Back and Fourth

Late Friday I dragged my poor spouse down to Dulles airport just to save me the cab fare home. She's a trouper.

My Georgian sojourn expanded to include a visit to a similar office in Columbia, SC. I met some extremely nice folks in both places. But props to the South Carolinians. They took me to a local haven of southern cooking known as The Lizard's Thicket. And South Carolina is one beautiful place. The people I visited were part of the state vocational rehabilitation agency. Their campus was gorgeous--finely manicured and laid out landscaping, beautiful palmetto trees, modern buildings, and a computer lab and teleconferencing center that was to die for.

When I completed my interviews with the people in the South Carolina office, I drove the five minutes to Columbia airport. It must have been the humidity, because when I was presented the bill for the rental car that sucker had swelled up a good bit. The dreadful inconvenience I put Avis through by not returning the car (which oddly enough had South Carolina plates) to Atlanta was forcibly compensated by my credit card. What would have been a bit over $100 blossomed into well over $300. I think I figured out what Avis is trying harder to do and I don't like it one little bit. I don't even know them that well.

My displeasure was eased by Columbia's airport. It's not at all large by mid-Atlantic metroplex standards, but it seems to get the job done. And it does it with quiet grace, style, and comfort. Can I get an Amen for waiting areas with solid wood rocking chairs, skylights all over the place, and large windows looking out on reflecting pools and fountains? After those amenities, they still had room to land and launch a plane big enough to haul my tired butt home. I'm okay with South Carolina.

The weekend was a blend of visiting with visiting family, playing both services at church, dining at Copeland's in Columbia (I think my tummy is in love), watching Shrek 2, and doing some serious grilling. I even fit in a few hours at the office. Tuesday came quickly and we entertained a friend and her four sons that evening. What a cool family. They are moving to Austin, Texas for a year. We'll miss them, but I hope we can visit them while they are there. I hope even more that they are stationed here afterward. Right now they are on their way to Canada for a vacation. I told them Coby has never been to Canada. It didn't do any good. He's never been to Texas, either. I think I'll give it one more try.

This afternoon we had a spot of tricky weather. Six grown men gathered at the window and watch clouds moving by very quickly--looking all the while like wicked steam curling about in a cauldron. Lighning strikes were grounding regularly off to the west. Not long after, the breeze gave way to some serious rain. The kind where you just lower the umbrella and let Nature have its way with you. There is no avoiding it. Flash floods ensued in the area where we work, so we stayed late and waited it out. It was a tough call, contributing to gridlock or staying dry and productive.

Now we're home, safe, and off to bed.