Another Long and Tiring Trip

 Remember early January posts indicated our quick trip to Utah and back made at the end of December.  I had indicated never again.  And yet it happened again – longer drive and almost a week with more than one destination.

 I don’t remember when Kevin called Richard to invite him to a convention to take place in Las Vegas.  Catch was he would have to drive four hours north to Portland airport.  I joked that he might as well just drive to Las Vegas.  I should have just kept my mouth shut and allowed him the four hour drive to Portland instead of the mileage we put on the car not to mention the drainage to ourselves.  We are not young anymore.

 

I thought Richard was capable of the long distance drive so long as he has a book on tape to listen to – but also would need assistance of someone to change the discs in order to continue the story.  I didn’t want to go.  Jaime and I both reminded him of what happens.  I even had a bruise on my leg not to mention other excuses.  I was planning on staying home until the very last minute.  I saw him drifting off and thought I should go with him just to make certain he stayed hydrated and didn’t push himself but would stop when appropriate.

 It was a long trip.  Two destinations: Las Vegas, Nevada and Gilbert, Arizona.  Richard’s plans were to leave on the 18^th although Kevin wouldn’t be showing up until the 20^th.  I didn’t realize Richard had wanted to have a date night by taking me to a show.  Only that never happened.  I had been stubborn about going and he was just as stubborn about waiting for me.  We didn’t leave until after 2:00 p.m.  We found lodging in (or near) Sparks Nevada.

Personality on Hold

          I have posted only two of six thoughts on the personality quiz that I took.  Thus I have four to go but will wait before posting the next as today is Jai’s birthday.  We had her spring break.  It was good to have her home.  We played a few games with one another.  Sadly not with the entire family as our house is in disarray and has been for the entire year due to water damage and contractor delays (which really is another post within itself) and thus lack of room. 

Jaime had actually had to resort to sleeping in a bed rather than on the floor which she seems to prefer. No floor space in the room that started out as the office but houses Ally’s possessions.  Jaime will need her own room come summer and it doesn’t appear that the others will be leaving anytime soon.

Jaime spent her last weekend with some friends at a lake house near Reedsport.  She did not return until after three.  Richard and I loaded her up and drove her back to Ashland.  It started snowing before we returned to Myrtle Creek.  Hit a few pockets of snow and slowed traffic on our return in the dark.  I would have suggested to just stop off somewhere for the night but I have a doctor’s appointment in half an hour.

I know at least four people who have birthday's today.  I only went to Jaime's wall for a personal greeting and posted a gif for all four on my wall tagging each of them.  First day of no mask wearing in the Oregon health care (at least for now) 

God Said "No"

 Jaime said she would not have classes today

or tomorrow and

could I come get her?

but she would need to return on

Saturday as she has tickets

to see a play.

An hour and a half is not that far

But gas prices are outrageous.

Perhaps I could just spend a 

few nights in Ashland.

Richard said it was okay.  

We prayed about our decision.

John Mayer did not reveal a

promising forecast - though 

yesterday did seem more driveable

than it is currently.

I went and got my hair done yesterday

and was talking to my hair dresser

who also advised against driving down

with all those mountain passes to go through.

What mountains?  

I'm from Utah.  

Those are just hills.

Snow is/was in the hills.

It melts pretty quickly.

Too cold to snow.

But not too cold to freeze.

And it has rained.

I could slip on ice.

Or another car could slip

into me.

So many drivers seem to be

in a hurry.

I wouldn't be in a hurry.

I would be hitting every rest stop

between here and Ashland

the way I had hit

every rest stop between Myrtle

Creek and the Young Women's 

camp that was located outside of 

Eugene.  I made it there

Surely I could make it to Ashland.

But it was better weather when I had

retrieved Jaime from camp back in

2019 (here).  It was in June - before 

the outlandish weather that seemed 

to come along side the pandemic.

Both Jaime and I were looking forward

to the possibility of my coming for a visit.

The warning signs are there.

The answer was "No" 

at least this time around.

Labor Day Deja Vu

I was searching through various posts in search for specific memories of Universal Studios.  I was floored when I came across one labeled Labor Day Weekend in which the first line reads Roland said he wanted to take Jenna to Universal this weekend

The date read September 1 – that is when we left the house this year – when did I write that?  Apparently it was a thought that had existed in 2019 which became a reality this year – only it wasn’t on a Sunday that we left.  It was on a Thursday.  We drove to Modesto, California – which I had believed was a halfway point to Monterey Park.  It wasn’t.  It was so out of the way that it proved my point about why I don’t like making reservations.  We should have just looked for something in Sacramento.  Modesto was such a waste of driving and the pool was closed. 

VERY contaminated pool

We continued our drive to LA – another gamble in industrial area that didn’t appear to be a safe part of town.  The pool was open however – but it would have been nice to have known that Jack and Louisa had something available for us that night.  I will certainly do it differently if ever the opportunity arises again.

So it seems like Richard was gung-ho about getting Jaime to Universal for at least the last three years.  We had watched a YouTube video just right before her graduation.  He still wanted to take her to Universal but neither Jaime nor I wanted to go – at least right then.  We changed our minds when we learned that Disneyland decks out for Halloween just before Labor Day.  It was a late graduation/last-hoorah-before-college excursion. 

We’d taken Jaime’s friend, Sam.  Did Universal on Saturday, spent Sunday with Jack and Louisa and family.  Checked in the Disneyland hotel on Sunday night and went to Disneyland on Monday – Labor Day.  I was hoping to hit San Francisco on the way home as neither Jaime or Richard (or even Sam for that matter) had been there before, 

https://gayldsactor.blogspot.com/search?q=San+francisco

but Richard was quite tired from driving.  We went home early.  Jaime unpacked and repacked and we took her to Ashland on the 9^th (our Wedding anniversary – which we have yet to celebrate) and started emptying out Jaime’s room and the office to make way for Biff and his little family. 

So I need to post the details of that trip – at least three days worth.  And I have some other thoughts that hopefully will come out as my posting has been more sporadic and I think I lost my following – not that it’s important that anyone is following.  I have referred to it a lot for journaling purposes.  It has been an interesting journey.

No Vacancy

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-11/-no-
vacancy-signs-are-vanishing-from-america-s-highways

            I may not remember every detail of every family vacation I took with my parents and sibs, but I do remember looking at hotel signs from the freeway and taking the ramp to find lodging.  We had not made reservations as there was a time it didn’t seem pertinent to do so.  We would look for signs that said “Vacancy” and preferred lodging with a pool and later cable seemed to be a priority.  I don’t recall having had any problems with finding lodging that way. 

I suppose it is still possible to do it that way in some areas but have learned that as the decades pass and more apps and technology are introduced – a reservation will at least secure where you may want to go.  I still would rather throw caution to the wind and find something along the way instead of booking in an area I’m really not familiar with and end up at an out-of-the-way inn than to drive to what is nearest to what brought us to said area.

I think it was in 1995 when my Grandma Mary was visiting from San Franciso.  Mom had decided that we should go explore southern Utah.  We had talked about driving to Moab but ended up driving to the Grand Canyon.  My sister Kayla and I explored the north rim while my mom waited at a visitor’s center with my grandma – who was then walking with a cane.

Of course there were no reservations as our destination had become a spontaneous drive.  Mom knew that she would not be able to drive the entire way home but we would need some kind of lodging for grandma.  The first available lodging we had passed was called Jacob’s Lodge (I think) but offered no vacancy at the time we were there.  I don’t know how we ended up in Fridonia but found a bed and breakfast that was really nice.  I have never been to Fridonia before or since.

There was another trip we took that had taken us through Panguitch.  It must have been a holiday weekend or something.  For by the time we got there (and I’m not even certain why we were there but I remember mom and Kayla – I don’t know if Grandma Mary was with us or if it was the same year/trip or not) and drove through the town seeing signs “No Vacancy” “No Vacancy” “No Vacancy” – finally we hit the last motel on the way out of town.  We were told we got the last available room.

I don’t know what time of year it was, but the night air was freezing.  As I recall the pool was closed but the whirlpool was open.  Kayla and I made the trek to the Jacuzzi – I think our room was located the furthest away from the pool area.  It felt nice to be inside, but the air, of course, seemed cooler on the return to our room.  We were there for just that one night.

I had hoped that I would be able to take my family on vacation each year as my dad had done with me and my sibs but it didn’t come to pass.  I recall taking only two vacations with the boys.  We had reservations.  We did not have reservations when we drove back to Utah for Jeanie’s funeral  as we have not even taken the same route each time we go. That year we had stopped off at Tremonton on the way and Bend on the return.  Vacancy was not a problem.  Finding an open anything on Christmas Day in Winnamucca (here) was a problem. The motel that was open did have vacancies.  I think probably many.  I don’t know how many rooms were occupied.  At least one.  Perhaps another.

Tony’s latest phone call had triggered these memories as he mentioned that his family will be going to Yellowstone in May.  I’d love for Roland and Jenna to see Yellowstone.  Roland joked that we could drive to Yellowstone right now.  We live over14 hours away. I don’t think Yellowstone is something we should try spontaneously – especially during a pandemic. 

Richard and I are now fully vaccinated and Jenna is currently halfway there.  When we had gone to New York last June we did not have to worry about lodging as we were staying with Randy – but the idea of looking for open lodging or staying overnight still does appeal to me during these times.  I think if we’re going to be spontaneous about driving somewhere it needs to be less than four hours away.  I doubt we will be going to Yellowstone anytime soon. 

Randy wants us to come stay with him in St. George.  He says the church has several historical sites that we can visit.  True, there are historical sites, but currently giving virtual tours only.  Driving to St. George will be longer than driving to Yellowstone.  Not this year, folks.  Meanwhile Jenna is going stir crazy with desires to get away.  We’ll have opportunity again. Unfortunately, it won't be soon.

The Peeing Section and “We Are Out of Coffee!!!!”

 

        During the pandemic it has been up to each state government to lay down the law of mandating mask, social distancing, reopening, etc.  It wasn’t long before facebook became flooded with this message: “Having some states lock down and others not lock down is like having a peeing section in the swimming pool”.  Yet there are some companies that seem to be encourage traveling?  “Hey, come and pee in my state!  We don’t have enough of it?”  I am a guilty party as I traveled with my family to New York last June.  Did we bring some pee with us?  Not intentionally. Did we bring it back to Oregon? Possibly. But not from New York. It had been our flight from Detroit and our stop at Salt Lake airport that felt the most concerning. 

        Roland had asked for some time off the end of this month as we have arranged to have our floors done (inviting pee?  Perhaps.  Our floors are in very sad shape) but the flooring we wanted is currently on back order and the company has run behind.  They may not make it until May.  Roland is fed up – thinks we should use someone else.  We are in a rural area.  We are going to run into the same problem no matter where we go. We have a guarantee that this guy will do sub flooring.  That is our problem.  

        Our subfloors are in terrible shape (or at least I am assuming)  We are not going to have that same guarantee through Lowe’s.  They can’t even guarantee that we will have the same contractor throughout the entire project.  I am willing to wait.  I don’t want to change lanes only to fall further behind (here) 

Roland now wants to leave the state – take Jenna to Universal and return.  Two days in the car for one day at the park and a return home again?  I think not.  Besides Universal is open only to California residents. That is the way it should be.  Each state should have restrictions about letting in tourists – it isn’t an option for those traveling outside the country or to Hawaii (from what I understand) the traveler MUST quarantine for 14 days – and on the traveler’s dime at that.  So why would a desired traveler even bother?

Roland has good intentions.  Always has good intentions but is not always wise when it comes to making decisions.  Why not take the boys and other family members to Lagoon (an amusement park in Farmington, Utah) on the 24^th of this month.  We can invite family members of Roland’s late wife.  We already have 15 – 20 people to begin with (half under the age of 11) and now he wants more?  How are we supposed to social distance?  Not that my boys believe in that.  So far it doesn’t sound like a fun day to have to wear a mask the entire time we are in the park. 

It doesn’t have to be the park.  Roland has an entire list of suggestions. It’s like he’s oblivious of the year decade 2020 – like the pandemic has vanished and everything has returned to normal.  I recently reminded him of a skit I had seen on Electric Company back in the early 1970’s. A man goes into a shop and orders a doughnut and some coffee.  Rita Moreno's character says, "We're all out of coffee" so then he changes his order to a sweetroll and a coffee and is once again told "We're all out of coffee".  He proceeds to go through a list of baked goods with coffee and Rita Moreno's character appears to become more upset until finally the guy says, "Maybe I will have just coffee"  

I feel like I am screaming the same thing over and over.  Jenna thinks I’m a killjoy – sucking the fun out of the possibilities of what could be.  I don’t mean to sound pessimistic – but realistically “We Are Out of Coffee”.  I’m not the one who initialized the pandemic!  I’m not the one who voted to have a peeing section in the pool!  I’m sorry that they think I am a fun-sucker because I know that the pee can spread to others – even if that wasn’t my intent.  There are other people on this planet.  The pandemic will not last forever – though it has already lingered around longer than necessary because of those who believe in the peeing section.  It’s frustrating.

https://exit78.com/peeing-section/

Roland was watching the news last night.  He learned that new cases have been spiking all over the country.  Well, duh.  I hope that it sinks in.  He knows it’s not just me.  It’s not even paranoia.  It’s being cautious.  It’s trying to stay safe.  The pandemic is not over folks.  Vaccinations aren’t going to change the attitude of those that believe that the peeing section will work and that we still have plenty of coffee to go around – metaphorically speaking.

What Do You Mean Our Flight is Cancelled?

               Quite recently I found this link on friend’s facebook post. 

“Oh, great!” I thought.  Guess which airline carrier we used? We were supposed to come back by way of Atlanta, but Delta isn’t even flying into Atlanta right now.  We stopped in Detroit both coming and going.

          We left the house between 3:30 and 4:00 three weeks ago on Wednesday morning.  I don’t know what time we arrived at Medford.  Roland dropped Jenna and I off while he went and parked.  We sat down in a chair and waited as I thought he would have  to be present when we checked in the luggage.  Too bad.  There was no line when we had initially gone in.  When Roland walked through the doors a line had formed.  Where had all the people come from?  And why had they picked that time to get on a plane?  Perhaps they hadn’t chosen that early to leave.  Perhaps the airline had – which had been the case with us.

          We had initially picked a later flight so that we wouldn’t have to leave the house so early.  It is 90 minutes to an hour drive.  We had left the house before 4:00 a.m. We were at the airport for almost as long as we had spent in the car.  I took this picture of Jenna as I don’t recall ever having seen a rocking chair in any airport before. 

Medford June 10

I think we spent more time in the car getting to Medford and also in the airport itself than we had on the plane to our first destination which was Seattle.

          We weren’t in Seattle all too long before catching the plane to Detroit.  The longest leg of the trip.  Also the most cramped.  It was tighter than our car!  Would have loved to ride the train in Detroit, but it was not running due to COVID I am sure.  There wasn’t enough air traffic that the “S” gates were needed.  Apparently that is where the Detroit airport train takes passengers. 

Landing at Detroit airport June 10

          My favorite airport was in Buffalo.  Not crowded at all.  In fact it had the appearance of closing both coming and going.  New York had just started phase one shortly before we arrived.  The play areas and conveyor sidewalks were closed and there was blue tape across every other seat.  It had kind of a ghost town feel to it. 

Buffalo airport

          Randy met us outside after we called him to tell him where we were.  As I recall he made us move so that he could park.  The next day he informed us that our return flight had been cancelled.  Say what, now?  I didn't know what to believe.  Randy likes joking and so I didn't even know if it was real or not. I had tried calling the airline before we had even gone out, but it’s been the same routine as every other business I have called

“We are experiencing high volume due to COVID19.  Please try calling back at a later time.”

I never did talk to a human.  Randy left a number for them to return call back in nine hours.  But they never did.  I don’t know how many days we were there before a new schedule was created.  We would leave Buffalo to fly to Detroit, but instead of Seattle or Atlanta (which was originally included as part of the agenda for the return) we were routed back through Salt Lake. 

Salt Lake was one busy airport.  Let me tell you.  Randy had suggested to us that since we had to stop there anyway we ought to look into taking a later flight and stay in town for a couple of days.  Roland said he couldn’t take the time because he had not brought enough medication for another couple of days.  I thought that if we had made arrangements, we could leave Jenna.  I could put her on a train and have my sister meet her in West Valley.  But that didn’t come to pass. 

Salt Lake

20-30 minutes after the plane had landed we were still waiting to disembark.  The plane was waiting for its turn at the gate.  We barely made the connecting flight – no time for other arrangements.  Of course Jenna was upset – but it turned out to be a fortunate thing for us not have to return to Medford as there is construction between the airport and the ramp to I5.  Though Medford may have other options of getting us from point A to point B, we are not familiar enough with the city – especially in the dark. 

Medford

Meanwhile here are some pictures for you to enjoy (or not) of our flight activity.

Mt. St. Helen's taken from plane

Detroit airport

closed play area Buffalo NY

Salt Lake City

Shadow of plane in Salt Lake City

waiting on runway in salt Lake City

Great Salt Lake

on our way to Medford

Countdown to Christmas

      I believe it was just before Thanksgiving when Roland decided to tell me and the boys that we would come to visit them in Salt Lake this Christmas.  We are still in a financial bind, and Roland had changed his mind before I mailed out the packages and told the boys that we weren’t coming after all.  But something kept nagging at him.  He took out a loan and we were back on.

     Randy, our youngest, had said we could stay with him.  But we didn’t wish to appear we were playing favorites – although it would have been more practical.  He and Carrie recently purchased a house much larger than they need in an area about 45 minutes (without construction) from where we ended up staying.  Instead of visiting each boy individually, we would make them come to us.

     In all honesty, neither Jenna nor I were looking forward to the drive or the changes that we had known occurred during our absence – and those things that had not.  We knew that Randy would continue to try being funny and monopolize everyone’s time.  In all honesty, the thing I was looking forward to the most was seeing my sister and her family.

       As I had mentioned in a previous post, I hadn’t slept well this entire month.  Traveling has always been worse on my sleep patterns.  Thus I wasn’t thinking clearly when I suggested an out-of-the-way route we should go – the one the bus lines use because it seems the safest and I wanted the roads to be clear should there be snow.  With the amount of rainfall we have had all year (or lack of it) I think we would have been okay to take the less traveled roads.  My biggest worry was because of the amount of rain which filled the river beds in two days (instead of gradually during the last four months) and the coldness could create ice.  But whatever.  So we traveled a great distance in one day (Roland really should have stopped in Boise or somewhere before Tremonton;  it is wrong to stay awake for 20 plus hours in a row.)

        Over 2000 years ago, a census was brought forth not just in Rome, but most of Europe.  A census had also been issued in Palestine.  Only it was under Jewish law rather than Roman law.  Families were ordered to return to the lands of their births (or their fathers births) in order to pay taxes.  Joseph and Mary had made the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. 

According to Google or this site, it takes only two and a half hours to travel there by car – today.  Joseph and Mary did not have the luxury of traveling by car.  They had to walk.  On dirt roads.  They didn’t get to wear hiking boots or running shoes.  They wore sandals.

          I really didn’t mean to, but for my lack of sleep, I complained about my twisted pretzel shape position I had felt in the car.  We had stopped for Ben Gay to soothe my aching muscles.  We stopped often to stretch, to eat, to use the toilet or what have you.  Mary and Joseph most likely did not have those luxuries.  We don’t know how many stops they made, where, or at what expense.  Mary and Joseph weren’t traveling to Bethlehem because the wanted to.  They had been ordered to.  The expenses issued were the ones that the government provided.  We chose our own expenses.

          Mary may have not walked the entire way.  It has been speculated that she might have been on a donkey at one point.  Either way, she was pregnant.  Nine months pregnant!  I don’t know about Mary, but when I was pregnant, I had to use the toilet even more than I do right now.  Roland would have had to get a room in Boise or even before that as we would have been making bathroom stops every 20 minutes.  Did Mary even have that luxury?  Plus, we were able to adjust the temperature of the car according to our desires.  I know that Mary and Joseph didn’t have that option.

          There was no room for them at the inn.  According to this site, there really weren’t any inns or motels as we think of today. People would stay with their relatives in a guest room – which, again, we did have the opportunity to do so with Randy and Carrie – but it was another hour drive – through construction.  Our “inn” was crowded that first night but we had made a reservation.  That is another option or luxury we had that Mary and Joseph did not.  Cell phones, reservations . . . we were expected – well, the following day. Our reservations weren’t complete.  

        Roland had added a day just in case we did arrive early, but the information had not been communicated.  They were completely booked except for two rooms.  Our choices were between a smoking room which they said they could febreze or a room with a bathroom designed with a shower for one who might be in a wheelchair; it had no tub. As I am allergic to cigarette smoke and will get headaches even if febreze is used, we choose the one with the handicapped bathroom facility.

          Mary and Joseph had the choice of sleeping outside or inside where animals were kept – probably in some kind of cave.  I imagine a midwife was called.  She is probably the only human who offered services.  We had waiters, maids, running water, access to a small pool and spa.  The only animals we saw were the fake lit up deer Christmas decorations.  We didn’t have to have Jenna sleep in a manger.  We each had our own bed.  It was really nice – though I may not have appreciated it at the time.

          I would like to express my appreciation to all of those who provide service at the rest stops and maintain the properties and such.  Thank you to all those who stayed open on Christmas to either wait on us or provide us with shelter.  Thank you for giving up your Christmas so that I could have mine.

I'd rather go to Disneyland

            We have tried saving up for a Disneyland vacation for the last three years - asking each of our children and my siblings to please save for October this year.  Each year we have dipped into our funds - not that we ever had enough to get us there.  Last year we had gone back to Utah for Jeanie's funeral.  Next year will be returning for a wedding between Biff and Clair.  I really would like to meet her and support Biff again.  But truth be known, I HATE weddings.  I'd much rather go to Disneyland.

            We used this year's tax refund to pay off bills, replenish our food storage and an excursion to Enchanted Forrest - though the latter was not necessary.  After struggling from paycheck to paycheck every month, sometimes you just feel that you need to do something so as not to go insane.  So after Jeanie's funeral, I changed the Disneyland excursion to next year.  I suppose if we were to save our tax refund and not touch it until September, we could do both . .. but we'll still have bills.  Still in need of new furniture.  I realize that Disneyland should not even be placed on the list of priorities - Disneyland is not a need whereas food and electricity are.

            I don't know when in September, but I would like to ask Kayla if our family can crash with her family for the length of time that we are there.  Maybe we can drive to Disneyland together (should we happen to be in that position)  I guess it's good to have a goal to shoot for - because even if we never obtain that goal, we have used the money for a more important purpose.  What dilemma.

Salem Adventures

                It took us just under two hours drive when we had gone to the Enchanted Forrest in March - not that it was our destination yesterday - but we did not even pass the sign until almost three hours later.  Our destination was another twenty-five minutes north. 

            The online school had sent an announcement of two upcoming open house/conventions - one in Boise and one in Salem. We sent an RSVP for Salem.  The convention was to start at 7:00 p.m.

            I have a cousin who lives in Salem.  Though I have lived in Oregon for three years now, we have never been able to get together until now.  We made arrangements to visit with him and his wife at 5:00.  I called Zach at 4:45 as we were still on the road in non-moving congestion - which by the way I have not had to deal with for the past three years and so had not even thought about it.  We passed three police cars - or three sets rather - on the way up.  I could see the flashing lights and thought there had been an accident ahead, but when we passed, it appeared that someone had been pulled over for speeding.  Really?  We are now slowed down from 50 - 35 - non-moving to pass a speeder? 

            I saw construction signs but no construction.  From Sweet Home to Albany . . . bumper to bumper.  Just before we got to Salem the flow of traffic was normal - like all the cars and trucks that had been moving at 10 mph had been beamed up into the sky - there hadn't been any exits.  Where'd everybody go?  That was weird.

            We had a great visit with Zach and Amy.  Amy allowed Jenna to be in her art studio, draw and use her stamps.  Jenna was enjoying herself.  Zach and I mostly listened as Roland monopolized the conversation.  And then Amy, then me.  I think Zach spoke the least amount of words.

            We visited with them less than two hours before we excused ourselves to go to the convention.  We should have brought them with us and continued to visit, as the only participants to show up for the open house were 6 faculty representatives and us.  Needless to say, we were able to eat all the food that we wanted.  Jenna and I may have each had an entire quart of lemonade.  We helped ourselves to tee shirts and fidget spinners.  We won the door prizes that were offered. 

            Our initial plans were to pop in, get some food, and probably leave.  But we ended up staying for the entire thing.  Roland sat at the table with five members.  They talked about upcoming programs, how to improve certain areas and so forth.  Jenna and I talked with the only other female there.  We didn't go into depth as much as the guys, but did have a nice visit and talked about important things like movies, the theatre, Utah vs. Oregon.  We should have gotten a picture with ourselves and the vice president - whom Roland informs me is 80 years old.  Can you imagine?

            It took us an hour less of time for the return home.  Seems like it always takes longer to reach the destination than the return home.  In this case, it is actual.
             Roland's going to be tired today.  Less than five hours of sleep last night. 

            Jenna's home from camp now.  Anxious for tonight's theatre rehearsal.  I may take a nap while she and Roland are gone.