Back, sorta, from a mini-vacation...

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2000
Back, sorta, from a mini-vacation...
2
Mon, 08-18-2003 - 10:29am
where we didn't have any computer access. We went to Fredericksburg, VA where a cousin of MIL's was celebrating 40 years of marital bliss with his wife. It was a surprise party organized by the couple's grown children, and though it was a long trip, it was very much worth it. Bill and Joanne have always been there for my IL's special occasions like their 40th and 50th anniversaries, and also there to support MIL when my dear FIL passed away two years ago. How wonderful it was to get to know this side of the family, meet their kids... and *their* kids who are Allison's age. Maybe this will be the start of closer family ties for us, which will be great as our kids grow up. My family is so scattered I've never had the blessing of close relatives, plus I'm an only child so there are no aunts, uncles and close cousins, and each opportunity we see with my husband's family, I want to try to nourish that.

We came to MIL's house Thursday night, then left in her van Friday morning. 8-1/2 hours total, with stops. We got to the Hampton Inn - an older one, but with a lovely courtyard and pool in the center - ate at the Bob Evans across the street, and came back to do some swimming. Next morning, while Dan and MIL explored some train and historic locations in Fredericksburg, Allison and I waited for an internet friend of mine who was going to drive down from outside Baltimore with her 4 yo DD - she and I were members of the same Nov 98 Expecting Club on ParentsPlace, and have been posting to one another for over 5 years. We've always respected and admired one another (even if we didn't always agree!), and this was a golden opportunity for us. She arrived late - bad traffic around the DC area - but we were still waiting. We grabbed lunch, let the girls burn off energy on the green at Hampton Inn, then found a nearby playground. There wasn't a single lull in conversation - even though we'd never met, we knew each other. After we parted ways, Allison and I went swimming a bit, then she napped while I got ready for the party. At 5pm, a "trolley" bus picked us and other party attendees up from the hotel to go pick up the unsuspecting couple at their son's house. They were *very* surprised! We toured the historic district of Fredericksburg, the three girls ages 4 and 5 were having a ball together, hardly aware of the fact that their parents were on board (ie, they didn't keep running to find us). The trolley then dropped the kids off at the babysitters' for pizza and a rented movie, while the grown ups went on to a local restaurant. We had the whole restaurant to ourselves. Hors d'oeuvres were grilled scallops, smoked salmon on crackers and mini-BLTs. I sampled the wines, while DH partook of Fred's Red locally brewed ale (mighty good - I tasted it). For dinner, I had the smoked salmon while Dan ordered the steak, and dessert was a magnificent mocha cream cake - actually pie-like in it's consistency. It was a great evening, and we hated to see it end. We got back to the hotel around 10:30 or so, Allison going full-swing until her head hit the pillow.

Yesterday, we did a little railfanning on the way home, and meandered through a unique antique store while waiting on trains at one location. Once we got started, it was a LONG drive back. None of us had slept well after the party, though you think we would have. The return home was longer due to the railfanning... and Li'l Bit didn't nap during the whole trip. Every time she'd get sleepy, she'd start making demands (bathroom breaks, I'm hungry, I'm cold, I'm thirsty, etc., and failing so often to say please that we started ignoring her) and otherwise engaging us to keep from falling asleep - she was talking and making noise to fill airspace the entire time. Yeeeaaaarrrrrgh! Both Dan and I were at our wits' end, and even MIL was exhausted. Note for next time... spend the night in Durham!

Anyway, we're here for a day, going to enjoy the pool and mountains. Tomorrow on the way home, we'll stop off at a Subaru dealership in Charlotte and start the procedure for getting a new Subaru Forester. As I shared in the Monday post, a friend of The Cus's has a neighbor who's the regional manager for Subaru, and he's gotten us in on a VIP program. We should be able to purchase a Subaru for $300 over dealer invoice. It's just a matter of figuring out the details. We know exactly what we want, including extras, but it'll probably have to be ordered. We want a manual transmission, and even though 1/4 of all Subaru's sold have a stick (much higher than what other brands sell - if a model even comes with a manual), they're still hard to find.

Looking forward to getting back in the groove!

Cussette

C

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 08-18-2003 - 11:40am
Sounds like a fun, but exhausting trip. Did you go to Kenmore or see Mary Washington's house? The plasterwork and gardens at Kenmore are gorgeous? Glad you had a safe trip.

Rhonda

       ~~Rhonda~~


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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 08-18-2003 - 7:48pm
Welcome back, Cussette. Your vacation may have been mini, but it was an adventure.

Good luck getting the Subaru you want. You really want a stick? Would you believe, I have never driven a stick and I have been driving 37 years.

Hope you get back to normalcy soon.

Grace