Fall, 2025 Virginia Adventures

Wow!  Our bi-annual check-in in Virginia came rolling on the heels on finishing our 50th/51 Capital city Volksmarches.  The walk was in Princeton, which the American Volksmarch Association certifies as the historic capital of New Jersey.  After that, a straight line, Interstate drive to Virginia where Baby was parked for the duration and we hopped in our sweet Princess, the plug-in Prius Prime.  We started the Virginia Hiatus with blood tests, etc. and checkups (all is well) and rolled right in to VA activities: 

Taken at the October, 2025 No Kings Event, we both identified with this sign, even though only one of us is a grandma.  Its tough to be a non-pissed off American of any sort these days. 

This grandma (me) chatted with a mom and her 9-year old daughter who authored the sign she's holding.  Gotta' agree -- stop zip-typing, detaining, deporting, traumatizing, scaring, separating, depriving children of due-processes,  and disappearing them and any one else.  Just stop! 

THE reason that our Virginia hiatus happens at the end of October is for Bill to run the Marine Corps Marathon, held every year on the last Sunday of October.  And run it he did -- he's a bit slow these days, but I'm a lot proud of him!  At our age, he's still out there running these things, even, as he did this year, with a minor injury.  

Everything laid out the night before.  Yes, he ran in shorts -- the old jeans were discarded along the route as soon as he warmed up.  

 The Start Line -- spectators are no longer allowed that close, so no one knows were Bill might be in this crowd of 30,127 runners. This picture is taken from the Marine Corps Marathon web site.

Finisher's medal.

The medal for this, the 50th running of the Marathon, opens up to show the 1st finishers medal from 1976. 

The same day that Bill ran Marine Corps, I caught up with some really long-time friends.   We all used to meet for an early morning coffee at a Starbucks on our ways to work.   Almost all of the 'originals' have moved on, as have I, and new folks are now there, but the group is still meeting.   How I miss that camaraderie! I met the new folks -- all lovely -- caught up with the old guard, and had a great time for several mornings.  I will go back when in Virginia again! 

People are always a main reason to stop by our old home town.

Bill and his brother John fishing in the Potomac off Hayne's Point, just under the Metro Bridge. John always needs lots of care so it is nice just to do something fun with him.

Our favorite cousin, Cindy -- catching up with her is mandatory.  We're in our favorite DC restaurant Jaleo before a performance at Ford's Theater of The American Five, a fabulous play that chronicled the struggles and successes of Martin Luther King, Jr., as he  built a national civil rights movement.  Cindy never fails to improve our hearts and souls when we see her 💖

And we met the National Guard Troops currently patrolling Washington, DC.  (Picture is intentionally out of focus) 

And other friends we always try to see: 

Cindy's friend and colleague, Mary, always ready with a smile,  has to represent others who we were excited to see, but forgot to photograph. Lisa Williams, and her son, Beth, Carrie, Pat Daron,  Becca and Mike and others. 

We found our beautiful friend Diane in Philly.  We took an Amtrak train from a town near Longwood Gardens to Philly to avoid traffic.  Very pleasant and very efficient.  

And our friends Sally and John, who we met at Longwood Gardens outside Philly.  Sally, a horticulturist, had worked there as a Coordinator of Volunteers, and knew so much about the gardens. And we can tell you what we now know:  They are fabulous.  Note that the chrysanthemum sphere behind John is a single plant -- WOW! Here's more:  

A detail of how the chrysanthemum plant is trained to form the giant globes.

A Crane Flower

Leonotis (Lion's Ear) 

Citron

Moth Orchid

Our new iPhone 17s employ AI to identify plants in pictures.   It cleverly identified this one as 'plant'.   Sally?  Help!

There's so much more at Longwood, and it changes with seasons and holidays.  Everyone should visit, and we should and will go back when we can!  

We wrapped up Virginia when son #1, John and his wife Georgia arrived from India. So excited and so grateful to see them.  John had a medical appointment in the US, and then they were off to their home in Mexico before they would join us for a family reunion in San Antonio, Texas.  Those of you who know us well know that this would be our first stop as soon as they got to Virginia: 

They had only been in Virginia for a few hours when we had lunch at Dixie Bones! Somehow this BBQ 'joint' has become a favorite over the years.  Georgia especially loves it, and no matter how long she's been away, the folks at Dixie Bones always remember her.  Then we were on our way to Texas to see Uncle Joe and prepare  our family Thanksgiving Reunion.

WOYAYA

Just some pictures of life on the road

Bill installed a new sink and faucet in Baby Beluga.  That new faucet seems a small change but has made our life in our van so much easier.

Cracker Barrel allows overnight parking in their lots, and we sometimes take advantage of that. Once the weather is a little chilly, their restaurant's fireplace is inviting, despite their really terrible food (a lot of fried dead animals) -- we always order a baked potato and green beans. 

Spotted though Baby's window -- after a rainy night.

The 'blackboard inside our van -- Its covered by the screen when its buggy out.  We rolled the screen up this fall to find what William had written on the blackboard during Gramp Camp 2025.

It was autumn somewhere.