Entries from November 2006 ↓

Blogger ate my last post, so here it is… the short version.

We arrived in S. St. Paul, MN at 11:50am.

Mom – 1
Kids – 2
Miles 1,639.7
Cups of coffee – 7 ~ 140oz
Chicken Nuggets – 16
Wrecks Passed – 12 (To my knowledge only one required medical assistance and that was in SC just past Ridgeville.)

It is so nice to sit and relax, to not hear roadnoise or listen to DJ patter. I wonder if there is a certain enunciation seminar required for all NPR employees. I am fairly certain I can pick out their announcers in approximately three seconds, less during pledge week. I hate pledge week, so of course that’s what time of year it is.

We made it.

I need a nap.

South St. Paul, MN

Mom – 1
Kids – 2
Miles – 1,639.7
Cups of coffee – 7 or 140oz
Chicken Nuggets consumed – 16
Wrecks Passed – 12 (To our knowledge only one required medical assitance and that was in SC)

We left Madison at 8am, it took about two hours to leave the area affected by the storm. 120 miles covered at 15mph would have been a painful ordeal. I am thankful I chose to stop for the night.

I’m worried. I think Aidan is going to be either a politician or preacher. He has succesfully charmed $0.50 out of elderly couples for the gumball machines at various stops. I hope this does not prove to be a pattern.

It’s nice to finally be at our destination. I’ve got our clothes in the washer and I can’t wait to take a hot shower and crawl into some warm jeans straight out of the dryer.

It’s 32 degrees outside. I don’t understand the attraction to this climate.

If you ever happen to be in Joliet, IL and find yourself in the need of a motel, do yourself a favor and ignore the light on at Motel 6. I’m not quite sure why the motel offers the option of “non-smoking” when the entire place reeks like a campus pub, a true dive bar, on a Sunday morning after the last drunk shuffles home.

Since when is hot water considered an optional amenity? I’ve spent most of three days in my car and no, it isn’t something I would consider an option. When checking out, I politely mentioned the matter to the front desk clerk, “Ma’am, I thought you should know that there was no hot water this morning,at best it was tepid.”

“We’re having problems with our hotwater heater.”

Silence on my part. Really, what do you say to that?

Oh and a warning about the free porn preview might have been nice, too. Sometimes you just can’t get a remote away from a three year old fast enough.

Well, we are holed up in a Microtel in Madison, WI. After getting lost around Milwaukee*, it started to rain. The temperature dropped and the rain turned to sleet, followed by snow. Our speed dropped from 65 to a mere 15 miles an hour. Forty-five minutes later I called my husband and we decided a motel room is cheaper than getting towed out of the ditch.

We have 270 miles to go. We’ll get an early start and still salvage some of tomorrow. There will be much more when the kids are unconscious; driving leaves lots of time for the mind to wander.

Connie, I’ll call you when I get into town and we’ll make arrangements.

*I firmly believe some locals removed some of the detour signs. I tried to use the old “As long as I head Northwest I will eventually intersect my needed road.” Ha!
I did stumble upon a nice view of Lake Michigan. Lovely. I stopped at a gas station for directions and a nice lady directed me entirely in the wrong direction. I finally broke down and called my husband who used mapquest to guide me to I-94.

We are just leaving from our pit stop and I see fluffy flakes of snow blowing by. I was hoping the system would dissipate, but looks like we’re out of luck weatherwise. We only have about six hours of driving to do, but I’m anticipating a ten hour trip, with frequent breaks.

Thankfully it’s neither snowing hard enough nor cold enough for it to stick. Let’s hope conditions don’t deteriorate.

Mom – 1
Kids – 2
Miles – 1295.2
cups of coffee – 5.5

My computer is crashing, more updates later

4:45pm
Mom – 1
Kids – 2
Miles – 931.3
chicken nuggets – 8
cups of coffee – 4.5

Let’s face it, driving in Illinois is boring. Some people can’t get enough of wide open spaces and farmland; I’m not one of them. So far I’ve gotten to enjoy several hours of smelling wild onions, refineries, and cows. Otherwise we’re all just fine and the boys are coping well. I’m estimating three hours until our arrival at my father’s.

Mom – 1
Kids – 2
Miles – 693.1
Cups of Coffee – 3
Chicken Nuggets – 0

I haven’t been to Ft. Campbell in eleven years, but it looks about the same as my last visit. In highschool I was on the JROTC drill team and the Ft. Cambell drill meet was the highlight of our year. We’re definitely leaving the South as the omnipresent Waffle Houses are becoming sparse. The boys are holding up and we even had a “driving buddy” for a while. It’s always fun to have those weird little “Hey we’re going the same way, let’s speed together” relationships. It’s always a little disappointing when their exit is closer than my own.

We’re in good spirts and the weather is beautiful.

8:30am
Mom – 1
Kids – 2
Miles – 604.2
cups of coffee – 3*
chicken nuggets – 0

A big thank you to Ivy and family who so graciously opened their home to us. I do believe I stole her cats’ favorite sleeping spot and they took great pains to remind me how inconsiderate I was being. I’m sorry Spike and Simon, I know you like sleeping, but I like breathing more; deal with it. The car is trashed, the crumbs have tribble-like reproduction.

Today’s goal is Joliet, IL.

*This must be remedied shortly, but despite all of her good points Ivy doesn’t like coffee. Weirdo.

I was so excited to pull into Bad bad Ivy’s that I forgot to check the mileage. We’ll call it. . . a lot.

Mom – 1
Kids – 2
Cups of Coffee – 3
Chicken Nuggets – 0*
Toddler Meltdowns – 2

It’s always good to see Ivy, even for a brief visit. We met online while pregnant with our three year-olds. Staying with her is like visiting an old friend, with none of the uncomfortable silences.

I consider today’s adventure a roaring success and can only hope that the next two days are as uneventful.

*I consider this a small victory!