On the road again...
... I just can't wait to get back on the road again....
Actually, I could wait. A long while. If my folks decided to pick up their house and move it just down the road from mine, instead of being so selfish and inconvenient as to live in another state, that would be fine with me. But in the current arrangement, all good things must come to an end and I must reload my car and spend my day tomorrow traversing three (small) states before making it home to my own bed.
I spent some time tonight loading the car and marvelling at the sheer magnitude of stuff that we brought and have accumulated during our stay. That was in addition to the obligatory stint of cramming myself into one of the carseats in order to weave the complicated web of portable VCR suspension straps between the front seats and adjusting the little screen to appropriate child viewing height. It's a three or four movie trip, and I risk swerving off the road often enough between passing the tapes and various snacks back and forth. Getting the screen adjusted before take-off, I've discovered, is imperative.
In the morning, we'll shove our jammies into my suitcase (the kids' is already in the car) and get dressed and round up the dozen stuffed animals and do a last sweep of the house for forgotten objects. There will be kisses and hugs and a last snapsot or two, and then we'll be on our way.
Back home. Back to our routine. Back to the job search. Back to school. Back to our own beds. Back to quiet evenings on my own. Back to reality.
Hmph. Reality is way overrated. Like the tedious drive back, it's necessary; but I still kinda wish I could skip it.
Despite my promises prior to the drive out, I forgot to regale you all with the tale of Pat the Androgynous Tollbooth Person. I don't know why, but being unable to discern an adult's gender is very unsettling to me. I wondered for a good long while and still feel the encounter was a bit creepy. We'll just have to hope that something even more interesting happens on the way home (although how do I top Pat? maybe a fully-garbed and drunken clown at one of the rest stops?) for me to ponder once I'm back and without coffee and company and climbable trees to conquer.
For now, I'm just steeling myself to get back on the road. See you tomorrow night.
