Day 8 Alexandria, VA to West Hartford, CT 352 miles Total mileage: 3230 We have arrived!

Last night we arrived in West Hartford at 7:30 pm after a long seven hour drive through five states ~ Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York (including a detour through the Bronx) and into Connecticut. We arrived just in time to see Tala on the baby monitor as she went down for the night. Not to be disappointed though... we were greeted with a wonderful salmon dinner and a few peaceful hours of sitting outdoors in the warm evening air, and having a chance to chat with Kiel and Carly. Kiel is a fabulous cook and this was no doubt the best meal we have had in over a week (actually maybe since Covid started!).

We slept in a real bed last night. I will have a shower today in a bathroom that has a dedicated space for a shower. The trailer has what is called a "wet bathroom". It is a tiny space that is both the shower and the toilet, so when you shower, everything you think of as the entire bathroom gets wet. I was actually so grateful to have a private shower/bathroom on this trip that this did not matter a bit. But today I get real luxury!

We are settling in to our home for the next 16 days ~ the Residence Inn in Avon, CT. The pool and fitness center are closed. Breakfast is suspended. All coffee makers have been removed from the rooms. There are still housekeeping services offered 3 days/week but I doubt we will take advantage of them. Kiel bought us a starter pack of groceries. When we need more he will get them as he tries to shop at the times of day when the fewest people are in the store. Since I have not been in a store since the beginning of March my kids are not about to let me start now.

After a solid week of "hurry, hurry, hurry", we are now trying to get used to doing everything at a more relaxed pace. It feels like flying down the freeway and then slamming on the brakes for a traffic jam. No sweet transition period. I realize that rarely occurs in real life anyway.

This will be my last blog post about the "trail to Tala". I expect to write every few days about our time in the East Coast but I PROMISE it will not turn into blathering on and on about my grandchild. I will hit the high notes and keep the blathering inside my brain. Thomas hopes to publish some photos today or tomorrow about the end of our trip. And of course there will be coming your way those choice photos of who I am sure is the most beautiful and most intelligent baby that ever walked the earth. It is so good for the human race that grandparents feel that way. Got to go...seeing my granddaughter for the first time since early March in 15 minutes!