A Little Getaway

We treated ourselves to a little getaway this past weekend and drove up to Roanoke.  After dropping Woody off at the pet resort, we took our time driving 460 W.  Bedford was on our must see list and it didn’t disappoint.  It’s a charming spot with a vibrant downtown, interesting Farmer’s Market and beautiful homes; many very grand with miles of fencing and sweeping views. 

We had reservations at the Hotel Roanoke and I had splurged just a bit to secure a “corner room with superlative views.”  The room was lovely and the view was grand, but our neighbors in the next-door suite were ready to party hardy.  Peals of laughter and squeals of “OMG you won’t believe…” blew through the walls like we were right next door.  Oh yeah, we were.   George chalked it up to day drinking and figured the rowdiness would calm down as the night wore on.  I figured different.  I gotta hand it to George; he very gallantly offered to ask the front desk for a room change….that’s never happened before.  And, he came back smiling with a new key to a new room on a new floor.  Seems he saw the “girls” exiting the room and there were an even dozen…all dolled up and ready for anything.  We made a good call. 

Our new room had its own issues…broken bedside lamp and the sink wouldn’t drain, but brushing our teeth over the bathtub seemed a small concession to make for a good night’s sleep.  God, we’re getting old.

We drove out to Hollins College where Jenny went all four years and found it just as beautiful a setting as it was 20 years ago. Then on to Black Dog Salvage -  a true delight. We wandered about totally enthralled with the vast array of inventory.  George found the wood stove he's been searching for and a deal was made.

 Saturday evening we milled around Center on the Square, Roanoke’s reinvented downtown and enjoyed pizza and beer at a Bar-B-Q joint.  The live music just wouldn’t get going so by 10:00 we walked back to the hotel, only to discover the hotel bar had a fellow playing acoustic guitar.  It topped off our evening.

Easter morning breakfast in the hotel dining room was fabulous!  After a month of oatmeal, I felt entitled to eggs and hash-browns, not to mention the muffin I consumed.  All delicious.

The trip back to Farmville was sobering.  We had a bit of deja-vue from last Sunday’s harrowing drive through a snowstorm.  Having decided to take the Blue Ridge Parkway back to Bedford, we realized too late that visibility was zero.  The fog was so dense it felt like rain.  It was a very long 20 miles before we could exit and come down off the mountain.

 We are grateful and very lucky to be alive.  I’ve learned there was a terrible 95 car pile- up due to the fog near Galax, VA.  Folks died and many were injured.  Next time I’m tempted to take the scenic route, I’m going to make sure the conditions are safe.