Old Friends Are Worth The Trouble

A number of months ago my friend Wendy, who I went to college with and became life long friends when we spent a summer in school together in France, called me about a reunion with our other friend Steve. Of course I am always up for a reunion with Steve and Wendy. Our time in France was nothing but fun, especially if you ignore that annoying school part like I did. Since the three of us live in different cities we have to actually make an effort to get together. Sadly, we are missing our fourth, Herb, who passed away at a much too young age about fifteen years ago. The loss of Herb probably makes us try a little harder to stay in touch.
When Wendy found out that Steve was going to be in DC this weekend she suggested it as a good place for us to get together. I am always up for a trip to the place I spent my youthful first ten years out of college. I get to not only rendezvous with my French compatriots, but I am staying with my beasties, John and David who treat me like a queen. And as a bonus I also got a visit in today with my friend Jeanne who took me to lunch after my troublesome drive.
I was really excited about coming to DC this morning to see all these fabulous friends. I was first of all thankful that it was not last weekend when DC got a record amount of snow. I got up early this morning to get a full day of friend love in DC. Dropping Shay off at her sitters, I was on the road before eight with my iced tea and my Serius radio.  
About forty minutes into the trip the low tire pressure light came on in my car. I pulled off the highway to get air and as soon as I did the check engine light came on and flashed wildly. This did not give me a good feeling. I did not want to risk driving into the middle of nowhere Virginia and have my car stop working. I turned around and headed back to Durham to the car dealer to see if they could plug my car into the computer and tell me if something was really wrong. That was a pipe dream. The service tech gave me that “you have got to be kidding me lady” look when he told me it would be a few hours before a “hybrid” tech was free. Instead I drove home and got my trusty 16 year old Land Cruiser that does it have any fancy diagnostic lights.
When I went in the house to get the key I noticed an important item of clothing Carter did not get from the laundry that she would need for her basketball game today, so I texted her. “Oh Mom, I do need that.” So on my way back out of town, I ran by school and put said important clothing item in her locker. I was only two hours behind schedule.
With no satellite radio I channel surfed my way up the I’s 85 and 95 and made it to Old town in time to have a late lunch with Jeanne and still see her stop she works at, her favorite shoe store and her new house. Only a half hour late I got to David and John’s in time for a short visit and change of clothes before I ubered off to the Hay Adams for dinner with Wendy and Steve joining us for drinks after. Wendy had brought her journal from out trip and we relived some key moments. The whole night went too fast, but we are meeting again tomorrow for lunch. So with no sadness we all departed in our own taxis/ubers knowing we would do it again tomorrow.
I came home to the best turn down service at John and David’s happy to be with so many great friends, definitely worth the drive!