School ended (hooray), and I said farewell to my friends, and made my way up to Barrington, New Hampshire to see my family. My Granddad picked me up, and with Derek, my cousin, we drove five or six hours to reach the state where US citizens "Live Free or Die". I napped almost the entire way, which was nice, but also resulted in more than a few cricks in my neck and back. For the next few days, my activities included sleeping, eating, then sleeping, and eating some more. I began watching the series Criminal Minds, which through its crack-like addicting properties has become a major feature of this stay. I read books, wrote thank you notes, watched hours of Criminal Minds, and took the wonderful and energetic doggies out for romps in the snow. Kelly had most of the days off of work, so she has been driving me around. We have gone to Salem to see the Salem Witch Museum (which had an over life size mannequin of Satan) and the Peabody Essex Museum, which had a great exhibit on artifacts from the Forbidden City in China. We also went to various thrift stores, Flatbread, and yoga classes taught by my Uncle Duane in Portsmouth. Tomorrow we are going to Boston, where I'll be going to the MFA and seeing various sites. I've gotten most of my supplies for Egypt and I am getting psyched for the experience. Surrounded by family, snow, and snuggly animals, this has been an awesome way to spend my Christmas and New Years, and I am looking forward to returning soon!
