The Yankee Has Company

It wasn't the first visit from a family member. My brother, sister-in-law,and their youngest were here at the end of July. And it wasn't the first time I'd seen Mom since moving down here. We had a gathering of the clan the previous weekend for my brother's birthday. It was the first visit by someone from home, and the first guest who stayed in my apartment. It was Mom's first visit to Alexandria.

I suppose it really wasn't her first. Mom and Dad came through this part of the country on their honeymoon more than 54 years ago. They visited Monticello and Mount Vernon. Mom didn't want to do any of the tourist things on this visit. She wanted to check out my new apartment, see where and who I hang out and work with, and just spend some time together.

She arrived on Friday afternoon by train, which really is a great way to travel. You can board an Amtrak train in Stamford and get off in Alexandria without changing trains. It's about the same amount of time as driving, but you don't have to deal with traffic, tolls, or stops for gas. When I came down to the seminary for my interview and then for my first round of meetings, it was actually cheaper then driving when you calculate out the $0.55/mile reimbursement one gets for using one's car. You arrive relaxed rather than tense from dealing with the traffic.

So right off the bat Mom got a taste of my life. Because the week at work had been a whirlwind, I hadn't had time to run out and get a couple of things to prepare for her visit. Like the inflatable bed or her Gatorade. Off to Bed Bath and Beyond, Target, and Giant. And I needed to check my mail at the UPS Store in Old Town. Then I took her to dinner at one of the local restaurants where I often go on Fridays when the refectory doesn't serve dinner. And then we settled in for an evening of catching up.

Saturday we drove around a bit. We stopped at the antique store and the consignment shop I check out every once in a while. It's fun to just browse. Every once in a while you see something you want or need, like the table for my entryway that I bought at the consignment shop. This weekend I saw quite a bit of Depression Glass that was under priced, but none of it was the patterns I collect or interesting enough to bring home. Besides, I still need to build the hutch top for the white dresser, so I can display what I have.

I'm trying not to clutter up the apartment. Right now it takes about 3 hours to give it a thorough cleaning. I usually break it up into 15 minute segments of dusting, one an evening throughout the week, and then do another half hour or so one night a week to vacuum and/or wash the floors. Another hour over the weekend takes care of anything else that needs doing. I'm also pretty good about picking up after myself. I'm not a fanatic, but in the long run it saves me time. The only thing I haven't managed to wean myself from is piling paperwork, mail, and writing projects on the desk for days on end. I'm better about it. I still have a ways to go. But if that's the worst of it, I'd doing pretty well.

Saturday night we went to Kellee's and Bob's for dinner. I wanted Mom to meet the folks I often spend time with and count on to get me off campus on a regular basis. As usual, I came home with leftovers.

Sunday I did something I haven't done since I arrived down here. I went back to a church I'd been to already. I took Mom up to St. Clement's. It's close, and the coffee hour there is handled better than most places I've been, including my former parish up in Connecticut. It has its good points and its not-so-good points, as does anyplace.

After some down time and a light lunch (well, we did put the sewing machine into the sewing table, but that's a tale for another time) we went to one of the Goodwill stores in the area. I made a wrong turn on the way there, which is why I usually take the Rand McNally area road atlas with me. Once there we found nothing. Of course, like the consignment and antique shops, you have to go regularly to find the occasional treasure.

While I looked at the road map to figure out which way I was going to drive home, Mom asked how far it was to Arlington National Cemetery. Not very far and not very difficult from where we were, so off we went for an impromptu visit. I made another wrong turn when we got there and headed out the exit rather than into the visitors' parking, but it gave us a chance to get a closer look at the Air Force Memorial. I marvel at it every time I drive by it on the highway. It's simple and elegant, and you know immediately the inspiration for the design--the jets flying together and then veering off in separate directions. What I hadn't known until we visited the Cemetery was that the Air Force Memorial is part of the Cemetery.

We arrived just too late for the 3:00 p.m. tour and didn't want to be there as long as taking the 4:00 p.m. tour would have been. We looked at the map and opted to walk to the JFK (John F. Kennedy, for those of you too young to remember) grave site/memorial. As many times as I've seen pictures videos, it just doesn't compare to being there in person. I'm going to use those two words again: simple and elegant. And the view of Washington from the wall engraved with JFK's inauguration speech is simply stunning.

After getting back home, we spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing and talking. We talked a lot about church over the weekend. What's been going on at Grace and what I've been observing during my visits. I don't think we solved any problems.

Then it was off to dinner in the refectory with some of the folks I usually eat dinner with followed by drinks and popcorn in Cafe 1823. Mom met a lot of people this weekend.

We had a quiet morning on Monday followed by a quick lunch with still more folks in the refectory. Then I took her back to the Alexandria station to board the 1:00 train home. That was hard; harder than I expected. But Christmas is coming, and the family will be together again then.

Christmas is coming. I'd better get busy!