As I was driving home from my incredible tour of the Luray Caverns, the rain started pouring incessantly and my hunger was chiding me each mile I drove without a rest stop.
Call it good fortune, as I was passing through remote Amissville, a small town about 60 miles from DC, my hunger finally got the best of me and coaxed me to turn my wheel towards a country store that appeared to serve up a good BBQ pulled pork sandwich.
The store was named Dolly's. Their specialty was pizza, wings and homemade sandwiches. Come to find out it was named after two people: Grandma Dolly and Dolly's sister-in-law who was also nicknamed Dolly.
I treated myself to a delicious egg sandwich as well as a roasted turkey sandwich on wheat bread. I stuffed it down to satiate my growling hunger. But my taste buds were calling me to slow down and enjoy the experience.
I was impressed to see Grandma, Mom, daughter, nieces, nephews and in-laws all working together in unison.
They were all calling each other names like "Ma", "Love", "Sweetie" -- I enjoyed watching them all work together, just a family should, but rarely do now a days.
I came at the perfect time. Not only to get out of the rain, but Angelina, Jesse and several others were heading to FEDEX field to watch the Steelers play the Redskins. That's why, I'm sure, they were cooking up a batch of pizza and wings.
Family hard at work, but working closely together as if the family depended on it.
From left to right (the Women in the Family):
Jesse, Angelina, Grandma Nancy (Angelina and Annette's mother), Abbey (Angie's daughter), Annette (Jesse's mother), Tammy (Nancy's daughter-in-law).
A very happy customer taking away pizza and wings
The family seemed so happy and in unison. My hunger was satiated, but my spirits were lifted.
In this day and age -- seeing families work together, spend time together and stay together is rather unique and a precious virtue that transcends what we perceive as right and normal.
Needless to say, I had a very pleasant ride home. First seeing the beauty of Luray, then watching the beauty of a loving family.
A cold front had shoved its way through from the capes of the Shenandoah and the heavens was dumping up a storm enough to fill Lake Moomaw in the winter, but the peaceful, loving touch of this nice loving family carried me home. Yes, all the way home.
