The Windmill Posts

Tomorrow we get back on track. After a lovely stay with my brother and his family, I am ready to get going. I’m telling that to myself. I’m tired, I’m not necessarily in the best head space, it’s cold and getting colder, and the endpoint is home. Home where I don’t want to face reality.

I am excited for many of my stops. There is no “great crossing” here. There may not be oceans or deserts, but there will be great lakes, and hints of mountains. I have repacked my storage bins and sorted winter clothes to the suitcase. Big winter coat is out, and all sweaters are in play. In repacking I grabbed all of the magnets so far and stashed them together. I didn’t look at them, but it’s a nice thick pile of souvenirs. In the license plate game I have yet to get much of New England, which I will solve soon. But Kentucky remains elusive. Getting nervous on that one.

My time with family has been wonderful, and having five zero days in a row has been great. I happened to score a bout of the coughing flu: Sore throat, cough, aches, maybe a hint of fever. A full course of NyQuil and I’ll be right as rain. By the time I leave I’ll be really and fit. I’m actually happy it happened this way – being sick on the road would be a real challenge. Daughter drove my MINI when we went to Washington D.C. and thought it was quite fun! That was great to witness.

I am not getting into the Christmas Spirit very well. When I get home I’ll put up my tree and start planning gifts and that will do it. But having come from the desert it’s hard to believe we’re in snow and Santa season. Even here in Maryland it’s a little too green to fully engage with the Christmas carols.

The Next Ten Days

Oops, there’s a spoiler. You now know my end date. I have appointments on the 10th of December, so I have to be back by the 9th. The 8th would be awesome, but whatever. Not sure if I mentioned all of that before. In two days I will begin to hear west homeward, but there will be some fun stuff in there. Connecticut tomorrow to stay with my sister, and then full on tourism from there.

Schedule is flexible enough that I can eliminate days, stops, states, whatever it takes in case of weather. I’m hoping weather goes well. I have new winter worthy tires, a lifetime of experience driving in snow and on ice, and a boatload of determination. Of course that doesn’t help all the time.

I’ll see you on Connecticut!

Deets

• States: MD, VA
• Weather: Clear, sunny, cloudy, apparently some rain. Temps ranging fro “brisk” to “cold” in Minnesota parlance. And “cold” in Minnesota is nowhere near actual really cold.

Observations

• Thanksgiving is good
• You sure can get awfully tired not doing anything
• If you build your niece a three story home in Minecraft and within an hour she spills lava on it, don’t build her a new one.

Pictures