Georgia on my mind...

Hey y'all!

Anna, I'm so sorry to hear about your grandmother. I'm thinking of you and your family. Jenna, it sounds like France is fantastic! And Karen, I'm glad you got to experience a good fireworks show...I don't feel like the 4th of July is complete without one!

I'm writing this post from the lovely South! My family just arrived today in Sea Island, GA, and will be here for the next 10 days. My grandparents have been going down here regularly since their honeymoon in 1949, and have since bought a home here which is luckily vacant in the summers for use by their kids and grandkids. I'm expecting a week full of beach, golf, and quality bonding time for the Hickey clan. Over the years, I've grown to love the southern accents and sweet tea, especially.

Backing up a bit, I spent last week hitting up the 40th floor, aka the Sullivan residence. the trip out to Vegas was a little funny for me, since I've probably been out there about dozen times before visiting my own grandparents. The hotel where my family used to stay is only about a 3 minute drive from Eric's house, so parts of the trip felt really familiar. Eric had to work a few days, so I used the free time for a self-guided tour of the strip to check out my old stomping grounds, exploring some of the newer hotels I hadn't seen yet and my family's favorite old stops. Funny when you realize walking around casinos have turned into trips down memory lane.

While in Vegas, Eric and I went hiking one morning at a canyon about 15 minutes from hand house, which was really beautiful, and we went to the golf course a few times. Eric even made dinner, complete with a fruit tart for dessert made from scratch, for me one night. Since I am a complete disaster in the kitchen, I was very impressed. I also got to meet a handful of Eric's friends from high school and middle school...definitely would fit right in with the Amherst family, since I spent most of the time unable to stop laughing.

In the three days I had at home, I felt mostly like I just unpacked and repacked. I had a pretty low-key 4th of July. A few friends from high school and I got boba tea and watched the fireworks from northwestern's campus. The boba in Evanston doesn't quite live up to limered, but there's a new place that opened up by my house that I have yet to try. I'm hoping it doesn't disappoint.

Other than travels and holidays, home has been pretty routine. I'm still caddying. Only exciting development is that i've been double bagging more which means...
1. More $
2. I'm clearly getting JACKED
3. I'm earning major street cred in the caddy shack

Also in updates from the caddy shack, one of the caddies recently made the connection between my name and the awesome scene in Black Hawk Down. He started greeting me as such, so now when I enter the caddy shack I never fail to hear "IRENE! F***ING IRENE!" good morning to you, too!

Also, since I finished How I Met Your Mother, I'm now turning to books again to keep me entertained...any good recommendations?

I apiologize for any typos in this...I don't have my computer in Georgia so this whole thing has bee on my sister's iPad.

Love,
Irene