2020: What A Year

There are a lot of words that can sum up 2020-but I try and keep this blog family friendly, so I won't post any of them. I have no excuse for not posting since February- it's not like I was too busy going out with friends, or traveling, or doing anything "normal". It just goes to show, a person can be lazy even during a pandemic when there is nothing else to do but stay home.

So, I decided to end 2020 with a recap of my year and how I coped during all of this craziness. That being said, I do hope that everyone is doing well and staying safe. 

I last posted in February, and until about March 16, things were going "as normal" as they could. I had already planned out my annual baseball trip with my friend Lisa and I was going to see a Padres game in late March when I was on a business trip in San Diego. I also had a front row ticket to see the Monkees on their 50th Anniversary Tour, and I had tickets to see Julie Andrews speak. Oh, if I had only known what was in store for us this year.

Feb. 28-Mar 1: I worked at my first comic con show in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It was a lot of fun- and I even got time to meet some of the guests who attended. My friend Donna was the organizer of it, and I hope one day we can start having cons in person again because I would love to volunteer at another one.

Top left (clockwise): Guy Gilchrist (cartoonist for many things, including Muppet Babies and Fraggle Rock); Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson from Little House on the Prairie); volunteers of the con with actor John Wesley Shipp; John Wesley Shipp (best known as Dawson's dad on Dawson's Creek); Charlotte Stewart (Miss Beadle on Little House on the Prairie). 

Mar. 7-8: I went to San Antonio for my first half-marathon- the one that I trained like four months for. My sweet friend Corina decided the week before to go with me (and I'm so glad she did, she kept me from giving up when I felt I was in over my head). We got there the day before and visited the Alamo (because that's what you do in San Antonio) and we had dinner with my Aunt Beth. We stayed at the Menger Hotel (which is supposedly haunted), but we sadly didn't see any ghosts. The half-marathon actually went very well. It was nice having a friend there with me. She is an expert at races and gave me a lot of good advice. She also told me to suck it up when I started complaining. Lol. We were able to stop in Austin on our way home, and I got to see my BFF Mandy for the first time in over two years. It was a great trip. 

Why yes, I did have Alamo socks for the Alamo Half Marathon. Also, I bought that red cap at the Alamo, and it is one of my favorite caps now. I wear it a lot when I'm out jogging or walking (you'll see it in many more photos). 

Monday March 16 is when things started to change. We heard rumors going around the office that different departments would work from home one day a week, and by the end of day, we were told we would work from home that Wednesday. I got a call that night from my supervisor that we would work from home Tuesday and Wednesday. By Wednesday afternoon, we were told we would be at home for the rest of the week. And then by Friday, we were told we would be working from home until further notice. I never imagined that in December, we would still be working from home. To be honest, I love working from home. I like that I can wear my "daytime pajamas". I also feel I'm more productive and I get more accomplished during the day. 

My company still offered free flu shots, so I went up to the building for that in September. They had socially distanced areas set up out front of the building for the flu shots. It was well organized. I did go back into the building for the first time since March a few weeks later so I could sign a retirement card for a coworker. I went by my desk and it was how I had left it- with my calendar still on March. It was weird. Lol.

So, what all did I do to pass the time in 2020? I took a LOT of photos while wearing masks.

I also took unmasked selfies. 

I got excited when I was cleaning under my sink in April and found two new bottles of cleaning supplies. Lol.

I also stocked up on Elderberry to keep my immune system in good shape. I had started taking it in February to make sure I stayed healthy for my half-marathon. 

Since all in person races were canceled, I signed up for a lot of virtual 5Ks, and three virtual 10Ks. For those not familiar with virtual races, you sign up and they send you the shirt, bib, and medal, and then you log in your time once you are done. Yes, it's all on the "honor system", but if I'm spending money on a race, I'm going to complete it and earn that medal. Lol.

After spending 11 weeks alone in my apartment, I was able to safely go see some of my family for my birthday in May. Let me tell you, 11 weeks without a hug was almost the death of me. My sweet kiddos made sure Aunt Rachel got plenty of hugs that weekend to make up for it.

I did more eating at home this year, but I made sure to support local businesses by during curbside pickup every so often. You can probably guess the three places I supported the most. Lol.

When restaurants opened back up (to limited capacity), I did make a trip to Norma's Cafe (as you can tell, I was very excited). I have felt very safe and comfortable the several times I've had a meal there during this time. 

Since I was eating at home more, I was excited to get a Mandoline from Tupperware, which slices and dices vegetables (I love cooking veggies in my air fryer). It was all fun and games until I sliced opened my thumb. **insert face palm emoji**. Thankfully I didn't have to go get stitches (this was decided after sending a lot of photos to my niece, who is a nurse, and she told me how to take care of it and that it didn't need stitches). I'll spare you a photo of the actual injury. For those wondering, it has healed quit nicely. And yes, I have even used the Mandoline since then. 

By early summer, I was finally able to see some friends in person. Well, I could see their eyes since we had masks on, but it was better than nothing. 

I also worked on some crafts during the year (I should have worked on more, but again, laziness took over). I am leaving out photos of some of the crafts because they are gifts I haven't delivered to friends yet. The top two wreaths are ones I made for my apartment. The bottom wreath is one I made for my neighbor because I noticed he didn't have a Christmas wreath up. The map at the top are all the states that I've visited, I have four left to go to. I have a photo of me in each state. The bottom photo is a tissue box cover that I made for a friend- his bathroom has a Batman theme.

When I wasn't working on crafts, I spent time working on jigsaw puzzles. I don't have a table, so I have a large foam board I use for puzzles, The only problem is that I forget I can't sit on the floor too long, and my back will start to hurt. Getting old is horrible. Lol.

My folks, oldest sister, and I took a short trip to Galveston in August. We were able to social distance on the beach for a day and it was very relaxing (the closest people were over 200 yards from us).

My dad and I recreated a photo we took when I was seven. :)

I also took a stab at baking during the pandemic (despite being a walking disaster in the kitchen). I know, this is a shocker for anyone who knows me. I'm by no means ready for my own cooking show, but I've had fun. 

I shared my political opinions on social media.

If you know me, you know this is as political as I get. I hate politics. Lol.

Two friends and I went to the town of Jefferson over Labor Day weekend for a little getaway. It's a cute town and we had a lot of fun. We went on a ghost tour and stayed in a haunted hotel, but again, I saw no ghosts. I was kinda bummed, maybe next time I'll see something. But, we did meet a professional paranormal investigator- Jeromy Jones. He and his wife bought and now own the Jefferson Hotel. I plan to stay there next time I visit Jefferson. 

So, my college roommate Mel and I went to New Orleans for Spring Break our senior year. We realized when we got home that we didn't get a photo by the Louisiana state sign, so 20 years later, we got a photo by it. Lol.

Meeting Jeromy Jones

We also went to the town of Elysian Fields (which isn't far from Jefferson). This town was founded by my great great great great-grandfather, so I wanted to go by and see it.

I also did a day trip to Waco with these same friends in October (to celebrate Mel's birthday). We went to the Waco Mammoth National Monument, Dr Pepper Museum, and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. It was a lot of fun. I did put my hand on the wall of the Dr Pepper Museum like I was entering the Promised Land (and yes, I used hand sanitizer afterward). Lol. 

My alma mater's Homecoming was all done virtually-they mailed alumni these Homecoming decorations and supplies so we could celebrate at home. It was the 175th anniversary of our school, and we were supposed to have a big celebration. Maybe we can do that next year. And yes, that cake mix and icing is what I used for the cupcakes in the baking photo above.

The State Fair of Texas was canceled but they did have a drive thru option. It was a lot of fun, and I have to admit that I liked being able to get a photo with Big Tex without a lot of people in the background. They had it set up very well. The entry ticket got you a photo with Big Tex, lots of food, a drink, and a Midway game prize (AKA a stuffed animal). I really enjoyed it. And yes, I did my annual photo of my corny dog with ketchup so I could cause great controversary on social media. Lol.

Even though there were more important matters going on, I was sad that we didn't have in person sports, especially since it was the inaugural season of the Rangers new ballpark. Not only was baseball season shortened, but then fans weren't allowed in to see the games. At least, not until the NLCS and World Series, which were played at the new Globe Life Field (sadly the Rangers weren't playing, but hey, I got to see live baseball). I was able to attend a game of the NLCS and the World Series. They only sold 11,000 tickets and they were sold in pods of four- you had to buy four (it was to keep people by people they knew). They had the seats not sold zip-tied together so people couldn't move around to other seats. And we had to wear a mask unless we were eating or drinking. The Braves were in the NLCS, so my first photo in the new Rangers ballpark is of me wearing my Steve Avery shirtsey. :) The new ballpark is nice and I'm sure it will grow on me, but I do miss the old one.

Like a lot of other people, I did online church for the first time ever. My church has done a great job during this time. After watching the "Big Church" service, my Sunday School class would meet via Zoom. Yes, I still call it Big Church, I don't know what else to call it. The church held our spring food drive back in April- but instead of dropping supplies off in boxes inside the church, like we usually do, we did a "drive by" food drive. A church staff member (wearing a mask and wearing gloves) took the canned goods from our trunk or back seat and then left a packet that included our Good Friday communion (Lord's Supper to you fellow Southern Baptists). We did about six months of only online services before the church opened back up (to strict guidelines). Rows are spaced further apart and you can only sit next to someone who lives in your house. **Cue the song "All By Myself" playing as I sit alone on my row.** They also limit how many people are allowed in each service. Masks are required to enter and they recommend no handshakes or hugs, only elbow bumps. (**Full disclosure: there are a few members who are okay with hugging so I totally hug them- with masks on of course**). 

Some photos from the Spring food drive "drive by". Also, for Easter Sunday, I actually got all dressed up for online services. And yes, I gave myself an Easter basket. My mom was upset that I was going to miss coming home for Easter, so I bought stuff so I could have a basket. Like I need an excuse to buy chocolate. 

Going to church looks a little different right now

The non-profit I work with (Who Needs Sleep) was able to hold our 4th annual 36-hour telethon, despite the pandemic. We limited staff members to only about seven of us, and all guests had to wear a mask until they were on stage. It was a big success and we raised over $5,000 for two local cancer-related charities. 

So, it might not be as exciting as previous year recaps, but I can't complain too much about 2020. It's made me appreciate the little things in life- and what I've taken for granted. I hope after all of this we all can be better versions of ourselves.

Happy New Year to you all and I hope 2021 brings you happiness, blessings, and peace. 

Much love,

Rachel

#OML Road Trip 2019

This is going to be one of my longest posts ever, so if you want to read it in one sitting, I recommend getting snacks and taking a potty break first.

I could go into the long, VERY LONG, story how this road trip came to be, but honestly that would take forever to explain, and I'm tired and just want to get this posted, so you are just going to have to accept that somehow my friend Lisa and I thought doing a road trip that started in Portland, OR and ended in Portland, ME was a great idea (and it was beyond great, it was amazing).

To be fair, the first few days involved flights between locations, and I've been told that's not technically a road trip, but you know what, I'm counting it. Over half of the trip was spent driving. 

The trip started this past May when Lisa and I flew to Portland, OR (mainly because I had never been to Oregon and I wanted to cross it off my states list). Our whole reason for going to that part of the country was to see a Mariners game in Seattle and I was like, hey, let's fly into Portland, spend a day there, and then go to Seattle. So that's what we did. And that is where this OML trip started. It's called OML, which stands for Oh My Lord, which was the response we got from most people when we told them what we were doing. Lol.

We flew first class to Portland (pinkies out).

So, we took an early flight (of course) to Portland and spent the day seeing as much of it as possible. And to our credit, we saw a lot for two people who spent less than 24 hours in the city. After we landed, we were able to check into our hotel early and headed out for lunch. We had tickets for a trolley tour of the city (which is honestly the best thing to take if you want to see the city and don't have a lot of time). What I liked about the trolley tour is that you could get off at any location, and 45 minutes later, another trolley would come pick you up. We only got off of it once, and that was to see Powells Books (because of course I go on vacation and go to a bookstore). After the tour, we went through the Saturday Market where I had to get some homemade ice cream. 

After the trolley tour, we took a tram to the top of the city, which gave us a fantastic view. I highly recommend it if you are in Portland. The trams run like every 15-20 minutes, and you can stay up there as long as you want and take whatever tram you want back. Since we were getting hungry, we only spent maybe 20 minutes up there. But the view was breathtaking. 

We were told we had to try VooDoo Donuts while we were in Portland, but the line was super long, and honestly, we weren't feeling up for it, so we went to a pizza place a few blocks away. It was a cute little hole in the wall pizza place, but the food was good and the server was super nice. After a very long day (and a two hour time change), we went back to the hotel and crashed early.

Originally we were going to rent a car to drive up to Seattle, but we found out that a train was cheaper, and I had never ridden a train before (not counting the one at Six Flags or the public transit train in Dallas). I have to say, I love traveling by train. I think next year we need to take a train the whole trip.

Both Lisa and I had already been to Seattle, so we didn't have much sight-seeing to do once we got there. We did go by the MoPop so Lisa could see the new Prince exhibit. I like the MoPop (last time I was in Seattle it was called the EMP). We spent about an hour there before we were off to T-Mobile Park to see the Rangers play the Mariners. Again, the whole reason we were on the west coast was to see a Mariners game.

We were able to get photos with some Rangers players before the game. We evidently distracted them because they played horribly that night. Oh well. T-Mobile Park was nice, and I was able to cross another ballpark off my list. And if you are new to my blog, I'm sorry I'm not a foodie- I stick to ballpark basics like hot dogs and nachos, so I can't review some amazing food to try out there. I did like that you got free refills on your soda though.

I will not confirm or deny that the photo of me and Mike Minor (center) is my phone wallpaper. Swoon. Lol.

The next morning we had a SUPER EARLY flight to Tampa. Yes, Tampa, Florida. Because it makes perfect sense to go from the west coast to east coast to see back to back games. I will leave out how the Seattle airport was packed and we had to stand in line for TSA for almost an hour and came close to missing our 5 hour flight. But we made it. Sadly we didn't have first class that time so we were back with the peasants in coach. 

By the time we landed, got a rental car, and grabbed a quick lunch, it was time to head to Tropicana Field for the Rays game. We had heard horror stories how awful The Trop was- and you know what- it wasn't that bad. It's not pretty by any means, but we had a great time. And we made history that night. We were part of the smallest crowd to attend a Rays game. And I think it also set a MLB record too. But the few fans that were there were nice. And the usher that was on the field during warm ups was nice and let us sit in seats that were way closer than the ones we had bought. We did take time to walk around. There are live stingrays in the outfield, and you are able to pet them. It took a while to work up the courage but I finally manage to do it.

After another long day, we headed back to our hotel because once again, we had an early flight to Miami the next day. Our flight to Miami was the only delay we had on our trip- and thankfully it was the one time we could afford to have a delay. We were only delayed about 90 minutes. Since it was originally an early flight, we still landed in Miami a little before 10am.

The only thing we cared about seeing in Miami was the Marlins game that night, so we opted to rest at the hotel instead of sight-seeing. After three straight days of going nonstop, we needed the break. I got a three hour nap and felt like a new person by the time we left for the Marlins game.

Marlins Park was another ballpark people warned me wasn't that great, but again, I enjoyed it. It was a small crowd (but not Tampa small). They had an amazing Bobblehead museum that made me insanely jealous. We found great seats on StubHub near the dugout. We even had our own server who waited on us all night. I would totally have those seats if I lived in Miami (and had money). 

Marlins Park is where I discovered the best hot dog in all of baseball- Nathan's Hot Dog. It was amazing. My life was changed. Lol. After the game, we had one more early morning flight until our flight home the following week.

We were able to bump up to first class on our flight to Philadelphia (yes, we are flying snobs now). Lol. We had a minor hiccup getting our rental car at the Philly airport, but we were still able to get over to Citizens Bank Park for the Phillies afternoon game without being late.

I'll admit- I was a little underwhelmed by Citizens Bank Park. It just didn't seem to have anything that stuck out as being spectacular. The fans were nice though- and I did meet two sweet older gentlemen who sat behind us- we talked baseball the whole time. 

We were worried because rain was in the forecast that day, but it didn't start raining until the last out. I'm not even kidding. The last out was caught, and then it started raining. Like it was on cue. We didn't even care at that point. We ate dinner and went back to relax at the hotel. It was the first night we didn't have to get up at an ungodly hour the next day to catch a flight. 

The next day we made a quick side trip to Delaware (because we were that close and I wanted to cross it off my states list). As soon as we crossed the border, we saw a sign for a ballpark. As it turned out, Wilmington, DE is home to the minor league team- the Blue Rocks. They were on the road, but the nice person in the ticket office radioed the guy in charge of the gift shop, and he let us in to buy souvenirs (because collecting minor league baseball shirts is now a thing for me). We got a quick tour of the ballpark, and got some cool souvenirs.

We had a few hours to spend in Philadelphia before heading to Trenton, NJ for a Thunder game. We made another stop at Citizens Bank Park to get something at the gift shop, and were able to get a few more photos we didn't get the day before. 

After that, we went to Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. It was amazing- such a beautiful church with so much history (you can read about it here). The volunteers there were so nice- and they offered us bottled water and snacks (they were having an event and had some snacks left over). I know Philadelphia has a lot of tourist spots, but I highly recommend going by here if you are in town. This was probably my favorite stop in Philly.

After the church, we made a quick (and I mean quick) stop at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, famous for the scene in Rocky where he runs up the stairs. We took a photo at the statue and then ran (okay, walked) up the stairs. We were in a hurry to get to Trenton because the Thunder were giving out a bobblehead, and we know how crazy bobblehead games can get in Texas. We possibly decided to go to this game BECAUSE of the bobblehead. I know, I'm an addict.

Lisa and I both agree that the Thunder game was probably our favorite of the trip. I got to meet my Twitter friend Aaron (we have been Twitter friends for like 10 years). The ballpark was nice, and the game was good, but the people were fantastic. We made new friends who sat in front of us. They were so nice and wanted to hear all about our trip- I am Facebook friends with them now. I want to go back to New Jersey just to go to a game with them. At the end of the game they introduced us to their friend sitting at the end of our row- Mr. Ken Griffey, Sr. (yes, that Ken Griffey). He was super nice and took a photo with us.

The next day we took a 90 minute detour to New Rochelle so I could take a photo by the Dick Van Dyke Show street sign. No I'm not kidding. In the show, they lived on Bonnie Meadow Rd in New Rochelle (it's where Carl Reiner once lived, we went by his old house). They added an honorary street sign to it, and yes, I needed a photo by it. Lisa humors me a lot on our trips- she's a top notch friend.

We then made our way to Connecticut (I was determined to cross all of those northeast states off my list). We originally were just going to stop at the state capitol but we found out the Connecticut home of Mark Twain was also in the same town, we so made a quick stop there as well. Sadly we didn't have time to tour it, but we went to the little museum next door and took some photos outside. I will have to go back one day for a tour (because I'm a nerd).

We had to hurry on to Pawtucket, RI for a Pawtucket Red Sox game against the Syracuse Mets. It wasn't until we saw the starting lineup that we realized that Tim Tebow played for Syracuse- we both had somehow forgotten that. It got a little chilly (below 70) so I had to buy a sweatshirt (because I had left my hoodie in the car, which was blocks away). I have to say, that Pawtucket sweatshirt is the most comfortable thing ever- I've worn it many times this winter!

I love minor league baseball- the game was fun and there were fireworks afterward. It turns out the Red Sox are leaving Pawtucket next year, so I'm glad we got to see them there.

Before leaving Rhode Island the next day, we stopped at their state capitol, the first Baptist Church in America (my Baptist preacher father was pleased), and the Roger Williams National Memorial Visitor Center. We learned a little bit about Roger Williams and I definitely have some books about him on my to read list. He was a fascinating guy. No rest for the weary as we headed to Boston to visit the JFK Presidential Library. I had already been there but Lisa wanted to see it, and I didn't mind going back. I enjoyed some of the exhibits that weren't there in 2013. The JFK library is the one that made me want to see all the presidential libraries. 

After a quick dinner at Wahlburgers, we were off to Vermont to our AirBnb. Sadly I didn't see Mark or Donnie Wahlberg at the restaurant. A photo with the standee is as close as I got.

Vermont was beautiful and the owners of our AirBnb were so nice. They kept recommending local places for us to visit but we told them we were on a tight schedule and had to leave the next day. It was another night where we got to spend the evening just resting. 

We did take a recommendation for breakfast the next day at a little diner. I got pancakes and was told I had to have authentic Vermont maple syrup. Don't tell anyone from Vermont, but it tasted just like every other maple syrup I've ever had. But it was still good. 

We were on our way to Maine, but made a few stops in New Hampshire on our way. I found out that the childhood home of President Franklin Pierce was on our route, so of course we stopped. We couldn't take photos inside the house, but our tour guide was great. I think it was one of her first days because she seemed a little unsure of herself at first, but by the end, she was a natural. I also learned about President Pierce and his family- I have to say I knew pretty much nothing about him before the trip.

Another state, another state capitol. Turns out the New Hampshire capitol is the oldest state capitol where the legislature meets in the original chambers. They had a replica of the Liberty Bell on the grounds, and since we didn't have time to see that in Philly, I took a photo by it. No one could tell the difference if I showed them a photo. Lol.

Also along our route was another minor league baseball ballpark. Sadly they were not home, but of course, we stopped for souvenirs. And it turns out the girl in the gift shop once worked for the Wilmington Blue Rocks. Small world.

We FINALLY made it to Portland, Maine before nightfall (or Portland 2.0, as we called it). We went out to a ledge light (which is like a lighthouse, but it's not). Don't be fooled by the photos, it was a long walk out there, and it was super windy. And the rocks were not spaced close together. But it was fun- and we saw an amazing sunset.

The next day was the last full day of our trip. We took a ferry to Peaks Island, which is a little community, mainly for tourists. It reminded me of Cabot Cove in the show Murder, She Wrote. I kept expecting Jessica Fletcher to ride by on a bicycle. Lol.

Just like in Portland 1.0, we took a trolley tour of the city, just to see as much as we could in an afternoon. This tour didn't have a lot of stops like the one in Portland, Oregon, but it did have one stop at a lighthouse. It was a lighthouse that Henry Wadsworth Longfellow used to visit. I sat on a rock that is believed to be where he sat for inspiration for his poem The Lighthouse. 

After the tour, we hurried over to Hadlock Field for our last baseball game of the trip- the Portland Sea Dogs. Okay, so the whole reason we ended up in Portland, Maine is because when we first planned our trip to Portland, Oregon, we thought the Sea Dogs played there. When we found out they were in Maine, I joked that we needed to just go to Portland, Maine for a baseball game. When we added Philadelphia to our trip, we realized we could drive up to Maine and see a Sea Dogs game, so there. That is how we ended up going Portland to Portland. Yes we are crazy. Lol.

The Sea Dogs game was fun. Once again, I felt the need to buy a hoodie, just because it looked comfortable (and it is). The opposing manager got tossed from the game, but I can't remember why (it's been six months). Lol. The ballpark was cute and the fans were very nice. The concessions were reasonably priced too. I would go to games all the time if I lived there.

Well, that's the end of our insane OML Road Trip. We keep wondering how we are going to top that next year (because it's now a tradition that we take a baseball trip together every year). 

Thank you for reading (if anyone actually made it this far).

I did it- I got all my trips done before the new year (with 90 minutes to spare!)

Happy New Year.

XOXO!