Operation Get Gabby Home -- Day One

Wednesday, 4:30 a.m. time to get up get ready to start the day. This would have been more difficult if I were actually sleeping but since I was away from home and my Tempurpedic I didn't sleep all that well. Mike dropped me off at the airport and I checked in, sailed through security. After a short wait at the gate, we boarded and then the captain came over the loudspeakers. "I have some news, some not so good news. The Philadelphia airport has a no ground order there due to fog. We have been asked to delay taking off at this time ." Luckily it was only a 15 minute delay. We got to Phillie and I took the shuttle to get to my gate, thinking that I would have plenty of time to use the restroom and eat my banana before we boarded. Not so! I arrived at my gate and they were boarding the "really important" passengers so I literally ran in to use the restroom and ran back and boarded the plane. From there it was a mere 45 minutes until I reached Richmond. Gabby and I met at the door perfectly and since we were both starving, drove to a Subway for lunch. From there we went to her house and started the packing of the car and the cleaning of the house. We got the big items in the car and I let her prioritize what she just had to take and pack the rest of it. I started the cleaning process inside -- she had a couple of the rooms already done so I did the bathroom, living room and kitchen. Mainly I had to vacuum after she had cleared the rooms. She did end up leaving some groceries and some other various items that she couldn't fit in the car and decided she could live without. We were ready to go but she really wanted me to meet Karen, a lady she worked with. She gave her a call and told her our plans for the evening and she said she would be there in 20 minutes. So I finally got to meet this famous Karen, Gabby's "Virginia Mom". After our visit and departure from the farm, we drove to Ashland, VA where we checked into a hotel and walked to Applebees. We had a couple of drinkolas and some great food. From there we walked to McDonald's for a hot fudge sundae. Now we are in our rooms, in our jammies and trying to get some rest before we hit the road in the morning for Day Two of our big adventure.