On July 5 the Joe Kestner family flew from Texas to Greensboro, N.C. for a family visit. After spending the night at 1405 Knightwood Dr., they drove their rental car to Glade Spring, Va., hometown of the patriarch of the little family of three, for a Kestner family reunion.
On Saturday night Judy and Emilie went to the Barter Theatre in Abingdon and took in a performance of "The Gin Game," made famous by actors Jessica Tandy and her husband Hume Cronyn, who was a frequent performer there in his youth, and whose photo hangs on the wall with those of many others who got their start at this venue in the Appalachians.
The next morning, Joe fired up the pit and made his famous beef brisket and hot salsa (delicious, made from fresh ingredients) for his visiting relatives and friends. Though there was a shower of rain -- something the parched Texans were glad to see, just to renew old acquaintances -- the reunion was a success.
The three headed back to Greensboro to visit with your editor's mummy and baby sis, Jean and Phyllis Fieg, and with middle sister Diana and her new husband, Bill Doyle, who had driven down from New York. (Bill's status as husband is new, I should say; he is not... LOL.) The stay was relaxing and renewing and included many games of Yahtzee and bridge.
Despite the extra-warm weather, that great
equalizer, air conditioning, allowed us to spend our indoor time in comfort and our outdoor time in haste, .
Jean arranged a photo session at Olan Mills, and the wonderful photos that resulted reflected this enjoyable experience, facilitated by the professionalism and good humor of the photographer.
On July 11, Joe returned to his oil and gas biz in Texas and Judy and Emilie accompanied Diana and Bill on a road trip north. We stopped in Leesburg, Va. to visit Lori Davie Price and her son Jack (daughter and grandson of the late Raymon and Sonja Davie of Cooperstown), where we were treated to a yummy spread of cold shrimp, cookies, Queen Anne cherries and faux Cheddar (not really -- Lori had cut up a mango into small pieces that we all mistook for cheese!) and then it was on to Croton-on-Hudson for Emilie's Big Apple fix.
Hot as it was in N.C., we were shocked by the steamy weather in the Hudson Valley. Alas, the Doyles' home is not air-conditioned so Emilie and I slept in the sauna -- er, I mean the back bedroom. Happily there were a couple of hair dryers blowing on us all night to alleviate the heat. Oh, those were fans? Well, we enjoyed leaving the bedroom every morning and gathering in Diana's air-conditioned office.
On the first three days we took the train to the city, where we went on an NBC tour at 30 Rock, ate the best pizza in the world at Lombardi's, shopped, walked, got rained on (hey, isn't that supposed to cool things down?) and, on Sunday July 14, met cousins John and Anne Roman for a late brunch and to watch the Tony-winning musical "Kinky Boots," which we all adored. (After the play we had a light supper in an Italian trattoria. Just as they brought our dessert, the entire block lost electric power -- what good timing on our part!)
In the evenings we watched movies before collapsing into bed. New York is a walking town, and for those of us who, due to the ever-present hot weather, drive everywhere, it was exhausting getting around!
The last day in New York was spent at the Doyles' home, admiring cucumbers on the vine, barbequing chicken and enjoying life in the country.
We enjoyed the hospitality shown to us by everyone, and can't wait to go back.
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