Kate’s (and Justin’s) Great Dates in the States: Celebrate good times, come on

For those readers who thought our travel schedule has been too diverse recently, with trips to Hungary, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and other cold, dark, obscure, and hard-to-pronounce places, you’re in luck. Kate and I are back in the States and ready to provide simple, unadorned commentary on the plain and unpretentious celebrations we take part in when we come home to America.

Playing Hooky: Although Kate said she had lots of work to do upon her arrival in the States, Chicago gal pal and previous neighbor, Carol, along with long-time BFF, Elizabeth, visited on the first weekend for some shopping, concert-going at the University of Maryland, and Chipotle-eating. Kate had a terrific (Terp-ific?) time and wishes we had neighbors and friends like them in Germany. BIRF-daze: Although a bit travel worn, I arrived a week later and was very excited to join Kate’s brother Edward for his (muffled utterance) birthday at an eatery crafted by one of his favorite restaurateurs. We like Edward and always enjoy the amusing stories he tells. Six diet cokes in a row allowed me to be almost conversational.
I heart T-shirts: The day after my arrival we rented a truck and drove up to New Jersey to visit my step-sister, Breanna. Well, really, we parked in her complex’s lot, bummed a ride to the Penn Station bound train, and met her the next evening for Mexican food and an occasionally hilarious comedy show. The purpose of the trip was to visit our wonderful friends Mike and Amanda (first picture), who have lived in Queens for three years now but who we haven't managed to visit during all our travels. Time flies when you’re living it up as the king of the hill, top of the heap, I guess. And we now have very American commemorative T-shirts to prove our Gotham getaway.
Being a kid again: On the way back from NYC, we stopped by a house in Applebachsville, Penn., that for 16 years I called home. The current residents, who have lived there for a little over a year, were interested in hearing the history of the house. I, on the other hand, could only offer my childhood memories, like where I once peed on the carpet and where I used to lay awake at night fearing that aliens would land in the field next door.
A lot had changed in the 12 years since we sold the house; so, to me, it was like recalling a memory I never had. Weird. And everything seemed smaller too.

Dog days of winter: It’s very easy to “celebrate good times” with dogs. They require nothing more than a tennis ball and an open field. Kate and I had a great time with these bowwows.

Exotic cuisine Americanized: Yum. The next couple days Kate and I shopped like teenage girls, relishing the novel exchange rate ($1 = $1). But there were two food purchases I savored the most: a sweet, juicy tea concoction complemented by these delicious chewy tapioca pearls, and chipotle burritos. Traditional American cuisine (hot dogs, Twinkies) is infamous for its nitrates and preservatives. But the American cuisine I miss living in Germany is the ease of sampling exotic cuisines Americanized. Although unlimited wurst and beer options are great, the variety of food available to those living in the States is unmatched anywhere in the world. God Bless America.
Old and aging friends: Christmas shopping was followed by an assembly of our old and aging D.C-area friends, all of whom are successful, happy, and better than me at air hockey (even Prabhu, seen here defying the laws of hockey by “scooping” the puck).
Laissez les bons temps rouler: Kate and I have been in Southern Maryland the last couple days, shopping, eating Mexican food, and spending quality time with Barbara, Bill, and acquisitions from the library. Today we head to Annapolis to see another old and aging friend, Keyvan, and tomorrow is a pre-Christmas Christmas party. More pics to come.