Arrivals

A bit of quick catch-up with regard to who has dropped into Savannah/Hilton Head and said "hi" since we got here, while I'm thinking about it, because starting a week from now, we'll have non-stop visitors until fall.

Our very first drop-in (is it still a drop in if they have their own place to stay?) was L_________, a friend I made in 2002 while on TDY duty in Nantucket. When we saw her here she was fresh off the road, doing that long, languorous hump up I-95 all the way from Ft. Myers to Nantucket -- a whopping 1507 miles. We met for breakfast at the diner on the island and caught up there. Forgot to take a picture, though. Curses. It was very rushed, as she had to return to the road in the hopes of seeing her sister in D.C. by sundown, but it was great to see her, whom I have long thought of as a kindred spirit in travel. A wanderer, and me, a recovering wanderer.

Next there was B______, whom my wife and I know from our stint as STRIPES volunteers, and who surprised me with tales of the weineriffic new job that brought him and his new co-worker Kylie to Savannah for a week. We lunched at the fabled Mrs. Wilkes' Dining Room and traded travel stories during the hour and a half or so we had to wait in line out front.

His travel stories are way better than mine these days, by the way. Partly because he's actually traveling, and partly because of what he drives. And while sadly we never got a chance to meet up again so that I could tour the thing (and tour in it) I hear it is glorious. Maybe next time.

Also, -- and I just now noticed this -- B______ is tall.

Finally, the last of our recent visitors were M________ and his family. Again, forgot to get a photo. Curses. Anyway, they came down from PA, as they are wont to do every few years, it seems, to relax on the beach for a few days, and we were fortunate enough to catch them one night after my wife got off work. M________ is my wife's friend from high school, and a former coach, if I'm not mistaken, and a helluva good guy whom I liked instantly. I have met so few of my wife's friends that it is always an enlightening and wonderful experience when I find one. It's sort of like finding a long lost puzzle piece in the couch. We all chatted in the living room of the condo they rented until it got late, and we had to get going.

All in all, we've had some good visits here so far. The main drawback is our extremely impaired capacity to extend our hospitality, being guests ourselves. Thus, our meetings are truncated, and must largely be held in public venues like restaurants. We have no home to open up to our friends. Not yet, anyway.

They have been good sports about it, though. Maybe, when next we meet, we can meet better.