Thanksgiving Trip - Day 5

[when we figured out that most everyone would be leaving today, we decided to get a jump on the drive home too - we got to see many of our family members as they were heading to the airport - packed up the car - Nicky and the Twins had a big debate about whether we should wait until later in the day - thank goodness we got going around 1030L - took I-16 back to I-95 and headed north into South Carolina - stopped for gas in Yemassee (1130L) - lots of traffic until we reached I-26 (football game?) - was able to use cruise control for awhile - we did stop for lunch in Florence (Arby's) around 1330L - after seeing a ton of signs for South of the Border (in Dillon, SC), we stopped to buys souvenirs and get good pictures of our buddy, Pedro - on the road again soon after - weather still good and traffic OK (had a flew close calls of "accordion slow downs", but survived) - after making it across all of North Carolina, we stopped for gas again in Emporia, Virginia (1800L) - Nicky and kids picked up our dinner (Blimpies and Long John Silvers) while I filled up the tank - it was dark by this point - no problems driving right through Richmond - traffic started to back up just south of Fredericksburg (near Stonewall Jackson Shrine) - we got off the Interstate and got some help (and snacks) from a gas station attendant: were able to drive east on back roads until we could access US-17 - took it to US-301 and crossed the Potomac at Dahlgren - switched to MD-5 in Waldorf and made good time to the Beltway - backtracked west to Virginia and made it to the house around 2130L - after helping empty the car, Erin and Brenna even had time to catch the tail end of a party down the street with their friends - I went to bed...]

Thanksgiving Trip - Day 4

[woke up relatively early again - went down to the Big Room and tried to find out where everyone was going - as usual, the crowd had all kinds of different goals for the day (shopping, football, sightseeing, relaxing) - while Mollie, Kathy and Katie Belle were off at the Juliette Lowe (founder of Girl Scouts) home, Andy and I decided to visit Tybee Island (I think I've seen a picture of me at the place, circa 1970...) - we drove east towards the Ocean on US-80 and found a town much like Cape Cod or the Eastern Shore (though it was much warmer here) - backtracked to the Lighthouse (1200L) and took a tour of the grounds (including a walk up the 178 steps to the catwalk) - there was also an interesting museum of the history of the area, too (with the story of the time when each flag flew overhead: Spain, France, Pirate, Great Britain, US, CSA) - after enjoying our time there, we drove north to Fort Pulaski and walked around the grounds of the National Monument - it was an interesting place with an interesting background (big lesson: never give up seemingly useless land to your enemy that he can later use to shoot high tech weapons at you - or you will have to surrender) - we ate lunch at Wendy's on the way back to our hotel - also stopped to pick of additional groceries at Kroger - by this point, Chuck and Tim had already found a great place to watch the college football games - we joined them around 1500L at JJ Bonerz and had a great time there for several hours (until 2000L) - eventually, we headed back to the Big Room and caught up with the family for a few more hours before bed - many of the group planned to leave early on Saturday, so we had to say lots of goodbye's - sad]

Thanksgiving Trip - Day 3

[woke up later - got texts from the rest of the group because many of them were swimming in the hotel pool (loud!) - Thanksgiving Dinner was much earlier this year (had to be ready to leave around noon) - we had two 15 passenger vans to get everyone around this week (even with only 21 people here, it is still amazing how much planning is required to move the group!) - our meal was on the top floor of the Mansion at Forsythe Park (700 Drayton Restaurant) - we enjoyed an outstanding meal of salad greens, turkey and fixin's, wine and delicious dessert while moving around the room to sit with different relatives - one funny part of the meal was when we heard that the hotel kitchen used to be the embalming room of a funeral home (the whole house was used in the mortuary trade for a few years!) - we made our way back to the hotel and watched football for several hours before dinner time (really, more of a snack) - around 1930, we all used the vans to go to a special musical show (called "A Christmas Tradition") at the Savannah Theatre - it was very well done and kept us entertained for a few hours - we made it back to the hotel by 2230 and hung out in the room visiting for a few more hours...]

Thanksgiving Trip - Day 2

[woke up early - took care of some work emails - found that only Mollie was ready to go out and explore - didn't see anyone at the Big Room, so we walked out into town - our hotel (Marriott Riverfront) was located at the eastern end of the waterfront - it was chilly and windy, actually (but, at least, it wasn't 0 degrees C, like home...) - we found some interesting monuments and walked on the cobblestone streets through pretty parks/squares - checked out the Juliette Gordon Lowe home (closed until Friday) and then started to look for a good place to sit down for brunch - we found a good one (Cobblestone Cafe) - the food was delicious: French Toast with peach cobbler topping (peaches, cream and pecans) - Mollie had good grits, too - explored the marina and water front along River Street, including the Waving Girl - we headed back to the room and I took a nap for a few hours (splitting headache) - when I woke up, I headed down to the restaurant bar and found Chuck - hung out for a bit before heading back to the Big Room - Bonnie asked me and David to go pick up drinks at snacks - we located a Kroger nearby (apparently built inside the brick shell of an old factory, like many of the buildings around here) - got some good stuff and then drove over to a nearby package store to pick up even more popular items - the supplies were well received - got dressed for dinner (Mollie and I were invited to go to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse!) - we walked a short distance to the restaurant and met up with David & Ellen, Andy and Chuck - what a great meal and lots of interesting conversation (didn't want to leave) - Mollie tried all kinds of new foods (stuffed mushrooms, brussel sprouts, etc.) and was a center of attention as the youngest (and least sober) at the table - almost all of us walked back to the hotel afterwards (still brisk) - hung out in the Big Room for several more hours before calling it a night!]

Thanksgiving Trip - Day 1

[went to work early, attended my regular Tuesday meetings and was able to make it out of the City by around 1230L - Nicky had gotten the kids out of school and the car was almost all packed - we finished loading up and, with a full gas tank, began driving (1320L) south towards our family Thanksgiving reunion in Savannah, Georgia - it was rainy all day - thought we would be OK when I got in the HOV lane and were making good time (while the rest of the lanes were jammed) - but the non-carpoolers had the last laugh when a poorly conceived ending of the lanes (two became one, left side entrance with no merge zone) caused us to have to stop completely for more than 20 minutes - by the time we passed Quantico, it was very depressing to realize had been on the Interstate for nearly two hours and traveled only about 50 miles... - but it picked up very nicely after that - though the rain was steady, Nicky's "RainEx" made the drops bead up and fly off the window, almost with no wiper required! - we started to pick up pace after using I-295 to get around Richmond and getting past Rocky Mount - stopped for dinner (Bojangles - I think the place was a first) around 1800L and, since the ride had been so hard, we sat down in the restaurant, chatting with the poor souls who were headed north into the storm - back on the road, almost no traffic - gas (Kangaroo Express!) near Hope Mills, North Carolina (1930L) - wanted to stop at South of the Border (all lit up!) but we needed to get to our destination at a reasonable hour... - no troubles through South Carolina - got off the interstate before crossing into Georgia (US-17) - it eventually turned into a back road, but we found a huge bridge that crossed into the Peach State (and Savannah) around 2200L - got checked in and unpacked the car quickly - figured out where the "Big Room" was and stopped by, finding Kathy and Megan there - chatted for about an hour before heading to bed]

Warrenton, VA (USA)

[took care of a dental visit and then drove out to Warrenton to visit our staff there - spent the afternoon working with them and then headed back towards I-66 for dinner (Eggspectations) - returned to our customer site for another five hours, observing hardware installations - interesting stuff - left around 2330 and got home after midnight]

Chantilly, VA (USA)

[company training in Chantilly at HQ today - up really early to beat the traffic, a few hours of project work before the class started - lunch with Kim - finished up around 1700 - traffic on the way home bad again, but only took about an hour this time]

Chantilly, VA (USA)

[company training at HQ today - up really early - went to vote at 0600 (much easier than last year - quick - almost no line) - drove to Chantilly and got a few hours of project work done before the class started - finished up around 1700 - traffic on the way home was horrible all the way - so frustrating...]

Beltsville, MD (USA)

[Brother Jim asked me to come by again to provide some technical support on his new computer - I drove up to Beltsville around noon and we had lunch with the rest of the Brothers who live at La Salle House - spent several hours remapping files for him - we also watched some of the Redskins game before I headed back home - there was some fussing later in the evening, so I drove out for a few hours, exploring Falls Church and some areas of Fairfax - picked up a late dinner and then went back to Alexandria]

Great Falls, VA (USA)

[took care of errands near the house in the early afternoon (with Mollie) - got changed and headed over to Great Falls to hear Kim play (arrived early, but it was nice to wind down before Mass started) - met up with her and David afterwards (had dinner at Peking Delight) - drove home around 2100]