Sweet Virginia

Friday I'll be hitting the road - in 8 hours I'll drive through only two states where I'll see mostly long interstates, a road sign here and there and lots of pine trees. Pretty boring, indeed. But my trip ends in Lynchburg, Va., and that's what makes that long, tiring drive worth every minute of complete and utter boredom. I get to hang out with my mother, who I don't see often enough.

I'm a shopper. It's in my blood, thanks to her - my mother is THE ORIGINAL shopaholic. The difference between mother and daughter, however, is that Mom spends money. I dig deep for sales and clearance items, rarely paying full-price for an anything. And I've been known to carry a shirt or pair of pants around a store for an hour and then decide I don't have to have it, so I'll put it back. This drives Mom insane - it actually makes her cranky. Regardless of our shopping styles, when we get together it's a shopfest - from open to close, we're in the stores. I may not buy anything, but it's the experience that drives me from one shop to the next. We have the same taste in just about everything, so there's always something to oooo and ahhhh over.

So, this weekend Virginia needs to watch out. The shoppers will be on a mission ... exactly what kind of mission remains to be seen. But fun will be had by all, and it will be so nice to hit the town with my favorite girl.

Oh, and the homecooked meals won't be so bad, either!