I'M BACK .....

The jet lag is no longer kickin my butt !

I got back into town Wednesday evening and I think I scared the CRAP out of the two ladies that were sitting behind me on the plane ... not on purpose, of course! I have flown into Washington Reagan National before and know that it is a quick landing. The landing area is short and I know that there is water (the Potomac River) at the end of the runway. So, just as the plane is about to hit the pavement, I brace myself with the seat in front of me and the window beside me ... the ladies behind me are whispering (but I can hear) ... She's holding on for dear life, Oh my God, does she know something that we don't? I very calmly tell them that the plane will land and stop quickly. Just about then, Thump and the feeling like you have just stopped at the end of a very fast moving roller coaster ! I turn around and both of their faces are as white as a sheet. They gain their composure and say "Thanks for the Warning". I didn't dare tell them about the water ... If I can recall correctly, I do believe that once upon a time, a plane didn't stop on time and ended up at the edge of the water !!

Washington Reagan National Aiport is always a treat!

I went to work on Thursday and probably should have stayed home instead. The alarm clock went off at 5:30 - my body says NO, it's only 3:30. Same thing the night before ... crawl into bed at 11:30 and toss and turn - no one in their right mind goes to bed at 9:30 ! Very short night indeed. I was greeted with hundreds of emails (and stupid questions) and got absolutely nothing accomplished all day. But hey, I was getting paid for being there !

Today was much better (even though it is Friday the 13th!) and I am glad to announce, there were no mishaps of any kind ... unless you consider traffic a mishap. But, here in Northern VA, traffic on a Friday is always a pain even when it isn't Friday the 13th. 30 Mile Backup during the evening rush hour ! A tractor trailer caught on fire THIS MORNING on southbound I95 - emergency road repairs caused the backup in the evening. It must have been ONE HELLUVA FIRE !! Ironically, it was a tractor trailer fire on I95 North, the morning I left for my trip (when it took LB 2 1/2 hours to make a 45 min. or so drive to my house). The night I came home, the highway was backed up due to an afternoon crash on I95 North ( a tractor trailer hauling beer and a car that collided with it and caught fire). Budweiser anyone? It was all over the road, but probably a little warm due to the heat of the fire. Luckily, LB didn't have to make the trip that night ... Matt (and Jillian) came and got me and he lives up here, so he didn't get tangled up in the mess. Jillian says to me, when I finally get out of the airport - "Grandma - what took you so long?" I told her to go talk to the baggage carousel ...

TRACTOR TRAILERS SHOULD NO LONGER BE ALLOWED TO USE I95! Yeah, right !

So, tonight I get a phone call - Josh wants to know if I am home yet? He has to go to the bathroom. Isn't it amazing that one doesn't hear from their kid unless they need something? So, he stops by to use the facilities - and I got to see the new granddaughter (one month old next week!). We decide to go and grab something to eat because they would be starving by the time they got home (they would have to get into the 30 mile backup). We head on down the road to go to Sully's and IT IS CLOSED ! I was so Bummed Out ... that was one of my most favorite places to go for a steak and sweet potato. There is a small typed sign on the window that said that Mr and Mrs Sullivan (can't remember their names, even though in was on the sign) have decided to retire and that the kids wanted to go off and do something different with their families. A Sad Day in the neighborhood, to say the least. It must have been a quick decision because at least 3 other cars drove up while we were there and I'm sure they were disappointed also.

Anyways, once I get my pictures downloaded (and my laundry done), I will update with the adventures of my vacation (JET LAG SUCKS).

But, on a positive note, I am now the proud owner of my very own CHICKEN POOP !

UPDATE: The latest truck was hauling tomatoes !! (AH ... Fried tomatoes - I wonder if they were green?) Two lanes of the highway had to be repaved (the fire melted it) and the bridge had to be checked out to make sure it was still structurally safe.