Oh right. That was me. Earlier this week.
We played our fair share of road games {i.e. We discussed how to play the state game, but didn’t play it. We tried to make truckers beep. We looked up the app for the alphabet game, but didn’t download it. Did you know they have apps for that these days?!} We listened to podcasts of our high school fave, Love Line with Zack Morris as the guest host. We had some dance parties in our seats to NSync and BSB.
All of these car moments were great, but by far, my favorite moment of the roadtrip was when we saw a man toting his goats down I-95. TOTES MAGOTES! It doesn’t take much to make me smile… but a man encompassing the phrase “totes magotes” gets me every single time.
When we finally made it to florida on day two of our trip, it was storming and terrifying. {I hate lightning. Pair it with the road work that is I-95S through Jacksonville? Enough said.} Luckily though, as we rolled into our final destination, Ft. Lauderdale, the sun decided to welcome her to her new home!
It was a joyous occasion when the dogs got to see their daddy for the first time in almost two months and Cait got to see her man! He knows us oh so well: Mark had the wine waiting for us! Unfortunately the Dollar Store wine opener will only open one bottle before self destructing. But we made do!
We did do a lot of work, but there was a lot of laughs and fun. It’s crazy to think that I left one of my oldest friends several states away, without knowing when we will get together for dinner and drinks again.
On my last day there, we spent some time doing what we do best: watching Law and Order: SVU and drinking wine. I cannot believe I have been friends with this girl since first grade. Sure, we’ve had our ups and downs. What good friendship hasn’t?
I wonder what our first grade teacher would’ve said if someone had told her “You see those two girls you sat together at that table over there? The tom boy and the chubby girly girl? Yeah… them. From this point on, they will become friends for life. They will both decide to play the viola together in 5th grade because they hear you can make more money with that instrument over a violin. They will share a nanny, horseback riding lessons, and fudge cookies after school. They will become arch enemies in a Sticky Buddy war. Caitlin will beat up Susan’s sister in the driveway one day. Susan will try {keyword: try} to learn about football from Caitlin. They will share a secret notebook covered in NSync all throughout high school because they won’t have any classes together. They will go their separate ways for college, but always catch up for Mister Jim’s hot wings when Susan is back in town. After college they will eventually become roommates, help each other through tearful nights when boys hurt their feelings, be there to bail each other out of jail, and binge watch trash television. They will survive beach days, hurricanes and snowstorms together. They will be there to celebrate when each of them finally meet their very own Prince Charmings. They will even be there for each other when life throws a curve ball and one of them suddenly moves across the country. You, Mrs. Stillman are making a wonderful decision by putting Susan and Caitlin at the same first grade table….”
Thanks for a good time, Ft. Lauderdale. You take real good care of my friend. Keep her warm and tan year round. Teach her about what it’s like to leave your hometown of lil ole Great Bridge and live in a real city. Show her what it is like to experience a Christmas with summer temps and palm trees, but still provide her with a legit tree lot so she can buy her annual live Christmas Tree. And when she misses home, remind her that she is there because she is young and in love… and that Virginia is only a flight away.
