And Now, The Rest of the Trip

Gainesville

Yesterday Scooba and I kept our regular Thursday date with the kitchen floors. Even though it's work, it's become something I look forward to doing, and feel good about having done. I'd really like to get the floor professionally cleaned so that it actually looks clean-- there are years of waxy build-up from when we had a maid.

The food and service continue to deteriorate at Outback since they've been bought out by a big corp. We are considering going other places to eat, then coming by the bar afterward to chat with Mel. It's not as busy later, so that would be a plus too.

Today we made a late afternoon run to the Mall, including a late lunch. I replaced some of my fraying undies, and now have two weeks worth of nice ones-- FL would be so proud-- and also replaced the 2003 Rand McNally road atlas we'd used on the trip. But the main stop of the trip was Bath & Body works: I needed to pick up some of my favorite lotion ("Relax: Eucalyptus and Spearmint") and the house needed our preferred hand soap: Kitchen Lemon. Bill bought TEN bottles of it! I know we go through a lot of it, but that does seem excessive. We'll see how long it lasts.

I also found a pair of my favorite jeans (NYDJ) in my size (4) and a good color (black) at Dillards. They're a little long, but I can live with that. And never mind the arm and leg they cost, I'll get along find without them.

I finished J.A. and the Prisoner of Wool House, which I liked a lot. I have the next two in hand, but may take a break before starting the next one.

Of course I remember that trip when you and Dad drove me to Houston in 1954, Mom. You guys insisted on leaving in the evening, driving all night straight through to Albuquerque! We arrived there late at night and could only find a dreary little place to stay. You were not a happy camper. We were all exhausted. The next day we moved to a nicer place with a pool where we stayed the whole day and night. I remember wondering what the hell we'd gained by that all-nighter if we stopped for a day? But I did enjoy the pool. I met a nice kid named Dale in the pool and we became pals. He was a year or two younger, so I regarded him as "safe" and enjoyed his company.

Meanwhile, back to...

The rest of the trip: Saturday morning we set off at a goodly hour (around 8:30) from Mt. Vernon, IL, glad to see the terrain start to unflatten-- northern Illinois has got to be the most dreary countryside imaginable. Crossed into Kentucky and started to see mountains, always such a welcome sight. We stopped for lunch in Murphreesboro, TN, south of Nashville, and chose an actual slow food place called "Charlie's"-- how could we not have a fine meal with a name like that? And fine it was. Alas, we had plenty of time for the good food to settle, as we immediately ran into the longest and slowest of the construction delays.

Once we passed Chattanooga, where we'd spent the first night on the way up, we realized we could make it all the way home by about midnight if we wanted to push it. In the end, we decided not to-- we wouldn't be able to pick up the cat at that hour, so why bother? We made it through the middle of Atlanta (I'd been looking for a bypass that doesn't exist, so we missed the beltway), big traffic snarl even on a Saturday night, and stopped on 475, the Macon bypass. We picked a Hampton Inn, since we'd stayed at one in South Beloit on the way up and found it decent. This one was way better than decent, and for the only time on the trip, there was excellent wireless in the room, and everything else nice too. A Cracker Barrel next door, and again with the free hot breakfast for Bill. And, once again a problem with the water: it tasted fine, but all of it was hot!

Up and on our way by 9:00, home just after noon Sunday. Bill picked up Carrot, none the worse for wear and any lingering resentment assuaged by food and attention.

Too tired to edit, forgive, please.