Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 7:19AM A long, strange day
Friday, November 20, 2009
7:00 a.m.: Wake, shower, dress, finish packing.
9:15 a.m.: Settle down with some knitting while Justin cleans the inside of the windshield and checks tire pressure.
9:30 a.m.: Estimated depature time. Still knitting.
9:35 a.m.: Justin finds a nail in the left rear tire of the car.
9:40 a.m.: Justin and car leave to get the tired patched. He has called ahead, and they say it will take 20 minutes. Hooray, I can finish this week's episode of Glee!
10:30 a.m.: Just finished the last episode of Models of the Runway. No Justin.
11:30 a.m.: I call my mom to tell her we'll be a few hours late but still home in time for dinner.
11:35 a.m.: I call Justin's cell phone to see what the hell is taking so long. Am distracted by the buzzing coming from behind the couch. Justin has not taken his phone with him, and it's ringing somewhere in his luggage.
11:45: a.m.: Justin's phone buzzes. Finish Real Housewives of Orange County.
11:55 a.m.: Justin's phone buzzes.
12:05 p.m.: Justin's phone buzzes. I can't find the damn thing to shut it off, and Gracie becomes completely unhinged. She's wearing her collar, which means she's going somewhere, but she is STILL IN THE HOUSE, DAMMIT.
12:15 p.m.: I break into our snacks and eat my sandwich, some Pringles and a cookie. Watch an episode of House starring Smith Jerrod from SATC. Love Smith Jerrod. Love House.
12:30 p.m.: My mom calls back, asking about Justin's whereabouts. I confess that I have no idea where he went, only what street he is on (I overheard him confirming the location on the phone). There are at least five repair shops on that street. I see a coupon for Firestone on the counter, which means he probably didn't go there. He could be anywhere.
12:35 p.m.: Call Firestone. They haven't seen him today.
12:40 p.m.: Pick up phone book left next to coupon. Decide to call place only eight blocks away, featured in a full page ad.
12:45 p.m.: They have him. I'm told he has been really patient, until right about now, and he's starting to lose it. Apparently, we needed a new tire and they sent someone to the warehouse and he got stuck in traffic. In Kansas City. For three hours. I'm asked if I want to talk to my husband, but I say, "No thanks. I just wanted to make sure he wasn't dead in the street."
1:15 p.m.: He is home and he is PISSED. Gracie, however, is ecstatic.
1:45 p.m.: We are finally on the road, four hours later than planned.
3:00 p.m.: We stop for gas. If there was ever a place where one would catch a sexually-transmitted disease from a toilet, this is it. Also, there are bullet casings on the ground next to the gas pump. I inform Justin that Gibbs would be all, "Pick up your brass!"
5:30 p.m.: It's dark and I can't knit anymore. We're just past Des Moines. I decide to play a fun game called "I don't know what's on this Christmas mix I made four years ago. Let's try to guess!" The answers include Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Britney Spears, and the SNL "I Wish it was Christmas Today" song.
6:55 p.m.: Gracie vomits. She sometimes throws up when she's hungry, and her rigid feeding time is 6:30 (both a.m. and p.m.). You would think she wore a watch or something.
7:45 p.m.: We arrive at my parents' house. Within 10 minutes, Gracie and Penny are going at it like someone killed their favorite pony.
8:45 p.m.: My parents come home from dinner. Gracie chases an enormous deer in their backyard. She will never want to go home again.
10:30 p.m.: The dogs have been fighting for two hours. We are all exhausted and forcibly separate them.
5:30 a.m.: Gracie is ready to party.
gracie, travelling in gracie 
Reader Comments (1)
what a day! i like the part where the garage tells you that Justin has been very patient, but he's starting to lose it.