Last week my dear, sweet great aunt had to go into the hospital for shortness of breath and a complete lack of strength in her legs. She’s out now, and staying in a nursing home for a short time before moving to assisted living, rather than back to her apartment on her own.
I hadn’t visited her since the last tragic, terrible time I made the attempt, and she’s without a phone in the nursing home. So yesterday the Boy and I made the trip down to Richmond, about a 90 minute drive. My aunt is doing very well, and we had a blast pushing her up and down the hallway at speeds that made the nurses yell at us all. However, it was the drive up and back that made the day most memorable.
Oh, Virginia… I’ve lived there all my life, but it just never ceases to amaze me.
Before visiting my aunt, we first stopped at Bill’s BBQ for lunch and some sweet potato pie. Not the best BBQ ever, but definitely tasty and convenient. Also, we were able to witness the Richmond accents at the table behind us. Where do these people come from? The Richmond accent is the most bizarre blend of Down South Drawl and New Hampshire Unintelligibility I’ve ever heard.
Driving back the Boy and I both noticed a sign at the exact same time. A brown cultural landmark sign advertising the Stonewall Jackson Shrine. Shrine, I tell you. And just 5 miles off the interstate; how could we not?
The shrine turned out to be pretty much as pictured on the site, small white building, grass, parking lot. And it was hoppin’! There were two other cars there, full of people, for a grand total of 10 people paying their respects to the great Stonewall*. What was oddest was the family of 5 Hispanics. I’m pretty sure Stonewall didn’t have a lot of dealings with the Hispanics, and anything he did do for them was certainly negative…
The setting triggered a memory for the Boy of something he saw on the History Channel about Stonewall Jackson’s arm. Well, it clearly was not in the same place as us, so we set off to find it. We found a road marked “Stonewall Jackson Ambulance Route,” so we figured we had a safe chance of following the route backwards from his deathbed to locate the final resting place of his arm.
Alas, we found much verdant greenery, plenty of horrendous yard decorations, and many a Ford SuperEnormousTruck, but no arm. When my gas light came on, we gave up and switched our search parameters to “gas station.”
And lo, the most amazing find of the day, gas for $1.97 a gallon! I don’t even know how that is possible, and by purchasing it, I probably supported some evil-doer somewhere. But purchase it I did.
A 7$ sweet potato pie and a tank of gas for less than 20$? Virginia, I love you.
Then we went back to Arlington and had swanky 9$ cocktails in the new restaurant down the street. My martini was more than my pie….
*I am not actually making fun here; I think Stonewall Jackson was a great military man, even if his side was a bit.. misguided. It’s also fair for you to know I grew up in an area where every third thing is named after either Stonewall or Lee, including my mom’s veterinarian. My high school was actually named after a different Confederate general.
Sounds like it was a good weekend for pie! Really, a good weekend all around.
oooo martini. you know I’m jealous now
sounds like a good weekend. I’m glad your aunt is doing better.
when do you move?
The Richmond accent is a distinct version of the ‘tidewater virginia’ accent. Even though its not exactly in tidwater, it has those features. And its distinctly southern, as would be any southern city near the ocean (i.e. Charleston, Savannah)
Native Virginias used to speak a form of southern accent, but in the last 30 years the influx of non natives has really changed it. Especially in northern virginia where most “natives” have family from some place else, or have little or no connection to the south. The South has lord knows how many accents, and none are the same.
I would much prefer the Richmond accent over New York or Boston.
Or even Shenandoah Valley.