Road Trip Days 4 & 5 & 6

My sister Carol drove over to Mom's on Saturday so we could go see my brother Loyd (Spade) and his wife, Bev, in Colonial Beach, Virginia. It was very glad and appreciative that Carol dr0ve over because I had been doing so much driving. She doesn't like to drive at night and we were probably going to get back late.

We drove right into a traffic jam on I-95 so veered off onto US 1.  Ugh.  Millions of stop lights which all seem to be red and still more traffic. We were planning on getting to Colonial Beach at 1:30 but it was closer to 3pm before we actually made it. None of us are great at directions either... that didn't help.

We met Loyd at his True Value hardware store. Carol saw someone buying eucalyptus and decided she would get a plant when we came back. We followed Loyd over to his and Bev's marina to have a late lunch at Dockside restaurant. I forgot my hat and jacket in my truck so went back to get it. When I walked through the restaurant, one of the waitresses asked if I was Loyd's son. SON! [Christine you will appreciate this]. I could not wait to announce the miss-relation.

Loyd soon find out who had made the mistake as she came outside hiding her face. We all laughed a lot... especially me.

I did not take one picture the entire time we were with Loyd and Bev. I am so stupid.

From Colonial Beach we drove to St. Mary's county Maryland to see my sister Lea and the new foal that was born just 2 weeks ago. Lea was racing in a barrel race and wouldn't be home until around 7:30pm. She had just pulled in before us at 7:15pm

Only 2 weeks old!

Mom, Carol and Lea

The foal's mom.

My nephew Raymond trying to get the foal to eat solid food.

We did not get home until late Saturday. It was another long day of driving.

Sunday was Artie and Carol's wedding in Front Royal, Virginia.  Artie was my karate instructor when I lived in Warrenton, VA in junior high and high school. He has visited a few times in Minneapolis... actually more than anyone in my family other than Mom.

The wedding was at the Bing Crosby baseball stadium.  A perfect location for two reasons: Artie is a huge baseball fan (that is the reason he has come to Minneapolis really) and there was a very large crowd. Artie has taught karate in Front Royal for over 40 years. He has seen pretty much every family in Front Royal... multiple generations.

The bleachers were full of his and Carols friends, students and families. It was a beautiful day.  There had been 5 inches of rain just two days before and the road to get to the stadium was under water. Fortunately there was an alternate way in.

bride and groom and officiate as umpire

small part of crowd in the stands

scoreboard

After the wedding I went to visit my niece, Kim, who lives in Front Royal. I got to visit with her and her daughter, my great-niece, Anika, and their dogs. Kim lives a lovely house in the woods and streams near the Shenandoah River. Kind of tricky to get to.

Monday was a day of not driving except very locally. I went to a Starbucks to use the internet for work in the morning. Later I drove Mom to the bank. We had lunch at a good Mexican café then to Target to buy a new electric sweeper. We got a sweet deal at Target on a Bissell 2-in-1.

Later I ran to a gym to workout. That was it.