Thanksgiving on Interstate 5
This is how we feel right now. I haven't even shaken the dust from my shoes yet and I'm here to note the highlights of our trip. We have been on the road for thirteen hours and just got in a half an hour ago. It's so good to be home, if I didn't worry about embarrassing my dog I'd kiss the hallowed ground of home.
Our real Thanksgiving was last night. Here's Tara (my lovely enigmatic sister) and Philip enjoying non-standard Thanksgiving food: lasagna.
My mom, my brother Ezekiel, and my Father-In-Law Lars are enjoying healthy non-violent debates either about art or possibly the state of my brother's love life.
Aunt Tara putting together the cool Lego car she brought Max for his sixth birthday. It took much concentration and some patience with Max's comments: "I hate to tell you this Aunt Tara, but you did it wrong."
OK, so it's confirmed that I'm not going to be a National Geographic photographer in this lifetime, but I think you should be aware of how many miles of grappling with my camera, it's zoom feature (?!), and opening the windows to get this lousy shot. I was so mesmerized by the bright newness of the snow. When we were coming down Highway 5 a week ago there wasn't nearly as much snow. I imagine there was a lot more elk piss in it last week too. This stuff you see here is PRISTINE.
We stopped at Silva's "restaurant" in Weed. Some towns are more aptly named than others. I have always felt that this town has come by it's appelation honestly. The waitress at Silva's was super nice and didn't kick us out when Max starting chanting: "veggie-boogers! Ha Ha Ha! VEGGIE-BOOOOOOGERS! Do you want some HAM-BOOGERS? HAAAM-BOOOOOGERS!" This is a picture of him mid-chant.
I have long been accustomed to consuming grilled cheese sandwiches made with shady substances claiming to be cheese but which actually come from petroleum processing plants. I am no snob. Yet I have to admit that it seemed a pretty shoddy type of meal to eat on Thanksgiving. But you do what you gotta do, and there just isn't a lot of gourmet selection on Interstate 5.
These hills were all green and brown on our trip down to sunny California. We were really excited to see snow on the bottom of Mt. Ashland. Max wanted to stop so he could throw snow balls at the passing trucks. I was sorely tempted to stop so I could eat a few handfuls, and then maybe throw one at Max while I explain what happens to people who throw snow balls at burly tired men driving fifteen ton eighteen wheel trucks.Some highlights of the trip South:
(there are tons more pictures to come and many things to report, but we'll start with this)
- I discovered the secret to sane travel with a dog and a kid: SEDATIVES, A GAME-BOY, A CRATE, and SUGAR IN UNDISCLOSED QUANTITIES. (You guess which were for the dog and which were for the kid.)
- All of Santa Rosa is being brought down by illness right now. Every day we were there some one new was felled by either the current nefarious flu-bug or some terrible sore throat/cold combo. I'm still waiting for the ax to fall on us. (Is it too late to beseech the Virgin Mary for her protection?)
- Seeing old close friends is a true pleasure. We ate much cheese and drank much beer with people we love and miss. It feels like we live in another country and on this trip I finally came to realize that the United States basically is like a huge collection of countries all chained together by the patched up constitution. Living in Oregon is not at all the same thing as living in California. Suggesting that because we're all Americans we are the same people is as dangerous and as ridiculous as suggesting that Scottish people are essentially the same as English people just because England finally beat the Scots down and took over and called them all "Brittish". Coming down from Oregon to California is like coming down from Scotland into England.
- Seeing Chick rediscover her roots. She got to play with her mom and her sister. How cool is it that we know her mom and still know her sister too? That dog is connected!
- Finding out that my sister has expectations of me that I don't have of her. And finding out that I have not met those expectations and have disappointed her. I think a lot of people are expecting things of me that they can not reasonably expect of me. The main issue is that I never called her to tell her of the most recent changes in our store which resulted in us not being able to stay for Thanksgiving. She got the news through my mom. Sheesh! In my defense I was practically on the verge of imploding and wanted to call her myself and in the end only managed to sqeak out one phone call to my mom. Next time I better put my internal combustion on hold and catch up with everyone.
- I've just realized that if my sister felt disappointed enough to tell me her feelings, my Dad must be on the verge on not recognizing me as his daughter anymore. He doesn't take much lightly. I haven't heard from him in months, which didn't worry me before but now seems slightly ominous. I will point out here that NEITHER OF US HAS CALLED EACH OTHER. Two way street Dad! (How many bridges am I burning by trying to take care of me and my guys before the rest of my family and friends?) I'm feeling some therapy coming on.
- Seeing my brother's artwork progress and mature and grow is incredible. I always knew he had it in him to create an astonishing body of work but I wasn't sure he would help himself get there. Yesterday he showed us the latest in his series called "Urban Archeology" which is made up of poignant photographs of all the artifacts he finds while working in many of the poorer urban neighborhoods across the country. He collects dime-bags, spent bullets, children's broken barretts, and all other manner of detritus that he then arranges and photographs. I don't have time to say more about his work right now but more will come another day. I am very proud of him.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!