Road Trip Essentials

We dropped Caleb off at sleepover camp, his first time, my first time. It’s only three hours away, but because we had Junia, we decided to drive up the day before, stay overnight in a hotel, and then drive back the next day. I have put off contemplating how non-agile we are as a group, a giant ocean liner that takes 6 hours to make a u-turn. I can see Jon itching to leave us all behind, free to finally Get Things Done.

It’s been so long since we’ve had any real travel that even this overnight in the hotel was a thrill. They had a waffle-maker in their breakfast buffet! Fun!

It’s not quite as relaxing with my other fellow travelers jumping on the beds and begging for snacks, but it was interesting to watch the kids totally fascinated with cable TV. I told Caleb he had to do push-ups during all the commercial breaks, which he thought was a fun game until he discovered how many commercial breaks there are. I haven’t had a TV in my home since high school, and the faux-documentary camera style and corny jokes of HGTV reality shows really brought me back.

Caleb off and away on his own for a week has me reeling with the impossibility of life and life’s adventures, but I packed him a little surprise, to discover when he opens up his bag. I am, indeed, counting on him at some point changing his underwear—or maybe just digging around for his flashlight to read in his bunk at night. A stamp pad, a secret note, and a few creatures to offer him protection, wisdom and companionship.

This is what it is like to live with an unhinged mother.

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In any case, here is a picture of me and the tiniest turkey in our crew, on a little break on our road trip. Sitting on the tailgate, eating some fast food, squeezing tight, and burying my head in a book in order to pretend like the world is not spinning quite as fast as it is, my dentist’s automated text messages reminding how long it’s been since I’ve been in for a cleaning notwithstanding.