Last year, 2024, was a continuous journey! On May 16, I traveled from Atlanta, GA, to the Bronx, NY, from my daughter to my son. I flew to LaGuardia Airport and my son, and his daughter picked me up. I stayed with them for two weeks in the Bronx and enjoyed time with my great grandson Enzo (3). I returned to Atlanta on May 29.

On June 11, I packed my car and drove to Delray Beach, Florida, where I stayed with my dear friend Lydia in her home until July 1st, when I moved into my friend, Roberta’s condo, where I stayed until September 2, 2024. I taught a class online for SNHU and got to spend time with several of my Florida friends. Also, I attended the memorial of my dear friend Ernestine Ray at the African American Research Library and Cultural Center (AARLCC), in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

On September 2, 2024, I drove to Sanford, Florida, to get the autotrain to Lorton, Virginia. I was too late for the train that day, so I spent the night at a Comfort Inn, and boarded the autotrain the next day at 2 p.m. I arrived in Lorton the next day at 9:30 a.m. First, I visited my childhood friend, Diane, in Woodbridge, Virginia. Then, I drove another hour to Waldorf, Maryland, to my cousin Veronica’s home, where her mother Ginny was staying.

On September 25, I drove to Pittsburgh, PA, for the ASALH Conference. There, I spent four days in an Airbnb with my granddaughter, Muki. Both of us presented at the conference in the Omni Hotel with playwright Herman Levern Jones and his wife Carolyn.

Then, on September 29, we drove back to Charleston, South Carolina, where we attended the soiree of noted artist Jonathan Green. That night, we drove to John’s Island, South Carolina, where we spent two nights with Glenda. On October 2nd, we drove on to Atlanta, Georgia, where I stayed in an Airbnb for three weeks, while we produced the first Musicwoman Festival in East Point, GA. See details here https://wijsf.org/festival/musicwoman24.htm.

On Monday, October 21, I set out for Charleston, SC, again, and attended Jonathan’s weekly soiree. That night, I went to Glenda’s on John’s Island. The next day, I had lunch with Dr. Delores Walters on James’ Island. On Wednesday, I had lunch with Sophia Dovier, Jonathan’s young intern. Immediately after lunch, I drove to Chadbourn, North Carolina, where I spent two nights with Mike and Patti. In Whiteville, NC, I had my car inspected and renewed my registration. On Saturday, Patti and I drove to Myrtle Beach, SC, to Kohl’s and we had lunch at the Crab Shack, on the water, which was delicious and delightful.

On Sunday, October 27, I drove to Woodbridge, Virginia, where I had dinner with Diane and her daughter Anisha, and her children Darius and Nicole, at the steakhouse. Yum! Then, I drove to Waldorf, MD, where I stayed with Ginny and Veronica. My childhood friend Diane came for dinner on my birthday, December 7, 2024. Ginny and I attended a Christmas program in Alexandria with Amy Bormet on piano and the Vaughn Ambrose Big Band.

On December 16, I drove to The Bronx, NY, to spend the holidays with my son, Michael. This was the first year I spent up North in cold weather in a very long time. I had not seen snow since January 1996 in Switzerland. The temperature dropped to 10 degrees, and I was freezing, after nearly 40 years of hot weather in Florida. It snowed in Waldorf, MD, and accumulated 16 inches, and they had to be shoveled out!

On December 26, I drove up to Hartford, Connecticut to spend two days with Jodylynn, our graphic designer for Musicwoman/Musicman Magazines. We had dinner with Kiki and Jeff, who introduced us in 2014, after I met them on the Allure of the Seas Royal Caribbean cruise, where I sang for 28 days.

I returned to Waldorf, MD, on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, where I got to spend time with Veronica and Ginny, in frigid weather.

Then, I drove back up to New York, again, on Sunday, January 26, to Mt. Vernon, NY, to live with Aunt Carrie, godmother of my first grandson, Robert Logan. During that trip, my odometer registered 10,000 miles. When I first left Atlanta on June 11, it only read a little over 4,900 miles! So, I drove 5,100 miles from June 11, 2024, to January 26, 2025.

Whew! What a year 2024 was!

After seven weeks in Mt. Vernon, I was set free from being a caretaker on Friday, March 14, 2025. I drove to New Brunswick, New Jersey, where I spent three nights at an Airbnb, decompressing. The following Monday, I drove to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where I spent a week with my friends Carla and Lovett Hines. I got to visit my alma mater, LaSalle University, which has really grown. Spending time with Carla was so much fun as we reminisced about our friendship from 1976 to 1982, when I moved back to New York for two years. Though we only saw each other once from 1982 until 2025, our friendship never faded.

On Sunday, March 23, 2025 (R.I.P. Trubble Funk), I began the trek to Louisiana. I stopped for the night in Roanoke, Virginia. The following morning, I went to get an oil change at the Hyundai dealership. That was a great experience because they serviced my car and didn’t charge me! Christmas in March! From there, I drove to Birmingham, Alabama, where I stayed at a Red Roof for one night. They had a great breakfast and the room was nice. Then, it was on to Shreveport, Louisiana, where I took the top floor of my dear friend’s home. I’ve been there ever since. I like this town, probably because I really don’t have to drive even a mile to get to all the shopping I could think of and many good restaurants. The home is beautiful, the neighborhood is peaceful, and I am happy! I’m teaching Graphic Design at SNHU and contented.