#48 Fetching Eggs and more Penn nursing schenanigans

I had never held a chicken...

I had never collected eggs...

I had never had a "freshly laid still warm" egg freshly cooked sunny-side up just for me...

I had never scooped chicken poop from a coop...

I had never fed dehydrated grubs to chickens...

I had never seen maple sap coming out of a tree into a bucket...

I had never had freshly made maple syrup in my coffee...

I had never picked up a dead bee to look at really closely...

I had never made soap out of materials fresh from the farm like home grown loofahs...

I had never been worken up to a rooster alarm clock...

...Until this weekend.

10 BADASS Activities Accomplished in one weekend -- check!

I headed to New Jersey for the weekend to hang out at Pam's Farm (which is named Paix et L'abondance) for a mini Penn Nursing reunion Class of 1993.

Many months ago, we were having a Penn Nursing zoom call, and Pam invited everyone on our call to come to her home in February for a "farm weekend".

Three of us took her up on it -- me, Kirsten, and Allison.

We all embarked on this adventure from different states and descended to her farmhouse for some good old fashioned girl chat and reminiscing.

The fact that we were able to squeeze in some Farm-themed Badass "never done before" adventures was the icing on the cake!

Favorite memories from the weekend included:

• Pam bringing out homemade Peach and Earl Grey tea jam, which everyone was delighted to try until she described it as "It's in the category of food that tastes like heaven but looks like c-diff" (and lots, and lots, and lots of other gross nursing stuff that only we would find humor in)

• Singing "Drink a Highball" and "The Red and the Blue" with appropriate hand signals.

• Performing "Love Bites" -- at least as much as could be remembered.

• Looking through pictures of us from school events that felt like they happened yesterday.

• Reading notes that we passed to each other during class when we were supposed to be paying attention. (Maybe that's why my recall for anatomical terms is sooo poor -- I was spending my time either writing notes, reading notes, or laughing about notes rather than paying attention to the professor.) As Allie said, "It was either that or fall asleep" -- unless you fall asleep pretending to be writing and holding a pencil in hand, when your friends gently removed the pen from the hand while you continued to snooze -- making it so very evident you were schnoozing away...right Pam???

• Getting to pick out a homemade shetland knit hat that Allison made for us all. She does beautiful work. Check her out on Instagram @ knitter_np.

• Talking about career plans, future goals, and badass adventuring with the quote: "Find ordinary in the extraordinary and extraordinary in the ordinary"

• Kirsten re-enacting her post-pre-freshman party MC experience

• Talking about post-nursing boards festivities and REM concerts

• Playing "Name that Nursing Schoolmate" with Kirsten's composite

• Allie continuously saying, "Why did I always have a cup in my hand in our college pictures?"

• Eating "Butt to Table" eggs -- Pam: How would you like yours cooked? Allison: Really dead.

I can't wait for us to do this again. I love our idea of second Extravaganza complete with catching fireflies, watching stars, and planning for the the Penn 30th reunion in Spring of 2023.

Secondary adventure: Pam and I had some time to kill before Allie's plane landed, so we went to Tractor Supply to buy me a chick. The man was closing up right

When we got there -- the nerve!!!! I'll have to wait to get my chick baby another time.

Pam looked at me and said, "You wanna go hit the playgrounds we used to take the kids to when you lived here?". Of course I did!

So at 10 at night we were at the "Choo Choo" playground and Woodlot playground, remember the hours and hours and hours we spent there and trying out the playground equipment.

We went down the slide -- Pam went first and reassured me it was dry. She "forgot" to tell me that in order to stay dry, I needed to jump off before hitting the bottom.

I did not do so.

Since I didn't know.

So I got covered with muddy sludge.

Thanks freaking PAM!!!!!

To get even, I goaded her onto the spining top where she started spinning faster and faster. I couldn't hear what she was saying, but since she didn't seem to be trying to get off, I figured she was having a great time until I heard her yelling "VERRRRR----TIIIIIIII-----GOOOOOO!!!!". Turns out that when she keps trying to put her leg out to stop, it would actually make the top spin faster and faster and force kept her from being able to get off.

I think we are even!

We laughed until we cried. BEST time wasting adventure ever!!!!

Love you ladies! I'm so glad I was able to grow up with you, and even more glad that we have continued our friendship 30 years later. xoxoxoxox

Hurrah. Hurrah. Pennsylvania. Hurrah for the old and the new. (and hold)

Hurrah. Hurrah. Hurrah. Hurrah. Hurrah for the Red and the Blue.