In transition

I’ve been working out at the gym for a few months now and some of my motivations are healthy.  I would like to increase my strength and endurance, tone up, and generally establish an example of healthy habits for my kids. But, I must admit I have a few selfish and vain reasons for motivating myself. It gives me time away from the kids. When I’m on the treadmill or lifting weight no one is whining. My internal monologue doesn’t count. 

The other reason is worse, pure vanity.  I want to be in better shape for the upcoming ConvergeSouth conference and the hosted dinner. I know it’s silly, but I’ll be meeting a lot of people and well, there you have it.

Once the conference is over I wonder how I’ll convince myself to load all the munchkins into the car when I’d rather sit on my behind. I’m currently operating under the assumption that it will be a habit by mid-October.

Hard to believe, but my little man is turning three.

 

Happy birthday Mark-a-doodle.

Wow Hanna, you shouldn’t have.

We’re sun kissed and wind burnt, gorged on sweet corn and relaxing on a lake near Fergus Falls, Minnesota.  Others may disagree, but this haven created by my inlaws is a world apart from the one I knew in the Twin Cities. I love the solitude in this corner of the world. The kids can be as loud as they want and there is no one to bother. 

I went for a jog this morning and saw five cars in my thirty minute crawl, each of whom waved.  This is not the home we left behind, rather it is one we enjoy visiting.

If the phone rings, it’s not for me.  Which is fine, there are no calls I want to take.  There is no high speed connection and the thought of dealing with dial up is frankly too much hassle for this spoiled princess of the innertubes. Pictures will come, but not today.

The baby naps in the shade as I sit with an unread book in hand and watch as the boys practice their fishing, drowning hapless worms 

Sorry fellas, better luck next time.

We are engaged in a frenzy of hedonism, consuming every drop of pleasure from these long summer days and dropping into bed as the waning Sturgeon moon keeps watch over the loons on the lake.

We arrived at the inlaws last night around 9:30, surprising everyone, including myself.  I haven’t had Internet access since we left the motel on Tuesday morning and won’t have it reliably in the near future.

I’ll update when possible.

Babies might only need to toss and turn from one to six am, but I need a little more.  A night like last night is the reason I padded our travel time by an extra day.

Liveblogging the trek.  All typos are courtsey of my stepdaughter who has been kind enough to type while I drive.

First Blood:
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There is a long standing Smith family tradition, there shall be no trip without injury. 7:45

AM Mark fulfilled the prophect. Sixty-five miles from home and one more item is off our to do list.

We have yet to yield to the tempteion of Pixar. This trip should be sponsered by Johnson and

Johnson, and caffeine. (All type o’s courtesy of the step-dughter) 🙂 HI!!

Swamp Feet:
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Second rest stop. 153 miles in. 9:30AM Much to my chagrin, the boys discovered a less famous

but no less pungent cousin to the Bog of Eternal Stench. Much to the delight of a passing youth

group, enthusiastic foot washing follows. Patience holding strong, no need for concern. The sarch

for Wi-Fi begins.

Just keep driving, Just keep driving:
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I-26 North Carolina = road construction. Good times, a la stop and go trafic near

Hendersonville. Apparantly I-26 needs resurfacing again. As it does every summer. This may be the

first time I’ve navigated the gorge by daylight. Keeping an eye out for Bruce Wayne as we pass Bat

Cave, NC.

12:30 Chimney Rock Detour

We stopped to dip our toes in the Broad River, pictures will be posted this evening.  Mark added a few more minor abrasions to his

collection.  I may have to consult Ivy for stain removal advice after a semi truck crossed the

yellow line on Hwy 64.  Atlanta Bread Company’s wifi is a no go and the search continues.

2:30pm Strange Brew Internet Cafe

I sit here smelling patchouli and armed with a hot cappucino.  We’re about to head on to Knoxville.  The last rest area yielded another skinned knee.  This time Aidan has the badge of honor.  Just hanging in and hanging on.

Dear clutter* of spiders who may or may not be brown widows,

This is your eviction notice.  I didn’t mind so much when you first moved in behind the screen. It was a mini Animal Planet Show unfolding as I washed dishes.  Would you eat today?  Would the gnat escape?  It’s summer, surely I could spare a little real estate, it’s too hot to open the window.  Who doesn’t appreciate a few less bugs in the world. But then you took advantage of my laziness generosity and invited your friends.

Your friends have no respect for my property, there are bug carcasses piling up, spent web blocking my view, and the wiggling, oh the wiggling.  You have until noon; after lunch the vacuum and Windex move in.

MGMT

I had to Google the collective noun for spiders and there is no safe filter for this.  All the answers are multitudes of eight legged and crawly things, waiting to pounce with sharp pointy fangs.

Look Mr. I-drive-a-silver-Prius-because-I-want-to-appear-as-though-I-care, maybe you should care enough about your little girl to buckle her into her seat.

And to the cop driving by oblivious to the girl bouncing all over the back seat, I hope you were on your way somewhere important.