Weekend – Page 20 – Blondie Birdie

Protests, Roller Coasters and SummerSlam 2017…

August 22, 2017by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Good Morning, everyone! Have all of your eyes adjusted back to normal after looking at the solar eclipse yesterday? I shared a pair of those special protective glasses with some of my co-workers yesterday when we viewed the phenomenon from a clearing outside our office. Pretty neat stuff- even if it didn’t get as dark out as I had thought (and sort of hoped) it would!

Before I launch into what I did this past weekend, I wanted to get serious for just a couple of minutes.

I try not to get too political here on Blondie Birdie. It’s not because I’m not interested in current events and it’s certainly not because I don’t care about what’s happening in the world around me- a peek into any of my social media would disprove that misconception very quickly considering how vocal I am surrounding the issues I care about deeply- but a good portion of the news and politics continues to be depressing, infuriating and downright horrifying 99.999% of the time. For that reason, I try to keep things light here. Not only for my readers and subscribers- but for myself, too. Sometimes it’s nice to have a small corner of the internet to escape to when things are looking bleak and rough literally everywhere else.

I do have to comment on what happened in Boston this past weekend, though- because I was on the sidelines for a brief period of time and couldn’t have been prouder of my city for the display of unity, decency and peaceful protest that sent a message to the world and set a precedent for how to drive out hatred and bigotry when it dares come knocking at your door.

For those of you who didn’t know, a small group of white supremacists/Neo-Nazis/”Alt-Right” enthusiasts had scheduled a “Freedom of Speech” rally in Boston Common on Saturday so they could get away with as much hate speech/rhetoric and propaganda as they wanted. Following the events in Charlottesville just days earlier- Bostonians weren’t going to just let it stand- and the handful of losers who ended up hiding and huddled together with police protection in a gazebo right in the middle of the park were surrounded by 20,000+ peaceful protesters who came armed with nothing but signs, banners, and chants until the Nazis (and let’s not mince words. They’re Nazis) were eventually escorted out of the area and back to their basements in armored police vehicles while the crowd cheered, clapped and hollered.

Now, the section I was standing in was well-behaved. I’d heard about a couple of people getting riled up and who attempted to start some trouble long after the rally disassembled- but there’s always and inevitably going to be a few bad eggs in groups that large- and they were far outnumbered by good, decent people who knew that Boston’s strength comes from and relies heavily on the diversity of it’s citizens. I was so, so proud of each and every single person who showed up. THAT’S how you get rid of ignorant and hateful cowards.

And if anyone thinks what happened in Boston didn’t change anything or doubts it made a difference- a bunch of scheduled and similar white supremacy rallies around the country were cancelled following what happened in my city. It DOES work.

Following my stopping by the Common to voice my support alongside those fighting against inconceivable and poisonous hatred- I wanted to close out my Saturday with something fun and carefree- and headed to Six Flags New England with some friends for the remainder of my afternoon/evening to ride roller coasters until I sustained a mild thoracic spine strain (those wooden coasters will get you every. single. time- but I’m healing up nicely!) and eat gigantic ice cream cones until the park closed. My friends continue to buy season passes to Six Flags and then never use them for reasons that are beyond my comprehension- but I get a discounted entry when they bring their passes with them- so it works out for me, anyway!

My favorite coaster is still the Superman (formerly the Bizzaro)– because there’s that .3 seconds where you feel like you might legitimately fly out of your seat and die- but they’ve got a couple of re-vamped ones that I really enjoyed, too- prior to my injury, anyway.

The cost of food and beverages in that place is a whole other story, though. If you ever get the urge to go to Six Flags- pack a good, filling picnic lunch and enjoy it outside the gate before you re-enter the park during your stay. You’ll save yourself a small fortune. I promise! Charging $5 for water bottles during the hottest days of the year are NOT okay.

On Sunday, after a long time in the kitchen making sure my baked goods came out just right- I headed over to Allston for my friend Phill’s WWE ‘SummerSlam’ party to view the event with a group of equally passionate professional wrestling fans. Phill has 3 events per year for the three biggest PPVs- the Royal Rumble, Wrestlemania, and SummerSlam- and up until now I’d never been to one of his parties. The rules were simple: don’t cheer Roman Reigns (a universally disliked and over-hyped character)– and if you bring a snack, it had to be wrestling themed.

My contributions to this event- and my attempt to win the coveted SNACK-Down Championship Belt (AKA best party food) was my “Undercaker” chocolate cake shaped like a wrestling ring- complete with turnbuckles and ropes!- and some gluten-free Balor Club cupcakes specifically for an attendee, James, who I was informed had an allergy and who I didn’t want to exclude. Overall I think everything paired nicely with the huge SummerHAM that one of Phill’s friends- dressed like John Cena, naturally- brought, as well as a dip called ‘Bean Ambrose’- among many other snacks.

The creativity was seriously awesome, and I had the best time- and while I was debating dressing up like Alexa Bliss, I went for a more simple look and rocked my WAY oversized Finn Balor/Demon King shirt- just in time for him to re-emerge in all his body-painted glory for his match. To say I was delighted is an understatement.

Next time, for sure- I’m rocking the Alexa look. New Cosplay project!

Overall, I had a really fun, really fulfilling weekend- and needed a full day yesterday to recover in-between work and catching up on some errands and much-needed sleep at home. My posting schedule is a little off as a result- but it should be back to normal by next week.

Enjoy your Tuesday/Monday 2.0, everyone! I’m getting ready to throw an impromptu, in-office, surprise Bachelorette party for one of my co-workers who is getting married this weekend! I’ll be sure to take some pictures!

– Ashley –

“Don’t go chasing waterfalls…”

August 7, 2017by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Ew, it’s Monday again- and I’m bracing myself for a seriously packed workload at my office this morning. I’m hoping by this afternoon I’ll have finished most of my To-Do list and can breathe a little easier- but right now I know I’m going to be completely absorbed in my case files and my coffee for the next few hours.

I’m pretty tired this morning- and not just because of last night’s episode of “Game of Thrones”- but because I did a LOT of driving, hiking and swimming this past weekend- and my muscles aren’t letting it slide. I’m a sleepy, semi-sore mess and I can’t wait to get home after a post-work burger run with one of my co-workers so I can crawl into bed and get some sleep!

On Saturday, I ventured up North to the White Mountains- towards Mount Washington- when I was caught in a torrential downpour and one of the worst thunderstorms I think I’ve ever seen. Whether it was the altitude or the change in air pressure, I’m not sure- but the lightning was terrifyingly intense and the winds were strong enough to force me off of the road for a while until it was safe to drive again. I ended up parked near Cascade Mountain while I waited for the conditions to clear- which ended up being sort of a pleasant surprise since there is a gorgeous waterfall right there off of the roadway. When the storm passed, I ran out to snap a few photos of it before the downpour started again.

The rain didn’t let up- and it nearly followed me all the way home Saturday evening when I gave up on having enough visibility to safely hike any trails or cross any rivers. The conditions were just too dangerous at the time- and I’m hoping I can try again in a couple of weeks- weather permitting!

Yesterday was much more laid-back and the weather was infinitely nicer. With clear, sunny skies- I headed up to Singing Beach for a few hours to soak up the sun with friends. There was a street festival just outside the beach, too- where the local shops and vendors around Manchester-By-The-Sea gathered to sell food, jewelry, home decor, books, etc. Although parking was a nightmare- it was fun to have a look around before we headed out to grab dinner and a couple of margaritas in downtown Melrose and I started back towards my place to prepare for work this morning!

And now I’m here, sun-kissed and ready to snooze- but prepared to tackle the day as best as I can.

Here’s hoping you all make it through your Monday!

My friend was feeling cheeky yesterday at the beach and snapped this one of me.

– Ashley –

Madrid and Margaritas…

August 4, 2017by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Good Evening, everyone!

I hope you’re all enjoying your Friday night. It’s a bit unlike me to post after dark (I usually update Blondie Birdie early in the morning before I head into work or while I’m waiting for my coffee to brew)– but I took a long-overdue “Selfie Night” for myself today in order to catch up on e-mails I’d been neglecting for the better part of a week, enjoy a long bath while I started binge-watching the new mini-series for “Wet Hot American Summer” on Netflix (I’m nearly finished and it’s so over-the-top crazy-funny. I love it!)– and catch up on some much needed overall rest and relaxation. After I post this, I have a feeling I’ll be crawling into my clean and freshly folded sheets to try and get a full night of undisturbed sleep. I’m exhausted!

My last attempt at a “Selfie Night” was supposed to have been last Sunday, but my plans became a bit rearranged when- as I’d mentioned in my July “In a Nutshell” post earlier this past week- my best friend Sean returned home from a month-long stay in Spain after he came down with a severe case of food poisoning/dehydration that resulted with him spending a significant amount of time in the hospital. It’s a scary thing- to have someone you care about be so sick and so far away from home- and I can’t even begin to imagine what it must have been like for him to go through on his own. Thankfully, he’s back in the States and on the mend- and once he had stepped off the plane- some of our friends and I (and his mother!) who had showed up to surprise him at the arrival gate outside the airport snatched him up to get him some food and a couple of drinks so he could tell us all about his trip.

While Sean had been in Madrid prior to falling ill, he picked me up this really beautiful paper and lace fold-out fan that he gave to me at dinner. I love it. The imagery on it is really gorgeous- and even though I briefly used it to cool myself off in the car ride home since the temperatures were scorching- it’s since been placed neatly and delicately on display near my nicer dishes and silverware in my dining area. I don’t want anything to happen to it- and that’s the safest spot!

It’s just really nice to have him back home. I missed him a lot and I’m glad he’s feeling better and doing okay. We have a lot of catching up to do- starting tomorrow, more than likely! While there’s a few different weekend getaways planned throughout the month of August- I believe the next day or so will be spent in the White Mountains for the first time in over a year. I’m sure I’m going to have plenty of pictures to share!

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

– Ashley –

Stone Stacks and Seafood…

July 26, 2017by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

As much time as I spend along the coast in New Hampshire- to the point where I know most of the roads and the sights/places to stop like the back of my hand- sometimes I stumble on something I’d never seen before or that I didn’t know existed and I can still manage to be surprised. Case in point: this past Sunday when I had pulled over to a secluded section of the beach in Northern Hampton in order to answer a couple of texts I had received while I was on the road heading towards my favorite seaside lunch spot to grab a quick bite.

Typically, I’d just sit in my parked, air-conditioned car to answer the texts- but it was lovely out on Sunday- with the sun shining and the temperature not too hot or cold. Instead, I decided to climb up a set of rocks to soak up some Vitamin D and watch the low tide in-between reading messages.

Once I’d reached the top of the rocks along the shoreline, I noticed a path that cut down to a section of the beach where there were a ton of intricate man-made stone stacks (some people call it rock balancing, too- I think.) I mean there were SO many. I’d never seen anything like it before- so I completely forgot about answering my messages and instead grabbed my camera before heading down the pathway to check it out.

I had no idea any of those were just on the other side of the edge of the roadway that I’ve driven by literally hundreds of times over the years- otherwise I would have stopped to check it out sooner! It was such an unexpected sight to see- and I had such a peaceful time sitting among the rocks and marveling at just how much time and patience it must have taken to get some of the stacks just right without causing the entire thing to topple over on itself.

Of course, I HAD been on my way to get food- so when I was done snapping photos- I headed down the coast to the Beach Plum for one of their famous toasted lobster rolls and some ice cold lemonade to eat beside the waves.

The best part of the Beach Plum’s lobster rolls? Absolutely no lettuce to get in the way. Just plenty of meat and a delicious, buttered and lightly toasted roll. That’s all I could ever ask for! So, so good.

Overall, I had quite a nice afternoon- full of surprises and seafood- and I’m looking forward to a planned trip a little further up to Maine this coming weekend if the weather permits!

– Ashley –

“Two Tickets to Paradise…”

July 19, 2017by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

This past Saturday marked the five-year anniversary since my father passed away, and while I was content with just spending the weekend by myself where I could reflect and grieve quietly- some of my co-workers had a different idea- and I’m glad I went along with it because it ended up being really, really fun.

I love the people I work with. They’re all intelligent, brilliant at what they do, and are incredibly easy-going and funny on and off the clock. Some of us usually get together once a week or every couple of weeks to have drinks and/or grab food after hours- but this past weekend we all journeyed to a campground in the middle of nowhere, Massachusetts to do something a little different- catch an Eddie Money concert. If you’re not familiar with Eddie Money, the over-the-top persona- then you have definitely heard some of his hits on classic rock radio, at least- like “Two Tickets to Paradise” or “Take Me Home Tonight”.

One of my co-workers picked up tickets for about ten of us to catch the afternoon show at Indian Ranch, a campsite located off of the shores of Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagaugchaubunagungamaugg (Yes, that’s the real name. No, I have no idea how to pronounce it.) I hadn’t been there since I was a little kid- and had all but forgotten it was a real place until we arrived on Saturday after grabbing a couple of beers at a little bar down the road.

The venue and outdoor stage area was actually really nice- with impressive sound that carried over the crowd and all the way to the water where we were standing to watch- so we could see/hear pretty much everything with complete clarity. My only complaint was that there wasn’t enough shade- and at 2 p.m. in the middle of July- that can be a problem.

The opening act was Eddie Money’s son, Desmond, and his daughter- Jesse- who ended up joining the “Money Man” when he eventually took the stage for just over an hour. There was a lot of banter between songs, which just got funnier and funnier as the afternoon wore on and people drank more and more. I wish I could describe the scene when Eddie asked where his “eighties ladies” were and every woman over 45 completely lost their minds. It was kind of amazing.

Overall, I had a blast- and it was a nice distraction from the usual sadness that otherwise would have plagued me for the day.

The only downside to the weekend, however- was that one of my friends/co-workers was injured in a pretty serious car crash in the hours following the concert when someone abruptly cut into his lane on the highway and he swerved in an attempt to avoid a collision. He’s lucky to be alive- judging by the pictures of his car I saw- and is expected to make a full recovery per the last conversation I had with him- but it was definitely a scary thing to hear about and all well-wishes/good vibes should be sent in his direction while he’s recuperating.

Outdoor BBQ at work! The sky cleared up! 7/17/18.

I’ve got a lot to do at the office this morning- especially since yesterday was my company’s annual Summer BBQ where we managed to keep the rain at bay long enough to enjoy some freshly grilled cheeseburgers and play some games outside for a couple of hours- but it set me back a bit on my case load and I’ve got to play some catch-up this morning to make sure I don’t fall behind or overlook anything.

Have a great Hump Day, everyone!

– Ashley –