Thursday Sept 9th

I'm getting ready to take a trip to visit my dad.  A long car drive, by me - a person who has only put 13,000 miles on her car in the last five years. 

I'm going home. 

I'm slightly nervous, even as I remind myself that my friend Anna does this all the time.  As do scores of other women.  And I'll have company.  My 84 year old "aunt" is riding with me. 

As I prepare - loading up my Ipod, charging my digital camera, making sure the GPS is loaded with new maps, borrowing my husband's radar detector, loading up my Kindle - do you see a pattern here?  So many electronics that I apparently consider essential to my survival.  I'm also bringing my Alphasmart and my laptop.  So there.  Pfffft. 

I'll be leaving Monday and coming home Friday.  My dear husband is looking after the dogs.  I get a break from the day job, the personal trainer, and the sadistic massage therapist (not really) who is working on my problem IT Band.  I don't get a break from writing, as there is a deadline after all. 

And I get to see my dad.  So I need to stop being nervous.  Right?

Boulder, Colorado in February 2008