Wednesday, June 2, 2010

here's to twenty years...

Where have I been?
Vacation....I took the kids to Newport, Rhode Island for the long weekend to visit my husband. He is there for a three week school before he leaves for Japan. We drove 13 hours on Friday to get there and we were completely exhausted when we finally arrived. It should have taken 7 and half hours but the traffic was crazy. Newport was great...I love it there. I have lots of great pictures to share! We left to come back yesterday, Tuesday. The drive was going great until noon yesterday...we came to a dead stop four miles before the George Washington bridge in New York. Two hours later, we had traveled less than a mile. It was crazy...the signs said the bridge had closed due to an accident and to take an alternate route...oh my...we had to go the bathroom really bad and we had to exit...in the Bronx. There was no other choice. Things got interesting~ {scary actually}...but after driving around scared to death my mother in law called and said to find the police station~ they would help. That was one place I will never forget. My kids faces were priceless....scared beyond belief. They had just arrested three young boys {for who knows what} and they were being booked. They took us back there to go to the bathroom, where they were booking them! After waiting for the bathroom about 15 minutes {they were in there with the boys they arrested and I can just imagine what was going on in there} they let us go to the bathroom. My oh my...scary doesn't even begin to describe it. The whole time I keep saying to the boys "we will laugh about this later"...praying we would have the chance. What had I gotten myself into? I felt so bad thinking of the situation we were in ~with my three young kids. My four old was clueless...she said loudly she wanted a tattoo on her arm like that ladies! And she keep asking what that smell was...
We left the police station and tried to get back on 95 to the bridge...it still wasn't moving. After driving around trying to figure out what to do for longer, we were still right back in the same spot...which was not where we needed to be. We sat in that traffic for almost five hours. We needed gas badly and I found the best looking station possible. That's when I decided we were not going home. I headed back to Connecticut. The opposite way but I had to get out of there. I knew how to get to Greenwich and I was so happy to arrive in this lovely sweet town! We are at an outrageously expensive hotel but it's safe and clean and just what I needed. It's actually a fabulous place~ I'm waiting for the kids to wake up as I'm overlooking the harbor. The door to the balcony is open with a beautiful view and a wonderful breeze. It's perfect. We will attempt to go home today and I have found a new route. I'm not taking anymore chances. Keep your fingers crossed for us. I hope tomorrow I am at home blogging away about something fun and photography related. Sorry for the lack of post.
Did I mention yesterday was my twenty year wedding anniversary? yes....twenty years...what an anniversary to remember in so many ways!
Photobucket

21 comments:

  1. Oh boy! You were so close to me!! I wish you'd have had my info, I am only a hour from Greenwich!! Sorry you got snagged in the traffic mess, hope you make it home safe!!! :)

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  2. I am cracking up right now. I can picture your sweet, innocent little girl saying she wants a tattoo. haha! I was completely drawn into the story. I'm glad you got out of there and yes you and your kids will laugh about it one day... Remember that day mom took us to the Bronx. =0) Oh & I've enjoyed viewing the beautiful studios again over the past week. It keeps me dreaming!

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  3. Wow what a scary ,memorable day! It was my 20 yr anniversary a couple of days ago too . My husband was out of town so it was quiet and uneventful after reading your story I will be thankful for that!

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  4. Oh my goodness!. What an experience, you must have been very scared! I hope you get home safe & sound today. Take Care xxx

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  5. NEVER take the GW bridge! Take the Tapan Zee. Much easier, never get stuck in that traffic. I avoid 95 above DE. Come home Tapan Zee to Garden State Parkway, to the NJ TPK then 95.

    Glad you're safe. Imagine the children who have to live their whole lives in that neighborhood?

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  6. Oh wow Marsha what a day to remember! So glad you got out of there safe and sound I would have been freaking out big time!

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  7. What an adventure! I'm so glad you made it to a safe hotel and I hope the remainder of your trip goes smoothly. And, Happy Anniversary. What a story you'll have to tell on your 50th!

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  8. oh wow, Marsha, what an experience! I usually don't comment on anything, but your post is pretty compelling! I used to live in NYC before I moved to LA and although I LOVE that city, for people not used to it, it can be a scary place - particularly the outer boroughs near the bridges, etc. Since it's not in your comfort zone, you guys did the right thing to go to the police station for the bathroom, and you did exactly the right thing to go to Connecticut to rest up...
    I trust you all will be home tomorrow safe and sound! I love your four-year old's comments - oh to be that carefree and oblivious!

    happy anniversary!

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  9. So awesome! What you describe sounds almost exactly like our trip to Newport, RI last month!We LOVED it out there. It is now my all time favorite place to road trip and may replace our yearly family trip to Cape May starting next year. Don't you just fall in love with the atmosphere and the celebration of all that is beautiful?!

    I hope you got a chance to check out Cliff Walk and tour some of those breathtaking architectural wonders such as the Breakers & Marble House or the amazing buildings at the Salve Regina University.

    We also stopped in Connecticut at a charming B&B Chesterfield Inn in Stamford which was not far from Greenwich (which I hear is pish posh!) on the way back and took a detour to avoid NYC for the trip home. I am going through our pictures now to post on my photo blog as well so I am definitely looking forward to seeing yours!

    Glad to hear you had a great trip with your family in a great little town! Grace

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  10. That whole "scary" and lost thing happened to us in Birmingham once at 1 in the morning. Never been so scared in all my life. Finally had to stop at a liquor store in the GHETTO and ask for help. Turns out we were only three blocks from the freeway. Go figure! Thank God for GPS nowadays!

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  11. Happy Anniversary. What an adventure. I hope your drive home today was much less exciting.

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  12. Being from RI, I am glad to hear you enjoyed Newport. It truly is an amazing place. I'm lucky to live so close. Were you able to have your family portrait done? I forwarded your e-mail address to a fabulous photographer I know. Not sure if she contacted you. Happy Anniversary! Love your blog!

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  13. Wow! That is a great story! Scary, but great! Yesterday was my 25th wedding anniversary with a very non-eventful dinner at Melting Pot ;) Happy Anniversary and I'm glad to hear you are safe!

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  14. Wow! Twenty years! Amazing congrats. And yes after that whole story it was the 20 yrs that got me. Glad you made it back safely. And are you really up at 4:30 am?

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  15. Happy Anniversary and hope you make it back fast and safely! Christy

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  16. Happy anniversary - June 1st was our 14th! A great day to get married and live happily ever after! :-)

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  17. What an adventure! At least you found a nice place to spend the night and regroup! Hope you made it home safely!

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  18. wow! what a trip with your kids! you are a brave mom! the outrageous hotel sounds fabulous and it sounds like you earned a little time to sit and look over the harbor while your babies slept! :) hang in there and you will get home soon! :)

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  19. Last summer we drove up 95 all the way to Maine. New York was a disaster for us too (though not as big a disaster as your experience!) and we pulled off in Greenwich Connecticut too!! Such a quaint little town. Hope the rest of your trip was uneventful.

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  20. Having four young kiddos myself, I cannot even begin to imagine the trek home you experienced! So glad you all made in to CT and then home safely. Happy Anniversary and am sure you will laugh about this one day... I also experienced a trek similar with my folks when I was a preteen. We still joke about that experience almost 20 years later.

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  21. oh my..what a trip. and thank goodness for that fab hotel! hope you are home now.

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