Binghamton, NY

So on Friday, I went for a jog after work, and drove 5 hours to Binhamton, NY. If you'd like to know where that is, take the map of New York state, and go to the bottom border, and then divide New York in half. The left area is about where Binghamton is.
That's where James (& the family), Ben, and Mike live.
Because Binghamton had tremendous flooding lately, I-88 was shut off partially, so I got terribly confused, and after a mild panic attack at the wheel while James & Co. tried to calm me down, I finally ended up at the local Wegman's parking lot. It's interesting, because there's so much to do inside a Wegman's, all the time, and yet there is not much to do outside of it in this area of the town.
The boys met me there, where we proceeded to Mike's to play some video games before collapsing of exhaustion. James took me back to his new house, which is completely and utterly ridiculous in both size & style. Each bedroom even has its own bath. I am in love with his new house.
I honestly went to Binghamton just to see James & the boys again. After roughly six months without them, I was feeling kind of sad. It was really nice to just be with them. I didn't even really require talking, just being with them around me was what I wanted. And needed. James tends to bring me sanity...a feeling of balance.
Also, I love James' mom. She and I have a bit in common. And we have nice conversations. She's really open & friendly. And acts like I'm just part of the family. I love that.
After waking up & eating breakfast, and after James' mom gave him a much needed haircut, we started working on cleaning out the basement and garage of items they didn't want/need & were going to give away to flood victims. James actually tried to discourage me from helping out, claiming that I was there to "relax", but I felt that it was a good idea to help out, and his mom encouraged me to join them. Sure, I like doing physical labor. No joke.
We started watching "The Last Samarai", and stopped halfway to go to his old house (that they are refurbishing before selling it) to picnic with pasta & speedies.
Off to the movies we went with the rest of the boys to see "Superman Returns". It was during that movie that I realized I hung out with mostly men. They were being such boys during the movie. James tried helping me out with the comic plot, since I'm not much of a comic strip afficianado, though sometimes he distracted me from the movie with his all too humorous remarks.
Carrides happen to the gas station (for tire air) & Ben's house. We played Apples to Apples. I won.
My role as the woman became apparent when Mike insisted that I cooked for him, and cleaned. James took over the role by cooking instead.

Sunday roled by too quickly. I read some of "Kim" before James woke up. We finished our movie, talked a bit, went to Lowes with his mom, and to a little restaurant called Little Venice. It was a sad goodbye, since James might not be returning to our college, but transfer to SUNY Buffalo. Let's hope all turns out well, though.
The drive home was pretty wretched.