After weeks and weeks of planning, we finally packed ol' Westy up and took off for points south. The Vitamin D tour. Sunshine, here we come.
Sunday was a beautiful day in New London CT, and, well, sunny.
We went to a delightful brunch, thanks to our modest volunteering at the Hygienic Art Show XXXI Saturday night (we poured beer all night; somehow that's considered volunteer work), and our lovely new friend Alison smothered us with her camera of love afterwards.
Really, she took some of the best photos of us ever, and sent us off so excited and happy.
See?
The lovely Jennie also saw us off from New London for the first, short leg to my parents' house . . .
. . . and then they saw us off on Monday morning.
We had a great time with Mom and Dad (and MB and MD) on Sunday night; we always do. They made us a fabulous Lebanese feast.
On Monday morning we crossed the Chimpanzee Tappan Zee Bridge . . .
. . . and headed southwest to Hershey PA where the streetlights are shaped like Hershey Kisses . . .
. . . and we spent the night with our delightful friend Camilla. Camilla and I were dormmates in 1984 when we spent a semester in London during the junior year of our respective colleges. Which is all of a sudden, ahem, 26 years ago. But who's counting? .
But the sun? We're still chasing it. We may have to go back to New London to ever find it again.
Sunday was a beautiful day in New London CT, and, well, sunny.
We went to a delightful brunch, thanks to our modest volunteering at the Hygienic Art Show XXXI Saturday night (we poured beer all night; somehow that's considered volunteer work), and our lovely new friend Alison smothered us with her camera of love afterwards.
Really, she took some of the best photos of us ever, and sent us off so excited and happy.
See?
The lovely Jennie also saw us off from New London for the first, short leg to my parents' house . . .
. . . and then they saw us off on Monday morning.
We had a great time with Mom and Dad (and MB and MD) on Sunday night; we always do. They made us a fabulous Lebanese feast.
On Monday morning we crossed the 
. . . and headed southwest to Hershey PA where the streetlights are shaped like Hershey Kisses . . .
. . . and we spent the night with our delightful friend Camilla. Camilla and I were dormmates in 1984 when we spent a semester in London during the junior year of our respective colleges. Which is all of a sudden, ahem, 26 years ago. But who's counting? And yes I was still wearing my clothes from Saturday night on Tuesday morning. What? They were the ones next to the bed I was in when I woke up every morning.
We left Hershey, we left Pennsylvania, we crossed the Susquehanna . . .
. . . into, apparently, the Wild and Wonderful state of West Virginia . . .
. . . and across the Mason-Dixon Line. Officially, we were in the South . . .
. . . and it snowed all day long.
We drove in the snow all day.
The farther south we got, the more snow there was. The world was turned upside down. We kept checking the signs to be sure we were driving in the right direction.
Ol' Westy handled it like a champ, of course. Even sort of looked a little happy about it.
We did NOT camp last night, though, not in that weather. Not in all that snow in Virginia. No, we found a better solution. A solution with free ice . . .
. . . and a clear choice for breakfast this morning.
We left Hershey, we left Pennsylvania, we crossed the Susquehanna . . .
. . . into, apparently, the Wild and Wonderful state of West Virginia . . . 
. . . and across the Mason-Dixon Line. Officially, we were in the South . . . 
. . . and it snowed all day long.
We drove in the snow all day.
The farther south we got, the more snow there was. The world was turned upside down. We kept checking the signs to be sure we were driving in the right direction.
Ol' Westy handled it like a champ, of course. Even sort of looked a little happy about it.
We did NOT camp last night, though, not in that weather. Not in all that snow in Virginia. No, we found a better solution. A solution with free ice . . .
. . . and a clear choice for breakfast this morning. 
But the sun? We're still chasing it. We may have to go back to New London to ever find it again.
You two look so happy in the pics. The weather -- isn't it freaky? I hope you find delicious warmth soon!
ReplyDeleteYou may not have hit warm weather yet but reading your blog this morning was a big fat ray of sunshine for me!!! Happy travels!!!
ReplyDelete<3
Look out for alligators. They are EVERYWHERE.
ReplyDeleteyou are so close to SUN, I can taste it!
ReplyDeleteWhat's it doing here in Central PA today?? SNOWING!
New London got snow yesterday so you might as well keep driving south because there's no warmth turning around.
Love it Ellie - we're going to chase the sun down to Asheville the end of next week - hope the snow will have disappeared, but seeing grandkids will make it so not important! love mom
ReplyDeleteLook at you two kids! So happy, so excited. I love the black and white photo of you guys inside the Westy! AND the photo of your girl smiling.
ReplyDeleteI can hardly wait for the next instalment!
beth
So Ellie, what are you wearing?! I agree, you two DO look awfully happy despite the lame-o weather. I hope you get some good, strong sunshine on your faces ASAP!
ReplyDeleteOh, and mom? San Diego has both snow and grandchilren. Just for your fyi :)
xo
Jacquie
San Diego has snow???
ReplyDeleteOh how funny, I didn't mean to say that. But it DOES, right in the mountains less than an hour's drive from my sunny back yard. Where your grandchildren frolic and play.
ReplyDelete:)
J
I am so very happy that I get to come along on this trip with you!
ReplyDeleteWe have had weird fronts this winter that bring the south snow but not the north! I'm tired of it.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a good trip:)
Has it stopped snowing yet?
ReplyDeleteThe Westie does look happy?
They are calling for a winter storm in Hershey this weekend, so you made it out in time!
Thanks for stopping! Love!
You people are all so lovely. Thanks for the photos, Alison. Alison took the 2nd, 3rd, 4th (that great inside-the-Westy one you like, Beth) and last photos, back in sunny New London -- I should have given credit earlier.
ReplyDeleteI *did* finally change my clothes, Jacquie, but after doing laundry today, I'm donning them again. Why mess with a good thing?
And Camilla, we may have gotten out of Hershey int time, but it's forecast to snow and sleet in Asheville tonight and tomorrow. Har-umph. Maybe it'll be gone by the time you get here, Mom.
Ellie
keep going...there's a football game this weekend and I hear it's sunny there!
ReplyDeleteHow is it you have snow so far down there and we have zero up here? We actually need it.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love the Hershey kiss lights.
Damn, girl! I hope you found some warmth by now. There's more snow down there than we have here in MA. Looks like you're making the most of it, though.
ReplyDelete