We’re becoming a well-oiled machine – these five companions and myself.

At the gas station, for example.  Two kids take trash patrol, one kid pumps gas, I pay for the gas, two kids clean the windows.  Now, if only we could figure out how to help lower the cost of gas out here.  It’s outrageous.

 

 

I can’t recall our trip mileage at the moment, but I know we topped 2,000 several towns ago.

Today was a pricey day.

Probably about eight years ago I received a speeding ticket.  The second in my life.  (My first was around 17 years old.)  Today, in a tiny town called Alma just after the continental divide, I received the third speeding ticket in my life.

It was clear as I topped the mountains and headed down into the two block long town that the red lights were being turned on for me.  The kids did not even notice.  I just said to them, in my regular old voice, “Hey guys.  I’m going to go ahead and pull over because that police officer is going to follow me and give me a ticket.”

 

 

Which he did.  He apologized and said he hated that part of his job.  He also said that I should call the county clerk and ask for a plea bargain.  I also found out that the county clerk of Alma could be my identical twin.  Additionally I am now aware that this particular police officer has never received a speeding ticket in his own life.  Furthermore, his wife is twenty years younger than him.  He’s sixty.  After all that offering of information on his part, my Colorado souvenir still remains – a speeding ticket.  I think I’ll just use this ticket as an excuse to head back to Colorado in August.  Maggie said I should request community service.  She’s such a genius.

 

 

Here are other random bits and parts of the travel experience:

I still have the ability to embarrass my children through singing in public.  It always goes back to “Hello” by Adele.  I cannot explain why.  Tonight it was playing in Subway.  Otto politely, but urgently, whisper-asked me to stop singing.  Piper held to a steady embarrassed face and London showed signs of real maturity as she just laughed and said, “Nice notes, Mom.  That’s some stellar singing.”

Also.  Subway is gross.

We just all decided we wanted different things to eat tonight so we hit up any place within a few minutes of our hotel.  Two kids picked Wendy’s.  Those same two kids had never before in their lives consumed a meal from Wendy’s.

Also.  Wendy’s is gross.

For the first time in our hotel stays, a front desk lady smiled upon us and asked, “Are two queen beds really enough for you all?”  To which I explained my standard – “We make it work.  They’re all children so we cannot get two rooms.”  And – miracle of all miracles – she said, “Would you mind if I upgraded you to a suite – two queens and a sofa bed – at the same price?”  Would I mind?  Oh dear front desk lady, I would love to not sleep with two of my growing children in a queen bed.

We’ve been away from home long enough that I simultaneously want to jettison back there immediately while also wanting to become a nomad and never leave these Rocky Mountains.  Both.  My life seems continuously full of conflicting emotions.

 

 

 

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