I’ve returned from a four-day trip, and I’m exhausted. I left Friday morning with Patrick, headed for Ithaca to go to our friend Claire’s wedding. The drive wasn’t bad, and we arrived in early evening. We headed straight for the Commons, which is pretty much Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall, only it sucks. Well, that’s not fair, it just sucks in comparison to the Mall. So we spent a couple of hours there, waiting for Ann and Julie to arrive, also from C’ville. Dinner was had at a bagel joint, and we checked out some used bookstores. After we met Ann and Julie, we went to a Mexican place, and eventually headed over to a Super 8 for the night, meeting other C’ville friend Aaron there. The five of us squeezed into a room, and had what was effectively a slumber party.
Saturday was the day of the wedding. We got up early, suited up and headed over to the chapel at Cornell. (Note: Every building in Cornell — all of them — looks like a chapel. Very confusing.) The wedding was nice. Claire braided her mohawk special-like. Her husband seems like a swell guy, which is good, because there’s just no way that I could have beat him up. After a lengthy drive with friend Dave and his girlfriend, Jen, we arrived at the reception, which was a pleasant outdoor affair. Much beer and wine was consumed, presents were given and swimming was had. I, as the driver of seven people in my (parents’) Volvo, limited myself to a couple of glasses of wine. We piled back into the car and left around 6pm and went back to the Super 8. Aaron and Ann were quite affected by the alcohol, Aaron sleepy and Ann feeling not well. So Julie stayed with them while Patrick, David, Jen and I went to the Moosewood, the legendary Ithaca restaurant. It was not very good, and we were back at the Super 8 by 10pm. Rousing Ann and Aaron, we headed out to a bagel place for dinner for all. I satisfied myself with a pint of locally-made chocolate ice cream. David and Jen went back to their hotel, and the rest of us returned to the Super 8 for more slumber-party antics.
Sunday morning we went out to the bagel place again for breakfast. We took our time eating before all heading out in our separate cars. I had got word that morning of a death in Amber’s family, and had to head down to Virginia Beach, a town that is possibly my least-favorite place to be. So Patrick rode with Aaron, leaving me alone. Aaron and Patrick sped off, but Julie and Ann stuck along with my car until Harrisburg, where I had to take 83 down to 95 by way of the beltway. (Bleh.) There were horrible, horrible thunderstorms the entire way from Pennsylvania to Virginia. I arrived at Virginia Beach in exactly 12 hours, getting me there just after midnight, Monday morning. After spending the day on Monday with Amber’s family, I headed back to Charlottesville, which took just about 3 hours.
Now I feel like hell. But I sure did do a lot in the past few days, and that’s something, at least.