A Splendid Morning Sky On A 0º Morning

6:30

6:44

6:45

6:49

7:21

It's 6:30 and I have been up since 5:30, the yard and lake lit by a full moon until 6:00 when some orange and a vast  U shaped cloud appeared off to the east.  When I stepped outside, the porch cracked, the snow crunched because of the cold.  We warm up some tomorrow, to the 30's and a wintry mix while Washington, D.C. which we just left, may get five or six inches of snow. 

Early Morning Cold

Yesterday was a long day which started with a long wait in the hotel's Starbucks for a couple of coffees.  Halle was playing at 9:00 so we quickly packed up everything, showered, dressed and arrived at her match just as they were about to start.  We knew that on Monday it was lose one and you were done. 

Halle, Our ACE (dedicated photographers:  baba and granny)

Unfortunately, although they played well, Halle's team lost in two to a young but skilled team from New York City.  It was a sad end to the tournament but on the bright side, they are a young team and received lots of experience and now know what they have to do to get better. 

After the game,  we were undecided as to whether to go back to Jill's or head home to the lake.  We finally decided to head back to the lake, mostly because Tuesday morning for Jill was going to be hectic, as Drew was heading to Big Sky to ski, the girls had school and Jill had work.  So we walked back to the hotel, checked out, and I picked up my car from a garage nearby,  returned to the hotel to get Evie and our bags, and we headed out of the city.  We drove on the George Washington Memorial Parkway which follows the Potomac River for a bit, then towards Frederick and Hagerstown and eventually, jumped on the PA turnpike at Breezewood for 15 miles, before taking # 99 to Altoona and home on our usual roads. 

Our Drive Near Allegheny Forest

We were lucky weather-wise, with only a few flurries when we were in the mountains, some near Allegheny State Park.  We stopped for gas at Gio's for gas and a barbecue sandwich with coleslaw for me.  And we were home at 5:20,  just as the GPS predicted. 

Heading Home In The Late Afternoon

We had about five inches of snow on our driveway so I quickly shoveled a path to our car and we unpacked.  It was strange to be back in our house after five days away.  We unpacked, put everything away and then wondered what to do now that we were home, the way we always feel after a road trip.  We decided to relax with a glass of wine, reflect on the fun past five days, before Evie decided to make our dinner, a salad, a couple of hot dogs, and some beans. 

We quickly fell back into our routine or rut, watching Colbert, Real Time With Bill Maher and some news before going up to bed early, tired from the long day.  Looking back at our road trip, it was a busy four days, lots of volleyball, good meals with Drew and Jill, and fun visiting with our granddaughters.

Sunday Ends With A Big Win

The Winning Serve

Halle's American Team

Well, it's 7:30 and I have just stood in line at Starbucks, in the hotel lobby, for 20 minutes and they are out of most food, even large coffee cups.  In other words, they were not prepared for the onslaught of hundreds of volleyball girls and their parents.  It's cloudy outside, in the 30's as the weather has changed some since yesterday morning's clear skies.

Yesterday, after our coffee and showers, we walked over to the Convocation Center, displayed our passes on our iPhones and walked upstairs to another venue, the ballroom, where they had 30 or 40 games going on at once.  Halle's team was playing at 9:00, so we made it on time.

Halle And Her Teammates

Unfortunately, the team they played was too good and they lost easily in two games  They did not play again until 12:00 and 1:00 so we walked around and watched some of the older girls play.  There were teams from all over as I mentioned, and we stayed to watch a team from Canada play with a girl 6'7".  When she received the ball, it went straight down.  It was fun to walk around and see all the spectators, the teams, the spectacle of a thousand girls or more playing or watching volleyball.

Halle's second match did not go well either although made more of a game of it but losing two straight.  They played their third match right after their second, won the first game, were behind in the second game 24=20 when Halle stepped up to serve.  Six serves later they won the second game, and won the match, grabbing Halle, celebrating their win.  It was fun to see them so happy, so excited to have played well.

Celebrate, Celebrate, Dance To The Music

Drew had picked up his Mom earlier in the day so she was able to be at the match along with Hayden.  After the game, we went out for a beer and appetizers at the Tap Room House, a restaurant right around the corner from the hotel.  We just had appetizers at 3:00 because Jill had made reservations for the four of us at a Turkish restaurant, the Ottoman Taverna, a half mile from our hotel.

Appetizers And Beer With Drew's Mom

We were able to relax in our hotel rooms then until 7:00 but Drew had to drive Hayden and his Mom home the return to the hotel in time for dinner. We decided to walk to the restaurant, a bad idea because it started to rain just as we started.  The restaurant was fairly modern, not too busy so we had a nice table by the window.  We checked out the menu, knew what we wanted, ordered it but five minutes later, the waiter returned to tell us it was no longer available, not fun.

A Turkish Kitchen And Its Chef

So we went back over the menu, ordered our second choices along with boreks and grape leaves for appetizers.  Our dinners were fine, just not what we wanted.  And they forgot to bring Drew's dinner, an Adana kebab, so they brought it to him late but comped it which was nice.  Dessert, baklava and rice pudding were on the house.  It was an interesting room of diners, a table full of Turkish women straight out of the Wives of Istanbul, dressed to the nines, lots of gold bracelets, jewelry,  and tight jeans.  Next to them sat a family that looked like they were from Anatoli, the man in an open neck shirt, the women wearing veils and dowdy dresses.

Waiting For an Uber Next To A Wall Of Evil Eyes

The restaurant was a good choice despite the screw ups with the meals and we smartly took an Uber home.  Evie and I were in bed by 10:00, tired from our day but ready for at least one more match this morning.

A Happy HALLE Day

Volleyball Crazy

Dad Mom, And Halle

It's 6:30 in the morning and I have been up for quite a while, alas, and am now sitting in our hotel room in downtown Washington D.C., writing my blog.  I went for a brief walk around the block at 6:00, not much to see, then bought a couple of grande Starbucks and brought them upstairs to enjoy.  At 7:40, I will walk my granddaughter, Halle, over to the Convocation Center, to meet up with her team, then all of us will be there at 9:00 for her first volleyball game of the day.

Yesterday began with packing up our stuff again, throwing it in the Outback and taking an easy 35-minute drive to the Renaissance Hotel in DC.  When we arrived, the parking lot was full although they promised there would be room for hotel guests on the phone.  So I dropped off Evie and drove around the corner and actually found a parking garage that was cheaper than staying in the hotel.  Our rooms were not ready although they said we would be first on the list (lie # 2). We left our bags and walked over to the convocation center to get our three day passes, quite an ordeal, as we had to sign up on an iPad, then pay, then they would send us the pass to our iPhone for entrance into the volleyball matches.

Capitol Hill Volleyball Classic

The Walter Washington Convocation Center is enormous.  It has to be to accommodate over a hundred and twenty courts, all busy with games, surrounded by spectators.  We got there in time to see Halle play her first game, which they won easily. 

A Great Dig By Halle

Each court is surrounded by a row of chairs, so if your team plays, the spectators have seats.  When players are not playing, they are working either the table, the net, or as line judges which is neat, as each match then needs only one referee.  In between Halle's three matches, we walked, enjoyed looking at the crowds of players and spectators, and eventually stood in long lines to get something to eat.  I had jerk chicken on rice, Halle and Jill fries, and a chicken sandwich.  Halle's second game was much closer than her first but they won both games and played well. 

Halle Serves Seven Points In A Row

Their third and final game was not so good as they did not play well, ran into each other chasing balls, and had little mojo losing both games although they were good enough to have won if they played well.  So they left the gym 2-1, move into the winner's bracket but were a bit depressed by their one loss.  And so it goes.

At Farmers And Distillers

We had reservations at one of the only restaurants in the area where we could find a table even when we looked for restaurants on Friday.  Washington, D.C., especially on President's Weekend is a busy place.  Jill found reservations, however, at a neat restaurant, Farmers and Distillers, about a ten-minute walk from our hotel. 

Halle And Jill, Out To Dinner

They have an extensive menu, including things like meatloaf, Asian fried chicken or noodles, as well as steaks, seafood, and sandwiches.  So everyone was happy and found something they liked.  Evie got an Asian noodle dish and I ordered Asian riblets, with Chinese fried chicken and almond fried rice.
 

Waiting for Donuts

All meals were good so it was the right choice, especially since they specialize in homemade donuts, so we walked out with five fresh glazed donuts for dessert. 

Walking Back To The Hotel With Dad

It was strange to be through with our busy day and dinner by 7:00 but all of us were tired so we just went up to our rooms.  Drew, however, drove back home because he is picking up Hayden and his Mom this morning and bringing them to the matches for the day, a good son.  Evie and I relaxed in our room, watching some TV, reading, working on photographs for the blog, before going to bed way too early but tired at 9:30, the end to a fun day. 

A Day At The Capitol Hill Volleyball Classic In Downtown DC

Granddaughters 

It's 7:30, a quiet morning, just Evie and me (Hayden's sleeping), as Jill, Drew and Halle spent last night at the Renaissance DC Hotel because Halle had to be at the Walter E. Washington Convocation Center at 7:30.  She plays on one of the 1000+ teams that will be competing on over 122 courts over the next three days.  We will drive in to DC this morning, check in at the hotel for the next two nights and spend our days at the tournament.  Halle will play three matches a day, less on Monday depending on how well her team does.  It should be fun.

An Important Member Of The Family

Yesterday was a sunny, almost warm day here in Virginia.  Both Jil and Drew worked and Hayden was in school, so it was Halle, Evie, and me for a good part of the day.  We were in no hurry to get going and Evie slept in, so we did not do much until noon.  I did get to the car wash, however, as the Outback was covered with mud from our drive.  Evie and Halle wanted to do some shopping at TJ. Maxx and Target and I wanted to go to Dick's Sporting Goods.  Luckily, Drew worked for the half the day so he came home around noon and wanted to go to Dick's as well.  So he and I drove to Dick's, Evie and Halle to TJ's and Target.  Drew and I were gone for only an hour, finding what we wanted but the girls did not get home until 3:30. 

Selfies With Seth And Hayden

Jill was home by 4:00 and she and Drew got busy packing up for their weekend in DC, making sure Halle had everything she needed for the tournament.  Evie made a pasta salad for Halle to take, her go to carb meal during the tournament.  They left for DC around 5:00, just as Evie and I were sitting down for a glass of wine with our granddaughter, Hayden, who was home from school.  She was having her boyfriend, Seth, over for dinner, so she and Evie got things ready, stuffed shells Evie made beforehand, meatballs, and a salad.  Like Hayden, Seth works at an ice cream parlor, so he did not get off work until 6:30, arriving here at 7:00.  He's a really good kid, comfortable with adults, and as Hayden says, 'very talkative.'  We had fun getting to know him, dinner was great, especially the stuffed shells, and he stayed until 10:00, as we talked about everything, school, politics, college, travel, and favorite TV shows.  Evie and I went to bed soon after Seth left, and Hayden stayed up late, I assume. 

Morning In Northern Virgiinia (Bristow)

On The Road Again

It's almost 8:00 in our daughter Jill's house, a busy home in the mornings.  Drew left for work around 5:00, Jill took Halle to an appointment at 7:30, then to school, and Hayden, a senior, is awake and getting ready for school.  Only Evie is still sleeping, lucky gal.

A Curious Virginia Cardinal

We consider ourselves fortunate to have had an easy drive from the lake to Virginia yesterday.  We woke up at the lake to a beautiful morning, four or five inches of fresh, white snow, the temperature in the 20's and no wind. It was the kind of morning that made me want to get on my skies and head out on to the lake or a beautiful day for a road trip.

Hard To Leave

Instead, we packed the car and started our drive through the Allegheny forest and south then east.  It was a spectacular morning until about noon, blue skies, sunshine, tree limbs sparkling with ice and the roads clear.  By the time we were off Interstates and in Berkeley Springs, WV, it had clouded up.  Still, it was easy going although we noticed lots of trees and branches down on the side of the road, a result either of an ice storm or heavy winds.

Ice Art

Our GPS said we should arrive at Jill's home at 3:10 and we did even though we had a couple of stops for gas and food.  Our first road trip in at least a year turned out to be fine, mostly because we pick the right day to travel, avoiding the snow and ice.

When we arrived, Halle and Drew came out to greet us and help with our bags.  Hayden, however, was upstairs taking a nap after a tough couple of days.  Jill soon arrived home from work and we quickly got caught up on the past week.

A Cool, New Screened In Deck

And we admired their new screened in deck which looks amazing, will be great for three seasons and should be completed in the next couple of weeks.   Everyone seems fine, the girls busy as usual, both Jill and Drew working hard.  I had forgotten what it was like for both spouses to be working, all the kids in school.  It makes for busy mornings and nights, quite a contrast to our relaxed mornings at the lake with little to do but plan our day.

Evie had made a couple of dinners on Monday that she had to freeze because we had to put off our road trip for a couple of days.  She brought them along yesterday, however, so all she had to do was pop one of the chicken casseroles in the oven and we had an easy dinner along with a salad.  The entire family was exhausted from Wednesday's funeral for Drew's Dad and the gathering at their house.  So everyone was ready for bed by 9:30, including Evie and me.

Road Tripping To Virginia, Finally

7:13

7:26

We are up early, hoping to be on the road by 8:00 and praying the roads are not icy despite the heavy snowfall on Wednesday.  It's a beautiful, windless morning, pink sky, a good day for a road trip.

Yesterday we spent a good part of the day, looking at the weather map, hoping the winter storm would move East and getting ready for our visit to Jill and family.  Halle, her youngest, is playing in a three-day volleyball tournament in Washington, D.C. Over 300 teams will be there playing on up to fifty courts all day long.  It should be fun if you like volleyball.  I did make it to a good yoga class, stopped for coffee, picked up a few items at Wegman's and filled up the car with gas.

Skiing In The Snow

When I got home Evie made my lunch, a BLT, to go with the last of the soup.  As Evie packed and organized I watched my soap opera before adjourning for a nap and some reading.  I can guess what's going to happen in my Daniel Silva because it happens every time. The plan gets screwed up, someone gets taken hostage. and Gabriel somehow wins the day.

Snowy Afternoon

Around 4:00, I had to get outside so I went out and shoveled our parking area which, by the way, is snow covered again.  The snow was supposed to stop at 5:00 but it's now 6:00 and has yet to let up.  It's the most beautiful snowfall of the winter, big, slow, lazy flakes falling at their leisure.  We had our wine time, listening to Trump talk about his wall, how it's going to be harder to climb than Mt. Everest.  What a joker.

For dinner, Evie pulled out some previously frozen chili, heated up some linguini, topped it with chili and cheese, and we had Cincinnati chili for our dinner with a salad, of course.  We watched Stephen Colbert, The Circus, a political program on Showtime, and the rest of the Westminster Dog Show from Tuesday night.

A Lesson In Leadership: General N. Michael Bissell

General N. Michael Bissell With His Cadets At Mary Baldwin University

Today, a mass will be said for our daughter Jill's father in law, General N. Mike Bissell, followed by a gathering at Jill's house to celebrate his life.  Unfortunately, because of the weather, we are not able to be there.  We did, however, want to honor this great soldier, leader, and father by quoting him on leadership, one of his passions.

Over the years, he grew concerned that colleges, military or otherwise, weren’t teaching leadership. During his career, he said he spoke with lieutenants and sergeants who didn’t know how to appear credible and relate to their platoons.  He explained to them they didn’t need bravado or to know everything, they only needed humility and respect. “I’ve been through more leadership courses in the Army than Heinz has pickles,” he told the interviewer. “But they never taught me what it’s all about. My definition is that leadership is ‘caring for people.’ That’s it. You take care of people, they will follow you anywhere.”

Lady Cardinal This Morning

7:05

It's a snowy morning here at the lake, 24º, another day of waiting to head to Virginia to visit our daughter Jill and attend our granddaughter Halle's three-day volleyball tournament in Washington, D.C.  We originally planned on driving there on Tuesday but because of the weather, we are waiting until Thursday when the weather, we hope, will warm up some.

Loving Safflower Seeds

Yesterday was a sloppy day out on the roads, with lots of accidents on the Interstates because of the snow, ice, and traveling too fast.  Around here, as long as you were in no hurry, it was decent unless someone was tailgating you, a problem with all the "hot shots" in their pick up trucks.  I did make it to yoga class, had fun, and stopped and talked with the guys at Ryders Cup for twenty minutes before driving home.

Lunch was another quarter of a Wegman's sub sandwich and Evie's homemade soup, with enough left for today I hope.  I read, napped as usual after lunch and another episode of Friday Night Lights.  The weather was windy and wet, a wintry mix so I had no desire to get out and walk or ski.  I spent a good amount of time on my computer, checking the driving conditions in Pennsylvania yesterday, today and tomorrow, hoping that Thursday would be our best bet to get to Virginia safely.  It looks like it will be warming up most of our drive, at least for now.

Solitary Fisherman

We both decided early that we wanted to go to Steeners Pub for their steak and fry special.  We have become regulars.  Driving there was fine, just wet snow and we easily found a seat at the bar.  We struck up a conversation with Phil, our plumber, and talked with him for a good half hour, about the great sports teams and athletes from the area.  He has done lots of research on not only the great teams but the history of Chautauqua Country.  He also knows our neighborhood well, as he has been our neighborhood's plumber for forty years, a good guy.  He left just as our steak and fries arrived and we were sad to see him leave.  Our dinner was just as good as last weeks, great steak and fries.  We will be back.

We were home by 8:00 and watched Colbert then spent the last hour and a half watching the Westminster Dog Show, always fun.  It makes me want to have a dog but by this morning I have gotten over it.  My kids all think we should get one. Some day, maybe.