The Redheads and Grateful Red
I feel like I’m coming to the end of the road, especially when I arrived on the lake.
Jay and Cindy have a beautiful home and it was wonderful to sit back and enjoy the comforts. After all the hugs and hellos, the two redheads included, Cindy showed me to my basement. I had my own little flat with a pool table and a fridge full of beer, “stay as long as you like” she said, “I may never leave” I told her!
We were booked into the premier at the local theatre where Cindy had donated her time and expertise decorating the rest rooms; I was looking forward to a night out and meeting with the gentry of Winchester Virginia, I left the tux at home but Cindy ironed my only shirt and I was all set. The play was Death Trap, the theatre was small and intimate, probably about 60 seats with lots of fancy food and wine to eat and drink. I was introduced to so many people my brain was in overload but I would meet many of them again in a few days, as there was to be a party with the ladies and gents of the lake. The play was dragging on and it seemed like it would never end but I was enjoying being out and socialising with the elders. It was here I met Pat who is the local Tai Chi teacher, doing Yang style; I invited myself to her class later in the week and was pleased to hear on arriving, she had met my mentor, Grand Master Fu Zhong Wen, who was the founder of the academy in Perth, a well respected member of the Yang Tai Chi Family, now headed by his son Fu Sheng Yuan.
Paul and Rita were hosting the party and on arrival I was escorted to the garage, to see the Harley Super Glide and the map showing the many journeys, that Paul had done on his bike, including many trips to Sturgis, I would paddle the canoe across the lake later in the week, to plan the next stage of my journey with Paul, who at 74 wasn’t riding so much. We went on a three hour drive down to Richmond in rural Virginia for a Barbie with Raymond, Marianne and Danny, old friends of J + C from Staten Island Nu Yawk, don’t know why but I always thought the Bergman’s were from the Bronx? A musical night, with Raymond, his son and Danny on guitars, Marianne singing and when they played a Stones song, I think I may have been a bit vocal myself!
It was Saturday, every day seems to be a work day for Jay, he sits at the lap top and consults, it seems 8 – 10 hours a day, but on Saturday old mate Gerry turns up and its pool, drinking and relaxation all day, I surprised myself when I was able to get a few balls down. Jay gave himself a day off and we loaded up the car and went to Washington DC walked around the many monuments and memorials with the rest of the tourists, passed the house that’s white and saw Michelle’s vegie garden and bee hives, stopped off for a pizza, got home, loaded up the red heads onto Grateful red and cruised around the lake at sunset, an all American day. I was getting far too comfortable here, I’d been able to organise getting Henrietta to Oz, with the help of Jay, his scanner, printer and expertise, it was almost done, my tour guide and Mom, was off to Nu Yawk to look after her brother, who’d broken his leg, I was thinking of the road ahead.
I am….THE LONESOME TRAVELER….travelling east….BE HAPPY!