No sooner did Nick arrive back in Happy Valley than we had to pack and leave for New Jersey. (But not before he signed some paperwork and received the keys to a 2009 Chevy Malibu. And he also found a moment to surprise me with an iTunes gift card and new NANO! Just because.)
We loaded both of our cars and headed for I-80. It’s a LONG drive, but we hit the Poconos just as the sun was setting. It was quite peaceful to sip my pumpkin spice latte while driving past mountains of autumn colors. The tranquil surroundings of Pennsylvania eventually gave way to the eight lane highways of New Jersey. We weaved through Jersey City and arrived in Hoboken just in time to pick up a case of Sam Adams Oktoberfest and head into the apartment for some Penn State football.
Oh, did I mention that my boyfriend is moving in with my brother? I’ll admit that I wasn’t wild about the idea at first (he’s living with the wrong Rowlands, in my opinion), but I’ve come to terms with the situation. Not only were they able to afford a much nicer place, but Andrew was able to get out of Queens and Nick was able to avoid suburbia.
Their apartment is cozy with hardwood floors and high ceilings. I’m jealous of their kitchen counter space and Andrew’s unnecessarily large master bathroom. (Andrew got the master bedroom and Nick got the covered parking space.)
While we watched the football game, we shuffled boxes — the 27 boxes of pharmaceuticals supplies and schwag that had arrived earlier that morning! Andrew was the lucky recipient of the delivery. He carried each box addressed to Nick Wiley at Eli Lilly from the front door to the elevator, down the hallway and into his bedroom. What a good roomie (a.k.a. future brother-in-law)!
We kept busy Sunday and Monday unpacking, shopping, and settling in. We went to Home Depot, bought some paint, went to Bed Bath & Beyond (yes, we were channeling “Old School”).
One benefit to having my brother as my boyfriend’s roommate is that I’m completely comfortable offering my opinion and giving directions. It only took about six requests for Andrew to unload the kitchen appliances and dishes from his car. But, as promised, their kitchen was cleaned and organized by Monday afternoon. I also helped Nick choose a shower curtain (forest green) and towels (burnt orange) for his bathroom. Although he has yet to use the towels that are so neatly displayed on the rail.
It was tough to leave on Monday evening, but I’m looking forward to upcoming trips and opportunities to explore Hoboken and take advantage of the short train ride into New York City!
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