Blue Goose ~ Day 116

September 23, 2014 ~ Virginia Beach, VA to Fredericksburg, MD

I woke to a definite change in weather. It was fall-like for the first time this year with much cooler temperatures, overcast skies and dry leaves skittering in the parking lot.

Smart phones are everywhere....everywhere. I too use mine constantly to navigate and find places and check on bird sightings and text and email so shouldn't have been annoyed this morning when I sat too close to a 60+ year old woman who acted as though her iPhone was the most interesting thing in life. She chattered incessantly to a male companion about what she was seeing on the phone and how she uses it and what she does with it, ad ad ad nauseum. Like she was so flushed by her tech knowledge. Her inane chatter at loud volume showed she had a disregard of the rules of the social interface in a public place. Then a 30-something woman came in, did the air kissing thing, talked about kids and vacations and houses, but mostly wanted someone to go "shopping" with her. Occasionally, she would expertly and quickly get the phone woman back on track as she jabbered about her tech issues and couldn't figure something out. The older woman was tanned, trim and almost for sure "enhanced" if you get my meaning. Sad for women who do too much to retain a youthful appearance, like the whole boob thing....

Back on the road, getting turned around trying to find the bridge across the James River before I finally got on the interstate to Richmond and listened to NPR as Terry Gross talked with new actor and rap musician Andre Benjamin and director/writer John Ridley (who also wrote 12 Years a Slave) about the new film All Is on My Mind, a year in the life of Jimi Hendrix when he lived in London and before he became a star. NPR is my companion through the days of driving. I will go through the dial and 50% is that hyper-manic advertising; the rest is country music, Christian radio, occasional right wing spouting, very occasionally a blues or jazz station, rock music or lots of forgettable music which isn't my style and seems bland and generic most of the time.

Having said that, I did actually listen to a show in Virginia hosted by a black preacher in which issues of domestic abuse were discussed in a candid, refreshing, realistic way, pointing out how family and social culture and customs are complex and complicate the dialogue, and that asking why women don't "just leave" is naive and simplistic. All done with humor and hard facts and concluding with a blessing for all of us.

The day cleared and the traffic increased by the time I got to Fredericksburg where I stayed. The sky at sunset was glorious behind Walmart.

The other day, I paid $2.99 a gallon for gas in Virginia!

First signs of fall - Great Dismal Swamp NWR - VA