Knowing how clumsy I am I can’t really say that sewing and crafting are 100% pain-free for me, but I can say it’s WAY less painful than my yearly drive to Connecticut and back to Georgia each year with my mom and Reba (the absolutely spoiled rotten doggy who tags along anywhere she can). It all started 4 years ago when my mother and I were talking about visiting my (now) 91-year-old grandmother – a trip we made many times since I moved to Georgia in 1998 (my mother had already been here for several years).  Traveling via airplane had drastically changed – limitless security lines, restricted items in your carry-on, no locks on checked bags, and paying for checking bags!  All that stuff made my mother NOT want to fly.  So in my infinite wisdom I say “let’s drive!”  Four years ago that initial statement was said with much enthusiasm and excitement.  I had NO IDEA what I was getting into (I often speak first – regret later) 🙂

Look how happy we look heading out on our 1st road trip!

Look how happy we look heading out on our 1st road trip!

That first year mom and I ventured out in her car with me behind the wheel (I’m not a good passenger so…)  I did most of the driving, but mom did drive a few hours of the entire round trip.  We survived the trip!  Creeping up on our 1 year anniversary of the road trip I bring up the visit to Grammy again and we go through the whole routine about flying and all the crap that goes along with it and once again “let’s drive.” Oh.My.God! What just happened?  Neither one of us seemed nearly as enthusiastic as the first time, but off we went. Again, we survived.

You guessed it…the date was rolling around again and here we go planning another road trip. Are we crazy?  I’m sure you are sensing a theme here!  Mom, Reba and I just got back from trip #4!! This time we drove to Connecticut, stayed a few days, drove to Maine to see my brother (Scott), his girlfriend (Nicole), and his son (CJ) for a couple days, back to Connecticut for a day and a half and back home. I’m tired just typing that! It was the LONGEST 10 DAYS OF OUR LIVES!  We enjoyed seeing family and friends and especially loved seeing my brother, Nicole and CJ after many long years! But, I must tell you – every inch of my body hurt by the time I got home and at one point while stuck in hideous Atlanta traffic not far from home I used Siri to post to Facebook “If I don’t get home soon I’m going to need a lawyer” – and I meant it!  I was randomly beeping at everyone (or just anyone) and yelling.  It was the funniest form of road rage ever!  We made it home (finally) around 9:00 pm Friday night (July 12th) and all day Saturday I felt I needed to be asleep. We did have some fun along the way…especially using voice-to-text and Siri on the iPhone.

Check out these fun posts on Facebook:

July 3 (near Fair Play, SC) – I’m just South Carolina

July 3 (near Grover, NC) – North Carolina

July 3 – It’s done (should have said Virginia)

July 3 (near Woodstock, VA) – OMG…after a very long and rainy (and I mean super duper rainy) day we made it to the hotel in VA!!

July 3 (near Woodstock, VA) – Long, long, long day of driving!! We listened to my iPod along the way with everything ranging from Def Leppard to Gospel to Adam Lambert to Daft Punk to Eminem to Billy Gilman (yeah…not sure how long I’ve had that CD) to everything in between!! It was an interesting mix as we braved some really bad rain!

July 3 – Mom, Reba and I survived driving day 1. I’d like to say I look like this after a long day of driving, but despite making myself look cute this morning (you never know where you might meet “the one”) I got caught in horrible rain before even leaving the driveway!!

July 4 – Yeah Virginia (West Virginia)

July 4 – Maryland

July 4 – Dania (Pennsylvania)

July 4 – New Jersey July 4 – Your

July 4 – 566 Rick’s

July 4 – Secret

July 4 – Bridge. Have a date

July 4 – Welcome to Connecticut

July 4 – Beyond sad that I am finally in Groton and Pizza Palace is closed!! Darn you 4th of July

July 7 – Rhode Island welcomes you

July 7 (near Attleboro, MA) – Massachusetts welcomes you

July 7 – New Hampshire

July 7 – We made it to Maine

July 7 (near South Portland, ME) – Last year my trip to CT netted me some really lovely sun poisoning on my arms. This year I have heat rash on my legs. Who’s a lucky girl??<<<this one!

July 9 – The Holy Donut!! Potato donuts in Portland, ME

July – 11 Finally made it to Pennsylvania

July 11 – The person in front of me paid my toll (in PA)

July 11 – Thank you it’s Malland (Maryland)

July 11 – And now it’s West Virginia

July 11 – Hallelujah are we are in Virginia

July 12 – We made it to the North Carolina state line

July 12 (near Mooresville, NC) – I’m sick of the car! Driving! My clothes! My shoes! I’m tired!!

July 12 – Hell yeah!! Made it to South Carolina!!

July 12 – Atlanta 169 more miles to go

July 12 – Atlanta hundred and 69 more miles to go

July 12 – Finally finally finally made it to Georgia. Find down rain get off home (Siri and I were having communication (and relationship issues). It was supposed to say “Finally finally finally made it to Georgia. Pouring down rain and we just want to be home”)

July 12 – If I don’t get home soon I’m going to need a lawyer

July 12 – For the record I am cranky!

July 12 – Finally home!!

July 12(really after midnight) – Good night friends! So glad to be home, but can’t believe I’m still awake right now! It’s been a few days since I got home so I’m starting to feel like myself again (thank goodness)!

 

Here are some glimpses into our road trip!