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!