And Then There Where Three . . .

The day started earlier for some than others - yours truly was once again the first one up. Fixed coffee, pancakes and you will never guess - bacon - for breakfast. What to do...the weather was a bit icky - we decided to take a walk - I might add that all parties involved had on very comfortable walking shoes today. As we started on our vigorous walk, we had gone about 5 feet when we discovered that the card in my camera was not working - what with all the primping that had gone into getting camera ready for any "candid" shots that might happen that day. Okay, not everyone had primped and I don't want to reveal who, but let's look at our last blog, like someone who might care so much about looking good they wear high heels on a hike, just maybe, not definately. So the walk was aborted about 30 seconds in. We headed in to Rite Aid to get card for camera - too expensive we will get it at WalMart later - let's get a pedicure. Three massage chairs, while there was only one girl in the shop - it did not matter as we were all in the oh-so-comfortable massage chairs - Vivian got a french, Susan Hot Pink and Kate Turquoise Blue (for Jody) - I of course was taking pictures (not with the aforementioned not-yet working camera, but with the never-far-from-me cell phone). Vivian graciously offered to take a picture of me with my handy-dandy camera phone - and then doubled over - at first Susan and I thought maybe she had chipped a pretty french, but no, Vivian who always claims to be technically chanllenged (although she does have a built in GPS, but more on that later) realized that she had in fact taken a picture of HERSELF. While that might not sound too funny and any of us could do that - she is literally on the floor of the salon, laughing with tears streaming down her face - mind you this is at the end of our laughter filled session and I think the owner thought the coke and diet coke that Susan brought in contained something extra. Come to think of it, both Vivian and Susan were very relaxed...

On to lunch - it has been several hours and no mention of food. We decide to take the advice of Bridgett and try Big and Lil' D's - we ask at the salon and they tell us it is "right around the corner..." As you will recall, I mentioned yesterday that you should always try to get specifics distance...this would come back to haunt us. Since toes were still wet - except Viv who opted for fingers...the very nice lady gave Susan and I real flip-flops, not just the flimsy paper ones...blue for susan to match her blue shirt and green to match my green scarf...off we go to the diner...right around the corner...NOT. We realize as we reach the not too elegant section of Queen Street that we really have no idea where we are going...Susan and I both reach the conclusion that our cute flip-flops hurt like hell - we are reluctant to tell Vivian, what with all the ribbing over the Hiking Heels and all. Vivian sees a man up ahead and decides to suck some directions out of him - I take this opportunity to use a trick that I learned from my dear friend Vivian (who has had some shoe issues in the past...) and I switch my flip-flops, by switch, I mean they are now on the wrong feet - this might sound odd, but it stops rubbing the sore spots and starts making new ones. By now we catch up with the nice man who tells us the restaurant is just around the corner - I don't ask for more details as I don't want to draw attention to my feet - TOO LATE. I pretend not to notice his stares and Susan and Vivian pretend not to notice me. I catch up with them (I think Susan's feet are feeling better - she is walking as fast as Viv...) and I tell them that while embarrassed at least he doesn't know I am John and Sophia Ritenour's daughter - at least I only embarrassed the three of us and not the family. Somehow, he is now behind me - this is kind of blur, but it startles me and I scream, not a suttle, oh there is a spider scream, no, more like a meteor is going to hit the earth, scream. He looks at us and says are you from here and I say, no we are from Pensacola Florida, but my parents, John and Sophia Ritenour...

Lunch at Big Lil D's was okay- but the company was great and we replenished our supply of girl scout cookies. I believe the quarter-pounder at this establishment is measured on the metric system . . .Vivian was kind enough to offer to go get the car - we weren't sure if she was just being polite, but we assured her if she was waiting for us to say - oh, that's okay - it wasn't gonna happen - our feet really hurt. She looked at us like we were nuts - and said, well at least you weren't wearing heels - and hiking - for miles...I think I see smoke signals...

We head to WalMart and I realize that we have been here a day and a half and this is my first trip to WM - I think I was on trip four by this time in July!!! Thought of Mom and Dad - had fun adventures with Mom - always got a good cup of coffee and always brought dad some Dunkin Doughnuts Doughnut Holes...Oh, yea - on the way to WM, we take Susan up our long and winding, moonshine making, KATE DON'T LOOK DOWN, road from yesterday - she is impressed and chooses to sit in the middle of the seat. Yesteday, when Vivian and I first ventured down (or up) this narrow, very narrow, winding road - Vivian pondered "I wonder what you do when another car is coming in the opposite direction." Having been in Strasburg many times I somehow felt that made me an expert - never mind that I have never driven on narrow, very narrow, winding roads. I assured her that there was room for one car to pull over. I stand corrected. Today we came face to face with a van - this happened on a bend of the narrow, very narrow, winding road. Both cars stopped (this might be how the game of chicken came about) and so I asked the lady in the passenger seat what we needed to do. She informed me that one of us needed to back up and by one of us she meant me. Afterall she said, he (her driver) was a brand new driver in her car (note to self - why didn't you move him to the passenger seat and take over control since you are such an expert and all....) My oh-so-supportive partners in crime assured me that I could do this - neither one offered to do it for me and so yes, Sophia Zea Ritenour, your daughter backed the car down the narrow, very narrow winding road at the sometimes conflicting direction of my two navigators - one of whom has a built in GPS. Might I add that after some bond-like driving (that is a major joke, but we did not go over the side of the cliff and the car has no scratches) the van with the bearded "new" driver did not even offer a "thank you" smile, nod or waive but Susan did offer them a one-finger salute - that is a joke, she is sitting here and I am messing with her - kinda payback, I have seen her back a car. . . she is good! At this point in the story you need to go back to the image of Vivian laughing so hard at the salon, double over and crying - this is now MaryBeth and Scott as they imagine me backing down the winding road - they have a driveway that is twice as wide as the narrow, very narrow road and it is also a straight shot and 9 times out of 10 they will have to back my car out of the driveway. When I get home I will track down a Let It Be album, put in on Matt's record player and play The Long and Winding Road - backwards - I bet I will hear the mountain woman's voice!

We decide to take naps...Vivian informs us that it is 4:30 and 2 hours from her bedtime -regroup - Susan is going to take a nap and Vivian and I are going to explore. We head to the Shenandoah National Forest - I tell Vivian to bring a jacket - it is 78 degrees, but I assure her once we get to the top of the mountain, it will be cold! The GPS takes us a different way - I went there 2x last summer and I am now lost - beautiful drive. Whenever we veer off course, we call it a Foamhenge, we might just stumble upon something we would not ordinarily have seen. Takes forever, finally we approach the park entrance and lights are flashing everywhere as there has been a horrible wreck - it was a God Thing. We are thankful and decide to see Belle Grove - we drove around and got some great pics. Having a blast and I think it will be an early evening for all. Vivian never did need that jacket - I hear an "I told you so..."