I'm a little bummed and frustrated. Our new minivan - known as the Cool-Cool-Car or the Cah-Cah-Coo depending on which child you ask - turns 1 this month. It has almost 16,000 miles already, and we'd planned to push that up to 18,000 easy by the end of the month with a trip out to Wyoming to see Paul's parents this weekend.
We've only made the drive once before, last April when Paul was between jobs, but it went well so we thought we'd make it an annual event and Paul's parents' spring break seemed like an ideal time.
I like Paul's parents, I like travel, and I like Wyoming. And while a 19-hour (one way! without significant stopping!) trip is grueling, especially all in one shot with two little kids, I'm excited by the challenge.
So I've been psyched about this vacation for a long time. But now Paul's feeling a bit off, and not that excited about going, and there's snow in the forecast along our route, and . . .
Sigh.
No vacation for me.
(I continue to deny the slight tickle in my own throat and possible tiny little low-grade fever.)
When Paul takes a shift at the wheel, I get great writing time in. If the girls aren't sleeping, they're probably happily watching videos, and Paul is likely to be tuned into an unabridged audiobook on his iPod. A cushion on my lap to prop up my laptop, writing notebook open on the console beside me, feet up on the dash, I can write for hours. Blessed, uninterrupted hours with very few distractions. (Have you ever driven across Nebraska? Trust me about the distractions.)
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6 comments:
Ooooo, I have driven across Nebraska. Before there were portable DVD players. At least in winter, you won't be distracted by grasshoppers hitting the windshield. But then there's the blizzards and tornadoes. Watch out for them.
We lived in Wyoming for 3 years when I was a toddler. But we've gone back to visit from Illinois. I-80 the whole way across Iowa, Nebraska...very monotonous(sp). Way before the portable DVD player. I don't know how we all made it there in one piece.
I have been across Nebraska many many times. Used to live there. Have fun in Wyoming love the area.
Beverly and Amanda, when I was a kid, we took long, long, LONG driving vacations every summer. I have no idea how my sisters and I stood for that! Well, I guess it helped that car seats were only for infants, we had a full-sized van, and seatbelts were optional outside of cities. I remember spending lots of time lying down on a seat reading novels or sleeping in a sleeping back on the floor in the back.
Pam, alas, no Wyoming for us this weekend. I've been to Nebraska several times - though I've never lived there - but driving across the whole state all at once is quite overwhelming! Which part of the state are you from?
aha - yes. i love driving to oregon - 13 hours in one shot. i get lots of uninterrupted time to think. i get that most days as well - but usually it's interrupted - A LOT - by my guilt for not working. driving is the one time when i don't have to feel guilty for not thinking. (although the other day i did chastise myself for not thinking about work on the way down to a conference, and so i guess there are times when i feel guilty about not working and driving - but those drives to oregon are one time when i do not feel guilty.) i cannot wait for my next trip home. i do need a break.
sorry to hear that you and paul are feeling well. i hope it's an easy, quick trip down the illness path.
Brooke, it's the trip *back* from illness I want to be making, now!
And I think you're a champ for making that 13-hour drive all by yourself. I say: do NOT berate yourself for not thinking about work! Ever! That kind of trip is a perfect excuse for bad music, bad food, singing out loud with the windows down: whatever makes you laugh and keeps you awake!
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