Day 4: Directionless Day

Today can best be described as pockmarked without directions. We came close to having a SSS - Super Sister Smackdown! To make a long story short, Jennifer and I have wildly different driving styles. Having been broadsided in my MINI within the last year, I nearly went over the edge when she came to a full stop in the right lane of a 4 lane road (speed limit reduced because of a school). That was preceded by a 35 minute driving tour of the broken back roads of Leesburg! You see, we were going to my aunt's house for lunch... Jennifer says her house is minutes from the hotel and that she has "navigation." Alright, no problem...

I should have known that the address wasn't registering with GPS when we sat in the hotel parking lot for 10 minutes before taking off. Once we got going, I followed her car as it jumped from lane to lane (sometimes across two lanes to make a last minute turn) while Jennifer was on the phone the whole time trying to get the directions to work. After stopping in the middle of the road, I finally had enough and headed back to the hotel. We were, after all, on every road but the right one within MINUTES OF THE HOTEL! Arg!! I snatched easy directions off of Google Maps and we were at the house in no time at all. All I can say is that's family for ya! No one was in a car accident and the Smackdown passed within 6 hours.

Later, we went to the Leesburg outlet shops to get a gift for Ricky's upcoming birthday. The above picture was taken by my mobile at the shops. We were really late getting to dinner, but eventually found ourselves at Blue Ridge Grill for a wonderful dinner and excellent service. After false starts at TWO other restaurants, Mama at Blue Ridge Grill took great care of us... I can't remember when I've had such excellent service at a restaurant. We finally got to have a great family conversation in a comfortable location. Maybe it was just me and the stress was finally exiting my consciousness, but it was more relaxing than any other places we've eaten to date.

To underscore the 'directionlessness' of the day, even Donna commented that she heard, "Follow me, I know the way there" too many times today! Ha! It's all good 'cause... I have navigation! :)

Peace,
Jaime

Day 3: Low Key Day

After all the power outage and ensuing adventures, all of us were content to just relax, recover and settle in. I took a picture during the power outages: see one on the left. Ha!

Mostly we spent the day by the pool, playing water with the kids. All the kids, including Kiowa, love the water! Taylor (8 years old), being the oldest cousin here, is having a great time showing the younger cousins the ropes. In fact, Erin (5 years old) has been steadily watching Taylor and emulating her eating habits (penne pasta and water at dinner, for those of you who want to know). It's all very adorable.

We went to dinner at Clyde's at Willow Creek Farm. They boast serving food only grown on their farms around the area. It took about 3 hours to dine, but we had one table outside in the Richmond Terrace. The Terrace had soft incandescent lighting and a fountain/pond complete with lily pads and frogs. The biggest surprise of the evening was my aunt, Lois Ann, paid for the entire meal! Talk about an extravagant treat! We were all pleasantly stunned... my brother-in-law, Ricky, immediately quipped, "If I had known, I would have ordered two more beers..." LOL!

There was one crisis incident with the pond, however. My brother-in-law, Andy, was playing with the girls around the pond and it was decided that a toy turtle wanted to swim with the live frogs... between the two fountains on each end of the pond, the turtle ended up stuck exactly in the middle swimming in circles with a bunch of lily pads! To quote Uncle Andy when asked to save the turtle, "It's ok, he WANTS to swim around for a while." LOL! With the help of two waiters, one patron and two food trays, we were able to rescue the turtle. :D

Cheers,
Jaime

Family Reunion: Day 1 and Day 2

As many of you know, I am taking my vacation in the D.C. area (Leesburg, VA) to reunite with my family. We haven't done this in 5 years or more. We took all 4 puppies and the kitchen sink. We decided to the cats to a kitty spa. The overriding theme of the reunion is to visit with my grandmother, Lois. The picture is of my grandmother in her new hat and matching purse. The 'reunionees' include:

1. Linda -- my mother
2. Lois Ann -- my aunt
3. Lois -- my grandmother
4. Donna (sister), Chris (brother-in-law), Taylor (niece)
   
5. Marti (sister), Ricky (brother-in-law), Carly and Erin (nieces)
   
6. Jennifer (sister), Andy (brother-in-law) and Kiowa (niece)

Day 1 involved getting to Martinsville, VA on Sunday. We originally were going on Saturday, but it turned out that our plans weren't going to work out with seeing my dad, Jim. Aside from that aspect, it turned out well because I was able to clean the house and pack at a leisurely pace. That was a nice break after the past two weeks at work! (We rolled out 174 lab computers - 8 labs in 9 days. Actually, we ended up moving double that number since we had to remove existing PCs. Holla, edneth!) We got there at 4pm (missed my dad again!), got the puppies settled, then had dinner with my sister, Marti and her family. My sister continues to crack me up... she definitely lives by "The World According to Marti." Her perspective on life is truly original!

Day 2 held a host of surprises... some not so pleasant and some just plain strange. It is widely known that if you have genes from my family threaded in your DNA, you are usually running late. Yesterday was no exception. My mother and I were the first to arrive at the hotel in Leesburg! That was just plain strange! We all know that this "late" gene comes from Linda. I really like being early. It gives me a sense of accomplishment! Since we were so far ahead of everyone, we stopped at the Rockbridge Vineyard off of I-81 in Raphine, VA. It was a first for my mom. Imagine that! We left there with 4 bottles of wine, an amazing corkscrew and two fancy bottle stoppers. Woo-hoo!

As everybody was rolling in (Jennifer from CT, Donna from MD, Marti from southern VA), Lois Ann and G-Ma arrived at our room with half of Harris Teeter. What a welcome! They brought fresh fruit, raw veggies, cheese (cow and goat) every conceivable drinkable liquid and hummus. Once Donna and Taylor arrived, we congregated in the Lighthouse Tavern at the hotel (the dining room was closed due to being short-staffed). It was loud and the service was congenial and slow, so G-Ma proceeded to *cuss out* the barkeep and his carousing customers. That's my granny!!

About 45 minutes later and a new table in the corner, Jennifer and family arrived. It was all very exciting because it was the first time my mother, my aunt and my grandmother met my newest niece, Kiowa. She's now 8 months old. Kiowa was passed around the table as we ate food once it started to trickle in. Marti and family arrived a little before 9pm... right before the the power went out! Nobody really paid attention when the brownouts happened a few moments before that, because no one expected it to go completely out. The evening we expected to have - easy-going, chatting, laughing, hugs and kisses - turned into a candlelight vigil complete with meeting the immediate neighbors, trying to get news about what happened exactly.

We did find out that a nearby substation caught on fire. The power was out until 1:30am. We preserved the air conditioning in the room as best we could. Three members of my family are forming conspiracy theories. There happen to be 30 people from a United flight that was canceled yesterday due to "something" hitting the plane and also lots of Secret Service in training at our hotel. They believe that's how the power was restored so quickly, considering that the substation was on fire. I am a believer of Occam's Razor which states, "All things being equal, the simplest solution is the best one." I'm just glad to have the AC back. We're surfing a heat wave here in D.C.!

After all the hijinks yesterday, we are taking it easy today. Mostly lounging by the pool, playing with the kids and lots of good ole' southern visiting. I hope that we'll get to see the monuments, historic plantations and a few ghost tours. We are staying at a historic hotel that has reported ghosts. All my favorite things!

More soon,
Jaime

Shock and Awe

Since I may have shocked some of you with yesterday's post, I thought I'd post something a little lighter today. Plus, I wrote so much over the weekend, I'm spent. I'll let someone else do the writing!

The following is a personality test at Tickle: Put Life to the Test. It's called "What's Your Goddess Identity?" If you have a moment, I recommend taking it... just for funsies, of course! My results:

Jaime, you're Angel!
Just like the haloed and winged guardians of good, you truly have a heart of gold, sweet Angel. Whenever there's a chance to pitch in, save the day or just make life easier for the people around you, you're the one for the job.

You don't just jump in without planning — you use your angelic head to figure out how to do things right the first time, like only the most dependable goddesses can. Whether brainstorming a new solution to a problem, planning a surprise party for your parents, or lending your friends a wing to cry on, you've got the right instincts, so follow them whenever you can. As natural as it is for you to take care of the people around you, don't forget to treat yourself right, too. The best friendships, and loves, of a lifetime tend to blossom when you become your own guardian angel.

So don't listen to those who say nice girls finish last. People have always seen you as a goddess of thoughtfulness and good intentions, and it hasn't slowed you down a bit. All in all, Angel, you've got it made with your glowing attitude and ability to see from on high. So get out there and change the world!

If you decide to take the quiz, be sure to post your results as a comment to this post. I wanna hear from you all!

Cheers,
Jaime

To Date or Not to Date... That is the Question!

Many of you may be wondering why I am single. Well, I have pretty good reasons and it was reinforced by my latest excursion to the M4W on the Asheville Craig's List. Or the M4W on the Greenville Craig's List! Take your pick!

It has, in fact, been four years since I seriously dated anyone. My rule of thumb is to wait at least two years in between serious relationships (to clear out any bad ju-ju), but the last one was a double dose! He worked in the Medical Information Technology field. He not only had a psychotic ex who stalked him from NY State and a bankruptcy, but his reasoning for not marrying the mother of his daughter was that she was trying to trap him. The breaking point (when I ran out of there, terrified) was when he told me he had been served with a summons by the Buncombe County Sherriff's office. Do I know how to pick 'em or what?!?!? I met that lovely boy on the Internet. Chemistry was so-so. He's also affectionately known as Boyfriend #4. He still has the book I loaned him: The Prophet by Khalil Gibran. It was inscribed by my mother for my 21st birthday. :(

Boyfriend #3 was a local boy who I met at college. This one is pretty much my fault. I knew he was a player from the get-go. Instead of letting things evolve naturally, I dared him into going on a date with me. I should have never forced it... he left me broken-hearted. Not only did he want to get me with child (there was some question as to whether he could), but also ended up cheating on me. Needless to say, he did not get me pregnant and I did not go back to him when he came sniffing around again a week later. He wanted a camping partner, of all things! I told him he literally looked like a walking willy and to go call the chick with which he cheated on me. Chemistry was OK.

Boyfriend #3 Update: I saw him a few years later at a local restaurant. He was with the woman he cheated with and they had a baby with them. I assume the baby is theirs and they got married. Better her than me!

You all still with me? Ok, great!

I really thought Boyfriend #2 was my soulmate. This was a long distance relationship... he lived in Tacoma, WA. Yet another I met on the Internet. Bad girl! Leave it!! Leave the Internet alone! And, yet, I go back to it time after time...

Anyway, Boyfriend #2 was pretty intense. He was in training to be in the Olympics -- Karate. We wrote an infinite number of letters (emails) and had endless chat sessions, phone and IM. I even made a book out of our correspondence. A frickin' book! He came to visit once - for a week. We had a wonderful time, at first, until reality began to wedge itself in there. It became readily apparent we were living in fantasy land. At some point during that week, he asked me to marry him and I said yes. No ring, but lots of talk about one. Not long after he returned to WA State, the relationship began to crumble. I began to come out from under the fairy tale and started asking questions. He didn't like that, so we went our separate ways. He called me a few months later, wanting to get back together. This wasn't as easy as Boyfriend #3, but ultimately I knew that the relationship would never be 50/50... no matter how much adoration he bestowed on me. Chemistry was enchanted, but not entirely real.

Now I wind up my journey of relationships with the beginning... Boyfriend #1. He was also a local boy, born and bred in the mountains. I was 19, he was 21. He was the best boyfriend by far. We simply enjoyed each other's company. We'd spend countless hours talking, laughing, and dancing. He was an excellent dancer! We loved to go camping... in fact, he gave me a tent and sleeping bag for my birthday that year. (Ed. Note: He was the only boyfriend I spent a holiday with. All the others were in between holidays, birthdays, etc. Isn't that shame?)

Boyfriend #1 had a variety of jobs during the time we dated, but his genius was his creativity. He could write, sing, act... pretty much anything in the Creative Arts. He was a very sensitive kind of guy, which I thought was very sweet. We ended because I developed a raging case of claustrophobia. He never wanted to be too far away from me. Literally. Over time, it turned suffocating. I turned into someone I didn't recognize (a nag). At the time I didn't know how to vocalize that I needed space, so I broke up with him. It was the only way I knew to catch my breath. I say it was the best relationship to date because I know that he truly cared about me. Chemistry was incredible! Of course, he was my first boyfriend (first kiss, first holding hands) so I had nothing to base it on. (Ed. Note: I think "firsts" are like this with everyone, no?)

Boyfriend #1 Update: I saw him just a couple of years ago at the college where I work. He is happily married and sublimely stable. His wife is very good for him. Better than I could ever be. They both have regular jobs, but they frequent Renaissance fairs throughout the US. He makes leather armor and she makes period costumes for the ladies.

So there it is. The history of the whole history of my love life. The length of each relationship was progressively shorter: 9 months, 5 months, 2 months and 3 weeks. Either I am getting smarter or I am getting pickier! The one thing they all had in common was at some point they all tried to change me. Half of that was my fault since I allowed it! This is the main reason I don't jump right back in the dating arena. I like me, just as I am! The other two reasons are laziness and wariness. I don't want to be in a relationship if the significant other is going to tamper with my core. The flip side to that is that I don't entirely trust myself to choose wisely for myself. My lazy nature is completely supportive of these aims! Ha!

Most of the "eligible" bachelors I meet are very one dimensional. I once described myself as a "mass of contradictions" meaning I have multiple facets to my personality. For example, I love technology, as well as history and humanities. I am very detail-oriented and I have a big imagination. I really enjoy an evening out with my close friends, but I have to have equal amounts of time to myself. I need philosophical conversations, as well as giggle fits. I'd like my significant other with the same depth (width?) to his personality. Someone who wants me for me and won't try to change me. Someone to grow with. Someone to share the holidays with. One person to spend the rest of my life with. Until then, I am content to carve out my path and make merry along the way.

Cheers,
Jaime

An Ode to My Love Life

WHY so pale and wan, fond lover?

Prithee, why so pale?

Will, when looking well can't move her,
Looking ill prevail?
Prithee, why so pale?

Why so dull and mute, young sinner?
Prithee, why so mute?
Will, when speaking well can't win her,
Saying nothing do 't?
Prithee, why so mute?

Quit, quit for shame! This will not move;
This cannot take her.
If of herself she will not love,
Nothing can make her:
The devil take her!

Sir John Suckling, 1609–1642