I’m Home

OMG, I’m exhausted y’all! Six states in two days and we’re not talking about those itty-bitty East Coast states either. That drive through eastern Colorado and Kansas is brutal. We saw a mud run, a couple of crop dusters, and not much more except corn, windmills, and trucks…lots and lots of those.

By the time we arrived in Kansas City, we were more than ready to order room service and then sleep like the dead until morning. One small snag…apparently, I did not in fact make the hotel reservation and there were a whole bunch of teenage boys and their families there for a tournament of some sort.

Fortunately, they had a room but the dude at the front desk made his feelings known about our status as “walk-ins”. Who knew downtown Kansas City was so posh?

Nice view from the hotel room and the food was yummy and filling though the prices were also pretty posh.

So Sunday morning as we’re heading out into the wilds of Missouri I discover another item that didn’t get done–never even made it to the to-do list. I forgot to let my Credit Union know that I would be using my Mastercard out of state. The automated fraud detection service called me as I’m on the on-ramp to I-70 asking to verify it was me using the card for gas purchases. Oops. How did I miss that checklist item?

Anyhoo, the drive east got less flat and greener with even a few hills thrown in, and the distance between exits was much shorter. Sadly the distance between the anti-abortion and pro-God billboards also got shorter too.

Driving over the mighty Mississippi River and seeing the Arch was pretty cool. I’d done it before, but Tennessee had not and I’m smiling now remembering her delight. She likes unique bridges. I didn’t know that before and that is one of the reasons why road trips are so cool.

We had planned to listen to Brandi Carlisle’s autobiography on the trip, but we never got around to it. We either talked or listened to the sounds of the road most of the way. The silences were never awkward, and I love that so much!

We even had a disagreement about a matter of opinion where she gently knocked me off my high horse and I conceded her point was valid too. Who is this person I’ve become? I kind of like her.

But I digress. Somewhere in Illinois, we found a much-needed oasis at a rest stop by Rend Reservoir. It was beautiful and restful.

It provided the necessary downtime to get re-energized for those final long hours.

We got in just after sunset and had a happy reunion with the pups. We only brought into the house those things we’d brought up to the hotel room the night before, so we have quite a bit to unload this morning. Fortunately, neither of us has to work today so we have time.

My rooster buddy was on a roll this morning but has decided his work is done–so only cheerful chirping is my soundtrack now. This place is so beautiful, so green, so quiet.

I’m so happy to be home.