independence Avenue, near the Capitol. There isn't much to it--some bronze sculptures, engravings, and a huge tapestry depicting the beaches of D-Day (had to look up what this was, because it wasn't obvious or stated anywhere!). So thankful to be sandwiched between a wonderful mother and an amazing daughter.

 

Round 2 Completed

We have all received our second rounds of Pfizer. Yay! Julia had a migraine post-shot. Steven had some arm pain. I had arm pain, swollen lymph nodes, muscle aches, and chills...thank you immune system.

After the verdict came back guilty on all three counts for Derek Chauvin, Julia went down to George Floyd Square to witness the public's relief.

Congratulations to Laura for her debut in The Wall Street Journal! Very cool and exciting, I'm sure the first of many more bylines to come.