Second ---find some friends to share the evening with....
Third--- enjoy the band concert, courtesy of the US Air Force Heritage of America Band.
Fourth--- sit back and enjoy the best fireworks ever... ....
Finally trek back across the battlefield, over the redoubts back to the car. (refer to item #1) We didn't arrive early enough for a great parking spot. Some years it has been so crowded that we couldn't even get to the battlefield and everything was closed down. We felt like we had an OK spot until it was time to leave. We were in the middle of this very very large field (battlefield). Half the rows were to exit to the left and half to the right. To the left took you deeper into Yorktown National Park, to the right- the road we wanted to get to.
Given the choice, when our row (one of the last to move) finally emptied out..we chose to go right. We turned right then inched along the edge of the field to get to Cook Road, where we would turn left to go home, we felt better about not going deeper into the Park. As we reached Cook Road, the deputies directed us to turn right not LEFT!!! WHAT?!!?!? We were routed out to the Colonial Parkway to then get on Rt. 17. (The longest way home possible). Since my daughter was a few cars back, I called her to tell her we were having to get onto the parkway to get to Rt. 17.
**HERE'S WHAT YOU SHOULD NOT DO ON 4TH OF JULY AT 11:00 PM **
To call her I opened my contacts in the cell phone and scrolled down to her name....and dialed...WITHOUT MY READING GLASSES ON!! I accidentally called Racquel of Perennial Garden Lover, instead of called Rachel...one of my two lovely daughters. OOOPSSS! I think Racquel thinks I was 'having a real good time' at the 4th when I just didn't have on my reading glasses. (I mean--who wears their reading glasses while watching the fireworks??) So sorry Racquel! It took us an hour and a half to get home that should have taken us about 10 minutes. The detour at the last minute on Cook Road turned out to be a woman went into labor down on Cook Road!!! What an evening!
Hope everyone had a great and safe 4th!!
Oh I'm sorry for your wonderful evening being topped off with chaos! It sounded pretty good up until the turn onto Colonial Pkwy! I can see how Rachel and Racquel look similar, esp. with ones reading glasses off! I can't see anything without mine, either! I'm assuming it was quite late when you called her so it was probably embarrasing, but knowing how nice she is from her blogging I'm sure she forgives you;-)
ReplyDeleteI used to enjoy the 4th of July celebrations at Ft. Monroe. We walked right down the road! Well, of course you know all about that since you were there too...
This is one of those oops! Really, it happens:) Sounds like a fun night all the same.
ReplyDeleteThat's funny Janet! I bet Racquel was cool about it. Those fireworks look grand. I did not take one picture. I think getting out of the parking lot (and home) after any event is always interesting...
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good time up until you had to leave. I would likely think twice about going next year, unless you could plant yourself early enough for a primo parking spot. We were at the Accomac motorless parade on the Eastern Shore. It was very casual, very relaxing and very small town. Good eats too!
ReplyDeleteJanet,
ReplyDeleteSounds so crowded to me!!! Whoa that traffic would do meg in. We went to an organic farm and had a organic potluck dinner with about 250 people. probably the best food I'll eat this year. Then they had homemade fireworks, these guys have been making their own for a very long time. It would have been easily $10,000 worth of fireworks if they paid someone to produce them.
Janet .. my goodness girl ! ... reading glasses are the essential path to logical choices ? LOL .. I would be lost without mine for sure .. all in all you guys had a great time and I enjoyed the pictures very much : )
ReplyDeleteJoy
This is why I have trouble getting my husband to go to our local fireworks celebrations--he doesn't like crowds and having to wait in the traffic jams afterwards. I watched fireworks from my back yard:)
ReplyDeleteThis story is so funny, though, Janet; I recently texted my daughter to tell her that I had fixed one of her favorites for dinner, but I sent it to some unknown number--also not wearing my reading glasses. Some poor stranger went home that night thinking he was having enchiladas for dinner:)
Glad you had a good evening, though, before the tie-up getting home.
Sometimes, I want to chain my glasses to my ears!
ReplyDeleteHi Janet, what a fun story, poor Racquel, hope she wasn't in bed already! The best thing about this post though, to me, is the woman going into labor, new meaning to the phrase *born on the fourth of July!* Imagine the tale this child will be told about the day he/she was born, priceless.
ReplyDeleteFrances
Wow, that's a long drive home.
ReplyDeleteI can relate about the reading glasses, I'm helpless without mine.
Good afternoon all!! Need to say this up front- Racquel is a very kind and understanding person! For one to receive a phone call at 11PM and be gracious about it is wonderful!! Thanks Racquel.
ReplyDeleteJan, Seems like every year there is some sort of chaos-- often a thunder rolls up the river and we hussle to the cars. We used to do the Ft. Monroe 4th celebrations ---long ago.
Tina, that was a big oops!! It was a fun night.
Kathleen, I love the fireworks at Yorktown Battlefield, they are really wonderful. Every year the sheriff's department tries something new....next year we may be routed past the moon!!
Les, It is always a fun time. We see folks we only see once a year --up there! I think to get a primo spot we would have to go up at noon. Don't think the dogs would like us being gone that long.
Randy, It was very crowded. Your celebration sounds wonderful.
Joy, reading glasses ARE the essential path to logical choices. thanks for visiting.
Rose, Being up at the monument for the band concert is really great though... and let's face it-- when the whole crowd goes----'OOoooo AAhhhhh' in unison -well, it is lots of fun.
Tatyana, I should have just left mine on!! The glasses I have now are clear glass on the top and a progressive lens for reading at the bottom. *Note to self* LEAVE GLASSES ON!!
Frances, No, I talked to Racquel and she said they were still up, thank goodness. My question to the woman who went into labor--What were you thinking going up to that madhouse nine months pregnant????
Victoria, My arms are just not long enough anymore! Bummer.
lol, it's okay Janet. ;) I'm glad you enjoyed the fireworks. It's been a few years since we went to yorktown to watch them.
ReplyDeleteIt's almost 1am and I'm laughing like a fool. I'm going to wake MrD all cause of you! Really---very funny. That better be some kind of good fireworks for that drive. I love a band for such an event---go Air Force!
ReplyDeleteWe went to Tanglewood Park and watched the works. They gave us some 3-D glasses---wow was that neat. All the color was multiplied. I kept them on the whole time. I'm still seeing stars and stripes forever.
Hi Racquel, thanks again! You are most understanding.
ReplyDeleteGood morning Anna, I hope you didn't wake the hubby to tell him that!! Mine would not want to be awakened, though I am glad you found it funny. 3D glasses...hmmm sounds like a plan! (have some leftover from a school field trip!)
Boy does this sound familiar! Three years ago it took me over three hours to get home (~8 miles) from fireworks on Sullivan's Island. It was insane. I've been scarred ever since, and instead walk a block down the road and watch them from a few 'water miles' away (and yeah, who takes their reading glasses to watch fireworks!).
ReplyDeleteAnd - this is Pam from Tales from the Microbial Lab. I haven't had a way to post a comment here without a google (or other account) and recently set up a google acct because of a work project. In other words - I have no idea how I will be identified once I hit the 'publish' button!
Hi Pam, so glad you visited and commented. (Also glad you told me who you were...though you could have just commented without me knowing which 'Pam' you were). Holiday events in crowds makes for some interesting occurences--like calling friends very late!!
ReplyDelete