(Cousins)

Yo, I’m back in town. I can officially stop talking like a southerner now. You know how you pick up on those little differences and if you’re impressionable to language at all you feel like an oaf everytime your mouth betrays you and you find yourself accentuating the oddities while trying to avoid them? Like I said “Them clouds are looking like rain, I’m telling you!” When all I would have said here was “Looks like rain.” Couldn’t help it. People probably hated me in Florida. Also, I insisted on wearing shorts at least twice, in spite of the fact that it was in the 50’s most days. My mom’s friends all made fun of me. Anyways, my kids stayed with my dad and family “below the frostline” as they later informed me, swam daily and wore shorts, did some dolphin observing on the boat.

I stayed in central Florida with my mom to help her help my stepdad transition to hospice care for his ailment. I drove with my best pal Jen down there, as her parents happen to winter in the same town my mom lives in. We had a bit of fun crippling ourselves on the road by driving 10-14 hours a day. Stopping to pee, eat, observe scenic lookouts and once to visit the capital of Kentucky and Daniel Boone’s grave. The kids were the best travel partners I could have hoped for, other then Jen. For the most part, they did lots of music, Nintendo, a couple of videos, some stuffed animal pretend play and a few road games. We talked about our dream homes and dream rooms. Discussed politics and family secrets. Sometimes one of us would nap for half an hour. We listened to XM radio and stared out the window in silence once or twice too. I used to stuff their bags with travel games and activities but I noticed they never got used and made us crankier as we hauled them everywhere. So they packed their own travel bags this time and they were full of things they actually used.

We stopped in Tennessee to stay overnight at another dad’s house (don’t ask) and when I opened up my trunk I noticed that it was empty of my suitcase. Apparently Ken’s birthday party the night before we left town was not such a good idea. A man who stayed awake until 3am with friends playing rousing poker games is not a very awake porter the next morning say at 8am. So, I discovered what it is like to travel lightly. I bought a couple of t-shirts and shorts and the basic toiletries and thanked myself for having packed my MP3 player, journal and book in my purse beforehand. Maybe I’ll remember this lesson next time I travel. I’d be really pleased to see myself become more efficient at this! All of your things in one garbage bag does indeed make life lighter-provided of course you have a roof over your head and family with spare toothbrushes and towels and things.

Anyways, as much as I love the open road and travel, it is so freaking nice to see one’s own bed again. Where the pillows are fluffed to the right thickness and the blankets aren’t too weird. Maybe getting older in small increments does slowly turn us in to creatures of habit.