Things That Made Me Smile This Weekend
I am not a stranger to Cape Cod. My family visits the tip of the Cape every year where we rent out the same motel, stay up till two in the morning playing games, and take turns dozing and playing football on the beach. I could easily draw a map of Provincetown pointing out the hot spots like the shell shop and the game store. But I had never been to other parts of the Cape and certainly not with friends. This weekend was a once in a lifetime experience.
Nine Things About This Weekend That Made it Special
10/10 food. We got really lucky with the food this weekend. It may sound lame to jump to food right away but food makes me so happy. I tried to have some sea food since we were in the Cape and that included clam chowder, crab cakes and fish and chips. The fish and chips we actually got in Connecticut so there was no excuse for them being that good. I actually finished it the next day because it was a dinner portion. You would think cold fish would not taste so great (I didn’t heat it up cuz I didn’t want the motel room to smell like fish) but it was just as good the next day. Maybe a dose of Massachusetts magic.
I never met my roommate before Friday (she was also one of the drivers) and we clicked right away. She was very outgoing and funny and during the ride down (which was the two of us plus our mutual friend) we played Panic at the Disco and ate snacks. It made up for the traffic. I had never been to Cape Cod during tourist season so there was more traffic than usual. Mostly because no one knows how to merge. Anyway we were paired together because we were heavy snorers but we both said the other person didn’t even snore that loudly (although apparently at one point I stopped breathing in my sleep). One night we just laid in our respective beds talking. It was like a sleepover.
The first night all of us gathered chairs outside our rooms and played games until we got tired. I was smart and took my medication first so when the games broke up I was practically ready for bed.
Seeing more of the Cape. The beautiful houses, the bountiful hydrangea bushes (in literally every color). My friend had planned a lighthouse tour but that didn’t exactly work out because one was so far I couldn't see it (granted I really can’t see much in general) and the other one had been torn down. We struck gold with the third lighthouse. Not only that but we could go down to the beach and dip our feet in the water. My friend brought little glass jars for us to collect sand and small shells, to make keepsakes of the weekend.
We stopped at a metaphysical store which had herbs, crystals, tarots, stones and (my kryptonite) stickers. I got a sticker book of animals, one of museum pictures, and a third of ocean related stickers. I tried narrowing it down to just two but that’s like picking your favorite child and that wasn’t going to happen. I do make a lot of collages and projects so it is wise to replenish especially since we are about to hit Christmas craft time.
My friend treated us to a sunset cruise. I was a little worried I was going to fall (the boat ride was very rocky and I have no balance thanks to my medication) but I hung on for dear life and we all got some good pictures and an amazing sunset. It just felt like a really good place to be.
My friend’s niece came along with us and when she got cold she used my boyfriend sweater (it’s my sweater, not Justin’s but I call it a boyfriend sweater) as a blanket. I had brought it for myself but I didn’t mind her using it. I am very attached to it. It was a gift from my aunt and even though I already got ink stains on it I wear it anywhere I want to be comfy. Seeing my friend’s niece all snuggled up was actually touching. I’m not having kids. But I guess I have maternal instincts. I have cousins but no nieces or nephews I could pretend to adopt. It does hurt when my friend’s friends talked about their pregnancies or their labor or parenting styles. It is like an ache that will never heal. I feel like I’ve hardened my heart because when I see kids misbehaving in public I get very pissed and I have no tolerance for it. I used to be so different, so understanding, so compassionate. Now it just hurts. But seeing that little girl using my sweater as a blanket warmed up my heart.
Before we got off the Cape Sunday morning I got a Cape Cod keychain that was also a bottle opener. I have never gotten anything touristy from Cape Cod before that was not for a friend but it was a different type of Cape Cod trip. It marked the beginning of a new era. I went somewhere without family or Justin and I took good care of myself. I took my medication, made sure I drank plenty of water and didn’t get sunburn. When I had a headache I took tylenol. This Cape Cod keychain would remind me of a place that had always been important to me but now for even more reasons.
On the way home, me and two friends went to the Mystic Aquarium. It was a really nice way to split up the trip home and my friend got in for free because she is active in the military. We got to see seals, sea lions (which are way bigger and more aggressive than I thought they were) penguins, beluga whales and a bunch of other types of fish including spider crabs. Well, spider crabs aren’t fish (I think) but they look so fascinating. Kind of like Pokemon actually (which makes sense since Pokemon are blatantly based off animals). I told myself no but I got a stuffy at the gift shop. I like to collect small stuffed animals but only if they are a) gifts b) Winnie the Pooh related or c) connected with an experience I want to remember. Anyway I got a stuffed sting ray that I named Pepper. She kept me company on the ride home.
Well, I’m home now and easily falling back into my routine. I just want to give a shout out to my friend (if she’s reading) for inviting me on the trip. I was honored to be invited. Not only did it feel good to be thought of, but it was an amazing experience for me to pack so much into one weekend with wonderful people in a wonderful place. I know as I grow older I will continue to have these experiences with amazing people and grow into the person I am meant to become.
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