Part 1: KIKIKI!!!!!

As is knownst to some of you already, en route to New Hampshire for the RinkUnion, Jacqueline and I graciously interrupted our lovely 16-hour drive up I-95 to visit with Kiki in our nation's capital. This gives us the distinction of being the *first* Rinkies to meet Kiki's family and stay at their house; ergo, \/\/3 0\/\/Nz j00 @LL !!!!1

THE PLAN: Leave Raleigh at 2:30pm, drive about 5 hours, arrive at Kiki's place as close to 8:00pm as we can manage.
WHAT HAPPENED: Left at 3:15pm, made it nearly to Richmond VA before the rain started. Entered D.C. and followed Kiki's directions along a bunch of dark winding roads like the ones that lead to Batman's secret headquarters. Arrived at Kiki's place around 9:00pm or so. I think this is just about the closest that WHAT HAPPENED has ever come to THE PLAN.

Kiki answered the door, which was really kind of weird because, you know, what could the door possibly have asked her? But anyway, she let us in and poinged around the hallway in excitement and hugged us with great enthusiasm. No, wait -- actually that was THE PLAN. WHAT HAPPENED was that *I* poinged around and hugged Kiki with great enthusiasm while she kind of looked at us with the uncertainty that comes with the realization that an Internet Person comes complete with an actual corporeal form. Sam had the same reaction when we met him for the first time, though that was probably because I said something vaguely sinister right off the bat (in jest, of course). Maybe I should have poinged around and hugged him with great enthusiasm instead. Live and learn.

We met Kiki's mom, sister and adopted brother, and chatted while they gave us a quick tour of the house, which is a row house from circa 1920 (correct me if I got that wrong, Kiki). As historical houses often are, it's a really cool place, even though the floorboards are way too creaky to sneak around and raid the fridge. Jacqueline and I ended up talking the whole evening with Kiki, her mom, her sister and her dad, who got home after we'd been there maybe half an hour or so. Kiki's dad is VARY K3\/\/L; he has a sharp wit and is great company for conversation. Plus, you know, he let us stay at his house overnight.

As Jacqueline got ready for bedtime, I talked with Kiki some more and learned many astonishing things that she's never mentioned before to anyone on RinkWorks and which I can't tell you because I'm sworn to secrecy except maybe I'd reconsider if you pay me lots of money. No, actually I won't tell you even if you DO pay me lots of money; I'll just take the money and then not tell you. This is SECRET STUFF. Fnord.

Friday morning around 5:00 J and I reluctantly got out of bed, all the more reluctantly because Kiki's basement couch contains a +3 Folding Bed, +5 vs. Back Pain. Jacqueline swears by that folding bed nowadays. By 6:00am, we were hauling our stuff out to the car and saying our goodbyes to Kiki and her dad, one of whom is a Morning Person™ and one of whom is not. :-) I took a couple of pictures of them and their house, which I promise to have developed in my usual timely fashion (sometime before the next Ice Age) and mailed ee-lectronically to Sam.

Next: the Road to El New Hampshiro...