Hey everyone, welcome back to the blog! This week was filled with adventures, questionable hotels, and heartwarming traditions. Get comfy, because we’re covering a lot of ground.
Thursday and Friday flew by in a flurry of pre-vacation excitement, and before I knew it, I was en route to pick up Jenn from the train station. Cue the confetti – girls’ week was officially ON! We were both practically vibrating with anticipation, not just for a glorious week away from the office grind, but for some quality time together before my big move, and a good, old-fashioned family Thanksgiving thrown in for good measure. That evening was a whirlwind of last-minute trip prep, punctuated by a visit from Samantha, who came to shower Albus with love before his upcoming “boarding.”
Ah yes, Albus. Let’s talk about the Great Dog Accommodation Crisis of 2025. As you may recall, Albus had outgrown his carrier by about two inches, effectively sabotaging our planned trip to Saba. With me heading out of town for two weeks, I was in dire straits trying to figure out what to do with Albus. In a moment of sheer panic, I dialed Trisha, the amazing woman from the rescue who brought Albus into our lives. Remember when we dropped off donations and let Albus charm her socks off? Well, she’d casually offered to watch him if I ever found myself in a pinch while trying to escape the country. And wouldn’t you know it, the pinch had arrived! Bless her heart, she happily agreed to take care of him for the sixteen days I’d be gallivanting around, solving a monumental problem.
Saturday morning, we dropped off the furry overlord with Trisha and hit the road to New Jersey. Miraculously, we encountered zero traffic and arrived just in time for lunch, where we caught up with family over the legendary New Jersey panzarottis. By 2ish, we’d arrived at Kim’s for a delightful visit before continuing on to Aunt Penny’s, our home base for Thanksgiving week. That night, we celebrated a birthday with a scrumptious dinner and stayed up late by the fire, lost in laughter and good conversation.
Sunday morning, I woke up bright and early (despite my 1 AM bedtime!) and dove into some writing while everyone else slowly emerged from their slumber. Jenn and I had a date with Aunt Dori in Cape May. We met up at Cape May Peanut Better Company, and we spent a wonderful afternoon catching up and browsing the charming shops. We also indulged in some festive holiday beverages and, of course, more chit-chat. Afterwards, Dori joined us back at Penny’s for a lovely visit, leaving just before nightfall.
Then came the main event: the Eagles game. You see, Dave’s family is fiercely devoted to the Philadelphia Eagles. They support them through thick and thin, and while the Birds tragically blew a 21-0 lead to the Cowboys (gasp!), it was still a good time. After the game, we snuggled up by the fire for the evening. It was cozy, comfortable, and filled with truly valuable family time.
Monday was all about reveling in our newfound freedom from work. Jenn and I took full advantage with a delightful outing to Smithville, followed by a pit stop in Ocean City. While there, we snagged some Manko & Manko Pizza, a favorite of Kim’s, to give it a whirl. Now, as a Connecticut girl who grew up near the hallowed grounds of Pepe’s Pizza (the OG tomato pie!), I’m partial to a New Haven-style pie with a little char. But since New Jersey also claims pizza supremacy, I was open to trying it. And I have to admit, it wasn’t bad! Definitely a solid pizza contender. Kim had headed home for the night, and Penny was at work, so it was just Jenn and I at Penny’s.
We soaked up the last rays of sunshine on the deck until the evening chill drove us back inside. Penny arrived home a short while later, and we all spent the evening by the fire, calling it a night around 10 PM.
Tuesday was all about checking something off my bucket list: Atlantic City! I know, I know, Connecticut has some pretty swanky casinos, so I’m a bit spoiled. But curiosity got the better of me. Dave warned me that it was basically a seedier, boardwalk-enhanced version of Vegas. And, well, he wasn’t wrong. Let’s just say the wind was determined to ruin any boardwalk fun, and neither the Hard Rock nor the Golden Nugget exactly blew my mind. In fact, the Golden Nugget was dated and musty enough to be a bit depressing.
The good news? We made it back to Penny’s place by late afternoon, and the rest of the evening was pure relaxation and good company. Penny’s house is seriously magical. It’s like a warm hug in house form. Everyone feels welcome, there’s always a comfy seat, and the atmosphere is just pure joy. I swear, I felt a million times better than when I arrived.
Wednesday brought Kim’s return and a trip to the Cape May Zoo! The weather was perfect, and we had a blast wandering around. All the walking this week has been fantastic for my recovery. After the zoo, we grabbed lunch at The Tavern (highly recommend!), and then Jenn and I braced ourselves to check into the Passport Inn. Oh boy. “Sketchy” doesn’t even begin to cover it. Let’s just say the maintenance budget was clearly non-existent. But hey, at least it was only for two nights, right? Silver linings, people, silver linings!
We woke up bright and early on Thanksgiving Day, ready to head back to Penny’s. Our first mission? To catch the Ocean City Turkey Trot! Unfortunately, we arrived just a tad too late. Since it was a bit chilly, we decided to head back to the house and wait for the Thanksgiving festivities to begin.
And epic is the only word to describe it. First up was the traditional march across the street with the freshly fried turkeys on platters so that Penny’s neighbor Joe, a former butcher, could expertly carve them for us. Next up was the feast, with a plethora of sides and a truly ridiculous number of pies. Then came the “thanks jar,” where everyone writes down what they’re grateful for to be shared with the group. It’s always a hilarious, heartwarming, and sometimes surprisingly serious experience, and I truly enjoy being part of it. Later, there was crafting involving seashells, but since I couldn’t exactly bring those to Saba, I opted out. Jenn and I headed back to our, ahem, “charming” hotel, saying our goodbyes so we could hit the road early the next day.
We escaped the hotel around 6:30 am after a mandatory stop at Wawa (a New Jersey staple, you gotta try it!). The drive home was a breeze – three hours with absolutely zero traffic! I arrived home, settled in for the night, and prepared for my next adventure: a trip to my dad’s place in Florida!
Stay tuned for more tales from the Sunshine State! And let me know in the comments: what are your favorite Thanksgiving traditions?