Road Trip - Day 2

We woke up on Sunday morning around 8:20 and my best friend from college, Emily, was supposed to be at Michele's house because she was in town for her boyfriend's rugby tournament.  I thought I heard her voice when I got up but Michele told me Emily had to drive back to Des Moines early because of bad weather.  It was like waking up on Christmas and being told there weren't any presents.  

I don't want to diminish my time with Michele and Mical because I loved my time with them, but it was just going to be like old times when Emily and I would drive down to St. Louis together to visit Michele...except this time I had driven UP with Jessica.  Regardless, it was a little sad.  

We got to spend some time in the morning, chatting, hanging out, then headed to breakfast at the Cracker Barrel.  

I know, I know.  Michele is leaning away from me and trying to keep a nice smile, but I SUH-WEAR, I took a shower that morning.  And put on deodorant.  I swear.  Really.  And Jessica didn't get out of the car so I couldn't have smelled that bad.  Or her nose doesn't work.  But I think I smelled fine that morning.

So, Missouri and Kansas are kind of punks.  They decided to build bridges right where they put their Welcome signs.  We couldn't get in the pictures because of this.

I'd like to lie to you.  I'd like to tell you that this is St. Louis.  I'd like to tell you this is the Welcome sign between Illinois and Missouri.  But it's not.  We didn't realize that we weren't going to be able to stop so we missed it.  And we couldn't turn back around (we turned around for several signs...).  This is the Welcome to Missouri sign in Kansas City.  We turned around after we got the Welcome to Kansas sign and got it going the other way.  That's what St. Louis gets for putting their sign on the bridge.

We made it into Atwood, to the folks' home around 9:30 pm and dinner was ready and waiting.  What a good mom.  

So Jessica made it.  And she's a good friend, if I haven't mentioned that before.  She was very good to mention before we left, before we got to the cold weather (did I mention I owe her BIIIIIIIIIIIG time? -- 24 hours of driving and 20 degree weather for a native Floridian) that she was excited for the trip and wanted to see my town and meet my people even if at the time it didn't seem like it.  And I'm reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally glad she said that, because there have definitely been times that I'm afraid she's going to kill me. 

Road Trip

Sorry for no recent updates.  I wanted to post each day of my road trip, but, um, well after 15 hours in the car, all I wanted to do was sleep.  Jessica has been traveling with me, bless her little heart.  

 

We were about 2 or 3 hours into our 14 hour drive, when Jessica's friend Janet called.  

Janet:  "So, do you really know how far you're going?"  

Jessica:  "Yeah, we're going to Colorado."

Janet:  "But do you realize how far that is?"

Jessica:  "I don't know.  I haven't really looked at a map yet, but it should take us 24 hours.  Here, I've got a map, I'll look now....Holy *bleep*! "  She looks at me.  "Do know how far Colorado is?  It's like clear across the US!"

I told her to thank Janet for me...and that what she had just done was tell a marathoner about 2 miles in, that she only had 24 more miles to go.  Thanks, Janet.

But we've decided if we ever have to move....it's going to be to Tennessee.  It was an absolutely B-E-A-UUUU-tee-ful drive!  There were lakes and trees and waterfalls! and mountains and flowers and waterfalls! and camping and cool bridges...and Jessica wants you to know there were WATERFALLS!!!!!!  It's a pretty cool place.

We headed into Kentucky which was pretty quick and pretty uneventful.  Although, you may not see us, we're leaning into the Mile 0 sign. 

We finally made it to my friend Michele's house at 12:30 a.m. Central time, which means were were on the road for over 15 hours....thanks Atlanta, for those 2 hours where we were doing the creep....that's right, 20 mph for 2 hours!

As you can see, we started out with shorts, tank tops, and flip flops.  That's right, we progressively added clothes.  It. Was. Cold. 

Jacksonville is Home

It's so true that you never miss something until it's gone.  I've realized this more and more in the last month, even though Jax isn't quite "gone" yet.  

I went out to dinner with my cooking club ladies last night in Avondale, which is pretty far from my usual Jax stomping grounds.  We went to Biscotti's which has pretty darn good bistro food and finger-lickin' (and plate-lickin') good desserts.  I went to the restroom before we ordered and as I came out, I saw a guy with a cast on his leg, looked up to his face and realized it was Max, a friend of a friend.  I went over to say hi and Dave showed up to have dinner with Max, whereupon he gave me a hug and a cheek kiss, which I have to say I'm a big fan of the cheek kiss.  It makes you feel special.  Anyhow, here were Max and Dave in a place I didn't expect to see people I know -- ok, so this is their stomping grounds, but I had forgotten that.  

I went back to my table of women and had a lovely last dinner with them -- I'm TOTALLY going to miss my monthly gossip with them...oh, and I suppose some DE-lish-us food.  And I'm thinkin' Rosemary just might be missin' living vicariously through me...because we ALL know the info she wants will NOT, I repeat, NOT be posted on here.  

As we finished our main meal,  a few of us headed to the dessert window to choose from the mile-high ganache, layered berry cakes, fluffy mousse cakes, and other assorted lip-smacking delectables.  I, yet again, walk past a table with another man I know!  Except, this man is really out of place.  I mean to tell you, I met him in Maine!  Yeah, Maine is a little far from Florida.  

Ok, so let's step back for a moment.  I live in Jacksonville, Florida.  Jacksonville, for those of you who don't know, is a Navy town.  There are 2, count them, 2, Navy bases in Jacksonville, which makes for a whole lot of Navy peeps.  And, ok, so maybe I dated 2 Navy men in my 4 years here, both of whom left -- one to Hawaii and one to Maine -- so I've met my fair share of Navy peeps from other places, while giving the long-distance thing a go.  

Right, so, back on track here.  Man, my ADD is at it's all-time peak.  Ahem.  

So, I see the Godfather (think Top Gun - Pete Mitchell, Maverick), but I can't remember his real name.  However, I tend to be an unabashed woman, so I walk up to him, re-introduce myself and say, "Aren't you the Godfather?"  And this leads me to another hug...and I mean a bear hug.  The Godfather is a good hugger.  I enjoy good hugs as much as cheek kisses.  Maybe more.  

The Godfather is having dinner with Big Lovin', who I've never met before but have heard many stories about.  I was happy to meet him, even though I couldn't exactly recall one of these stories.  

That's a bad thing about me - I remember stories, but can't put them to the person once I meet them until someone says, "Yeah, remember I told you that story about..." And then the light bulb goes on.

Ok, but the point is, this has been happening to me a lot in Jax lately.  Running into people I know.  Like at the Gate River Run, where I saw a TON of people I knew, which ain't bad considering there only, oh, you know...18,000 people running it.  

But it still just makes me realize, in the 4 years I've been here, I've made friends.  And while the Navy folk have this bad habit of just picking up and moving after you become friends, they also have this FANtastic way of magically re-appearing...3 years later.  This is not to say that I don't have "permanent" friends here.  The River Run people were all from here.

It's just to say that after growing up in a town of 1200 and needing that sense of small community, I've found it.  Which is also to say, I am going to be homesick for Jax, regardless of my house. Because, this is where I've made MY life.