Highlights From (yet another) Awesome Weekend

OK, everyone, it's time for the run down. I'm back at Bragg after one of my patented Awesome Weekends with Lauren. Here's more or less how it went down.

Friday

7:30AM--After what most experts agree was one of the greatest staff duty runs of all time, I hand over the desk to my replacement. I've been awake since 6:45 the previous day, and I'm feeling fine.

8:15AM--I'm on the road, heading for Emporia, VA where I'll meet Lauren. Lauren's been in NoVA since Wednesday, and she's on her way to wisk me away to a weekend of errands, Harry Potter, and relaxing with my parents. Still feeling fine.

9:32AM--Feelings of fineness beginning to wane. Eyelids becoming heavier by the second. Must...get...to Emporia.

Fade to Black

1:13PM--I wake with a start, and forget for a moment where I am. Groggily I come to, and I seem to remember that I successfully slept walked my way through the rest of the drive, switched to Lauren's car in Emporia (leaving the CRV with the nice people at the Knights Inn), and had been zonked out for the last three hours while we drove North to Fort Belvoir.

2:15PM--Sitting at the Fort Belvoir Starbucks--that's right Every Other Post, Starbucks--and I get a call on my cell. Apparently the apartment we were going to move into in Alexandria won't be completed until September. This crimps our plans, and we officially enter the stress zone. I contemplate suggesting that Lauren might be able to find exciting, Venetian-Blinds-Optional housing at Fort Bragg, but hold my tongue.

3:45PM--After successfully signing Lauren in at her new post, we narrowly avoid rush hour traffic and arrive at my parents house in Manassas. Mom is thrilled to see us, invites us all out to the porch to relax with a glass of wine...and promptly locks us out of the house.

11:15PM--Dad eventually comes home, saving us from the out-of-doors. Dinner, conversation, and the rest of our bottle of wine follow, and Lauren and I head out to Woodbridge Borders to wait in line to pick up Harry Potter 7. Borders turns out to be a disaster, so we drive cross county to the Manassas Barnes & Noble, who has a grade-A operation going. We pick up our copies, head home, and promptly fall asleep.

Saturday.

10:30AM--Lauren and I drag ourselves out of bed, and set out to tackle the days chores. We would both rather be reading Harry, but attempt to slog through other stuff anyways. We quickly determine that the apartment situation has got us down, and must needs be resolved prior to moving on to happier tidings. As such...

12:30PM--I call the apartment complex and see if they have anything available sooner. It turns out that we can get in on the 9th floor, with a two month rent free discount, if we move in before August 1st. Only downside--not as good view of the Potomac from the lower floor. But for immediate move in and no rent for two months? We'll take it.

1PM--Lauren and I make a triumphant post apartment acquisition trip to my parent's neighborhood pool. We swim, read Harry Potter, and have a genuinely awesome time. We've got our apartment, and we're feeling fine.

I think the timeline routine is getting old for now, so I'll summarize the rest of the weekend. We had another nice dinner at my parent's place, then headed to Fort Belvoir to spend Saturday night with some privacy. Come Sunday we took Christine out to a birthday brunch, signed our lease for the apartment (hurrah!!) and met my mom for dinner at the Mac Grill, before Lauren drove me back to my CRV in Emporia.

Lauren and I said our goodbyes, and drove to our respective posts--Bragg and Belvoir.

Somewhere along the way, we managed to read the first 300 pages or so of Harry Potter. We rule.

Love to All.