a leetle bit sore from the car-ride

But otherwise okay. Bear and I corralled the young'uns and threw them in the car, drove (okay, Bear drove, and I played an amusing 23 hour game of pick up bottle, pick up nook, pick up toys, and also answered 20 hours of questions about highway construction and big machines.) and we drove, and we drove, to upper New York, where my mum and dad let us stay, and then the next day drove through three states to Kentucky. Why Kentucky? In August? Surely the smart thing to do is visit the hot and humid states nearer Christmas? Yes, that would be the smarter thing. But we had a purpose. My grandparents were having their sixtieth wedding anniversary, and everyone on my mother's side of the family was going to be there. It was lovely. Hotter than hell, and so humid it felt as though we were drowning in warm water, but lovely to see everyone. My Uncle Rick has married a smart and beautiful woman who I met for the first time, and they were nice enough to let me and mine stay in their house.

Oh, did I mention this was the first time 98 percent of the people we visited had seen Rosebud in the flesh? Including all my parental units and the grandparents? Living three thousand miles away is hell on get-togethers.

But hey - we managed, through all the relative seeing and merrymaking, to haul the children (under the guise of this will be a fun thing, damnit) to the Louisville Zoo, and I had the privilege and pleasure of not only watching my little boy ooh and aaah over the animals, but of carrying my 42 lb son when halfway through he decided it was too hot and sticky and awful to go any farther.

Cass at the beginning of the Zoo:


and a melted and crabby boy (just on the edge of a whine):


Jesus, it was hot. But the relatives were all there, and, amazingly, all liked my renegade children. (Or at least faked it well.) The celebrations were wonderful, and the kidlets had just started to relax when boom! We threw them, protesting, back into the car (the baby has no more love left for her carseat, let me tell you) and drove back to Canandaigua and stayed there for a few days. Time with the other set of parents, dont'cha know.

I looove New York. Bear loooves New York. I may, actually, be able to get his little Canadian heinie to move to New York. I'm afraid I spent a lot of time saying things like "Oh, look! If we lived here you could work there!" while Bear smiled lightly and rolled his eyes. (No fool, my husband, even if the car ride thingy was his idea.)

Mum and Dad's house is spectacular. And peaceful. We spent a lot of time just relaxing, talking and swimming and eating incredibly good food - it was a breath of calm in our hurricane of a vacation.

And now we're back, and I miss all my extended family with all my heart.