Monday, April 18, 2011

300 miles of.......

Most know that I travel to southern UT for work fairly frequently.  I haven't been since early December thanks to a co-worker who jumped in and helped so we could get family needs taken care of.  This is my first away time from Chloee since then.  I don't know who is sadder.  Me or her.

It's about 300 miles one way.  I am either in the mood for music and singing thus producing ICC's (in car concerts) like you've never heard before (an empty milk dud box provides great acoustics) OR, I am in the mood for talk radio and just listening and letting my mind wander.

I pulled out of my office parking lot at 12:18.

12:40 - I think I should pick up Tuffy and take him back to my office to get my cooper so Splenda doesn't have to later.  He will have his hands full with Chloee and getting our stupid taxes filed.

1:30 - actually leave my office parking lot for real.

It's raining very, very hard.  Can't seem to find the right wiper timing.  Cursing large trucks and their extra spray

Alpine.  Realize I am extremely hungry.  See Wendy's sign at exit notice.  Mentally calculate what I could eat and maintain correct caloric intake with good balance of protein.

Pull off exit to discover that the Wendy's is 5 miles east.  Decide to hit the Del Taco since they are big enough to have nutritional information posted on line. 

Need a bathroom

See a new place JCW burgers.  Decide to try something new and will estimate calories if not on-line

Discover that they have chocolate peanut butter milk shakes.  Make different burger choice to kids burger

More rain as I continue south.  Now hit construction.  Traffic flow doesn't slow, so neither do I.

Spanish Fork - should I call Splenda?  Should I stop and see him?  Think about how busy he is and how stressed he's been and decide not to distract him.  Besides a lane change in the standing water appears slightly dangerous.

Watch a highway patrolman with his lights on following a truck for over 6 miles.  Truck doesn't pull over.  I pass them and wonder if I should motion to the dude that he's been nailed.  Instead, I stare straight forward and laugh inwardly.

Next small town.  Do I text my friend to tell her I love her?  If it wasn't raining, I totally would, but right now both hands are required on the steering wheel.

Rounding a bend into the next county.  Getting verrrryyyy sleeping.  Doze off.  Jerk alert with heart racing.  Continuing on, adjust self in seat.  Doze off again.  Jerk alert - heart racing.  Look for next exit to pull off and nap.

Mona *snicker* - exit and find a gravel spot.  Lock car, turn off engine and lay seat back.  Close eyes.  Immediately asleep.

Mmmmm.....asleep.

Feel phone vibrating and hearing the hum.

Check caller ID - It's Kar and I've been worried about her.  Sit up, talk on phone.  Yawn a lot.  Call gets dropped.  Lay back down thinking I will fall back asleep.  Nope.

Back on the freeway, back into the pelting rain and standing water on the road.

Listen to talk radio and picture what the dj's look like.  Why do they sound so happy?

Yuba - getting a little drowsy again.  Adjust in seat and realize that my gallbladder hurts.  Think about my gallbladder.  Think about Bird who just had hers out.  Think about Bird's sister 'Antana.  Think about Tuffy and 'Antana.  Think about Sunday at church.  Think about the lesson I taught about the Temple. 

Past Scipio and onto Fillmore.  *snicker*  Getting drowsy again - call Tiburon to talk so I will not be so bored.

Envious that she gets to stay at home and go to the movies with her kids.  Discuss the options of doing the Goldilocks century ride.   Smoochies and goodbye

See Meadow.  Think of Mo.  What the hell do people do that live in Meadow?  Best mini mart around, but really what do people there do?  Think of Mo.  Think of Ann.  Think of Cherie.  Think of Tauna.  Think of Keeley.  Think of the fun at the cabin.  What's Katie up to?  How's Britt?
What the hell do people do that live in Meadow?  Really?

Continue over rise in the highway and recognize spot where accident occurred many years ago.  I was about the 3rd person on the scene.  Relive the whole ordeal.  Think about how glad I am that it wasn't raining then.  I probably wouldn't have wanted to help.  What are the odds of me coming onto the scene of an accident at the exact same place?  Numbers hurt my head.  Stop thinking of the odds. 

Cove Fort.  Remembering when Jill came with me on one trip and it was when the fire was raging there.  Think about a friend who ran smack into President Gordon B Hinckley in the Chevron.  Literally face to face.  Think about President Hinckley.  Miss him.  Think about my Grandpa.  Miss him.  Think about my Grandma.  Miss her.  Literally physically feeling the missing. 

Rain still pouring.

Have switched to AM for better reception.  Notice the difference between FM and AM.  Start seeing all the billboards.  Makes me think of Vegas.  Wanting a trip to Vegas.  Think of family living there.  Thinking of blog friends who live there.  One who has disappeared for over a year.  Wonder where she is.  See Outback billboard.  Want a date to Outback with Splenda. 

Beaver *snicker*  debate texting Tib.  See hotel where Splenda and I stayed the first year I ran the Red Rock with Legally Dead.  Think of that relay and how much fun we had.  Wish Red Rock hadn't screwed up so badly and ruined it last year.  Think of Kris's reaction at the finish line.  Laugh.  Sympathize.  Admire for doing what he really thought instead of the rest of us with painted on smiles.  Think of running in the hail.  Think of cows mooing at runners.  Think of bleeding nipples and stress fractures.

Parawon.  Who names a town Parawon?  or Paragonah for that matter?  And what do the people do that live there?  Starting to get drowsy.  Thinking that I am not meant to do these drives anymore.   Is that my gallbladder bugging me again?  Start that whole chain of thinking again.

Cedar City.  Pull into the Maverick for the bathroom and something to chew on to keep me awake.  Find some jerky.  Only 120 calories.  Can afford that small number.

Push on and find new radio station.  Country music.  Hear a new song about a woman whose clothes fall off when she drinks tequila.  Catchy tune.  Some Kenny Chesney.  Some singing about two pina colada's.  One for each hand.  I want a pina colada.  Virgin of course.  I want to be on the beach.  I want Cancun.  Starting thinking about Cancun.  Picture the villa.  The pool.  The ocean.  Our palapa.  The sand.  I can smell it.  I can smell Cancun.  I.Want.It.

Construction.  Dream over.  Too many trucks.  Have to slow down.  What would it be like to be a truck driver?  Decide that I couldn't do it.  I fall asleep too easily.  Rain has long stopped and roads are dry.  Why are these guys going so slow???  Find way to get around the trucks. 


Come up on the outskirts of town.  See exit to Eric and Ape's house.  Wish I had more time when I am down here, to see family and friends.  Wish I had Eric and Ape's house.  Think of Space Jam.  Think of their basketball court.  Think of trashtalking.  Think of how cute they are with each other.  Think of Blands.  Think how much I love them. 

Debate which exit I should take.  First one and have to do the blvd?  Or second one and backtrack to Smith's?  Decide the Blvd.  Love to just see town.  Love this town.  See all the familiar places.  Memories.  I ran here.  Many times.  In the dark, by myself.  Dinner here with family.  Dinner there with friends.  How could I swing living here?  Think about Chloee moving with Daddy and Karalee to (hopefully CA).  If I lived here, I would be closer.  Why can't I make that work?

Quick stop in Smith's for veggies for dinner and choco milk for after workout in the morning.  See new kind of skittles.  Need. 

Check in desk at the hotel.  They know me by name.  We chat and chat and laugh.  Promised a room for the marathon.  More jokes and then off to my room.

And that my friends is how the M-Cat spent 5 hours and 300 miles of her day today.

* last call of the night was from Chloee.  Sadness in her voice.  "Mimi - I want you to come home to our house."  I officially hate traveling for work.  Next time I come in July, she and a nanny will be coming with me.  No leaving her behind again!

**hotel room thoroughly checked for bedbugs.  Clear.  Still keeping all luggage in the bathroom!

18 comments:

" Hit It......." said...

Your feeling the "Mommy Blues." My kids are off for spring break and I started my new job. I felt so guilty today. My son called me at 5:00 p.m. and said "where are you?" I felt lower than dirt! Training sucks! Hopefully, for both of us being working moms will get a little easier.

CB said...

Wow you know how to entertain yourself for 5 hours - Glad I could go along for the ride in your thoughts (thanks ha ha - we're fine me and the girls) and on the blog! I was thinking next girls-get-away maybe down south - OH YEAH!! Get some sun, some red rocks, some virgin drinks, some more friends!

Hope you and Chloee do OK - it is hard to leave the little ones!

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

Oh my heck! I so love your travel log! (sorta reminded me of testimony meeting last week)

Anywayz, I have a few words for you....DO NOT! I REPEAT! DO NOT text and drive.

Your mind sorta wandered around like a ping pong ball on crack. Pretty awesome.

How do you figure what you can eat? I'm flumoxed.

Glad that you got to talk with Chloe. So sorry she's missing you. I bet she's snuggled up to Splenda Daddy by now.

You are so right. It's amazing at some of the town names you went through.
I'm sure that Mo had nothing to do with the naming of the town.

Hug and loves and drive carefully.

Ape and Er said...

Eric and I still talk of Lundell's reaction at the finish line.

Love it.
Loved Red Rock.
Loved meeting your awesome friends.
Loved living in a car with 5 girls for 2 days.
Hated my boob lips.
Ticked.
Love that you love Space Jam.
And smack talk.
Love that you comment on my blog and trash talk along with us.
Love this blog post.

Stacey said...

i'm so glad you discovered the heaven that is JCW's! i grew up in american fork and they were a high school STAPLE! mmmm....

Suzie said...

I loved this post and read every word.
:)

Ann Marie said...

So this is what a day in the life of Melissa is like... :)

I too read every word.. and I felt loved that you thought of all of us at the cabin.. :) - Good times.

You need to get that Gall Bladder out woman! It feels so GREAT to not be in pain anymore... TRULY.. it's better to plan it.. than have to do emergency surgery. Trust me.

I Laughed at all of the stuff about Monica in Meadow....
Do you know why I LOVE meadow??

*It's a charming little town.
* Monica is there.
* Monica's parents are there.

It broke my heart to read about Cloee. Good idea taking her next time.

Vanessa said...

I can only assume you were wanting to text me after you passed SF. I'm glad you didn't. No tickets or crashes please.

And if you weren't going to text me, I'll just tell myself you were.

Tib kept her luggage in the bathtub on our last trip. You would have been proud.

Cheeseboy said...

Funny, I think the same thing every time I drive past Meadow. And I will never poop in that Chevron Cove Fort again. Sacred stop there.

tammy said...

I remember that post about the accident! My parents have a condo in St. George so it's kind of like my second home. Or maybe my third. My sister and I made up a silly song with all the names of towns between there and Sandy on one trip. After making that trip so many times, there's only so much you can do to keep entertained.

Melissa said...

Oooh, that drive can seem so long! And i love that you snicker at all the dirty-sounding names, the husband and I do that, too :)

Heather said...

I feel like I just drove to southern Utah. I have taken that drive so many times. I knew exactly where you were during all these stops. It was fun to read all your thoughts, to know what goes on inside your head.

I think it will be a wise choice to bring Chloee next time. That way you won't have to miss her.

I was wondering if you would think of Mo while driving past her home town. I was right!

Sue said...

You should be a writer!! oh wait you are of sorts..
I love this travelog. I could picture everything, and have felt those same things.

I loved how one thing reminded you of something and then that reminded you of something else etc. etc.

I love how that mind of your thinks!!

Sue said...

You are such a good writer!!
I loved your travelog.

Thanks for the 300 mile ride.

I was feeling like I needed a getaway.

wendy said...

I just typed a lengthy comment...and then ended up with a computer glitch...so have no idea if it went through.
Don't have the energy to retype it.
But, it was Awesome.
love ya
good trip you took us on

Amy said...

I snicker at all the dirty sounding names too. I drive to Mona about 6 times a month but I am in the little town just north of there. Not the polygamist place..the other one.

Love the travel log.

Omgirl said...

Luggage in the bathroom? I haven't heard of that one. Is it to keep bedbugs out of your bags? I am clearly not nearly scared enough of this bedbug thing. Yikes!

Mrs. O said...

Makes me home sick for Santa Clara. And 5 hours for a 3.5 hour drive? That must have felt like forever.