Beyond

I hope I never lose my sense of wonder. If that makes me naive, then so be it.

Friday 16 March 2007

almost ready?

This afternoon we pick up D from work, then we're on our way for the all-night drive to Myrtle Beach. Fourteen hours in the car, trading off driving and trying to sleep while my neck goes through all sorts of strange contortions. But we get there by tomorrow morning, so it's cool.

I think I can handle long drives because many of our family trips when I was a kid involved long drives. In fact, the drive became part of the trip - it wasn't just about the destination. We've tried to foster that in the kids too. There is so much out there to see, so we try to savor the journey and make it an adventure. There's snow forecast through some of the states, so we may have to make the call to pull over. We're crazy, but not stupid.

Hopefully A will be feeling better; I think she's got the same thing as Serendipity's little gaffer. I was up with A at 1:00, 3:30, 5ish, 6:30, and then there've been two more since 7:30. Nothing is really staying down, so I give her water after each time in hopes of rehydrating and if nothing else, making the next time a little easier on her little body. Poor thing. At 1am she had her head over the toilet, saying, "but what about Myrtle Beach, Mommy?" We've changed our packing plans somewhat to include several plastic bags. Between episodes, there are no flu-like symptoms and she's quite cheerful. In fact she has a tally sheet on the go of how many times she's thrown up. She does have quite a little mind for math. I expect a graph any time now.

With the melting snow the chickens have had the door to their run opened each day. While all was snow around they would walk down the ramp, cock their heads a bit and study the white stuff on the ground, eat it, but no way would they set foot on it. Not so much as a toe. Now that the dirt (mud, really) is there, they have been happily outside each day. They seem to be enjoying the sunshine as much as me.

Yesterday's true sign of spring: the call of a male red-winged blackbird. A very distinctive call (sort of a gurgle and then a shriek) to mark his turf before the females return from the south. I laughed aloud when I heard it and called out a welcome to him. He squawked at me.

But there is much work to do around here, laundry and packing and cleaning out the chicken coop. And miles to go before I sleep ... (that's Robert Frost, I think?)

ETD: 4pm.

2 comments:

Cathy said...

I hope you guys have (had) a great trip! And that the drive was o.k....I am looking forward to hearing about it upon your return!
Cathy

Jennifer said...

oh i miss you already....