Three Weeks and a Day

It's hard to believe. I feel like we've been here longer. 

Last Saturday we returned to Connecticut. We stayed with our friend Jen and her Westie Katie; it was great to visit with them. I also caught up with Cynthia.

I finished packing up the things we left in Connecticut,. hired my neighbor to clean, got a quote for carpet and hardwood floor cleaning, met with a realtor, reviewed a listing agreement, and managed to leave one of Jeff's canes at Jen's. 

It was so nice to come back here. To our new home home on Wednesday. Our new bedroom nightstands arrived--my brother Jim returned this weekend and obligingly assembled them for us. Our kitchen set arrived on Thursday. 

I returned to Schultz's Crabhouse for their famous sour beef and another time for their crabcake. We tried a new restaurant for Chinese takeout. We're slowly becoming familiar with people and the area. 

Alexandria: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

I've been to Washington D.C. several times with my family, plus once with the Safety Patrol in the sixth grade, and once with Jeff, but never made it to Alexandria before. 

I went to attend a baby shower for our niece Lindsay. Jeff and Jace accompanied me on the road trip.

The Good:

Old Town Alexandria is charming: cobblestone streets, old buildings (among modern ones) shops, and restaurants. Our hotel was a block off the main drag of King Street. I did a lot of window shopping while walking Jace. I loved an oval dining room table with curved legs, but that's not in the cards for us right now.

The shower was fun. I didn't know many people, but everyone was friendly. The setting at The Chart House on the water was beautiful. 

Jace was well-behaved, except for a visit to a bookstore when he was borderline rambunctious. He was great at an outdoor dinner Friday night, though I have to admit, no other dogs were there. He only barked once at a dog on our walks. Jeff says he was great during the "Ugly" experience below.

We stopped in Annapolis to visit my cousin Deb on the way home. It was nice to see her again.

The Bad:

We hit a lot of traffic on the Inner Loop to Alexandria. I know it's to be expected traveling around Washington on a weekday, but it was still frustrating. A bigger issue was that Jeff didn't feel well during our visit. Unfortunately, that happened on our last visit to his family as well.

The Ugly:

Jeff called during the shower to tell me that there had been a fire on our floor in the hotel. He and Jace were outside the building waiting for the all-clear from the fire department. Someone had started the fire while doing laundry. I don't understand how. 

I don't have the uber app, so the Chart House called a cab for me that never showed. I waited for almost a half hour, panicking as the minutes passed. Eventually, my sister-in-law called an uber for me that arrived promptly.

In the meantime, Jeff was assigned another room, but people were already there. As I arrived, he had been given a second room (without other people.) The manager escorted me with a luggage cart to our previous room, apologizing for the wet hallway carpet. I told him I would take the luggage upstairs myself. I started to pack up our stuff in an organized way, but soon abandoned that to just get settled upstairs. I didn't see Jeff's computer at first, so that was nerve-wracking, but all worked out. 

I was hoping for an easy ride back, but no luck there. When we got home, we had Thai food delivered and vegged. 

We need to take more time when we go on getaways. Otherwise, it's not worth the drive time and fatigue hangover. 

Home Again

Been home for about an hour-and-a-half after a long drive home from Old Town Alexandria, Virginia with an hour stop in Annapolis, Maryland to visit my cousin who I haven't seen in at least 12 years.

The ride was draining. We hit Annapolis Boat Show traffic, Delaware Memorial Bridge traffic, a few random jams on the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway, and then at the Tappan Zee/Mario Cuomo Bridge. So, I'm tired--too tired to blog about the highs and the lows. Last night I journaled about the evening, but I'm still processing things, and want to do more journaling tonight.

Glad to be home. 

Monday Misery

The Mets won 101 games this season, their second best season record (the best was 108 wins in 1986.) Second baseman (and sometimes outfielder) Jeff McNeil won the batting title--the second Mets player to do so. 

But, it's hard to be happy about those successes right now. Last weekend, the Mets lost the division by not securing one win in a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves. This past weekend, the Mets lost the Wild Card series to the San Diego Padres--a team that only won 89 games in the regular season. Somehow the Mets find another way to lose.

Today, I found out that my car will cost $3,400 to repair. The one thing I was worried about--a water leak--cost around $300. Things I didn't even know were wrong cover the rest of the money due. Oh well, at least the car should be in good shape for our road trip to Alexandria. But, it's hard to be happy about that either. 

Monday Musings

The week did not start off well because the weekend was a disappointment. We're on our fourth dreary, chilly day with rain. I spent most of the time inside. It could have been a good opportunity for me to get some things done. I didn't finish cleaning the kitchen. Partly because I did a few other things such as clean the bathroom and make chicken orzo soup. I also started my cleaning by going though everything on the small kitchen bookshelf. It primarily houses Jeff's tea collection. Bags of tea were starting to drop off the shelves. I couldn't stand it anymore. At least it's now in some kind of order. 

Jeff and I both had trouble sleeping on Saturday night. I don't feel that I've caught up on my sleep yet. At least I fixed the coffeemaker Sunday morning and had three cups of coffee with breakfast. (I drank tea on Saturday.)

I couldn't get myself to sit down and write my story for today's class, even though I had the first few lines since Monday afternoon. I wrote the first half last night and the rest this morning. Total word count is 357. It was shorter than I had planned, but I stopped at a point where I could. 

I also had some kind of Mets hangover today. If they had won one game in their series with the Atlanta Braves, it could have been enough to secure a division win. Instead the Braves swept them. Theoretically, the Mets still have a chance for the division, but the Mets would have to sweep the Nationals and the Marlins the Braves. Unlikely.

I've been taking care of some health issues. I made an appointment to get the latest Covid booster and a flu shot. Unfortunately, my bone density scan last week showed I'm at risk of broken bones. I made an appointment to discuss this with my doctor. 

Jeff and I are going on a road trip to Alexandria, Virginia in two weeks. The main reason for Alexandria is that our niece's baby shower is being held there. This will be our first trip with Jace. I'm a bit nervous about it. We'll have to see how it goes. 

Delaware Getaway

I completed one item on my summer fun list. We went on a mini--two day--getaway to Lewes, Delaware. We talked about it for a while. June was over before it started (or so it seemed) Jeff's starting a new work project next Monday, and we wanted to avoid the 4th of July weekend. So it was now or September.

Tuesday wasn't so good. Half of it was just driving. We hit a ridiculous amount of traffic in Rehoboth Beach returning from Dogfish. 

Parking at the hotel was a problem. Whoever took Jeff's reservation gave him wrong parking information. The room was smaller than we expected. At least we got settled before it started pouring. So much for exploring the block. 

Wednesday was much better. 

To be continued. 

On the Road on the Darkest Day of the Year

Today is the winter solstice, the first day of winter, and the darkest day of the year. Jeff, Lola and I drove from Norwalk to Winchester, Virginia. Our destination is Cornelius, North Carolina to spend Christmas with Jeff's family.

It's been ten years since Jeff and I have made a long road trip, and it's Lola's first. Cornelius is much closer to Connecticut than Hilton Head, South Carolina; Saint Simons Island, Georgia; or Stuart, Florida: our earlier road trip destinations. I guess I'm out of the long drive practice, the six hours in the car today was tough. I drove the first half and Jeff the second--our usual split.

After we checked into our hotel, we took Lola to the local dog park. We tried to find a winery tasting room, but I guess our information was outdated. The tasting room wasn't where we expected. We did find Old Town Winchester. Old Town is a pedestrian-only brick walk consisting of a few blocks with stores and restaurants. It was charming; if it were only about ten degrees warmer--we could have eaten outside.

We have another five-to-six hour drive tomorrow. It will be getting warmer, so maybe we'll have a chance for outdoor dining.

My Day Out

I don't think I've been outside since Monday when I discovered I had bronchitis. I've been resting and keeping quiet. With each day, I've felt a little better.

Today I had a SAT tutoring appointment. I felt well enough to make it work. Afterward I returned The Romanov Sisters to the library, then came right back home. I told myself that I shouldn't try to do too much just because I was feeling better. Well doing too much wasn't a problem--I could barely keep my eyes open this afternoon.

***

On my way home, I drove through Ridgefield; the downtown is decked out in Christmas decorations. I saw three or four cars pass by with Christmas trees roped to their roofs. As I traveled down Route 123, I saw Santa Claus overlooking the road from a balcony. Other homes still had Thanksgiving arrays of pumpkins.

31 days to Christmas. I wish I could approach it joyously, but that's not happening. I don't feel like decorating. Just need to get through the holidays.

Fall Photos

Over the past four months I've made several visits to my mother in Redding driving through Wilton. I've loved the rose tint of leaves I've seen along the way.

I pulled off on a side road to take these pictures a few weeks ago. Good thing I finally snapped the photos when I did. The next day or so, the colors faded.

We're still a month away from winter, but it's been cold. I feel we've been cheated out of fall. At least I can look at these pictures.  

Road Trip

Today I proctored an ACT practice test in Guilford. I usually don't go that far to proctor (around 50 miles) but I haven't been working many hours, I was free, and I was hoping for a nice autumn afternoon. I thought of going to the beach or walking the labyrinth at Mercy Center.

Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate. Rain had stopped by late morning, but winds picked up. I had to consciously grip the steering wheel on the drive home.

The 50ish miles to Guilford is the farthest I've driven the car in the 22 days I 've owned it. That could be the farthest anyone drove it. This 2010 Jetta had only 12,150 miles in eight years.

I am loving the car, though still learning about it. On Thursday, when temperatures were in the 70's, I accidentally turned on the seat warmer I didn't know I had. Just haven't gotten around to reading the owner's manual.

***

Jeff and I saw our super this afternoon. He is driving a 2002 car that a former tenant owned. When he got the car, it had only about 20,000 miles.

Thanks to all the little old ladies who don't drive much.

I Bought a Car

Almost. I signed a document, gave a down payment. But I'll get the bank check and pick up the car in a day or two.

Wow!

It was a quick decision, and that scares me.

Jeff says it was meant to be.

He got a check-engine light in his Tiguan today returning from the dentist's. He went to a VW dealership in Stamford.

When I went to pick him up, he said he wanted to show me something: a 2010 VW Jetta with only 12,000 miles. Jeff sat in it and said this is the car for Lynne.

I agreed. We could never find another deal like this again.

What Went Wrong?

Jeff's got a short term gig in New York City. He gets up at 5:30 and heads to the railroad station around 6:30. I told him the other day that his NYC gig was a good influence by getting me out of bed early. Some mornings I've been very happy with all that I can accomplish by 9 or 10 AM.

But I haven't been getting enough sleep. Yesterday it caught up with me. I was tired all day. It didn't help that I spent the midday driving my mother back and forth to the doctor's (about two-and-a-half hours and 67 miles.) I hadn't been to the gym in four days and my lower back ached. By the time I got home, my stomach was off and I was chilled.

A short nap helped, but I didn't feel back to normal--I felt sluggish and fuzzy. I managed to sort laundry and cook dinner.  I got into bed around 10, confident a good-night's sleep would turn things around for me. No such luck; I was awake for several wee hours of the morning. Need to turn this around.

Seen

I was driving down Route 57 in Weston returning from a tutoring session this evening around 6 PM. I glanced at a deer crossing sign--a silhouette of a deer on a yellow background. Someone had added a bright red light as the deer's nose.

I laughed out loud--a Rudolph crossing. Wish I had the opportunity to take a picture.

Heading to Vermont

Sometime in the next hour, Jeff, Spike and I will hit the road for Vermont. Jeff's best friend from high school is getting married tomorrow. Of course we're attending, but getting here was a little rocky.

I teach a SAT small group tutorial on Saturday mornings. I don't like missing sessions, but this will be worth it. I secured a substitute back in September.

Next, what about Spike? Jeff found a conveniently located, dog-friendly motel, but we had to figure out what to do with him during the wedding and reception.. A friend of Jared (the groom) has offered Spike the run of her house during that time.

What to wear? Jeff has a few suits, but I had nothing. I'll spare you the details of my shopping angst and frustration. I ordered a dress (actually two dresses to compare sizes) and they arrived two days earlier than expected.  The wedding isn't formal, so I should have many opportunities to wear the dress again.

On Tuesday, I learned that my substitute has some family problem and can't teach this Saturday. I started to stress. I had done everything I was supposed to do, but now wondered if I would miss the wedding (and today with Jeff and Spike.) Luckily, the office manager assured me she would find a sub, or reschedule the class.

Just waiting now for Jeff to finish a phone interview and we'll be on our way. It's a nice day; I'm looking forward to the drive.

Off to a Rough Start

Yesterday, Jeff, Spike and I left Norwalk, picked up our friend Elaine in Stamford, and headed down to Baltimore to visit our friend Annette. Jeff and I haven't seen Annette in about ten years. Thanks to Linked-In, we reconnected and got invited for a visit. It's also the first time in about two years that we've gotten away for a long weekend.

Jeff had to get gas and we were about ten minutes late picking up Elaine. She was also ten minutes late. We hit traffic jams in Stamford (the dreaded Exit 7 to Exit 5 slowdown) the New Jersey Turnpike (we take the Tappan Zee to the Garden State Parkway, take Exit 129 to get on the Turnpike, then switch to 295 at Exit 7 to the Delaware Memorial Bridge--or Del-Mem-Ber-- as Jeff and I call it), Delaware and Maryland.

We also were behind a flatbed trailer on the New Jersey Turnpike that lost two-by-four rectangular pieces of Styrofoam; three hit us. Lovely.

We arrived about an hour later than expected. All went well until Spike suddenly got sick. He threw up several times last night. (Damn, we shouldn't have left him to go out to dinner, but had no idea how sick he really was.) Jeff called our vet, and we took him to a local vet this morning. He's still weak and lethargic but is rallying.

It's a horrible feeling to have a sick dog, especially away from home. It's also not fun to have your dog repeatedly throw up on your first visit someplace.

But Spike is sick and our priority is to get him better. And whatever the vet gave him today is working.

Love to Spike. Get well soon.

Memorial Day Weekend

Nearly 35 million people will be traveling this weekend, according to AAA. 89 per cent of them will be driving.

That's what's become of most holiday weekends for me--traffic jams. That is also why I spent most holiday weekends at home.

There was a time when Memorial Day meant parades and picnics. I might have marched in the parade as a brownie or I might have stood on the sidelines and waited for candy to be tossed. I may be confusing Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, but I think we had parades both holidays.

In southwest Connecticut, we're having some bad weather (although nothing like the suffering in Oklahoma and other Midwest areas.) Personally, I'm disappointed to miss dog park Friday. But it will be a good weekend to stay in and cook and clean. I am also packing for the writers' retreat next weekend. I'm really looking forward to that.

Venturing Out

Sandy brought strong winds to Norwalk, CT from Monday morning through Tuesday afternoon. Luckily, we didn't get much rain. Jeff, Spike and I hunkered down late Sunday afternoon after a dog park visit, only emerging for walks. We were glued to local TV and CNN for much of Monday and Tuesday morning. (until I found a Face-Off marathon and switched back to news during the commercials.)

Wednesday, we went a few blocks away to pick up a pizza for lunch. But it wasn't until Thursday that I left town. I had a tutoring student an hour's drive away. I saw that large stretches of my route were without power. I was stuck in traffic but figured it was worth it because the delays were due to electric repairs. I saw lots of debris, including large branches and tree-trunks--many chopped along the side of the road.

Close to my destination, I had to pass under a few trees propped against other trees--scary. Then the road I normally take was closed. I finally made it to my student's home, after a confusing, alternate route about a half hour later.

That wasn't the worst of it. On my way home, I passed through an intersection that  normally has a traffic light. I couldn't see anything without streetlights; it wasn't at one of the intersections that I recognized. A driver pulled out in front of me and I jammed on the breaks. Luckily he stopped midway through the intersection. Otherwise, I don't know where I would be right now. It was scary. It reminded me like nothing else to slow down and be extra careful. I needed to get back home to Jeff and Spike.