PD: Days 60 to 67 - The Lost Week

So it has been a whirlwind week (pictures are posted on Whisper on the Wind).

Last Wednesday, we headed out for Lawrence, everything appeared to be going great until Waco. Around Waco, the belt that controls the power steering and AC broke off, causing me to slow down very quickly on the interstate. So we pulled over in a sketchy part of Waco, and just randomly chose a gas station with a garage attached. Dumb luck or divine providence - you decide. The mechanic was super nice and honest, went out of his way to be helpful by driving to get the part and put it in at 8 PM, so we lucked out there, plus he didn't charge us very much. Of course by the time we left Waco it was after 9, so we drove through Fort Worth, where I got stuck in traffic at 11:30 due to construction. Then after that it was smooth sailing into OK, where there was a tremendous thunderstorm - so we pulled over at a rest area about 1 AM to let it pass, then headed onto to our destination at the KOA in Ardmore/Marietta, where we slept in the cars.

On Thursday, we woke up and headed out again. We drove to Paul's Valley at stopped at McD for breakfast. It had a play area and thought it was a good idea to run off the excess energy for the kids. I did some SUDOKU puzzles to take my mind off things. I also found a sports trivia game to play - kind of like jeopardy. Probably why we were there for 2.5 hours. We then headed out and stopped again to get gas. We stopped in northern OK around 1 PM for lunch at a subway/gas station. The boys were sleeping so we headed north and got into KS a little after 2. Of couse the boys and C need to chow so we stopped again on the turnpike and they ate. Also, Blossom finally peed, Ranger refuses to go anywhere but in a back yard apparently - no wonder he gets so grumpy on long car rides. We then took off again and then somewhere outside Topeka, this women kept flashing her lights at me and I thought WTF, then looked to see that J had pulled over. L had been having a fit so we decided to drive to the next rest stop but by the time we got there she was asleep and we were only ten minutes from Lawrence so we pushed on. We got in to G-ma's house around 6:00 and the boys were so excited to see her and Winston and their old stomping grounds. At some point the neighbor kids noticed our kids and well all h e double hockey sticks broke out for a while. With kids climbing fences, fruit snacks being exchnaged and other toddler chaos. We then ate something for dinner, I can't remember what, unloaded the cars, chatted and went to sleep.

On Friday, woke up at the normal time around 7ish, had a nice breakfast. Then a fairly mellow morning with the kids. J went out to lunch with friends, while I scrounged food for myself and the kids. Luckily g-ma had stocked up so there was some PBJs to eat. In the afternoon, the boys took off to go on the bus with g-ma, while C and L stayed with me. We watched TV, did some Sudoku, tickled, and were just silly. I headed up to campus to pick my regalia and my diploma. I had a meeting in the afternoon with my "former" adviser to talk about some publications I have backed up from my tenure as a grad student. I also got filled in on the gossip from around the university. Then after that met with another collaborator about some Chibchan work that he plans on doing this summer. Then we decided to head out for another friend's baby shower. Of course the sky had opened up and the deluge was one. So after canoeing through most of Lawrence we finally made it back to my house where the house flooded. It has been really wet in KS and everything is flooding - despite g-ma's claim that is because the neighbors don't have gutters on their house. PS - they haven't had gutters on the house since we moved there three years ago. Then it was off to the baby shower and another grad student friends house. Where we ate food and I guessed the girth of the baby mama correctly - hey I have spawned four offspring so have a unique perspective on this. I donated my present to another expectant mom who was also there. The kids had a great time playing super heroes in the basement and hanging out with their friends that they haven't seen in a while. Then we headed home and I got lost in a traffic circle. Not kidding. I spent eight years in Lawrence and ended up on the wrong side of town, with the boys freaking because we lost there mom and then informing me that this why we always followed mommy because at least she knows where she is going. Made it back home, then crashed out from a long day.

On Saturday, did the same usual b-fast routine with lots of bacon. Kind of chilled around the house in the AM, then J and I went out to lunch with the adviser, my office mate (who is also graduating) and his family. I have no idea when the last time my wife and I were alone together, it was pre-San Antonio so more than six months - we went out for our anniversary but L was with us. So that was nice. Lunch was terrific, my office mates Dad looks just like J's father same mannerisms everything. We chatted about a good deal of stuff and it was just nice pleasant meal. Then J and I stopped by to see a friend who started working at a store very quickly - then home to resuce the baby and my kids from the end of the world. My Aunt and Uncle were there as they had made the drive down from McPherson, KS earlier in the day. So we chatted with them for a bit about life, the universe and everything. Then it was time for the hooding ceremony, where all those obtaining doctorates don medieval garb and go through this ancient ritual. It was a nice capstone to my graduate career and provides closure. I think if I had not done I would have regretted it. After that it off to an after grad party to celebrate the accomplishments of us grads thanks to another grads mom. The kids played in the park, although the dorky ice cream man took off before I could buy S and X an ice cream - poor business decision on his part. So I had to bribe them with DQ for the following day. C slept through the whole thing. Then we took off for home, where I fell asleep with C.

Sunday, was more of a work day. I changed light bulbs in the house, J and I moved g-ma's furniture up to the Master bedroom, and edged the yard with the weed whacker. Then lunch and a quick change before heading for the walk down the hill. Wow, what a cluster f&^*k that was. There is only random direction and a bunch of drunk undergrad - wow I wished I knew sparkling wine came in individual bottles - then maybe it wouldn't have been so crazy. At some point we decided to jump the line so my office mate could catch his flight back. Then off to DQ with the family - then back home for some Jersey Mikes sandwiches. Then J loaded the cars while I herded children. Then finally everyone into bed for the long journey home the next day.

Monday morning up a little after 5AM to get everyone geared up. We left the house in Lawrence at 6, fueled up and on the road by 6:15. Then we headed out, but had to stop outside Emporia for a bathroom emergency - mine - not the kids but hey I'm driving. Then stopped at the next one as well. Then we stopped in northern OK at some point so L could eat and we chowed down on some food. Then made it through OK and hit Texas a little after 4PM. We stopped at the rest area for an early dinner and I picked the kids up some Don't Mess with Texas stickers and a map. Also, tried to determine if there was a way around DFW - apparently you can take 281 and then to a little big of a jig and a jog over to Gainsville and poof you are no longer in Texas. We then headed down through the long haul that is I-35 in TX. Do people ever stop driving here, I mean it is 11:00 at night and the interstate is crazy busy. J and I stop a couple of times just to keep ourselves rested. The exit for the 1604 (172) never looked so good. Then the long haul to Sea World and home a little after 12AM. Eighteen hours of driving but we are home where we pass out on the bed.

Tuesday, up early and back to work. I'm basically worthless, brain dead so I just go through some motions, check the e-mail, get caught up. Do some finacial stuff and submit the paper to ATVB. I read up a little on Hepatic Lipase then got a new project in the afternoon - that I will start this week and to work on a possible abstract for the IGES in Hawaii in October. Looks like work is back in full swing. Head home, where we have a nice dinner, then a fun jacuzzi tub with the kids. Long, Long Ago in a galaxy known as KS, I bought J a kind of self tub jacuzzi thing, we retrieved it on our trip back. Then I put the boys and C to bed and fell asleep myself watching the Real Housewifes of New Jersey. This show is awesome, kind of like the sopranos but only bitchier. Who goes on a blind date with some guy name Guccimodel anyway. I'm pretty sure the only purpose of Reality Shows is to make the rest of us feel superior to these sorry folks. Then off to bed.

All in all a great week. We got to see some people we really miss in Lawrence and we wish we could have stayed a little longer to catch up. Of course now we are back in TX, with our new friends as well. So it is all good.