Thanksgiving festivities and some more of VA (yes there is even more for me to discover!)

So including traveling home my overweight baggage fee total is now at $450.... for real, thats happening. Lorin told me to get another bag to check and get rid of the carry on, but I'm a small person and I'm not sure I could handle two large suitcases on all of the train rides that I have taken (it seems like I heart Amtrak, right?). Next semester will be a different story pretty much all flights and driving, so.... I'm considering it.

Being home was wonderful, being able to sleep in my own bed and have an option for clothing and shoes was amazing! I think that over winter break I will wear a different pair of shoes each day, just because I can and I have a closet not a suitcase to get them from! One of the consultants from last year told me that she did not bring anything in her suitcase second semester that she packed first semester. I love that strategy, but think that some serious shopping is order before that can happen. I'm such a case for What Not to Wear, they should come dress me in professional clothing that does not need to be ironed and is machine washable and can be thrown in the dryer. Talk about a challenge! Oh yeah, and it should make me look fabulous and pulled together like I dont live out of a suitcase.

Today was an interesting travel day that included slush, sleet and some serious holiday traffic. I left from Trenton where it was icy but not really snowy and hopped a train to Philly so that I could take an Amtrak train to Union station in DC. I had a small panic attack in Philly when I went to the kiosk to print out my ticket and there were no plans for today!! What, this is not happening again.... NOT HAPPENING. It wasnt! : ) I just didnt have the credit card that the reservation was booked with so I had to actually wait in a line and talk to a person. So, yes, I had a ticket and there was not miracles needed, today at least. Huge sigh of relief!

Well the Amtrak train was really packed. I was worried about finding a seat! I had to very politely ask a scrubby college student traveling in jeans and slippers taking over two seats if he could share with me. I had a very productive ride and read and replied to all of the emails that stacked up during the Thanksgiving break, about 30.

I arrived at Union station and then hopped into a car to drive to James Madison. Well, so were about a million other people driving to Roanoke, Virginia Tech, Washington and Lee and JMU. It was a highway filled with college bumper and window stickers. We even saw another Tri Sigma sticker and it was not someone who went to JMU, so I'm thinking Radford? Funny. In the car we also passed the little town of Woodstock, it took me a minuet but then I realized where we were. I cant wait to go back to Walton House in January and see all of the other consultants, I miss them!

I cant believe it but its almost Christmas. I have one more chapter visit and then will begin working from home until January. How has that happened. It feels like decades ago that I was going through training and getting to know the other consultants. My year is just about half over!