New Record

We set a new land speed record on crossing the state today - the slowest on record, that is. We left the ranch around 10:30 this morning and pulled into our house at 6:30 p.m. I'll do the math for you: that's eight hours. For a six hour trip. With only one potty stop! Blah!

I guess it could be worse. We could have had car trouble or run over a cute woodland creature, but it was nothing like that. We were car shopping. Like we need another car. T has so many that I refer to them collectively as the fleet. I think we are up to eight? nine? I lose track of all the Jeeps... Of course, most of them are pre-1970's vehicles that T has lovingly restored over the years. He always says he is going to sell them, but he never does. And now we will be adding another Jeep to the fleet.

So, that extra two hours? Spent sitting in the parking lots of two different dealerships. Let's recap this recipe for fun: one husband inside wheeling and dealing, one crabby wife, two kids under 4 (all with miserable colds), three dogs, one truck, and way too much time with nothing to do. Fun for every one! At the first stop, I finally took pity on the kids and brought them inside. Then I became that parent who let her kids crawl all over the inside of the model cars pushing buttons and flipping visors. At least Q didn't set off the panic button as he did at a restaurant last week!

The next dealership didn't even have cars in which to let my children to behave badly. It had wet paint! Which Z immediately stuck her hand in on her father's watch. So then were exiled to the picnic tables on the lot, where all of the employees go for smoke breaks. And they smoke like fiends! So while T is inside in the air conditioning, I'm all, "No! Don't touch that nasty cigarette! Stop! That table is covered in bird poop! Q, stop hot wiring that golf cart! Z, do not play SuperGirl into oncoming traffic!" When I had finally had all I could take and was stuffing the kids back into the truck, T emerged victorious and pleased with his progress. At least one of us was having fun!

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I'm too brain dead to do it now, but I will write more tomorrow about our exciting times at the ranch!*

*Not sarcastic at all. Okay, maybe a little sarcastic. Or a lot. Whatever.