Whelp, I just finished unloading the suitcase after a whirlwind weekend north of the Mason-Dixon! Mom, Jake, and I drove up to DC Friday to meet my dad and Todd. After a fabulous dinner at a Thai restaurant in Old Town Alexandria (thanks Todd!), we picked up Dad, fresh from a business trip in Mississippi, at the airport around midnight. We spent a cozy night in Todd's one bedroom condo, then woke up bright and early Saturday morning for the two hour trek to Philadelphia!
Once in Philly, we met up with one of Dad's Academy classmates to tailgate before America's Game, the Army-Navy football classic! Todd, Dad, and Jake had fabulous seats practically on the field, while Mom and I sat up in the club seats, with access to gourmet food and a full bar! It was super cold, but with enough hot chocolate, we were happy as clams, huddled under blankets, watching Navy beat Army for the eighth year in a row!
After the game, we drove to Cherry Hill (New Jersey) and got toasty warm under down comforters at our hotel and ordered a piping hot pizza that was just what the doctor ordered after a long day in the cold! And after two weeks of studying, drilling, and writing papers, it was so nice to get a good night's sleep!
This morning, we woke leisurely, had a fabulous breakfast at the hotel, and packed up the car before heading back into PA to tour Philly! For as many Army-Navy games as we've all attended over the years, we've never seen the city. So we saw the Liberty Bell and then climbed aboard the trollies to take the Big Bus Company's tour of historical Philadelphia. You might remember this company as the folks I toured London with, both when I lived there and when I went back during a deployment. We saw all the sights and learned a ton of history! After the tour, we walked a few blocks down Market Street to Campo's for a Philly Cheesesteak. Non of us had ever had the real thing, so we were on a hunt for the best. Between Pat's, Gino's, and Campo's, this received the most votes, and we were not disappointed!!
After lunch, back to the car for a rainy and cold trip back South. First stop, Todd's to drop him off back in DC. Then a pit stop at another first (for me anyway) Pierce's in Williamsburg for a BBQ dinner. Then Suffolk to drop me off!! It was a great weekend, but somewhere along the way, I got hives that have traveled from my legs up to my throat, so it's Benedryl and a good night's sleep for me!
