Being Away

Taking a page from Linda's blog, here are eleven things about being away (in no particular order):

1. Being alone. It seems like it should be nice to be alone for a change, but it really bites. When I first walk into the hotel room I think "this is really cool." That feeling lasts for about 35 seconds.

2. Cell Phones. What the heck did we do before cell phones? I know. I either ran up a huge bill, only called once a week, or, if I got lucky, was able to connect with my home base and get them to feel sorry for me and connect me with our home phone. This time I was able to talk to Babs during lunch and again in the evening.

3. Food. Eating out is also cool at first but wears off rather quickly. Thank heaven for Hampton Inn and their wonderful breakfast! Waffles, fresh and canned fruit, yogurt, cereal, eggs, bacon, toast, bagels, pastries and three kinds of juices. No, I didn't eat all of that every morning. The variety was outstanding. I did eat enough that all I wanted for lunch was a salad. Weird though, I spent 12 days on the Gulf Coast and forgot to have seafood.

4. Beds. I had two double ones in my room and no, I didn't switch from one to the other. My butt/back/body has been sleeping in a water bed for so long (years and years and years) that I have difficulty sleeping on anything that doesn't slosh.

5. Sleeping alone. I have had company (Babs, along with various and sundry kids) for almost 40 years now. Yes, it would have been crowded in a double bed but I found I still only used half of it. The best night's sleep I got on the whole trip was the two at Scott & Suzie's home on the futon without folding it down flat. Hampton Inn has the best beds so far.

6. It was wet. I don't like wet. Water is supposed to be pumped from the ground. It's not supposed to fall on your head.

7. It was cold. I don't like cold. That's why I live in Tucson (even tough it got colder there while I was gone).

8. It was wet AND cold. Those terms should be mutually exclusive.

9. Airlines. It is truly a marvelous thing to climb into a metal tube and wind up a couple thousand miles away in just a few hours. It would be nice though is the seats didn't kill my butt.

10. Rental car. They ran out of mid-size models so I had to "suffer" with a full size Mercury Something-or other. It was nice but cost more to make the trip to Birmingham.

11. Coming Home. Always the best part of the trip. The kids didn't come running up and hug my legs like they used to. But then they didn't ask what I brought for them either.