Even with a little sit on the highway near four this morning due to a huge pile up, we made amazing time.

We were nearly side-swiped by a BMW somewhere in Eastern Pennsylvania; I was having a little trouble staying in my lane. For a while there Paul and I were trading off driving every two miles because we kept having narcoleptic fits. As Paul had already driven the majority of the way I tried to be a hero and therefore continually struggled to stay right of the dotted line.

We got in around 9 and spent a couple hours hanging out with the husband and half the children of our hosts. When I tried to remember the last time I showered I couldn’t.

I am now fortified with coffee, a fresh bagel and a lengthy shower.

If I had the energy or inclination I could walk up to the roof and look at the Statue of Liberty.

Paul, unloading the car was tempted to say,”Howyadooin?” to a guy on the street and then realized, here, it is no joke. Matt told him if he does try it and gets a nod he’ll know he passed. I will keep you posted.

“All family of us” as Lydia used to say, are packing up to hit the road. We are visiting friends in New Jersey. It is a twelve hour drive and we are driving through the night. Lydia has strep throat but shouldn’t be contagious by the time we pull in some time tomorrow morning.

I have had a headache almost every day for three weeks and that’s no metaphor. I have been looking furtively at the carbon monoxide detector which shows “0”. We bought it the last time I had a non stop headache which I later realized was due to giving up caffeine. When I am not drinking coffee, I am sucking on a Coke, so that’s not it this time.

All that to say I am feeling a little less than able to pack up my colleagues and drive through the night.

Mr. Brave Man just asked, “What are you doing?” so I think I better hurry.

Christopher wanted to bring his popcorn popper and Paul just denied him his tennis racket.

We are going to have so much fun.

I just need some drugs…something stronger than Tylenol…I’ve never tried cocaine, but I’ve heard it’s good.

Paul is sounding harried.

If you pray, please do. If you don’t, would it be so much skin off your nose? Please.

Did I mention we are going to have so much fun?

Einstein’s Protege is reading over my shoulder and questioning my intent regarding the aforementioned drugs.

Hope everyone is happy and well.

https://alisonhodgson.com/2006/05/971/

Years ago my cousin sent me a card that was from the “Deep Thoughts” series of skits on Saturday Night Live. It said:

“If you define cowardice as running, kicking and screaming at the first sign of danger, then yes, Mr. Brave Man, I am a coward.”

That cracked me up.

It came to mind as Paul and I were hauling an old pool cover from behind the garden shed where it had been abandoned by our home’s former owners. I leaped through the air, shrieking, at the sight of several small, gray creatures we soon identified as moles. Safely on a piece of cement I tried to calm down under Paul’s rolling eyes.

Between incoherent mumbling I offered my defense, “Look I know it is irrational but that is the nature of fear…they were wiggling and they startled me!”

Mr. Brave Man just shook his head.

“Wood you like me to tell you a stowey, my liddo spidah?”

Her little spider happens to be my left hand. She and it have long conversations and a really lovely relationship when it is not needed to hold up a book for me or some other such thing.

“Yes,” said her little spider.

“Once oh-pon a time dere were ten pwinsesses: Kin, Bin, Tin, Feed, Meed and Weed. And dey were having a lot of fun. AMEN!”

A moment of reverent silence for someone who CAN flit around a template and NOT turn it into mush: my friend Sherry.

(I would link to her blog – Portrait of the Artist – but she would have to do it for me.)

https://alisonhodgson.com/2006/05/974/