The Trip

[pfloyd]

Wednesday: Alarm goes off at 0400. Last minute items are packed. Car gets loaded up. Last item to go into the car is a cranky monkeymoo2005. We leave sometime between 0530 and 0600. silvara77 takes the first shift of driving. We do hit a pocket of traffic on 684 in New York, but it's broken up well before we hit the Tappan Zee bridge. silvara77 continues to drive on the Garden State Parkway, and I take over after a food and fuel stop at the Molly Pitcher rest area on the NJ Turnpike (first one you hit after getting on). We arrive in Riva MD (just outside of Annapolis) around 1430, meeting up with silvara77's parents and brother. We unload our gear into the hotel, grab quick showers, change into decent clothing, and make our way to the funeral home for the wake. (Side note: I find the concept of an open casket wake a touch creepy, but then again, I've not been around a dead body ever in my life, so please forgive me for thinking that. I quickly got over the feeling.) Afterwards, the whole of the family went to silvara77's aunt's house for dinner and general hanging around. We retired to the hotel later that night, well fed and in need of sleep.

Thursday: Up around 0700 to get cleaned up and prepped. The interrment at the mausoleum was at 1000. There were eleven of us crammed into a limo, which made for some tight (but not physical law-breaking) quarters. Between the burial and memorial service, we stayed at Aunt Simi's place for a nosh, then went to the service. It was nice, dignified, and soothing. Everyone who wanted to was able to get up and say something. silvara77 read her LJ entry that she posted before we left on the trip, and I felt it was a very fitting tribute. monkeymoo2005 was playing up a storm, and was certainly a conversation starter. Everyone at the church brought food to eat, and afterwards we went back to Simi's for more food, some rest, and a wind-down. Afterwards, we made our way to Manassas, to C's parents' place.

Friday: A day of rest, of nothing to do. I still went out -- dragged myself to Borders and Game Parlor in Chantilly, and purchased Munchkin and the first two expansion sets (Unnatural Axe and Clerical Errors). We went to the Elks lodge that evening, and then it was home for more rest and sleep.

Saturday: C's Dad's side of the family came for a visit. Not much else was done.

Sunday: The drive back. Left around 1030, got here about 2000. Got to see the ender for The Sopranos, and was disappointed.

Monday: Back to the world of dreams.

Managed to finish the latest of the Dresden Files (Proven Guilty), and got 75% of Lee Child's The Hard Way (latest in the Jack Reacher series) done over the weekend.
Didn't get to watch Doctor Who yet, so no spoilers please.

Time for bed.