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10-day vacay
July 14, 2014

I suppose I�m remiss in not posting any entries lately, but I have to admit that I�m, going through a period of apathy. Not necessarily down, but sure as heck not up, ether. Just �meh�.

I go through the motions. I swim, I garden, I went to Iowa for my family reunion�but I am not feeling it. I have that �at a distance� feeling, like reality is happening, but not really happening to me�I feel like an observer. Nothing FEELS like it matters, even when it is stuff that my brain knows really does matter.

And there is nothing worse than knowing something is wrong, but not being able to care.


Anyway. Before my vacation started, I packed up my desk at work and said goodbye to my old, high-prestige location with the window and the walls. So that whole mess was awaiting me when I went back today. I HATE where they moved me to--I am back among all the awful people I used to have to sit by in the old days, plus a whole new crop of irritating a-holes on the other side--and it is going to suck so friggin' bad that I want to jump off a bridge every time I think about it.

Plus I got the news that another treasured co-worker is retiring her way out of this mess, and that sucks. She's done 40 years in that jailhouse, though, so I don't blame her much.

And then I was away from my desk for ten whole days. Went to Iowa on the 5th. Rented a very nice little Hyundai Elantra, missed the worst of the holiday weekend traffic, and aside from a torrential rainstorm between Dixon and my destination, it was a nice, relaxing drive. Got to the hotel about 3:30, checked in, called Spouse & the 'rents to let them know I got there okay, and just relaxed for a while. Ran over to Culver's & picked up a tenderloin for dinner (tenderloin sandwiches are my personal Iowa tradition), texted back and forth with Spouse for a while, and crashed early. I always feel so comfortable in a Hampton, it's hard to stay awake!

On Sunday I got up early, made coffee and putzed around till the pool opened at 7:00, then went down for a soak in the jacuzzi followed by a great swim (had the whole place to myself), decided to skip breakfast, and then got cleaned up for the party. I had some time to kill, so I killed it at Farm & Fleet, poking around. Didn't find anything worth buying except for a bag of jawbreakers. Then it was off to the old hometown for the reunion.

They got the road between my hotel and my brother's house opened in time for me to avoid having to take a big detour down, which was both a big relief, and a nerve-wracking drive. The party was nice; my brother has a beautiful old house on the river, with a big yard, lots of shade trees, and a big garage/workshop where the food & tables were set up.

It was great to see everybody--parents, brothers, cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and in-laws. Everyone behaves themselves these days, and we concentrated on having a nice visit. I was actually the last one to leave! I stayed till my parents left, and they always stay till the last dog is hung, so that left me at the tail-end of the procession.

I had a good time, and everyone seemed really glad that I came, but it took a lot out of me. Between the heat & humidity, the flies, and just plain being an introvert in a crowd for 6 hours, I was ready to get back to civilization.

Unfortunately, the detour I missed on the way down became a necessity on the way back up. There was a terrible car accident that blocked the main road, and I ended up taking "the scenic route" back. Lots of windy back roads, and having to cut across a part of the city I wasn't familiar with once I made it back to town. Funnily enough, I managed, completely by accident, to wind up in right in front of my brother's house! I didn't stop, though--too sticky and grubby and beat. And hungry! I ate a huge lunch at the party, because my family is crammed full of excellent cooks. (I took chips and salsa, LOL!)

But by the time I finally got back to my hotel, that lunch had been history for about seven hours. So I swung into the drive-thru of the OTHER restaurant in front of the hotel--and got myself a (genuine, delicious, haven't had one in years but OMFG was it ever good!) Maid-Rite. Another tasty treat that I only get in old IA.

When I got back to the room, I made a quick call to Spouse, washed my hands, scarfed my dinner, spent about 30 minutes in a cool shower, and blew off the pool because I was just too tired. Another early night. The hotel was pretty deserted by then, and it was quiet as a tomb. Slept like a log.

Got up early again on Monday, skipped the pool, and just went ahead and got packed up to leave. Ran downstairs for coffee and a bowl of cereal, then grabbed my gear and checked out. Picked up a bag of Sterzings for the co-worker that always wants a souvenir, gassed up at Casey's, and was on the road home by 8:15.

The traffic on the way home was practically nonexistent, and the trip was uneventful until I got to I-39--which was backed up like nobody's business. so I stayed on I-88 for a while. Ended up stopping for a pee in Sycamore, then taking route 23 and 173 through Northern Illinois. No biggie; the weather was good and I had loads of time. Got home about 1:00, unloaded, talked to my mom on the phone, took the car back, went grocery shopping with Spouse, and segued into a very quiet and uneventful week at home, doing nothing in particular.

I swam, I napped, we went out for Mexican food, we cooked, did some yard work, and I just plain took it easy. No big projects, no major chores, just a quiet week where I didn't have to get up at 4:30, be in bed by 9:30, drive a car, be anywhere, care about anything, or answer to anybody. Just what I needed, actually.



Reading: "8 Minute Meditation" (2004), by Victor Davich. Trying a little self-help. Not going well, though. If I try it when Spouse is up, I can't even get 8 frigging minutes alone and unimterrupted.elf!) And if I wait till bedtime...I fall asleep.

Listening: a very nicely done Librivox recording of E. Nesbit's "The Wouldbegoods" (sequel to The Treasure-Seekers)that I downloaded to that $4.99 mp3 player he insisted I buy.


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