SWEET HOME RHODE ISLAND

To blog or not to blog…..thats what I kept asking myself. But thanks to Carrie Marvin (creator of www.mandrama.com) I have decided TO blog. I know it’s not as personable as sending everyone emails about what’s going on in my new life but it’s definitely easier & wayyy more fun for the writer & the reader! I mean come on, photos included. If you know me, you know that’s a plus…..So I’ve now been living in lovely Johnston, RI for 21 days. I still can’t believe I am here. Can you? I think it’s starting to set in. Yesterday I was a bit overwhelmed towards the afternoon but a few friendly texts from my peeps back home & big hug from Steve when I walked in the door saved the day. I used to think I would never leave good ole NOVA, I always wanted to raise a family there. Who knows…things aren’t so bad up North (at least in the Summer…HA!)…I can actually kinda see myself staying here. Obviously that all depends on a certain guy I’m rooming with… ;)…..Let me point out that I give major props to miss Natalie Brown for venturing out on her own over the last few years. This has already been such and adventure for me! THANK GOD for my wonderful Garmin navigator…Emily, Tiffany & Pam-again, what a fabulous going away gift! It has been such a life savor. The area has been treating me well…it’s been gorgeous outside almost every day. I am so incredibly happy to be with Steve. What a wonderful treat after doing the long distance thing with him for a lil over a year and a half. I am so so so lucky……His friends & family here are a-m-a-z-i-n-g. They have all made me feel so welcome. I feel more apart of them & more included each time I see them. Work at COX has been going really good. My boss & team seem very laid back. The atmosphere is very friendly & very lively. The animals are doing well…Molly, Kippy & my no name fish. They seem to have settled in the 1st day we arrived. Anyway, I just wanted to give a quick update since everyone has been asking sooo here’s the run down….. (*More photos to come…I had to sneak this profile view one above in while no one was looking in my new cubicle world.)
NOTE: Even though Rhode Island is neither a road nor an island as Mike Hoke would say, it’s also not a place of only woods as Justin Kimmel would say. So seriously…come visit me! We have a guest room & a guest bathroom w/ your name on it! The drive isn’t that bad & the flights from Baltimore to Providence are pretty cheap! :)


June 20-22: Ashley & Louis moved me to Johnston, RI….left at 10pm, arrived @ 6am…Ashley slept the entire ride-Lou & I shared the driving time. Ash & Lou slept most of the day…while Steve & I shopped till we dropped using the AWESOME American Express gift certificates I got from my SPRINT co-workers before I left. That night the 4 of us headed to Plainfield, CT where Steve grew up to hang out w/ his buddies @ the VFW local dive bar. Ash & Lou left early the next morning to head back to Virginia.

2. June 23: Steve & Jacob took me to the CVS Caremark Celebrity Golf Charity Classic dinner @ the infamous Breakers mansion (www.newportmansions.org) in Newport, RI! Free drinks & dinner followed by a concert put on by the Pointer Sisters!

June 24: I got my Rhode Island license….weiiiiiiiiird.

June 25: I started my job at COX Communications in West Warwick, RI-20 mins from home. I am on the Sales team in the STORM center & support a VP who runs the customer care call center. You know…”Good morning, thank you for calling COX, how can I help you?” 30 days from now my COX perks will kick in….cable, internet & phone discounts. Sorry…I don’t think we have a friends & family plan, but I will find out!

June 28: Steve & I checked out the water fires (www.waterfire.org) in Providence, RI. Freakin’ awesome! Lots of people, food vendors, music & fires on the water….gondola rides too-just as if you were in Italy! Which I think looks sooooo romantic! We even saw an “under the sea” girl w/ her body painted in blue from head to toe…very interesting.

July 3-6: Mom & Dad came to visit & brought all of my crap with them in the U-Haul! After unloading we all headed to dinner at Chelo’s to taste the onion strings Steve had been talking up. 4th of July the 4 of us piled in the car & drove to Steve’s brother Matt’s house for breakfast & a cute neighborhood parade! Kids, candy, tractors, music, animals & classic cars. We then headed into Plainfield to show off where Steve grew up & checked out Sue & Bryan’s new place that they have been re-modeling! We then drove back home & unpacked boxes for 5-6 hours & made Steve’s yummy chicken tacos…..That night my parents stayed in at the apartment while us kids went out to downtown Providence & partied the night away at Fish Co & McFaddens! YES-they have a McFaddens here!.....The next morning we took a trip to Portsmouth, NH to visit my Uncle Mark, Doreen & my cousin Chloe & her hubby Adam & their new born baby Max, who is the cutest lil thing ever! As well as my cousins Jesse & Travis. We spent the day checking out the beach, playing games in the yard & cooking out! It’ so nice that I am now only 2 hrs from them!.....Sunday Mom & Dad left early to head back to Virginia…Ashley, Linda & Roy seem to love early flights! HA!

July 7: Steve & I went to Newport, RI to see mae (from VA Beach) & the Plain White T’s in concert on the water near the inner harbor! Unfortunately the microphones weren’t turned up loud enough under the tent, the instruments were too loud for their words, but we still had a fun time seeing the two main bands play…..The group The Kung Fu Girls opened up for them but they aren’t really worth mentioning….we saw more up the skirt shots from the lead singer then talent…..it was awful, the worst part was when the girls started rapping their last song. WOW.

July 10: I made my first friend at work! I am excited, can you tell? Her name is Lisa, she is 27 & grew up in this area. She is a training coordinator here. We ate lunch today in the café. She is very nice, outgoing & talkative…she seems to know everyone. It will be nice to have someone to eat with every day instead of looking like a loser & eating at my desk. The funny part is she told me I had a "darn wicked accent"!!! I was like "Who me?? You all do"!!!...That's a first!