Dear Humidity,
Oh how I've missed you! Unbelievable, isn't it? I never thought I would say that. But here you are and here I am, all sticky from humidity-sweat feeling oddly thrilled by the fact that I am temporarily staying in a humid climate again.
I walk outside and don't feel myself cooking in the sun after ten seconds. I get to enjoy the sense of thicker hair because of you. And I'm so pleased to be in a humid climate that I've totally embraced the crazy curl-inducingness of your presence and haven't really bothered to worry about the fact that my hair probably looks goofy. It's wonderful!
So, it's good to see you and feel you again. And, even if I complain about you, don't feel bad. It's just how our relationship works. It's nice to have you back.
Elise
Sunday, July 31, 2016
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
Here, there, but not quite everywhere
I have been traveling a lot lately. Nothing super exotic (although I was really tempted to get in a trip to Iceland--the price was pretty darn reasonable and my passport needs some stamps).
A lot of this travel has involved driving across states and I have seen a lot of scenery. I find I'm a little weird when it comes to driving across the country, because I find all of the scenery really interesting. I even liked Wyoming when I drove across it a few years ago. And I don't even mind the flat places. Somehow, it all just amazes me.
The problem with this is that there are way too many beautiful things to take a picture of but no way to do it because I only see them when I'm driving by and it isn't really smart to stop on the side of the interstate. Or highway. Neither is really a good option.
On my trip this lat weekend, though, someone courteously put in a few lookout points so you could check out the scenery. I think we need more of these because there are just too many great things to see and we should take some time to look at them.
A lot of this travel has involved driving across states and I have seen a lot of scenery. I find I'm a little weird when it comes to driving across the country, because I find all of the scenery really interesting. I even liked Wyoming when I drove across it a few years ago. And I don't even mind the flat places. Somehow, it all just amazes me.
The problem with this is that there are way too many beautiful things to take a picture of but no way to do it because I only see them when I'm driving by and it isn't really smart to stop on the side of the interstate. Or highway. Neither is really a good option.
On my trip this lat weekend, though, someone courteously put in a few lookout points so you could check out the scenery. I think we need more of these because there are just too many great things to see and we should take some time to look at them.
Sunday, July 17, 2016
Souvenirs
I just got back from a delightful vacation where I was inundated with hugs and kids who wanted to sit by me and general adorableness, and all week long I have been missing my little monkeys and my super hugger and everyone else.
Anyway, on this trip I took a book to read out loud with the nieces and nephews. This has become a tradition over the years, even though we usually don't finish the book. (We did make it pretty far this time). And the book, a paperback which was hauled in and out of vehicles and tents and bags and survived a downpour in one of those nylon drawstring bags for hauling things to the gym, is a little worse for wear. But that wear and tear is now a souvenir of the trip.
Every time I pull out that book I'm going to remember the rain at the Amusement Park, and how we ran into the nearest store to get out of it, and the store's floor was flooded, and half of us were outside under the eave, and that group decided to run and find a better place, but then came back, and since I was wearing Tevas and non-denim shorts, I decided to go find out where they were and help them find a dry place (they were all under the age of 10, so I didn't exactly want to leave them hanging out on their own), and meandered through the rain to check out options, and then brought them into the store with the rest of the group, which at least only had water on the floor and not pouring on our heads, and that one of my sweet little nieces said, "Maybe we can help them clean up the water in the store". And I'll remember how before the rain, we'd gone on Thunder Canyon three times because every time we got done, the Super Hugger's eyes lit up and he shouted, "AGAIN!!!" and how can you say no to that? And that after that ride, we went to the animal pen and they had the cutest little goats and a kangaroo and then I went on my first real roller coaster and we stopped off to do one more ride before meeting up with everyone and we were just starting to dry off and of course that is when the rain started.
I'll also remember the long drive across Illinois, when my niece and nephews and I were playing Gubs across three benches of seats while I listened to my other two nieces read the book.
And I'll remember how hilarious Duncan is, and how Niece 5, who always had the headphones on in the car, actually took them off and listened. And then I'll remember all the other things about traveling in the car, like playing balloon volleyball and taking pictures, and climbing in and out over coolers and stuff.
And maybe someday, I'll pass that book on to one of those nieces and nephews, and they will have their own memories to go with it. So now the book is more than just the story on the pages, because it is a piece of my story, and even though the memories don't center on the book, the book was there and has all this history it didn't have before. So, apart from the great literature, it's also the best kind of souvenir.
Anyway, on this trip I took a book to read out loud with the nieces and nephews. This has become a tradition over the years, even though we usually don't finish the book. (We did make it pretty far this time). And the book, a paperback which was hauled in and out of vehicles and tents and bags and survived a downpour in one of those nylon drawstring bags for hauling things to the gym, is a little worse for wear. But that wear and tear is now a souvenir of the trip.
Every time I pull out that book I'm going to remember the rain at the Amusement Park, and how we ran into the nearest store to get out of it, and the store's floor was flooded, and half of us were outside under the eave, and that group decided to run and find a better place, but then came back, and since I was wearing Tevas and non-denim shorts, I decided to go find out where they were and help them find a dry place (they were all under the age of 10, so I didn't exactly want to leave them hanging out on their own), and meandered through the rain to check out options, and then brought them into the store with the rest of the group, which at least only had water on the floor and not pouring on our heads, and that one of my sweet little nieces said, "Maybe we can help them clean up the water in the store". And I'll remember how before the rain, we'd gone on Thunder Canyon three times because every time we got done, the Super Hugger's eyes lit up and he shouted, "AGAIN!!!" and how can you say no to that? And that after that ride, we went to the animal pen and they had the cutest little goats and a kangaroo and then I went on my first real roller coaster and we stopped off to do one more ride before meeting up with everyone and we were just starting to dry off and of course that is when the rain started.
I'll also remember the long drive across Illinois, when my niece and nephews and I were playing Gubs across three benches of seats while I listened to my other two nieces read the book.
And I'll remember how hilarious Duncan is, and how Niece 5, who always had the headphones on in the car, actually took them off and listened. And then I'll remember all the other things about traveling in the car, like playing balloon volleyball and taking pictures, and climbing in and out over coolers and stuff.
And maybe someday, I'll pass that book on to one of those nieces and nephews, and they will have their own memories to go with it. So now the book is more than just the story on the pages, because it is a piece of my story, and even though the memories don't center on the book, the book was there and has all this history it didn't have before. So, apart from the great literature, it's also the best kind of souvenir.
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