Today was “driving through 3 states day”. I’m still convinced that New Jersey (and New York and Connecticut) just threw pick-up sticks in the air and wherever they landed was where they decided to pave their roads. There is no rhyme or reason to any of the streets or highways and most of the maps do not… I repeat, DO NOT, jive with the crazy GPS lady who thinks she can tell you to turn right or left without mentioning a street name or giving you any fair warning that a street is even coming up.
I’m still not sure how we made it from New Jersey to Long Island, but we did. It was cemetery day. The once a year (or in my case, once every 20 years) that I go to the cemetery out on Long Island to see my grandparents and my aunt. It was the first time the kids had been there and I really wanted them to see where their great-grandparents were buried. Of course, I expected to be sad… maybe even shed a tear… but I think I was completely struck by the emotion of seeing my grandparents names on the plaques. I miss them so much, especially since the kids were born. I would have loved them to know their great-grandparents. Of course, we came, we saw, we left. There really isn’t a whole lot to do in a cemetery other than say a blessing and share some memories.
As difficult as it was to get to Long Island, it was even more ridiculous trying to get home. Picture this: Friday, Summer, New Yorkers desperately trying to get OUT of the city any which way they can. Can you all say… TRAFFIC! And I thought Los Angeles traffic was insane. Sorry… New York traffic is not just insane, it’s out of control. At least on most LA freeways you can get off and take side streets if you need to. New York? Not so much. Basically, you are just stuck. Stuck, stuck, stuck.
Somehow we managed to make it back to Jersey. Luckily my mother was with us who actually remembered that we could completely bypass the George Washington Bridge and take the Tappan Zee Bridge into Jersey. SO MUCH BETTER. But the crazy didn’t stop there.
We got back to Jersey and then rented another car for Mom and me to take BACK across the Tappan Zee Bridge to Connecticut. Why, you ask, did we do such a foolish thing? Don’t ask. We had massages scheduled in New Canaan at 4pm and I wasn’t going to let a little (ahem) traffic interfere with my massage.
So we managed to make it just in time, got our massages, and then we went to dinner at Mom’s favorite pizza place in Stamford. Hope Street Pizza. Yum!
Okay, BACK to New Jersey. Third time over the Tappan Zee today. The best part was that from Stamford, it was only 45 minutes to the hotel. No traffic at 8pm at night. Gotta love that. At least these East Coasters know that night time is “get off the road” time. LA Peeps need to heed that message. At some point, you just gotta go home.
Crazy day. Lots of driving. Bed is sounding really good.
On tap for tomorrow: Rehearsal Lunch. This should be interesting.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow! Totally too much driving; glad mom remembered about the TZB. At least you pampered yourself with a massage. Good luck at the rehearsal.
I think the exact same thing about the roads happened in Silicon Valley! seriously it seems that way! I’ve been lost so many times even with dear GPS. I am glad you still had your massage… Best wishes for the rehearsal just think of everything as comedy