Pop, kathunk..kathunk

is not what one wants to hear when one is driving home from picking up the LG at Montessori, planning out the afternoon (which most definitely will involve driving) and (most importantly) said person has just finished up a 3 hour trip to the mechanic (and, ahem, tire place).  Sadly, it is exactly what I heard (and felt) as I drove home from Montessori yesterday and realized quickly I would likely (if I was lucky) spend most of my afternoon where I spent most of my morning.

Well, to be fair, I didn't spend my entire morning at the mechanic.  In fact, I lucked out as our new (and now much beloved) auto repair shop is located within steps of the W & OD trail, something I have been wanting to explore for a while.  I dropped off the car for its routine maintenance and tire check and started off towards the center of town, planning on catching the trail on the way back.  

My plan was then slightly derailed when I learned that my new favorite coffee shop was closed on Mondays.  Since I desperately needed some sort of refreshment, I backtracked to a Starbucks in the middle of town.  After inhaling a bit too much cigarillo smoke from a neighboring table while trying to sip my mocha, I realized I needed to get walking towards the trail or I would miss it entirely.   

A few minutes later, I found an entrance a few minutes later on Pennsylvania Avenue (Falls Church, not DC) and headed off.  Having already walked nearly 2 miles, this was really more of a get to knowthe trail/envy those who live in houses backing up to the trail.  While it was not quite as wide as some that we enjoyed in CA, it was more than enough for a brisk walk.  An added bonus?  The trail designers added exercise equipment along the sides of the trail.  Built from metal tubing and wood beams, one can work on their push-ups, chin-ups or just get in a good bit of stretching.  I'll admit I couldn't resist a few chin-ups (I am sure my arms will not thank me in the morning) though I certainly waited until the coast was clear on the trail.

While there were a number of cyclists and walkers, not so many that one could not say, make a phone call while walking.  I hate being that annoying person gabbing away on my cell whilst I am supposed to be exercising, but there was an important phone call to make:  to my new sister-in-law.  Peter's brother, John, was married  yesterday in a quiet, romantic backyard ceremony at his parents' home in Massachusetts.  He and his new wife, Kim, had dated for years and celebrated their nuptials a gorgeous, cozy ceremony.  I know, next question…why weren't we there?

As sad as it sounds, I am simply still overwhelmed.  While it may seem like an easy decision to just hop in the car, when one has 3 children, with 3 different schedules and no other parent (or relatives within hundreds of miles) around, it is a whole different ballgame.  I looked at scenario after scenario, but nothing worked in the way that I needed (or without a huge amount of work for several friends).   After many emails, phone conversations and Facebook messages with my now sister-in-law, I had to sadly decline.  Not that we did not want to be there, but it simply wasn't in the cards.

Who was there?  Peter, in a manner of speaking.  He Skyped in just prior to the ceremony  and was able to not only 'see' the ceremony, but attend the reception.  His uncle enjoyed the responsibility of carting the laptop (or "the head" as he was called) around so Peter could chat with his family. While it wasn't quite the same as being there, I think it had to have been pretty darn close. 

The quiet time gave me the time to chat, congratulate the newlyweds and simply catch up on the events of the weekend.  While it isn't the same as being physically present, we have heard that a number of photos were taken, as well as possibly a video..and the kids and I are quite anxious to view them all.  Now, as for the car?

To make a long story a bit shorter, I ran over a nasty bolt of some sort.  It inserted itself quite nicely in my tire, though was not seen by anyone until the car was back up on the lift.  The best part?  Whether it was just generosity on their part, the fact that I had just been in that morning (and a tire check was part of the visit) or that I was in the midst of scheduling works for the front brakes for later in the week, the mechanics waved any fees.  We spent a good hour in the waiting room (with snacks, drink, coloring books, and crayons aplenty) and didn't pay a dime when we left.  Can we say customer for life?  Or, in our case, until we move to our next location…and, no, we haven't heard a thing about the bid list.

Car matters aside, the best part of the day was hearing about the wedding…if only the stars had aligned for all of us to be present.  Wishing you many, many years of happiness, Kim and John!