November 23, 2005
Ah, the joys of holiday travel.
Written by RobynDeHart in Jaunty PostIt all started on Monday after I dropped The Professor off at work. I had several things on my to-do list, but I’d just remembered one more. Make sugar cookies. Now I’ve mentioned these on here before (and the recipe is coming, I promise), this is like my baking “thing”, it’s what I do. And since we aren’t coming back up here to Ohio for Christmas, I’d promised to bring the cookies for Turkey Day instead. Only I’d forgotten to make them. I usually do this in a two-day procedure because frankly, they’re labor intensive. But I had everything I needed at home, so off I went to begin the long process.
Everything was going as planned, but then all of a sudden the dough was really wet. This is unusual because it’s a very dry dough, on normal days. I began wondering if I’d added too much water, or perhaps I’d miscounted my cups of flour. I added more flour, then reached in to grab the dough so I could form it into a ball and chill it for a few hours before rolling and cutting. Have you ever heard that you can make homemade glue with flour and water? As I was peeling this goop off of my hands, I had a vague recollection of that from elementary school.
Needless to say, a bit more flour and I had it to a consistency that could be rolled into a ball. It was stickier than normal to roll out, but I managed to get them done and they actually taste like they normally do. Crisis averted.
But that was Monday. Yesterday was entirely different. The Professor had one class to teach, I had my Weight Watchers meeting to attend and then we were heading back home to pack, settle the cats in, and then hit the road for our 2+ hour drive to the airport. I’d already done the laundry, so the packing would be a cinch. Only it’s hard to pack when you have a 20lb cat sitting in the suitcase – they always know when we’re leaving. The other one threw-up in the hall…ick! But an hour or so later and we were ready to go, only to discover that the main road out of our subdivision was closed due to a gas leak. Hmmm….now we’ve only lived in this town since mid-August, so we haven’t exactly explored other options (this would be why I sat for an hour behind a garbage truck last week….more on that another time). But we managed to figure a way out and we made it to the airport 3 hours before our flight. Phew!
The flight was fine. The Professor slept – as usual. And I wrote. Oh, and Anne, you were right there was a dirty guy behind me, only he wasn’t a codger, but rather a college student which was somehow more unnerving. I managed to get the screen minimized enough that I don’t think he could read it, afterall, I had miraculously timed things so that I was working on a love scene right there on the plane.
But then we got here and oh….there’s snow. On the ground and more in the forecast. Suddenly all of the hurried stress is forgotten. Being a Texas girl, this cold, white powder is like a gift from heaven, so beautiful and sparkling, it just mesmerizes me. So I’m relaxed and very much looking forward to my short vacation here.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. I, for one, have much to be thankful for.
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Isabel Says:
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! Robyn, I know what you mean about cats. They just know when you’re leaving and make it an ordeal to leave the house on time. This year we are staying home and we’re actually getting our turkey dinner with all the trimmings from our local supermarket. Robyn have a safe and wonderful trip..
Shana Says:
Oh, your traveling sounds so lovely, Robyn (despite the misadventures). I wish I were going somewhere. Of course, I guess the grass is always greener. When you’re traveling, you wish you could be home, and when you’re home, going somewhere sounds so much better.
Enjoy!
Shane
Anne Mallory Says:
LOL on the college guy and love scene. Never fails!
My cats hop in the suitcase too. The more fluffy material in there the better, although Bob will happily rest in an empty one as well.
Have a great time in Ohio with all the lovely snow!
Haven Rich Says:
Ohh I’m so jealous. Your up there enjoying the snow and I’m still here in Texas..shame!!
On the other topic, my cats always get nervous when I pack. Amie(the head boss) sometimes sits in the suitcase but if she thinks we are leaving her she insists on dragging out her carrier. Trust me she will actually drag it out of the closet and sit in it.
Hope you have a wonderful time and if you can bring back some snow..it will shock all us Texas folk lol.
April Redmon Says:
Our cats are suitcase-sitters too! And I have one neurotic dog that gets a serious case of the tummy-grumbles…truly ominous-sounding. The other dog just gives us a look that is sure to induce guilt on our parts.
We had to make a fast, overnight trip to OKC last week for a funeral, and I packed the cases and the car before DH got home, and my nervous dog tried to cram himself in the car too, grumbling tummy and all. I think he thought I was LEAVING DH.
Robyn DeHart Says:
Aren’t kitties the best? I miss mine terribly already. But hopefully they’re being well cared for by a friend who’s checking on them.