Speedy Vacation

Currently Reading: LOVED The Art of Losing!! Now onto Lindsay Townsend's historical about Ancient Greece, Blue Gold:)

All good things must come to an end....and today I have to head home. I've had a wonderful time, selfishly spending two hours at Starbucks, drinking French Vanilla Latte's, sending and answering emails, and updating my blog. I've also treated myself to lunch at restaurants I've missed for the past three years, browsed through my favorite Border's store, spent time with a friend I've not seen in over two years.

I've also tried to establish a routine in the morning with the 'grandkids', and hope it will continue after I'm gone and their mother takes over. I don't know if it will, because she's been home now for two days and we've fallen 10 minutes behind yesterday and fifteen minutes behind today. But thankfully traffic wasn't too bad, so we still made it to school on time.

I did get a reminder of what I DON'T like about this town: J and I had gone to Walmart and time was running short as I dropped her off at the condo. I left slightly later than I liked, to go get the kids, and got stuck in a horrific traffic jam. The interstate was closed between two crucial interchanges, and we were all directed off onto a main street. Being the savvy person I think I am, I decided to go north instead of following the traffic. But the joke was on me, because of some added stoplights, and I took the wrong street. By the time I found my way over to the street I needed, I was supposed to already be in line at school. I called J and told her to call the school; I would be at least fifteen minutes late. And when I did arrive, we gassed up the car, got a snack, and took an alternate route home. Stop-and-go traffic is NOT my idea of 'quality time'!

I have done some networking while I've been here. I've introduced my e-reader to several people, and handed out business cards. I thrilled a CSM at Borders when I revealed my published status. I've also met another writer who dreams of being published one day, and encouraged him to keep at it.

I've also had plenty of goof-off time, and my SIL and I have enjoyed a nightly movie. We've watched 'Phantom of the Opera' (I confess...I cried like a baby!); 'One Night with the King'; and 'National Treasure 2'. Last week, the younglings were watching The Wizard of Oz, and we were acting out 'We Welcome You To Munchkin Land' in the kitchen. MDQ caught us doing the Lollipop Guild, and laughed at us.

Have I accomplished any writing? A little. A friend told me I was living 'the writer's dream', of having six uninterrupted hours to myself. Truthfully, I needed some downtime. And at night, after the kids are in bed and before the movie begins, I have written a paragraph or two. Then out comes the chocolate wine; she and I put on our jammies; she hits 'PLAY'; and we relax. And I have her son J, who's attending college, somewhat 'trained' to bring me a sweet tea from McD's when he comes home:) I'm sleeping on the couch, so it's nice to be able to simply roll over, grab a sip of cold tea in the middle of the night, and go back to sleep! I don't have to get up and worry about tripping over anything:) Yeah, I've been slightly spoiled....But my SIL doesn't drink tea; she drinks coffee. And McD's is just down the street, a two-minute drive. So everyone is happy:)

Tomorrow, it's back to Reality. Back to being a mom, and taking my SU to his eye exam. I think this time apart has even helped our relationship!