I’m just about ready. I have all of my documents, finally, and translations are beginning.
I’m doing my best to avoid a horror story at the consulate…
After doing some more research on other people’s experience with the Philadelphia consulate, I’m growing more and more concerned about some small discrepancies with my application. Specifically, the spelling of some first names.
I have been doing the small, local festival circuit for a few years, and have been really anxious to try to one of the larger domestic festivals. Bonnaroo seemed to fit well; I had a few friends interested in going, and the festival also boasted a killer line-up this year. My friends Maranie, Kristen, and Evan signed up for a little RV excursion, and we crammed in to the little camper for five days away from home.
Finally, after a cold and reclusive winter, May Day at the Great Blue Heron Music Festival arrived with perfect weather and lots of work to do.
Arriving Saturday night, Nathan and I drove through sunset that eventually dissolved in to an excellent view of the May supermoon that lit up the entire Heron property all night. We spent most of Saturday with our friends bringing each other up to speed on our lives at home and making plans for traditionally busy May Day Sunday morning.
We go big for a few holidays every year, Easter being among them. It’s one of maybe 4 total dinners that we eat in the very exclusive Smarto dining room. In keeping with holiday tradition, we got up early and started making a day-long banquet including the Easter staples like ham, deviled eggs, dyed eggs, and the like. But we threw in some new experiments like coucous with dried apricots and pine nuts, Kate’s special macaroni and cheese and cheese and bacon and cheese, and berry triffle.
I had the distinct pleasure in participating the wedding proposal from my dear friend Adam to his lovely soon-to-be bride, Krista. Adam had been mentioning a musical wedding proposal for months, but the idea came to fruition rapidly over the last two weeks.
Spring has finally sprung around these parts. Mom and I had some free time on a Friday, so we took the pups to Oak Hollow Park for a little exercise. Meanwhile, I spent more time with the camera then with dogs… business as usual. 🙂
Mom was kind enough to get Doug and I a beer brewing stater kit in lieu of a more traditional Valentine’s day kit. I remember a time in my life when she discouraged drinking, and now she’s enabling me to begin making my own. ‘Teach a man to fish’ I suppose…
Without a doubt, I say with great certainty that despite all of the backpacking, camping, and hiking trips I’ve done, I’ve never done one in more extreme weather than the trip I just returned from today. Organized by the Southwestern Pennsylvania Backpackers group on MeetUp, this “short” little trip on the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail ended up bring a very brutal weekend in the woods.
It’s hard to believe that no matter how much I like to travel, and even though it is only 6 hours away, I’ve never been to NYC in my life. So, to get away for a weekend, I bought a $45 dollar Megabus ticket and a hotel room in Manhattan and skipped Pittsburgh for a weekend.
