Nomad Life - Day 194

I was awake before my alarm (0630) and worked until 0930, when Erin finally came out of her room.  At that point, I joined her in the living room and we talked for a little bit about my job.  She offered me some breakfast but didn't really have much to eat (she had Golden Grahams and other snacks).  I politely declined and, instead, I went back to work.  At 1115, I had to run to get something from my car and found the day to be warm and sunny, with only a light wind.  Just then, Erin and Austin went out to do some errands.  For my part, I took a break from my telework and started putting together my tax documentation - I made some good progress!  Along the way, I also brought in a lot of my printing and business gear, hoping to get caught up on things.  Sadly, I figured out that was out of ink again...  I attempted to order some ink from a Walmart, near where they were shopping, but they returned before the order was ready.  By then (1215), they were ready to get something for lunch.  We departed (in Austin's car) for Commonwealth Brewing.  With the traffic conditions, it ended up taking more than 30 minutes to get there.  Upon arrival, we ordered some pizzas, fries and a burger - we also tried some local brews.  Everything was great and we stayed at the restaurant until about 1345.  After returning home (via some errands along the way), I started a load of laundry and returned to teleworking.  Despite spending a significant part of the morning doing errands, Erin left the house again (to visit her friend) - meanwhile, Austin played video games while I worked.  At 1715, I turned off my computer and wrapped up my work week,  To celebrate, I played with Kiki.  Hoping to get back into a groove of outdoor time (coupled with attaining my step goals again).  So, at 1730, I started a walk in the "back" of Erin's neighborhood.  I thought I knew where I was going but then got caught by the difference between Thalia Drive and Thalia Road - d'oh!  Meanwhile, the day had turned gray, cooler and breezy.  Birding was good and I had to laugh at the many ducks in people's yard.  I thought I'd find Steinhilber's again but ended up closer to our old home in the Kingston area.  Meanwhile, Erin finally returned from her friend's house (1815) and texted about dinner plans at Chipotle.  At that point, I didn't really know when I'd get home so I sent in an "order" but kept walking.  At 1830, I finally returned to Erin's house and she (and Kiki) joined me on the remainder of my walk.  All told, I logged three miles!  Back in the house, we waited (and talked) until Austin returned from picking up the food.  Once he arrived and we saw the good spread, we all ate together.  Without thinking, I had ordered a steak burrito bowl, capping off a meatless Lenten Friday with two beef meals.  Dang...  At that point, though, I was oblivious.  Once the dinner was complete, Erin and I had fun making combinations of Jelly Belly "recipes".  These candies were the ones I'd gotten her for Valentine's Day.  A bit later, Erin and I adjourned to the living room (Austin went to play video games).  First, we watched two episodes of "The Middle" and then we watched "In Your Dreams" (an animated kids movie about the Sandman).  These shows were all good and it was nice to relax with Erin.  We wrapped up our entertainment at about 2200.  Even though it was late, I spent more time in the guest room watching streaming service episodes.  I finally went to bed at 2330.  Feeling good about finishing up my work week with some good exercise, outdoor time, socializing, food and time with my daughter!

Nomad Life - Day 193

After a few nice days with Mollie, Alex and Maple, it was time for me to head to the next destination of my Nomad Life: Virginia Beach!  For some reason, I was awake at 0500 and didn't try to go back to sleep.  Instead, I began teleworking immediately.  At 0700, I went out into the living room and met up with Mollie, who had been getting ready for work.  Fortunately, I got to spend time visiting with her and Maple.  Along the way, she made breakfast (eggs) for us - it was nice to enjoy another home-cooked meal made by my daughter!  The sad part, though, was that I had to say goodbye to Alex and Mollie (0745).  As usual, Maple went in her crate so I could keep working without distraction.  As had happened each day of my visit, I felt bad...  Still, I had some projects and meetings to complete; I worked from the apartment all the way to 1245.  Wrapping up my day (for the time being), I was able to take Maple for a well-deserved walk.  Temps were in the 60s and it was bright and sunny outside.  The dog enjoyed our time together and probably have been happy with a much longer walk.  Sadly, I had to get on the road so I could make it to Erin's house at the time I'd promised.  So, after returning from the outdoor exercise and putting Maple back in her crate, I packed up my car and departed Fredericksburg.  With about 100 miles left on my tank of gas and fuel prices ridiculously high (even worse than Pennsylvania) in the immediate area, I drove to Ashland (using I-95), where I got lunch at Chick-fil-A (1410) and got gas at a more reasonably priced station next door.   By 1425, I was ready to depart the area and texted Erin that it would take me about two hours to reach Virginia Beach.  After that, I made my way south on I-95.  The traffic was mostly good but there was plenty of construction and speed cameras.  This was true on I-295 but, especially, on I-64.  To pass the time, listened to audiobooks.  As I approached the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, Google Maps tacked on over 30 minutes to my drive time.  As I'd seen during previous visits, it also suggested the Monitor-Merrimack Bridge as an alternative to I-64.  Hoping to avoid a long detour and a lot of extra mileage, I stuck with the original route and managed to get all the way to Hampton before the traffic slowed down.  After that, I got off on Mercury Boulevard (US-258).  While there were lights, I immediately lost a lot of the delay.  I also got to pass by (didn't stop) the interesting static display near Langley Air Force Base.  At one point, though, I reached a traffic light that never seemed to change.  Annoyed at this delay, I took some back roads nearby and luckily reached an intersection (Segar and Mallory) where I was able to get through the intersection.  After a prohibited left turn (construction zone), I was able (along with several other cars) to merge on to I-64 again just before the bridge/tunnel.  I will admit that I was wondering by then whether I'd been tagged by any speed, red-light or other cameras... From that point, the drive across James River went slowly (as usual) - once I was on the Norfolk side, though, I made very good time to Virginia Beach (via I-64 and I-264).  In the end, I exited the Interstate nearly exactly two hours after I'd texted Erin!  After I arrived at her house (1635), we took a walk with Kiki in Erin's neighborhood.  It was nice to talk to her and meet some of her neighbors again.  We finished our brief outdoor interlude at 1700 and I then went into the guest room to do some more teleworking (to finish my work day).  With that phase of my day complete, I rejoined Erin in the living room and we talked for a while.  Austin got home just after 1800 and I got to visit with him too.  Meanwhile, Erin kept saying she was going to make dinner.  This didn't happen, though, for more than another hour.  By then, the lasagna she planned to make still required a significant amount of time to prepare.  With this knowledge, I decided to take another walk in Erin's neighborhood.  It was dark by then but I had no trouble getting steps (although I never reached my step goal).  By the time I returned to Erin's, I still had time unload my car.  With all the chores and time-killing task complete, I arrived in the kitchen just in time for some delicious dinner!  During the next hour, I also go to try one of Austin's "craft cider" drinks.  With our meal complete, Erin and I sat in the living room and talked some more, getting in one of our classic political discussions.  Fortunately, things were very civil and we easily transitioned to playing "fetch" with Kiki and watching a Seinfeld episode after that.  By 2145, though, I was feeling tired and went into the guest room to get ready for bed.  For some reason, though, I ended up getting distracted with some online news until much later than I planned - it was 2330 before I turned out the lights.  What a great day full of daughters and dogs!

Nomad Life - Day 192

This morning might have begun very early - I first woke up at 0530 but fell back to sleep until 0630.  After that, I spent the early hours teleworking, with a short break to see Alex and Mollie off to work.  My daughter put Maple in her crate and I marveled at the dog's great behavior.  After that, I resumed working and stayed online all the way into the afternoon.  Along the way, breakfast and lunch were basically just snacks.  My day was full of meetings, with only a few short breaks (mostly to work some more on the Thanksgiving planning).  Once my work day was completed, I took Maple for a walk near the apartment (started at 1630).  We logged over a mile, with lots of birding in the good weather (partly sunny, temps in the 50s and not much wind).  I started to wonder if my daughter was home so went back to check at 1715.  Finding her there, I dropped off Maple and went outside for a second walk.  This time, I walked much farther afield than I've ever done in the few years since Mollie moved to Fredericksburg.  I wandered through condo and townhome neighborhoods, found more birds and got a great feel for the local area.  Sadly, none of this walk was on established trails - just sidewalks and apartment drives.  Still, it felt good to finish my step goal in the process of being outside in the good weather.  Back at Mollie's (1815), I joined her and Alex for dinner.  During my absence, Mollie had made some pasta with chicken and peas.  As usual, the food was very good and we all enjoyed some more of the wine that Mollie had found the day before.  Along the way, Mollie impressed me wither sewing (machine) skills - she fixed the seam on my hiking pants!  During this window, we started watching an episode of "A NASCAR Life" (Netflix Series) - this was clearly a favorite pastime of Alex's and I was mildly entertained as well.  The biggest surprise was that Mollie seemed relatively knowledgeable about the sport and drivers.  Nest, Mollie suggested that we watch a movie with Jack Black called "The Anaconda".  I'll admit that I was nervous about the format, tempo and film stars but I must also concede that it was marginally funny.  Mollie and Alex also made it to the end.  At 2130, I adjourned to the guest room and spent time reading, doing puzzles and Duolingo exercises.  Bed time was at 2245.  Not the most exciting day but I am very glad to be visiting my daughter - she's been a great host!

Nomad Life - Day 191

I woke up at 0545 this morning (before my alarm) and started teleworking immediately.  I did take one break to do some reading, puzzles and Duolingo.  Alex and Mollie woke up (0630) and we all had snacks for breakfast.  During this window, I was intermittently working while also talking and planning with them.  They departed the apartment (after putting Maple in her crate) at 0730.  For my part, I spent the whole morning working.  At about 1200, I took another break (to get a shower and eat lunch) but then returned to my computer, working continuously through to 1400.  I did feel bad about leaving Maple in her crate but I guess that's what normally happens to her during the day...  At 1430, I took another break and went on a walk on the Virginia Central (Rail) Trail near Mollie's home.  Unlike the last time I walked on the (paved) trail (with Mollie and Alex back in December 2024), I left my car at the Harrison Road Park.  It was warm (52 F) and sunny when I got started and the conditions were perfect for being outside and birding.  Even funnier, there were a LOT of squirrels playing in the trees and under the fallen leaves.  Along the way, I completed the section that runs through this area of Spotsylvania County and, by the time I finished at 1545, had logged just over three miles.  After returning to Mollie's apartment, I took Maple for a walk.  She seemed happy about this turn of events and we definitely had a good time.  Back at the apartment again, I resumed teleworking until just after Mollie got home from work (1730).  Without much time to visit, we headed out to dinner at the nearby Durango Grill.  The pub/restaurant (which I'd visited on a previous trip to see Mollie) had a beer special, appetizer discount and burger offer - we took advantage of all three!  Mollie and Alex's "Work Dad" (Rob) and his wife (Carrie) showed up about 20 minutes after we did.  For nearly two hours, we had a nice visit and some great food (and drinks) were good.  We were done eating at 1930 and returned to the apartment, where we set up on Mollie & Alex's couch to watch a movie called "Happiness for Beginners".  During the film (which was partly about hiking the Appalachian Trail), we enjoyed more wine.  Meanwhile, Maple was being very entertaining...  At some point, Alex went to bed but Mollie and stuck with the movie until the end.  Afterwards (2130), I went walking in the neighborhood to get the rest of my 10K steps.  Finished with that, I returned to the apartment and said good night to my daughter and her dog.  In the the guest room, I did some reading and Duolingo exercises before heading to bed at 2300.  There wasn't a lot of excitement today but it was great to have time to be outdoors, play with a happy dog and visit with my daughter!

Nomad Life - Day 190

Time to visit Mollie!  I woke up (alarm needed) at 0545 (still at John and Kelly's home).  Outside, it was raining pretty heavily.  Because I had an early dental cleaning appointment, I got ready and packed up my car.  There was just enough time to play with Gipper...  At 0630. I said goodbye to John and Kelly and then drove a short distance (part of the drive was on I-495) to the Annandale area of Alexandria.  By the time I arrived at Reflection Dental (0645), the rain was tapering off and the temps had settled at 64 F.  Starting at 0700, I got my teeth cleaned by my old friend, Richard - it was good to see him again.  During the visit, I got some new Invisalign retainers (lower side).  The office had also introduced some new AI tools and it was interesting to see what "Big Brother" thought about our conversations and the teeth scans.  I made a mental note to remember to bring up these items to my son in law, Austin, when I saw him later in the week.  From the dentist's office, I drove a short distance through school zones and heavy traffic to a Panera Bread location near Edsel Road.  I arrive there at 0815 and went into the restaurant to order some breakfast (used the kiosk) - I got an egg sandwich and fruit cup.  After that, I settled down into a booth and started teleworking.  This was a late start for me...  During this window, I made plans to meet up with Mollie at her school - that will be cool!  Work progressed nicely and I stayed in the restaurant (during meetings I had) until 1100.  After that, took a break from work and started driving south (via I-395 and I-95) .  On the way, I listened to audiobooks.  Meanwhile, the weather continued improving and I decided that it might be good to stop for some outdoor activity.  I was very close to the Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge so got off the Interstate to visit it (arrived at 1115).  There were no other people or cars at the Visitor Center so I enjoyed some solitude while walking on the (easy) trail network there.  Along the way, I encountered (mostly through the Merlin App) more than 20 species of birds.  I'd almost forgotten about the "outside world" when I suddenly encountered a man along the trail.  He told me where to go for more bird sightings and I took his advice - this yielded some waterfowl (including an osprey).  I was finished with my walk at 1150 and then texted Mollie that I was on my way to her location (a Middle School in Stafford).  After using US-1 and the Prince William Parkway to reach I-95, I found myself in the middle of a long funeral procession on the Interstate!  A flag draped coffin in the hearse gave me the impression that this might be a cortege for a Marine Corps Veteran who was going to buried at Quantico.  This reminded me of our Virginia Beach neighbor, Mr. Newkirk (RIP)...  I arrived at the school at 1220 and checked in at the front office.  They told me to take a seat and I thought I'd be waiting for my daughter's lunch period (1300).  However, she ended up asking me to join one of her class periods already (in session) earlier than that!  This led to a wonderful "Proud Dad" afternoon.  Mollie’s Sixth Grade Science Classroom was filled with little "Mollie-touches" and the kids were very interested to meet me.  With class material being reviewed and interesting multi-media tools being used, it was amazing to watch my daughter in action.  It was clear that she is quite good at filling young minds with scientific knowledge and work ethics.  About 20 minutes after I arrived, we moved to the Cafeteria, where I picked up lunch for myself (chicken alfredo with broccoli, a pear and strawberry milk) and Mollie (chicken sandwich, carrot sticks and chocolate milk).  Back in Mollie's classroom, I got to enjoy some time with kids who'd actually signed up to pepper me with questions.  They asked me about Mollie as a child, things that I had done in my career, whether I was proud of my daughter and whether I liked "Mr. S" (Mollie's boyfriend).  I did my best to answer and Mollie was very obliging to the students.  Eventually, though, she resumed her instruction and the kids forgot about my visit.  After nearly two hours with Mollie's students, I goodbye to my daughter (1420), I headed towards Fredericksburg.  By then, the weather was mostly warm (high 60s) and the skies were overcast.  Fortunately, traffic was not bad and I arrived at Alex and Mollie's home at about 1500.  Mollie had given me a key so I was able to resume teleworking immediately.  During this window, I'd hoped to play with Maple (who was home in her crate) but she seemed afraid of me (or unsettled without her humans?).  In the end, I only let her out and she sat quietly until Alex and Mollie arrived at the house (1700).  Meanwhile, I finished my teleworking (I also used some leave to cover the time in the NWR and at Mollie's school).  With the work day completed, I joined my daughter on a nice walk near the apartment complex (1715).  Along the way, we spotted a pretty bluebird and had a really nice conversation.  Back at the apartment, Mollie made something she called "chorizo dirty rice" for our dinner.  It was very good and I had a nice time talking to Alex and Mollie while we ate.  We also enjoyed some wine that Mollie had gotten at the Dollar General (she was proud of the money saved).  Afterwards, Mollie gave me some of my mail that had been delivered since my last visit.  More funny:  Mollie checked her mailbox that evening and found that three out of four of the items in there were for me!  We capped off the evening by watching "License to Wed" movie.  At 2145, we said good night and I adjourned to the guest room.  For the rest of the evening, I did some reading and Duolingo in bed - I didn't turn out the light until 2300.  What a great day in Virginia - I really enjoyed watching my daughter succeed in her new career!  

Nomad Life - Day 189

This morning, I was up at 0615 but was still tired.  Fortunately, I managed to get back to sleep until around 0800 (and felt much better, as a result).  After that, I got ready for my day before heading downstairs.  In the living room, I played with Gipper.  Meanwhile, everyone else was moving very slowly.  Since the previous evening, there had been a lot of "planning" for a brunch that seemed like it would never come.  To her credit, Kelly did ask a lot of people if they wanted to meet up with me - sadly, most people were busy.  With the free time, I worked on eBird and blog entries - later, I started watching episodes of "Murder She Wrote".  Along the way, John made me a "low carb" breakfast sandwich.  That was good because no one else was ready to depart until 1130.  By that point, the plan was to head to Del Rey (Alexandria) and meet Stephanie. We departed from Kelly and John's at 1215.  By then, it was already over 70s degrees and sunny.  We drove (via the HOV lanes on I-495) to Old Town and eventually found a place to park near Rustico, a pizza and sandwich shop that we've often visited over the years.  Stephanie was already there when we arrived (1230) and, once we got seated, I ordered an "Old Virginia" (Old Fashioned) and something called a "Pizzaiolo" (open faced sandwich with spicy Italian sausage, marinara sauce and two sunny side up eggs).  The food was good but also very spicy.  During this time, I also tried some of Stephanie's pepperoni pizza (also good).  As usual, our little group had a great conversation, with lots of news to share since our last gathering.  Meanwhile, it started getting very hot (low 80s!).  Another funny thing that happened was that John kept very entertained by the cars running red lights in the streets right next to our outdoor table.  At 1415, we wrapped up our visit and, after saying goodbye to Stephanie (about 15 minutes later), we drove back to Vienna.  It felt so very warm and I was still tired from my late bedtime - for this reason, I decided to take a nap when we arrived back to Kelly and John's.  This turned out to be a good idea because I was probably in my bed for about two hours (1530 to 1730).  When I woke up again, I got ready to go for a walk.  Before departing Kelly and John's, though, I packed my cross country skis in the car top carrier.  What a disappointing season on the trails this year - I almost never had any good snow opportunities and only logged 9.2 miles...  With the late hour (and remaining heat), I had to think about where I might want to walk.  Frankly, I wasn't in the mood to fight traffic in the DC Metro area... In the end, I left my car parked and just walked around in neighborhoods near Kelly and John's (started at 1820).  As I expanded out from their place, I realized I was actually within about 10 minutes (walking) from the Dunn Loring / Merrifield Metro Station.  There were a lot of interesting activities going on in nearby parks and at local eating/drinking establishments - the restaurants/stores near the Metro station all looked very good.  Surprisingly, I logged about 3.2 miles in the 80 degree temps.  When I reached Kelly and John's home again (1935), I joined them in a delicious (homemade) dinner of rice and Thai seasoned chicken (with green beans).  While eating at their dining room table, we had some more good conversation.  I told them about my upcoming plans and they told me about a trip they were planning.  We finished eating at 2030 and then sat down in their living room to watch a little TV (we saw a "Bible Movie" about Sarah and Hagar).  At 2145, even after my nap, it still felt like time for bed.  Bidding my friends "good evening", I went back to the guest room and did some reading.  I also caught up on emails (updated the Thanksgiving folks) and texts (lots of "thank you" messages from recent get togethers...  Bedtime was at 2300.  This could have been one of the laziest days I've had during my Nomad Life but it was definitely needed!

Nomad Life - Day 188

With a wide-open weekend day, I didn't figure on getting up early.  However, the hotel conditions weren't the best for sleeping and I was awake by 0615 (no alarm set).  Trying to make the most of the situation, I did some reading, puzzles and Duolingo before moving on to blogging and social media updates.  At 0800, I went to "breakfast" (hardly any food and no drinks but coffee) in the Lobby of the Econolodge (Clarks Summit).  I went back to my computer after that and didn't check out of my room until 1030.  By then, it was 38 F and overcast.  I wasn't in the mood to battle traffic on I-81 so decided to take the "scenic route" to the west.  Leaving Clarks Summit, I used Shady Lane Road to reach PA-307 and then followed Country Club Road, along with some unnamed side streets to PA-92.  Along the way, I crossed the Susquehanna River (at towns of Falls & West Falls at 1055) and then followed PA-92 to PA-292.  I passed through the town of Dallas at 1110 and then got on some gravel roads that continued west.  Next, I accessed PA-309 but it was only for minutes - after that, I followed more back roads.  Eventually, I found myself on PA-415 and then made it to the (more substantial and direct) PA-118.  I followed this road into Ricketts Glen State Park (1145) and then continued north on PA-487 so I could do some hiking in the center of the park.  I had to climb a big hill - I learned later that it was called Red Rock Mountain (2449 feet).  During this time, I snacked on some more baked goods that Eileen had packed for me - mmmmm...  At 1155, I reached the Visitor Center (located in Colley Township in Sullivan County) for the State Park - sadly, it was closed.  I spent time looking at paper and wooden sign maps until I figured out what the best trail for me was.  The park had Ice Climbing options!  After a short drive, I parked at the closest trailhead (lots of road closures) and got geared up for a walk in the woods.  From the car, I used the Lake Rose Trail to reach the Lake Rose Parking Lot (closed to cars).  Nearby, there were signs that the Falls Trail was closed (Mud Season?) - there was actual police tape crossing the entry to the trail.  I heard a local lady giving other hikers guidance that the falls were accessible via a different route.  Following this advice, I didn't try to hike on the Falls Trail and, instead, took the Bear Walk Trail.  I was the only person on that trail and I eventually discovered that it only tracked went east.  I wanted to go south, towards the water, so ended up bailing on trail and backtracking on the road for a while.  After a little while, I used a dirt road to return to the Bear Walk Trail.  When I reached the Lake Rose Parking Lot again, I saw a dad and his two sons bypassing the police tape for the Falls Trail.  Hoping to find the scenery I'd been seeking for over an hour, I followed them and soon encountered some pretty waterfalls.  There was no evidence of ice climbing opportunities with the warm temperature but I could imagine the appeal when the water was frozen...  After lingering for a little bit, I backtracked to my car.  By 1325, I'd finished a hike of about 3.7 miles and felt good about my detour through the "wilderness" of north central PA.  Returning to my drive towards Northern Virginia, I used PA-487 to return to PA-118 and then drove west.  I reached Hughesville (Lycoming County) by 1355.  By then, it was 46 F and the sun indicated warmer temperatures ahead.  Using PA-405, I headed to I-180.  This drive went well until Google Maps suggested that I exit on to PA-147.  Soon after that, I crossed the Susquehanna River again (West Branch).  Beyond that, I followed US-15 to US-11 and the town of Shamokin Dam.  I arrived there at 1435 and parked briefly at the Northumberland Boat Club Snyder County.  The river was covered with all kinds of seagulls and my temperature gauge read 49 F.  After my brief pause for birding, I got back on US-15 and followed it to the south.  Initially, there was a LOT of traffic and annoyingly long cycle lights.  Later, it got faster and I felt even better when I transitioned to US-22 (Google Maps' suggestion).  This decision caused me to cross the Susquehanna River for the third time during the day.  Just after that, I got off the four lane highway and took PA-443 into Harrisburg.  Alongside the (mostly one way) road, I noticed an interesting bike path (I figured out later that it was called the Capital Area Greenbelt).  Passing through the northwestern corner of Harrisburg (1530), I crossed the Susquehanna River for the fourth (and final) time.  Shortly after that, I noticed the temps had risen to 58 F and that the scenery looked very familiar.  Within minutes, I understood - I had rejoined US-15 and was following my "normal" route to the DMV...   My friend, Kelly, texted that she and her husband (John) weren't going to get home until almost 1900 so I immediately saw an opportunity to stop for Mass.  A quick web search revealed that I was only three miles from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Mechanicsburg - and they had a Mass scheduled for about 10 minutes later.  I headed over there immediately and joined the packed pews for the 1600 Mass.  The church seemed quite vibrant and had a giant Parish Hall attached to the main sanctuary.  When the service was over (1655), I drove back towards US-15 and, after getting stuck at the lights while driving through Dillsburg, decided to get some dinner at the Arby's there.  While eating my meal (1805 and beyond), I had some strong Deja Vu feelings about the many times I'd been in the area - all those trips to hike the Appalachian Trail in the northeast...  In fact, it was right in this parking lot when I realized my 1998 Ford Explorer had bought the farm.  Once I was done eating (1725), I continued on US-15.  Fortunately, the speeds picked up tremendously as I drove south.  I passed through Emmitsburg (MD) at 1750 and was soon transitioning to I-270.  There was a traffic jam just north of Rockville (due to a cop pulling over an expensive car).  Once I got beyond that, it was mostly smooth sailing to I-495.  There was the normal slow down at the Cabin John Bridge but I made it into Virginia by 1850 and arrived at Kelly & John’s (in Vienna) at 1900.  It seemed like a long time since I'd visited them at home but it was also very familiar.  I also got a bonus this time: Aidan (Kelly's son) arrived a bit later - it was good to see him (all "grown up") after so many years.  For a short time, we hung out in the living room.  Later, though, we walked a short distance to Open Road for drinks (arrived at 2000).  Kelly, John and Aidan bought dinner but I resisted the temptation.  Along the way, we met another one of their friends (another John) and everyone talked about their Trivia Team (they'd all been to a tournament earlier in the day).  Aidan and Kelly departed earlier but John and I stayed at the restaurant until about 2230.  After walking back to John & Kelly's, John and I took Gipper for a walk.  For the rest of the evening, we all visited (with some bourbon) - it was well after midnight before I even thought about bed...  I didn't' note the time but I think I finally settled down to sleep at 0100.  What a great weekend day!

Nomad Life - Day 187

Sadly, my visit with Eileen and Mika in New York's North Country was scheduled to come to an end today.  It's been a good visit, filled with outdoor adventures, fun times with the dog, great conversations and challenging cooking projects.  In anticipation of the proverbial "clock running out", I was awake at  0545 (no alarm needed).  I started teleworking immediately and then met up with Eileen in the living room at 0615.  We spent time together eating breakfast, working on puzzles and relaxing by the woodstove before she got heavily into packing, cleaning and getting ready for work.  Meanwhile, I returned to my computer to log some more hours.  In her usual whirlwind style, Eileen successfully made all her checkpoints and deadlines and we said goodbye at 0815.  The house was very quite after she and Mika were gone...  After that, I kept teleworking for the rest of the morning, taking only short breaks to get ready, clean up areas where I'd been living during the week and packing up my stuff.  Meanwhile, it started snowing outside (at about 1030) and didn't let up at all for several hours.  By the time I wrapped up my work day (1200), I had a little more time to do some "chores" (mostly firewood and kitchen cleanup) before I left Eileen's.  When I started loading the car (1215), temps were sitting at 29 F and it was still snowing heavily.  I had to spend another 10 minutes cleaning off the car before I could even get out of the driveway.  Carefully (and very slowly), I made my way through treacherous wintry conditions and increasing traffic towards the west (on US-11).  I let Eileen know that I'd be passing through Canton on the way and she suggested I stop by to say goodbye again.  With some effort, I made it to the SLU Campus at around 1255.  Eileen and Mika were just crossing a busy streety when I was parking and Mika (with Eileen's permission) raced across the quad to greet me.  That felt good...  The timing worked out good for both of us - she had decided to head home to grab her bags before departing for the airport in Plattsburgh (she was headed to Florida for her Spring Break).  For real this time, I got back on US-11 and drove west to Gouvemeur.  On the way, I passed several cars in ditches and generally snarled traffic.  It was a surprise to get some calls from Eileen during this window but we shared intel on the weather and other things that were happening - that was nice.  Google Maps surprised me again by taking me off the route I've been using since 2014 (US-11 to I-81).  This time, I ended up on CR-52, which took me to NY-22.  In a few places, I got annoyed with slow moving trucks and passed them when I could.  I passed the time with audiobooks. Along the way, I drove through the towns of Oxbow (1400) and Theresa.  After the latter location, I followed Mill Street and Main Street, which became NY-26.  This road took me to NY-411 and, finally, I-81 (1420).  Meanwhile, the snowy roads started to clear and the steady snow turned into rain.  I also watched the temps climb from 33 F in St. Lawrence County and rise to 41 F by Jefferson County.  On the Interstate, there were LOTS of cops.  Even though I didn't need more reasons to slow down, I soon found myself driving through areas of extremely low visibility.  Traffic still moved pretty well until I reached the northern end of Syracuse.  I noticed a (new?) bypass but Google Maps kept me on I-81 until I was stuck in a "20 minute delay" traffic jam (mostly due to construction) in Syracuse (1535).  I saw some opportunities to escape the "You are still on the fastest route" though - I ended up using city streets on the west side of the city until I could access I-690.  After that, it was smooth sailing on I-81 again.  I stopped in Binghamton for gas (Speedway) and lunch/dinner (McDonalds) at 1650 but then made a mistake on my food order.  I was honest with the staff (about how I was trying to observe Lent) and they fixed the problem for me (fish filet sandwich).  While waiting, I made a hotel reservation (actually found a pretty good deal for a reward night).  After all the excitement, I departed (1720) towards the south.  At around that time, I started thinking about how many times during the last two months that I'd returned to a place where I'd been earlier ("figure eights" or "loops").  Meanwhile, I continued south on I-81 and into Pennsylvania (crossed the border at 1740).  The weather turned nasty again and the 25 miles of road construction didn't make the drive any easier.  At times, I was being splashed by cars/trucks in front and on the sides and it made it very hard to see out of the window...  I passed the time with more audiobooks and some of Eileen's delicious homemade desserts (she'd packed me a container).  After battling traffic, the elements and growing fatigue, I arrived at my hotel, the Econolodge (Clarks Summit) by 1815.  Almost immediately, I recognized the building and location - I’ve definitely been here before.  Unfortunately, the quality seems to have dropped off and I had to contend with insects roaming the room, long hairs on my sheets, open construction areas (walls, floors), loud neighbor noise, etc. Since it was rainy outside and I wasn't in the mood to go back outside, I just sucked up the conditions.  Instead of getting annoyed, I spent the rest of the evening watching streaming services and trying to catch up on my blog entries (falling way behind).  I also logged back into my work computer to see if I'd missed anything important since logging off after a half day (used leave for the rest).  A bit later, it a nice treat to get some texts with Eileen (she had made her flight to Florida).  The rest of the evening was filled with reading and prep for the following day.  Finally went to bed at 2215 after covering a lot of driving distance - tomorrow should be more relaxed.  I hope the weather will be better...

Nomad Life - Day 186

This morning, I woke up (feeling very rested) at 0500.  With the extra time, I did some reading and worked on puzzles before starting my telework day.  Eileen had told me that she planned to leave for a women's workout group at 0600 but didn't actually get going until about 0545.  This allowed us about 15 minutes of visiting before she departed.  Like yesterday, I was planning to stay at her home all day.  Unlike the previous day, however, Mika didn't stay home.  Once the whirlwind of dog and human had left the house, I ate breakfast and then returned to work.  After about an hour, I left Eileen's house and drove north (on US-11) to the Subaru Dealership in Potsdam (Barstow Motors).  My intention was to try to get my 96K Maintenance completed during the lull before my drive towards Virginia.  When I arrived (0715), it was clear that the garage was very busy.  For the first time in all the stops I've made at Subaru Dealerships across the country in my Nomad Life travels, there appeared to be no way I'd be getting any service because they said they were booked for over a week in advance.  Fortunately, a manager looked through his schedule and told me he'd try to find a spot for my simple service (oil change and tire rotation).  Eventually, he was able to get me a 1515 appointment but I had already driven back to Eileen's to resume my work day.  Meetings kept me busy until lunch time and then I took the opportunity to go through a box of mail that Eileen had been keeping for me since the Summer time.  With almost six months of various magazines, letters and junk, it took more than an hour for me to sort through everything.  Along the way, I burned most of the sensitive materials but left the empty envelopes for Eileen to use as fire starter (she later decided to recycle the paper at work).  During this same window, I made lunch for myself.  By 1230, I had resumed my work day.  She'd mentioned that it was a possibility, but I was still surprised when Eileen suddenly arrived home at 1330.  For my part, I thought we might have a chance to take a walk or go somewhere fun.  This didn't end up being the case, though - she started making the mini avocado/lime dessert we'd talked about prior to my arrival.  This baking project involved a lot of delicate skills and it soon became clear that she'd be occupied for quite a while.  Sadly, it was hard to even talk to her because she needed to use a food processor and kept getting calls from friends and relatives.  I'd previously toyed with canceling my "pop up" car service, in the hopes that we'd have time to go hiking somewhere.  We discussed this, at length, but never made any decisions.  By about 1445, it was clear that we weren't going anywhere.  Instead, I departed for the Subaru Dealership (1500) and left Eileen to finish the baking.  I dropped off my car at 1515 and, while waiting for the maintenance technicians, walked around in the neighborhood behind the dealership.  Along the way, I located the local hospital and got a "snail's pace" view of Potsdam.  By 1550, I received a call from the service department that indicated my car was ready.  While I was returning to the dealership, I heard from Eileen - she informed me that she'd headed off to provide EMT support at a house fire.  She added that she didn't think she'd be too long...  During this time, I ended up reaching 8.5K of my step count (just over three miles) and had picked up my car (1600).  After returning to Eileen's house, I resumed my telework day.  Not surprisingly, Eileen did not come back quickly...  This allowed me to finish the rest of my hours for the day before she finally got home (1730).  Upon realizing that there wasn't enough time to make dinner with the food in the house, Eileen asked if we could make alternate arrangements.  By then, I was ready with a suggestion and she accepted the first offer - we ended up deciding to get takeout from the Royal India Grill in Potsdam.  I made a phone  order and Eileen continued making the "mini healthy key-lime pies".  We also did some laundry (she had been waiting for more clothes before she ran her own).  At 1815, we departed her house and drove into town to pick up the food.  While she was at Royal India, I went next door to Royal Liquors and got a bottle of cabernet sauvignon (1830).  While driving home, I thought we might stop at Lehman Park but we didn't for some reason (in the end, this meant that my 10K step goal was never reached).  At the house, Eileen wrapped up some of her household tasks and then we sat down to dinner.  The choice of menu items ended being very good - we enjoyed garlic naan, vegetable pakora, Tandoori Chicken Tikka and Lamb Korma (mild spices).  Everything (including the wine) was very good and it was nice to relax with Eileen for another good meal.  And I didn't have to sweat making it myself!  We were done eating at around 2000 and then spent time cleaning up the kitchen.  After that, we sat by the woodstove and had fun working on puzzles and talking.  Outside, it got dark and, as I expected, Eileen started to fall asleep.  As had happened the previous night, she only lasted until about 2100.  I thought we'd be calling it a night but she woke up and, with some kind of second wind, seemed happy to rest with me in the warm living room.  By 2200, we were both ready to retire but I did a little bit of reading and Duolingo before turning off the lights (2215).  Maybe today actually did turn out to be "normal" after all...

Nomad Life - Day 185

After yesterday's amazing day in Canada, it was hard to return to "normal."  My body seemed to be ready for a new day, though and I woke up at 0615 without an alarm.  For some reason, I smelled smoke and guessed that Eileen had woken up earlier to stoke the fire.  Before investigating, though, I sstarted teleworking and only later joined Eileen in the living room - she had, indeed, been working with the woodstove.  We talked for a little while and then both started to get ready for our day.  I resumed teleworking (with a short break for breakfast) and was online until 0730, when both Eileen and I drove our cars to Lehman Park so we could to take Mika for a walk.  Like yesterday, it was cold (low teens) but clear.  Despite the cold, we played frisbee, marveled at all the birds and got some exercise along the Raquette River.  Afterwards (0800), I took Mika back to Eileen's house and she went to work in Canton.  At Eileen's house, I spent the rest of the morning teleworking - with short breaks to play with Mika.  At lunch time, I started doing "chores" for Eileen.  She'd mentioned most of the items in passing, without "assigning" anything to me, but I wanted to help her out to thank her for hosting me this week.  First, I fixed a bathroom door that wouldn't stay in its track.  This required using some leftover nuts and washers from Eileen's garage but I eventually got the door working (mostly) normally.  Next, I rehung a bedroom door (Eileen had removed it so she could get a couch through) - that was much easier.  The following project was something I usually do when I'm visiting - I restocked the firewood near the woodstove.  Eileen's stock of wood has been mostly used due to the cold winter but there were still pockets of logs in various places along the eaves.  I played "Tetris" with the variously shaped logs and managed to fill up the storage area.  Finally, I (re)covered some of the legs of living room chairs with floor protectors (they'd come off and were lying on the floor in the living room). Especially during the firewood task, Mika distracted me with attempts to play with her.  I was not able to resist her charms and we had fun with a deflated soccer ball and some random sticks.  In the end, I skipped lunch (I did eat some snacks) and, feeling every accomplished, I returned to teleworking at 1300.  With my afternoon meetings completed (1415), I decided to take Mika for an excursion.  I'd hoped to walk with her at Irving Park in Potsdam but I could never find a parking spot nearby.  Instead, I drove back to Lehman Park and spent over 45 minutes there.  By then, the weather had gotten much nicer (high 20s, sunny, snow melting) and I had a good time playing frisbee with Mika.  I also kept her walking and guessing about our itinerary.  She turned this whole plan around, though, when she surprised me by going into the water - she was chasing Canadian Geese.  With this action, her Frisbee started floating away (she'd been carrying it)!  Somehow, I managed to snag it with a long stick (I was NOT going in the cold water) and then walked with it for a while, basically playing keep away.  This decision caused her to get interested in the frisbee again and we had a bit more fun.  When we got back in the car (1500), I didn't realize how wet she actually was and drove her all the way home without making sure she was dry.  It was only when we went into the house that I saw the drops of water everywhere.  Mika was very good, though, and let me put her into some towels.  She stayed in that position while I (finally) took a shower and got cleaned up from my busy day.  By 1530, I was in the kitchen, prepping the corned beef brisket we'd hoped to make the previous day.  It was no longer St. Patrick's Day but we both wanted to try the meet.  Since it took nearly three hours to prepare, I got the food started in a covered pot and then returned to teleworking.  I stayed online until Eileen returned home (1630).  By that point, I had some food and wine out sitting for her; this made her happy.  We chatted and snacked on nibbles for about 30 minutes.  Eileen was already itching to go for a walk after staying mostly still all day at work - she encouraged me to return to Lehman Park immediately.  I didn't object and we drove back there (1715) and spent about 30 minutes walking in the park, playing frisbee with Mika and walking on some of the sports fields connected with SUNY Potsdam.  By 1800, we had returned to Eileen's house and the the corned beef was nearby done with the cooking phase.  Eileen boiled some potatoes and prepared some salad.  Meanwhile, we continued drinking the wine while we set up for dinner.  Once it had rested the appropriate amount of time, the corned beef brisket turned out well - I was as surprised as anyone!  Eileen and I had another great conversation while we ate our dinner.  Afterwards, we cleaned up the kitchen and were going to settle down for another movie.  At that point, though, I received a call from Amanda and this distracted us from our conversation.  While I was talking, Eileen went into the living room and promptly fell asleep (2030).  Mika apparently didn't like that she was resting, especially when there were still some waking hours left - she woke Eileen up long enough for her to remember the movie.  Reluctantly (because I knew Eileen would never make it through), I put on "The Majestic".  Within about 30 minutes, though, Eileen had decided to retire to bed.  After that, I stayed up (with Mika) and watched most of the rest of the film.  At 2145, I was ready for bed myself - on the way out of the living room, I checked the fire.  Before calling it an evening, I did some reading and Duolingo.  Bed time was at 2215.  For the first time in many months, I felt like I was a home owner/renter - the "chores" made me feel like I had a stake in a piece of property.  It's not easy but there is some satisfaction in fixing things...