Well, I'm sitting on the one working computer in the "business center" at the Kilmarnock Holiday Inn Express, in Kilmarnock, VA - a little po-dunk town out towards the Chesapeake. David and I drove down two days ago from DC - took us 5 hours to go the 140 miles, thanks to epic traffic. However, once we got off of I-95, it just got more and more rural - lots of dinky little houses sitting in the middle of rolling fields - often right next to the old, abandoned houses from the previous generations. There was a subtle shift in churches that went on as well, I noticed - the percentage of Baptist churches has increased quite dramatically, as has the size of the parish hall relative to the church - that's always a good giveaway that you're getting a proper thumper church - not sure why that is - I wonder if anyone has done a scientific study?
Anyway, we managed to fly into NYC on Weds eve, after a half-empty and totally non-eventful flight. Got into the shithole that is JFK at about 830 pm, and then had to schlep our way via AirTrain, Long Island Railroad, New Jersey Transit and Newark Airport Monorail to the rental car place. About 11pm, we picked up our rental - a Saturn Vue, which claims to be an SUV, but is actually such a serious weenie mobile I can't imagine it handling any more than a few dust particles. Our "airport hotel", that I picked out, turns out to be about 8 miles south of the airport, along the NJ Turnpike (v scenic - not). Problem is, we chose to be sensible and cheap, and took the 1-9 down there - a 6 lane horrid road lined with every conceivable type of fast food known to mankind. It is, apparently, physically impossible to turn left across the 1-9 (there is a physical law), so we spent quite a lot of time going up and down teh 1-9, trying to figure out how we were going to get from the west side to the mythical east side of the road (yes, we did try turning right and doing a bit u-turn). Finally, about 45 minutes later, we managed to straggle on into the hotel. Thank god for Google Maps.
Next day we managed to take in, I think, about all of Manhattan and then some (we are efficient). We did actually try to have dinner at the restaurant where we had our first date, but it doesn't seem to exist anymore. Shocking - and no blue plaque there either. I did, however, come to the very definite conclusion that were I to ever come back to the USA (no immediate plans), it would definitely be back to Manhattan. It still feels like home...
After our day of urban-ness, we drove down to DC - got lost twice - made one very illegal turn, and managed to roll in about 2am. Nice hotel, right in downtown DC - only problem was that there was some sort of huge dumpster out behind the hotel that they started emptying, on the hour, every hour, at 3am. Not much sleep was had. Anyway, we complained, and actually got the night for free! Yippee!
Our big DC visit consisted of having lunch with Jerry, and then hopping in the car for some epic I-95 traffic, heading south.
Which brought ut to Kilmarnock. This was the first time I actually met much of David's family. They are a weird and wonderful bunch, and I think he needs to see them more often. His cousin's wedding was at this tiny little Episcopal church out in Chickenwhistle, nowhere - actually, probably the most boring ceremony I've ever been to. Reception was great though - it was held about 30 miles from the wedding at this old-timey southern inn, owned by this very strict-looking, older woman, wearing all black, who spent much of her time fussing about the children.
Anyway, David's side of the family is generally pretty irreverent, big drinkers, rabble-rousers. Her side though - good old fashioned, moneyed, religious southerners. She insisted that he waited for marriage - to the point that he wasn't even allowed to live in the house they had already bought. Her dress was white - I guess legitimately. That poor silly boy. Oh well - her daddy's rich... ;-) I really am a horrible person, I am. (Still, the amount of gossip going around at the wedding - I thoroughly enjoyed myself).
Anyway, David's just come down from showering (and, he says as he reads over my shoulder, "waiting for your ass" - time to pack up and head for South Carolina - further down into Jesus-land...
More later...
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