Idiot Machine

It never seems to set in or feel possible. Every time I get to a new destination I feel like I have been holding my breath forever and when I put my car in park I can breathe and say "I made it!"! I wonder if this feeling will ever go away? I am only about 1/5 into my trip and I feel like it's half over. I don't know if that scares me or if its exciting...it depends on the day I guess. I really wish that I had more time in each place. I had such a good time with my Uncle Mark and Aunt Bobbie I just wish I had one more day! Maybe then I could have had time to drive that 1986 Portia! I also would have loved to spend more time with my Grandma, Aunt Carol, Aunt Carla, and Uncle Karl in Trempealeau. It's so nice to have time with my family after not seeing them for such a long time. Unfortunately, I am trying to keep to a very strict schedule and I am really not allowed much room to make changes.

Like for example, my mom calling me tonight and asking me to "swing" by Raleigh, NC to see my Uncle Peter who is in the hospital or my cousin Nicole in Maryland (who I haven't talked to in 2yrs). Those are big additions that I can look into at a later date because my route home isn't so tight. I will do everything I can to get to Raleigh, NC but I will not be going to Maryland. There is no question when it comes to Maryland. When my cousin is ready to talk she will let me know but until then it is not my place or my desire to initiate anything. My heart goes out to my Uncle Peter and I pray that he makes a full recovery from his hospital stay so that I can see him in November. I will do anything I can to make that stop even if it does put me 4 days out of route.

But these are all things to think about later.

When I woke up today it was a bit on the chilly side in WI (ok, it was cold but I wasn't going to admit that to my WI and ND family who thought it was spring temps outside!). Grandma and I had breakfast together and went through old family pictures. Some of the pictures I had never even seen before so it was a nice trip down memory lane. I knew I was leaving for my next destination later in the day so when my uncle came in and said they were going to run errands I was quick to say that I was coming too since this was all the time I had with them. All four of us got into the Tahoe and went to the post office, to drop off a key for Grandma, lunch at a great place called Features sports bar and grill, and to a doctors apt. My aunt had given me the CD for streets and trips so I could chart my trip so I downloaded that in the car and started charting what I had already accomplished...13 dots on the map so far!

My uncle also got my Grandma a new remote for the "idiot machine" also commonly known as a TV and he spent the afternoon trying to program it which was amusing to watch. But my time to get back on the road came too quickly and I really wasn't ready to say goodbye. But I wanted to get on the road and to my next destination before it got dark and before my Grandma too her afternoon nap.


I left at 3pm and headed North to my Uncle Dave and Aunt Vicki's near Shell Lake, WI. It was such a pretty drive! I think that this is one of the most beautiful states! Fall colors, corn fields for miles, hills, and a stormy dark sky as a background. The drive was so easy because I had so much to look at. I made it by 5:30pm and my uncle and 3 dogs (Gin, Koshi, and Levi) were waiting. Aunt Vicki got home shortly after and I don't think I stopped talking until around 10pm. I showed them my maps and my National Parks book, we made dinner, and then just chatted away the night. My aunt made Walleye for dinner which was amazing! I love fresh fish!

I knew it was getting late because as I was talking I could see their eyes close and then open again and I was starting to lose my voice anyway. So off to bed for them and off to write this blog for me :)