Monica!!

Yup, Monica came to visit this past weekend!!

Bright and early Saturday morning, I hit the highway to Buffalo to pick up my Richmond 408 Soul Sister. The weather was BEAUTIFUL. I mean, it was only the 20s, but sunny and clear days are perfect days as I’ve come to learn here in Erie.

So I’m driving along, making perfect time, when all of a sudden the road turns into a complete parking lot. I’m talking bumper to bumper cars as far as the eye can see. (I was to frustrated to take any pictures)

So we are driving along at about 10 mph when I see a digital road sign: New Traffic Pattern Begins at 8 a.m. It was 9:02 a.m. Apparently it was a big deal. Nothing seems out of the ordinary until I see what I’ve only seen in movies. A tractor trailer carrying 10 new Mercedes was in the shoulder and a red Mercedes was behind it. The red Mercedes was supposed to still be on the trailer. It fell off.

The truck driver was standing in the road with a flag trying to help the traffic (that was already confused by a new traffic pattern) maneuver around the runaway car. Then, before I know it, I’m driving Eastbound in a Westbound lane (yes, it was on purpose, Meredith).

I only lost 20 minutes. And wouldn’t you know it, Monica’s flight was delayed 20 minutes? Crazy coincidence.

I pulled into the airport parking garage, found a space right by the entrance to the terminal and rushed to the bathroom. I had a large coffee on the road and that extra 20 minutes was not in my plan. I ran up to the arrivals, hoping I didn’t miss my special delivery, and as I rise up the escalator and look right, I see Monica in her yellow plaid trench coat and Vera Bradley duffel walking towards me with the biggest smile on her face. Well, mine might have been bigger :)

We hugged, realized it wasn’t a dream, then headed back to the parking garage so Chadwick could take us home to Erie.

Don’t remember much of the ride back, other than there wasn’t a silent moment. We dropped off Monica’s stuff at my apartment then headed to a quick lunch and then to Claytopia!! We met up with Meredith at Claytopia and started Day 1 of fun. Monica painted a cheeseburger bank, Meredith painted a tractor, and I painted a tulip votive holder. Everything completely fit our personalities.

After Claytopia we hung out back at my apartment and decided that we needed it to be just like old times…which logically meant we needed to watch The Hills, which I’m not embarrassed to say I do own on DVD :)

Saturday night we went out to a lovely dinner, then attended The Magical Music of Disney Concert by the Erie Philharmonic at the Warner Theatre. I had goosebumps. As the Phil played selections and medleys from popular Disney movies, clips from the films were being played on a screen above the stage. Seriously, I wish I could accurately describe how fitting it was for Monica and I to attend the concert or to explain how happy it made me feel. We might have been in the second to last balcony row, but I wouldn’t have changed a thing.

You may ask, “How could Sunday ever top such an amazing Sunday?” Well, let me tell you, it almost did. We slept in, and I woke up to a pot of coffee already made and Monica working in the kitchen. We made cinnimon rolls for breakfast then headed to church. Of course, we then went shopping!! We spend about 5 hours shopping, not deciphering wants from needs, and enjoying each other’s company. We were exhausted after that so we finished up the night with more Hills, haha.

Now, how could Monday ever top that kind of Saturday and Sunday? I’m going to tell you.

Because of this.

I needed to show Monica the amazing Earth around me.

Take a look for yourself.

In the above picture, you are looking at the Edge of America. The land on the right is Pennsylvania. The land past the Horizon is Canada.

How did I know that? Well, Monica and I were walking down the pier, and there was an older man taking pictures of the lighthouse. We made smalltalk with him about the snow, then Monica asked him if he was from Erie. The man said this was the first time he had seen this landscape since 1969. The first thing that crossed my mind? He just got out of jail.

In reality, he said he just retired from the Department of Defense and returned to Erie after having lived in Spain, England and the Caribbean for the past 40 years. I now think he was a spy (Laura M. thank you for always making this a totally legit reason for me).

After our trek to the Edge of America, we did a little Vera Bradley shopping and got pedicures. Amazing day.

Until I had to drive Monica back to Buffalo to catch a plane back to Baltimore.

I held back the tears until I got on 90.

Monica is my bff.

And our weekend solidified that :)