Poppy's 89th Birthday

Sorry it took me a few days to get this up, pictures needed to be uploaded and then there was that little thing of an earthquake and I was distracted.

So Saturday morning I was up at 9 (shocker) and I got up, showered and packed, and was on the road around 10:20. I didn't rush because I didn't think I'd hit traffic or anything but boy I was wrong. I did pretty well the first hour and until I got past Baltimore. The it stopped. Oh my GOD it was awful. Delays to exit 67. Get there, it opens, I go 70... delays exit 71... stop. No rhyme or reason. It would just stop and we would go 5 miles an hour for NO reason! It was awful. Usually I get to my typical rest stop after an hour and a half or so, this time it took over three hours!




I was so not happy. My butt was numb, my feet hurt, my neck and shoulders hurt... it was awful.

In Delaware when 95 split with 295 it mercifully opened again. I got through Wilmington and into PA and stopped AGAIN. But once I hit Phili it was smooth sailing the rest of the way. My 3 and a half hour drive took 6 hours!!

It was weird driving past my usual turn for my street and not taking it. It made me kinda sad! But I made it to Sam's house finally.



We had a blast. Her sister Danielle hung out with us and we hung out for a bit before taking the necessary trip to the farmer's market. I loaded up on tomatoes, cucumbers, and bicolored corn. SO GOOD. We also saw some hot air balloons which made my day.









Back at the house we made an amazing dinner. First was tomato basil and mozerella with oil and vinegar salad. YUM. Then we had flank steak and fried green tomatoes (recipe and instructions to follow!) as well as corn. Some good food and good company. (: Chick flicks inevitably followed.









The next day I got up and went to my grandparents' house, another hour in the car. When I was a block away I called my grandparents house to wish Poppy a Happy Birthday. I told him, "I wish I could be there! Ryan and I arranged to have a delivery sent to you and they promised it would be there by 12:30. Can you go outside and see if it is there?" Poppy was all confused, asking what I sent him and if I was home or not, but he eventually came outside, still on the phone, and I was standing there on the sidewalk!





He looked so surprised, a huge smile and a little teary. I had him fooled and he loved it! Babci and Poppy were definitely happy to see me and I got to spend about four hours with them just catching up. We looked at pictures (my professional wedding album that was an early birthday gift from my mom and my Poppy's old album) and talked and talked. Of course Babci made I was fed (glumpkes and stuffed peppers) and I helped her make chocolate cake and lemon meringue.





Sadly I had to leave around 5. The rest of my family arrived in the last hour or so I was there but there was a storm coming in and I had to go. Of course half an hour into my drive the sky opens up. The sky was black and buckets were pouring from the sky. Lightening flashed so much I could barely see and the thunder was so loud. I may or may not have said a whooooole lot of Hail Marys, out loud as I drove with my flashers on on the turnpike at 25 miles per hour. It was like this exit 8 to exit 4.



Then the sun came out.

I made it home in five hours. A little better.