So we get up early to leave, Chip packed the car super fast as I gathered, herded and managed to get myself ready. Neither Chip nor I had a chance to get anything to eat. We were hyper-focused on leaving to avoid Seattle traffic. This would definitely come back to haunt us.
Off to Oregon way we went! We managed to leave Dawn and Rusty’s around 10:30 or so, give or take 30 minutes. We knew it would be bad, but not how horrific this day would be. 5 mph on I-5. Seriously. I was trying so hard to be calm. After a while, it was just infuriating. Especially considering the hunger factor. I tend to go from zero to bitch in about a millisecond when I’m frustrated and hungry. It was all I could do to not hurt our children in the car with me as I was spouting off at Chip how horrible it was as the hours wore on. I wanted it to be his fault. It so wasn’t. It really wasn’t. As the day wore on, if traffic allowed for 20 mph it made me super happy.
Of course it IS July. It IS hot out. No, we don’t have snacks. Arrrrrrggggghhhhh. This went on for a few more hours. Finally at about 3:30p we got off the God awful freeway and made our way to a Jimmy John’s Deli. We had never been there before, so ordering was interesting. I desperately wanted a drink…if only drinking and driving were legal. And…I was still itching. A lot.
Adding insult to injury, the speed limit in Oregon is 55 mph. Finally at about 6:30 or so, we managed to reach Danny and Jamie’s. Thank god we had cold wine! It was so fabulous to visit with Bunny, Bill, Danny and Jamie. It was way too quick at less than 24 hours, but we crammed in all of the wine and conversation that we could. The kids enjoyed the cat, but Ryan had a little reaction. No, we didn’t punch him.
After wayyyyyy too much wine, I went to bed. Chip, Bunny and Bill stayed up and enjoyed more wine and conversation. As soon as the alcohol had worn off, I was awake. Off to Fred Meyer I went. Early in the morning, the store was quiet. As I roamed the beautiful store, it made me nostalgic for my Alaska home. I remembered how much I enjoyed shopping at Fred Meyer out on Dimond. Amidst my thoughts of home, I gathered up sausage and biscuits because I was set to make the best hangover food ever! Biscuits and gravy. I found all of my ingredients but made no hurry of leaving the store. I was reliving my past in Anchorage. God how I miss that place. Living there. And the people.
Anyway, back to Horton’s I went and whipped up some breakfast while everyone, with cobwebs in their head and all made their way through the morning. Chip and I quickly packed up because we had to get to Winnemucca within the next 24 hours or so to pick up our half beef. Always something. Always a deadline. Made it feel like it was not a vacation. Oh yeah, I was still itching. Bad. Really bad.