Another Weekend Has Come and Gone...

...but it was a GREAT weekend! I left work early on Friday (around 1:00) to drive up to VA. I drove to my sister Pam's house. We were going to go roller skating, but we thought about it too late. We ended up taking my niece bowling that night, and we had a good time. They are running a summer special - games for $1.99. I wish the AMF lanes down here would do that. I'm not sure of anywhere you can bowl for less than $4, without a league discount card. Craziness! My mom flew in from NY on Friday afternoon. She was asleep when I got there, and didn't even know I was there until the next day. When I got up the next morning and walked out of the guest room, she said, "what? What are you doing here? Lookin' like your daddy!" LOL! We all got a good laugh out of that. I do look like my dad's side of the family.

That morning we all drove up to Shell's house. I hate driving on I-95. I don't think there's ever a time when it's NOT congested up that way. Maybe in the wee hours of the morning. The closer you get to DC, the more of a mess it becomes. Ridiculous! We got there around 10:30, which was good - we had to change clothes and be ready to go by 11:10. We were meeting up with some other cars so we could car pool, since Shell's friend knew her way around DC. That was Shell's first time driving the Max, and she had the pedal to the metal! We made good time, but of course, got stuck in traffic. Where we came in, we drove right by the Pentagon. I also saw the Washington Monument. That was my first time in DC. I think I need to go back and see the sights when I have time.

Let me tell you, The Color Purple was EXCELLENT! Fantasia has really stepped up her acting game and I was very impressed. We laughed...we cried...it was just awesome! The whole cast was given a standing ovation, but when Fantasia took her final bow, the applause was just thundering. I didn't realize LaToya London was playing Nettie, so that was a bonus for me. I really, really enjoyed it.

After the play, we went to a restaurant called Sweet Georgia Brown's. It was ok for me. Our waiter was slow as molasses on a winter day. Given the prices, the food was just "ok" for me. But I definitely enjoyed the fellowship. Here's a pic of us at dinner:



Yesterday, we got up in the morning, and initially planned to leave the house around 10:00 a.m. That moved to 11:00 a.m., and then to noon. LOL! I never feel like leaving when I visit my family, but the trek from Fredericksburg to Charlotte is kinda long. While we were home in NY for the family reunion, Pam and I found a baton at my mom's house. We all used to run track back in the day - well, everybody except my oldest brother, but he's fast, too. I know that somewhere packed in a box in my storage area, there is a baton. I tried to find it last time my sisters were here, to no avail. So when we found the one in NY we were psyched. We brought it to Shell's house, to "surprise" her.

Needless to say, she laughed at us and told us she was not gonna participate. But we made her put on her sneakers and come outside anyway. Let me tell you, jogging on the treadmill is nothing compared to sprinting in the street. My abs are sore today, even my shoulders. Clearly, I need to get to the track so I can vary my workouts! Anyway, we got out in the middle of the street and were doing relay hand offs. It was so much fun! It reminded of that adrenaline rush I used to get right before it was time to race. I was the anchor for our relay, from my sophomore through senior years in high school. I loved that feeling when my teammate came around that curve in the 4 x 100. I couldn't wait to take off and bring it home. Of course, it had to be timed perfectly to make sure I got the baton, but Amy and I never messed up our hand offs!

I need to find some type of adult track program. I would love to get back into it. But first, I need to get my knee checked out. It was definitely hurting yesterday. I don't think it was ready for the 5 hour car ride. The problem is, by the time I get the appointment with the ortho, it's not hurting anymore. I'm just going to have to relent and let them do the MRI. I need to find out how much I'll have to pay, though. Right now, the dentist is about to take all my spare cash/change.

Here's a couple of pics of us in the street:


We couldn't quite get ours right...I kept running up on her. It's easier to get the distance right when you're on an actual track, LOL


This was a good one...I wish she had been able to capture the pic right as she handed it to me. And look - I still have calf muscles. Yay! LOL

Happy Monday!