I have really been lagging behind with new entries of late, as I am sure you know. Trust that I have not forgotten about Colonel Crump, but rather, we have been on the go for the past few weeks since we returned from Minnesota. We now find ourselves in our old stomping grounds of Roanoke, after a quick four days back in Bowling Green with the Meltzer grandparents. As we came to the end of our eight hour drive from BG to our old hometown, we eagerly scanned the mountainous skyline for the infamous neon star atop Mill Mountain. It feels great to be back, though quite weird to pass on by our old house on Albemarle. We are doing the things we used to love (and still do), and are introducing Gus to them along the way... Like hiking up Mill Mountain, eating gourmet grilled cheese at Pop's Soda Fountain and walking along the Roanoke River on the greenway. There are also things we are having to go out and do on our own while one stays behind and watches over Gus, like bike rides on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and trail runs on the mountain. The other day Josh went up and visited the spot where we scattered Sally's ashes last summer.
We our staying with our great friends Eric (a regular reader and comment contributer to this blog) and Nicole and their little gal Aspen. We got to witness Eric produce about 100 liters of homemade Ginger ale for the wedding we all attended this past weekend: Angie and Peter. The couple have dated for years, and much to our excitement, they finally tied the knot in a Quaker ceremony out near the Peaks of Otter this past Saturday. What was distinct about this ceremony was that there was not an officiant. Instead, Pete and Angie began with their vows they had written for each other, and then we sat in silence until various members of the congregation stood to contribute a message to the couple. Because of this, the ceremony was a distinct and personal, and by its end so much had been revealed about how wonderful this pair is. Afterward we all headed over to a nearby park where we were treated to Eric's Ginger ale along with fresh tomatoes, cukes, squash and melon from Angie's dad's garden, along with pasta and potatoes and chicken. Music was provided by a local bluegrass trio, the Black Twig Pickers, and later in the evening the bride and groom, along with several of their friends performed musical numbers. We drove back to Eric and Nicole's under a full moon on a warm night, as Aspen and Gus snoozed in the back seat, with sounds of their light little snores keeping us company along the way.
It has been great fun to see old friends, many of whom have added to their families while we have been away... Like Katie and Jeff and their firecracker of a son Sully. We watched Joy and Richard's 2-year-old scale the kitchen cabinets in search of more Captain Crunch. 10-month-old Apen's eyes widen and she coo's when she comes within range of Gus. Beth helped calm a distraught Gus as we ascended Mill Mountain. We had dinner with a group of great old friends last night in the company of all their wee ones playing under water misters in the back yard. Despite the fact we have been away for a few years, we slipped right back in where we left off. We sure have missed all these good people.
Tomorrow we will add to Gus' fast-growing list of visited states as we head down to Asheville, North Carolina and stay at Gus' grandparents' cabin up atop a mountain. We can't wait to dip the little bugger's toes in a lake once again.
Aspen and Gus
1 comment:
Sure am happy to have the Warp clan visiting! Gus and I sure hit it off, we get along great! It's pretty cool to lock eyes with him and get a big smile.
Post a Comment