Rain, rain go away

I awoke this morning to the sounds of thunder and pounding rain at about 5:45AM. It was raining hard when I went to bed last night also. I'm beginning to think it was fortunate that I did not get a ticket to the UK-UF football game today. It might be very unpleasant at game time. But I was planning on catching up on some errands that couldn't be so easily accomplished in Virginia including a badly needed haircut. The rain will make erranding much less fun.

The trip home was much more pleasant and easier than I expected. We made excellent time through the DC traffic thanks to Ken Miller's expert directions. As we drove through western Maryland, the trees were already changing and the scenery was beautiful. I wish I had taken some pictures to post. We stopped in Morgantown for breakfast, gas and a driving break. As always, the food at IHOP is good--apparently too good. It seemed that there were an unusually high proportion of very large people eating there. By large I mean 300+ pounds. That was a good reminder that the IHOP menu contains many pitfalls for someone attempting to eat healthy, so I ordered from the healthy selections page of the menu. That didn't stop me from admiring the stacks of pancakes topped with fruit pie filling and whipped cream as they passed by.

We listened to a book-on-tape (actually the 21st century version, a book-on-Ipod with attached speakers) as we drove. It was Brimstone by Robert Parker. We previously listened to Appaloosa and Resolution so it was a continuing story of some characters in the old West. If the stories are historically accurate, I am quite happy to be living in 2009. Times were tough for women in the old West.

Things look good at home thanks to our housesitter and the guys who take care of the yard. I am enjoying those comforts that I miss in the condo in Alexandria--my own bed and, to a surprising degree, my Cuisinart coffee maker. The tomatoes I forgot to throw out before we left would make a good science experiment, but Mike made me throw them away.

Last night we met John and Brittany at Sal's for dinner. I appreciate that they made the trip to Lexington to see us especially since they have both had a hard work week. I really enjoyed hearing John's story of the theft of the picker (a device that looks kind of like a tractor and picks up the golf balls on the range) and a golf cart including a member's golf clubs from the Cardinal Club. This is a chronic problem due to the proximity of a Job Corps training center across a corn field that unfortunately provides great cover for the teenagers who sneak on the golf course. I am encouraging John to put the story on paper while it is fresh in his mind. It would make a really funny published essay at some point in the future.

I'd better get to work enjoying my morning coffee and get those errands done before it's time to watch the football game. As always, GO CATS!