1794 Gaithersburg

The wee hours of Saturday, May 3, 2008

I am in Gaithersburg, MD, at a gathering of Maryland and Washington Metropolitan Mensa, at the Holiday Inn.

The drive was a 6.5 hour misery. I decided to blindly follow the GPS, and it put me on route 15, a LOCAL road, heading out of Harrisburg, at 5 pm. This was not good. There is a way to tell it to avoid certain roads and conditions and times - I guess I'm going to have to read the book.

On the other hand, route 15 took me within a few miles of Gettysburg, PA. Back in the dim mid-60s I lived and taught high school math there, so I decided to detour and visit. I almost didn't recognize the place. It used to be a sleepy little village except on summer weekends when the tourists came. Well, the village grew. But it can't expand outward because it's confined by the battlefields, so it just packed more into the tiny space it has. And they forgot parking. There were so many cars! And the streets are still civil war era narrow. It was scary. I don't think I'll be tempted to visit again soon.

I also once lived within a few miles of this hotel. Daughter went to nursery school, Montessori school, and first grade here. Again, this area has changed so much I'm going to need the GPS to find my old house, even though the bank I used and the shopping center where I bought household stuff is right across the street from this hotel. Beyond this corner, I'm lost.

I have some old friends in the area. I didn't let them know I'd be here because the final decision to come wasn't made until Friday morning (like, 15 hours ago). I'll call tomorrow and see who's available for lunch, dinner, or a visit later today or Sunday. [Later - see the confusion. I wrote this after midnight but before I slept, so is today tomorrow or yesterday?]

I got here too late for any of the Friday Mensa programs, but there was a pool/Jacuzzi party starting at 10 pm, so I went to that. Mostly it was just sitting or standing in the water talking, but it was ok. I had forgotten my bathing suit, but was able to buy one in the hotel store. Not too expensive ($25), plain black, and it actually looked ok on.

That was annoying, that I had to buy a suit. I found something that I love as a bathing suit (here, without sleeves). I have one in black, and one in tan. Just this past week I became aware that the manufacturer who used to make them has stopped. Another is making them, but they are a custom order, and who knows how long that will last, so I ordered three more. They should last me for the rest of my life. Buying another suit today because I forgot to bring one of the FIVE I have is teeth-gritting.

My man had said he might come with me this weekend, but he had to take time off from work for a family matter earlier in the week, so he couldn't come. A very nice looking guy in the pool and later in the hospitality room (home of food and drinks and conversation) was flirting with me. Very flattering, but I didn't encourage him.

To tell the truth, I don't know why I'm here.
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