The Trip Home: VA to PA

Facebook asks, "What's on my mind?" 
Well, with breathtaking intensity...NEVER believe your adult children when they offer suggested times to leave their place of residence. For example...
Me: "Em, what's a good time to leave so I don't get stuck in the D.C. early morning rush hour traffic?"
Em: "Probably early."
Me: "Yeah, well that's a given but I mean 6 am, 7 am..."
Em: "Well, not 8 am or 9 am cause you'll get stuck and set forever. Traffic starts to get really bad around 8 am"
Me: "So, if I leave at 7 am it should be ok..traffic shouldn't be bad at all then?"
Em: "Mom, you are asking too many questions, just pick a time and leave as long as you don't go during rush hour."
Me: "Ok, I will leave by 7 am."
Em: "That should be fine."

SO, at 6:46 am, after gently kissing my beautiful sleeping adult daughter on the forehead, telling her to take care of herself and that I loved her, I left Arlington VA. My adventure started out rather well. I found my Rav4 in the underworld garage where there is lurking some sinister -like lighting. I touched base with Alpha Mother to let her know my travel plans for the day, gave her and Alpha Dad my love and easily slipped out onto Eads Street. I was thinking…..”Oh yeah, I can do this.” A little Dale Evans "Happy Trails" tune popped into my brain! I was soooooo ready. I had my fresh ground cup of extra strong black coffee, (courtesy of the apartment complex fantastic free coffeerama center, my jug of icy Brita-filtered water with slices of lemon and lime, a freshly homemade gluten-free blueberry muffin (which last night my dear child said, “Hmmm I guess I will get used to these but they taste like dirt with gravel in them.” Gee, so much for my gluten free baking abilities. Note to self-Practice on Marty!). Bye-bye my sleeping daughter, see you soon! The temp gage in the ole' Rav4 registered a whopping 78 degrees outside. Not bad..not bad at all! Maybe there won’t be any Christmas Carols sung today on the way home…”Happy Trails to me”……

I was listening to K-Love Christian radio and having a great moment or two just before I went from a two lane, where there were about 10 cars, to Route 395 where there instantly were a bazillion cars in 6.5 seconds! I had to get from the far right-hand lane to the other side ...which was a crossover of at least 82 lanes (well o.k. 5) and then EXIT onto the George Washington Parkway in less than ONE-HALF MILE! Can a middle-aged, only-child who when growing up never really wanted to learn how to drive a car at 16, ( Yes, ask Alpha Mother for the story on that one and be sure to mention Job Kiess) accomplish this......OH, absolutely. I love a challenge!!!!!(and exclamation points!). I always could figure my way out of a situation-has to be the skills learned from the Alpha Mother and Dad combined with being an only child I bet.

On a positive therapeutic note I learned something immediately. The Gas-N-Go/Brake-N-Gas method works. Somewhere there has to be research on this method! Also, I have deduced that D.C. drivers really do get out of the way when they see an out of state vehicle with a crazy-haired driver (remember the window had to be open/down-NO air conditioner) laughing and crying and praying (eyes wide open) while hunched over the steering wheel, speeding up, signaling, dodging in and around cars switching lanes. Almost like a dog following a good scent.

It is important to note that my life did not pass before my eyes at all...hey-there just wasn't any time for reflection. But, I believe there was a waft of adrenaline! Hallelujah, I had made it with nary a scratch!

Now I will tell you that I thought I was hearing bells during this mad-dash across the 82 lanes. With both eyes on the road, I blindly fiddled with the radio and found that it was not on, so I listened closely and sure enough it was a lovely melody of horns (from all the drivers )cheering me on to my destination! I was so overcome with their thoughtfulness that all I could do was wave my thanks.

So, If you see a photo of a crazy-haired, wide-eyed driver laughing, crying and praying who was waving at everyone-it is probably me!! As for my adventure, I am ~SO Blessed~