Be There. Aloha.

The Long and Winding Road

OK, so long, yes.  Winding, not so much.  I-80 through Iowa and Nebraska is a) straight as the good looking studs with fat wives at the Wal-Mart; b) boring as hell and c) full of stupid drivers.  More on that in a bit.

I got home, and the first thing Steve said was "looks like you ate pretty well."  Sigh.

Chicago was a fine time, though windy (thus the name) and chilly.  The highlight of the trip most definitely WAS NOT Omaha.  Or, as I mentioned in facebook, OmaGOD.  What a hideous city!  So bizarre.  I stayed at this cheap-o place, courtesy of Dad's frequent traveler points, but ugh, it was awful.  Bugs.  EEEEK!  I tried as I might to find something to eat in an area that is rather retail, no Arby's was to be found.  I would up at Fuddrucker's; there was a family three tables away and the kid was running up and down the booth seats up against the wall.  Right up to where I was sitting. 

I was three seconds away from looking at the father guy and saying "Really?"  Fortunatly, wife-y-poo borught food and the kids settled down.

I got out of Omaha like a bat out of hell.  Not a pretty place.  Nate, I pity you for having to go there regularily.

Now thoughts about drivers (mostly rhetorical questions):

• Why do truckers think that they can just change lanes whenever they want?
• Why do they even concieve changing lanes with an impending hill half a mile up the road?
• Why do they change lanes and then take for-fuckin-ever to get around that other truck they were so passionate about passing 30 seconds ago?
• Why do people insist on staying in the left lane?  Once they get over, and are passed, they go right back to the left lane.  No one around for miles, but they are ready!
• What is it with truckers at the TA truck stop talking about nothing about how Smokey is out to get them?  Maybe the cops saw how they drove.
• Note on the truck stops, I was very happy to be the skinniest man there.
• Why do "hand talkers" always stay in the left lane, oblivious to any other driver?
• When the speed limit is 75, why go 70 to pass someone?

OK, there, I got it out of me.

Given that, I am home, laundry is all done, and now time to go to bed.

Gone With the Wind

Holy cow, it was SO windy on the way to Chicago!  There was this front that came through right as I was east of South Bend on the Indiana Toll Road (which by the way is still cheaper from Ohio to Illinois than Colorado's C-470 is from the south side of Denver to the airport).  Rain, rain, rain!  Had to pull over, and of course, as soon as I did, the rain stopped.  But the crosswinds were awful!

But I got through Chi-town all the way up to the O'Hare area where I am staying all from memory!  Now I am settled in the hotel room, and have dinner already made by Dad last night.

Oh, and I only forgot a couple things at Dad's house.  He has already sent them back to Colorado, they are gonna get there before I do!

Brian Miller, the Voice of Reality

Brian made one of the best comments on Sunday - "You know, it wasnt Jay-Z that made sunglasses cool, it was Fran."

Here is a family shot with Brian, who is incredibly tall.  I felt bad, so I was on my tippy toes.  I know, lame.

God, I take terrible pictures!

Cardboard, yes. Delicious, no.

Well, you probably know by now who the sow is, and here is the purse.  Delicious!  How Jersey Shore.

Sunset in Marion

So this is my last day in Marion.  Good 'nuff, had a pretty good time.

I went down to the gym in Columbus, got a great lesson, got some excellent pointers.  Really happy that I did that.  Stopped at Steak 'n Shake for a tripe steakburger on the way home.  Dad made dinner, ham biscuits and gravy.  YUM!  He cautioned me that he did not get the gravy with the pepper since it upset the Fran's tummy.  To which the Fran said "I love pepper, I have three pepper grinders at home." 

Interesting that she refers to where she used to live as home.

Then her spawn, Willie, called from the Blue Jackets game.  Dad said "Willie has Blue Jackets season tickets". I Was tempted for a second to say "you mean ticket?"  As in singular.  Buit I was a good boy and did not.

Fran relayed her whole day to WIllie - twice - and then it was obvious that the call was over.  But Fran held the phone up to her ear for another 50 seconds (of course I counted), talking to Dad about what Willie said and what she had said back to him (so that makes it three times we get to hear it), then hands the phone back to Dad. 

Seriously, how do you top that?

TMI. OMG, TMI.

If you know me, then you know that I have been doing laundry while I am here.  Theraputic, I guess.  So, in order to get my stuff in the dryer, I had to fold what was in there already.  Thank goodness, it was Dad's and no FOTF (Fruit of the Fran).  But!  But!  My father has Dr. Seuss boxer shorts.