Bridget McNulty

Returning to old places.

// June 6th, 2009 // Laughter, Life (and the living of it), Love, travelling

So I spent most of this week in Lancaster, the small city where my lovely college, Franklin and Marshall (check it out at www.fandm.edu) is. I was a little worried that it would feel haunted… that I’d wander around feeling like I’d stepped back in time, and not in a good way.

I was wrong. It was so so wonderful to be back, like visiting an old home that is still very familiar and dear. Here are the best moments from this week…

LANCASTER HIGHLIGHTS:

* Catching up with old professors and friends (often the same person) and realizing that although 4 years is a long time, it condenses really quickly when you’re real friends.

* Seeing my college campus (which looks incredible! I’m jealous), and walking around it again… I felt like I was back in school, and on my way to class, quite uncanny!

* Fabulous conversations about life, love, relationships, books, and other scintillating topics.

* Waking to a 2am thunderstorm.

* Waking to a 6am thunderstorm.

* Going to Harrisburg (45 minutes from Lancaster) for my first ever American radio interview, and having a lot of fun doing it! Also figuring out the whole train / taxi thing in a foreign town – I’m actually pretty savvy. Who knew??

* Hanging out with Eva – the coolest 9 year old I know – and her American Girl dolls. I want one! (We did a photo shoot – see below).

* Freshly baked pound cake with whipped cream and fresh farm strawberries… on a warm, muggy evening, outdoors.

* Visiting the new Ice Cream Parlour (heaven in a room!) not once but twice.

* Breakfast at the new Creperie – yum!

* Going to the famous Shiny Diner for lunch.

* Wandering around the city and having it feel like a second home.

* Visiting all my old haunts and having them smell exactly the same.

* Eating superb food at a girl’s night out and realizing that age and distance don’t matter when you really love people.

* Laughing. So much.