Monday, April 29, 2013

Working Backwards

On the road trip from Virginia to Washington State we were in one vehicle and I found writing blog posts a great way to pass the time being a passenger most of the time. With JG and I each driving this trip I'm asleep as fast as the boys are settled in for the night. Here's a few things to note about the trek thus far:

1. Michael's Bistro in Moses Lake, Wash., is AMAZING. You've not lived until you've had their chicken salad sandwich and a lemon & raspberry (not dry) scone!

2. We got the awesome Duck Tours guide in Seattle who was once fired for taking a group through a Starbucks drive thru the Duck did NOT fit. We were happy he was hired back. Now every time we pass a Starbucks the boys say ChA-ChiNG! 

3. We did not visit Bruce Lee's grave as planned, but he is still the #1 answer we give for Edward's game of pick two random things versus each other. "Who would win? A pirate or a ninja?" Us: "Bruce Lee."

4. Speaking of Edward - we visited friends at a Seattle hospital when a nurse walks into the room and says he's being disruptive down the hall. Mind you, he has Michael's stroller (without the baby in it) and was in the way of a patient in a wheel chair. 

5. Hello Red Honda who passed me going at least 85 mph - I'll gladly get out of your way and watch as you get pulled over. Suck-ah!

6. To the woman driving the wanna-be-SUV-box of crap who cut off my truck in the left hand lane and effed my cruise control mojo to drive side-by-side with the vehicle that was in front of you for 35 seconds way too long: be lucky you didn't cut me off the second time because I could you tell you were thinking about it. 

7. Great Wolf Lodge: You do not disappoint. Thank you for the best room we will have on this entire road trip. 

8. JG sent Michael down the red slide in a life vest by himself. No fear. He loved it! 

9. Zachary broke out from something in the water. One more day of benadryl and he'll be in the clear. His omni pod did great at the water park!

10. In Arcata, JG went to visit the tattoo artist who did his 'dream' symbol for the free touch up only to find out he had moved to the Spokane area years ago. Crazy!

11. Enjoyed JG's memory lane experience through Humboldt County - the video rental building he worked at is being turned into a museum - the run down apartment he lived in was remodeled and looks respectable now (his words, not mine)

12. JG went on the air with his DJ friend in Ferndale then gave us a tour of downtown - we went into an old fashioned store and I spotted five items my father has in his kitchen - I was so tempted to buy the green kitchen scale.

13. Redwood trees are the most amazing living things I've ever seen. Drive Thru Tree Park and the Trees of Mystery (which now has a skyride) was phenomenal.

14. The 101 was the most scenic drive - LOVE THOSE TREES!

15. There is nothing in between the Redwood forests and LA. Nothing.

16. Fresh oranges out of the yard are so yum. We caught up on a week's worth of laundry at Grandpa Joe's house.

17. It doesn't matter where you are a mani and pedi does wonders.

18. Aloe plants get as big as a punch buggy. No joke.

19. Oh - Portland! Had wonderful lunch then ice cream cones (Michael had mint chip) and a tour of Powell's Book Store with a local friend.

20. I forgot to mention Porter Street BBQ lets you put UNLIMITED tomatoes on your sandwich. BIG SMILE.

21. And this morning we're going to DISNEY!

Friday, April 19, 2013

On the Road Again

2013 is nothing but a blur at this point. Life stood still for days after my beloved canine passed this fall - shortly afterwards I was able to talk JG into adopting a lab/boxer mix from a friend's litter. Female, runt, intelligent with a curly, faint brindle pattern adorning her back. 

I was well on my way to getting over the passing of my companion of 15 years until I saw "JUDY" clearly marked on one of the moving boxes that stood in our living room at the beginning of last week. Zachary wants to bury her ashes at Grandpa's house in Maine. 

With the knot swallowed I didn't think much else of it until I was taking my girlfriend and former owner of my new lab/boxer puppy Josie into our basement. Surveying the 26 boxes of comic books we came across Judy's things we stashed away in the basement. I confessed how much I still missed Judy.  I hate crying.

Once we find and place to live and unpack we'll be on our way to pick up Josie and bring her back home - and the boys will be able to bury Judy.

Right now we're sitting in the temporary lodging facility, TLF, getting ready for the road trip that starts Sunday. Our perfectly boxed, bundled and wrapped life was loaded into the moving the Friday - we got email notification yesterday our household goods are already in Maryland waiting on us. 

It'll be waiting for a while. 

We are authorized eight travel days, but we're taking the scenic route via California, Texas and Georgia. If the road trip is anything like the road trip out here from Virginia I'm sure there will be interesting stories to tell along the way.