I asked my son, do you need a ride to the airport? And the answer is "yes", but that airport was not CMH, it was JFK... Those of you who know my son won't find this as unusual at all.
So a friend suggested rather than drive there and back, and then drive there and back again, I should just stay, so I did. I also had not ever thought I would drive through Washington Heights, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Long Island, but I did. I much prefer the subway and cabs. East Coast drivers.... NUTS.
Originally both sons were going, but they talked amongst themselves, decided one should watch the store, and that one needed the vacation more than the other.
My son and I set out for JFK on a Saturday morning. He told me that I would definitely be receiving the highest Uber rating ever. I think it was the snacks.
We stopped for lunch. I texted Chris and said, "Bet you can't guess where I am." Within a few minutes he sent me a snapshot of Ruby Tuesdays with the correct address in PA. He is a whiz with estimates, routes, and my predictability.
I dropped off Corey at JFK and decided to stay at a hotel on Long Island. It was fairly inexpensive, had a refrigerator and microwave, and I could visit a national park nearby-- Fire Island National Seashore. I wanted to take some long walks, see the lighthouse, and check another national park off of my list (compulsion).
I didn't leave the room much. I had work. I was writing and writing, both my curriculum and a memoir. I did go up and down the stairs a few times per day. I think the housekeepers were fabricating a story about what I was doing in that room for 6 days with a do-not-disturb sign on the door. They might have been fearful of what they would find when they were finally permitted inside. Too many episodes of Law & Order?
I realized on that car trip that I have actually driven from Atlantic to Pacific this year. THIS YEAR. In January, Chris and I drove from Ohio to Los Angeles to drop off some furniture to one set of kids. Then I was driving from Ohio to NYC with another kid. Then I realized I had also driven from Ohio to the border of Canada for a wedding and from Ohio to Key West to see another kid this year. THIS YEAR. Holy guacamole. For someone who doesn't like to travel, I sure do get around.
Just a random tidbit here... Pennsylvania, on the border of New Jersey, can smell bad. I'm not sure what was happening on Thursday afternoon, but we smelled all sorts of things that we didn't smell on the trip out. Just FYI.
The best part of the trip was laughing so hard for 10 hours (each way) in the car with my son. My sides hurt. My throat was sore. He is hilarious.
The sweetest part of the trip was pulling up to Casey's apartment. Casey was so excited to see his twin, that he was waiting and pacing outside at 1:30 in the morning. Awwww
The worst part of the trip was actually in the last 10 minutes of the 6-day adventure. If you live in Northwest Columbus, you"ll know what I am talking about... that little bitty lane in the construction zone from 270 to 315 north.
I think that 6 days was the longest I have ever spent without my husband. It was the longest that I spent eating from a mini-fridge and microwave since undergrad. And, if I need to leave for that long again, I definitely need to leave him a few more tupperware meals and pickles... there wasn't much left by the time I got back... but he did do all of the dishes...
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