Headed Home

After a wonderful, whirlwind three days with Anita and Gary, their children Amy and Steven and fiances Mike and Sandy, the new 5 month old baby Ava, and the Italian Greyhound Joey, it was time to get back on the road. A new slough of houseguests were coming in, and Echo is probably having abandonment issues right about now. It was time to go.

On my way out of town, I stopped at "Ron's Barrels" and picked up another two blue plastic barrels for rain cisterns. Last year, the barrels had been emptied of tomato paste, making the drive to Ohio smell like pizza. This year, a milder scent of tea accompanied my drive south.

I spent last night in familiar Charlottesville, VA, site of all of my breast cancer follies of 2007-2008. It was great to visit with Mark and Jo in a purely social context. We had a delightful al fresco dining experience on a rooftop restaurant -- Mark had salad and short ribs with braised baby vegetables, Jo had crispy shrimp and seaweed salad and lasagne, and I was virtuous with a Caesar salad and half order of fresh fettucini, heirloom tomatoes, summer squash and spinach. We shared a bottle of Prosecco (Italian bubbly) and much laughter.

The little blue car is now stuffed with stuff, so I will probably have to go home, and then go back in the red car for Echo. It's just as well. She was very nervous in the unfamiliar vehicle on the way out on Monday. It will be better to pick her up in her favorite traveling vehicle for the ride home.

There will be much scolding for leaving her, I'm sure.

The new car performed better than expected--very smooth, very comfortable and 34.4 mpg on the break-in cruise, even going 70+ with the A/C on. I'm convinced I made the right choice with the Hyundai, it's a great little car.