on the road

It's just about time for me to head to Virginia!

I've reconnected with former co-workers from my newlywed days and will get to spend time with 3 of them. So much has happened in the 25 years since I last saw most of them; I'm excited to get to know them again. The co-worker that I've stayed in touch with all these years has shared my widowed status with the other 2 so I won't have to break that news in person. They did know Taz pretty well, I worked with them for 8 years so he was around a lot. Oh, and I forgot, he actually worked on the computer system there as a side job so yeah, they saw a lot of him. Having to tell them in person and watching the shock on their faces probably would have started me crying and that's not what I want to spend my time doing. I'm sure there will be some tears but at least they've had a chance to process it before I get there.

I'm also going out to dinner with one of Taz's best friends from California. He lives in Maryland now so it's pretty convenient for him to come down to where I'm staying. It will be nice to spend time with one of his friends and share stories. He and Taz met when Taz got his first job in California. He and I drove out there (so that he would have his car) in 1997. I stayed for a week in his new apartment (which I had obtained for him over the phone from Virginia) and then I flew home to Virginia while he lived in California alone for almost a year. Michael was a co-worker and the 2 of them shared an office. It was one of those "love" at first sight scenarios, they were such buddies. They had the same sense of weird humor, I think they were like 2 naughty boys together. It makes me smile just to think of the trouble that the 2 of them got into at work. I can't wait to meet up with Michael and hear more of those stories. They actually worked together at 3 different jobs over the years until Michael moved to China with his wife (now ex-wife) and Taz and I moved to Florida for a year. They stayed in close touch over the years though and usually got together at least once a year, often more. It's convenient that Michael eventually ended up in the DC area and I'm so happy he's willing to rearrange his schedule to meet with me while I'm close by.

But more than meeting up with friends, I'm going to visit our old houses and ride the roads we traveled together so many times. We used to love to take weekend drives out to the countryside. Virginia is so beautiful. If I didn't hate driving in snow, I would move back. Actually, I'm kind of thinking it might be something to think about for the future, but not now.

Most importantly, I'm going to eat at a fast food place, Roy Rogers, that we don't have in Florida (or California) that makes the best bbq sauce ever. I crave this place and I haven't been since 2013 so that's YEARS of craving. I already have planned to eat lunch there as soon as my plane lands and I'll be going back a few more times before I head home. I think there's one near-ish to my office and I've already informed them of my obsession with the place so hopefully they'll take me out to lunch there. I can't wait to share pictures on here!

So the road calls and I must answer. I love to travel and this is the closest I'm getting to a vacation this year so I'm going to make the most of it.

And don't worry about little Charlie, she will be getting plenty of love while I'm gone. Her favorite kids will be living at my house while I'm away so she will not be lonely at all. 

She may, however, be very tired out by all that love.