Not so routine road trips.

This last weekend I decided I needed to venture outside of Howktown. I decided that I would, in  fact, visit Ingvaldia. This should be an easy trip. I practically grew up in the town next to it, and my best friend lived in the same neighborhood when I was in high school.  Plus, I'd made the trip a hundred times before.

I had grand plans of going to Target! Such luxuries are not mine in Howktown, the closest I can get is Walllbelch (I can't even say it). I would take my time getting there, stopping at the Co-Op on the way and be there in plenty of time to make it to the birthday party we planned to attend that night.  Everything was going perfectly when the road I was meant to take was closed.

That's right! Remember the 10 feet of snow we had this winter? Guess what, it's melting. It has to go somewhere, and the river is damn near full, so that means your basement, corn field, or highway... which ever is closer (sometiems all three!).

I called up Sara and asked her if I needed to continue North and swing around and she agreed that I should... but then her husband piped in and offered closer alternative routes. There was arguing going on about topographical features that would result in optimal flood areas, but the hubby's route was assured, so I quickly turned around and tried it.  No luck.  I head back to where I came from and tried the next road, closed.  I sighed and headed northwest towards the next town 10 miles away.

I came across a road that I remembered from childhood being a route that could get me where I wanted and we were far enough from the river that it might actually get me there!  I took and drove... and drove... and became confused by the surroundings. There didn't used to be that there. Where did all these houses come from.  Next I saw the road I wanted to turn onto was now an overpass with no entrance ramp!  DRAT!

In a panic I called Sara and they assured me that I didn't have to turn around and just keep going. On faith I followed their instructions and was delivered to my destination ten minutes later.  WHEW! So much for knowing my surrounding. I can't believe 15 years would make that much of a difference!

Later Sara and I stopped for coffee and noticed a huge crowd at the bridge in town. So naturally, we joined them.

I wasn't the only out of the way road trip we made that weekend, and we made it to the birthday party just in time.

Torment is Love, right?

Now that the craziness of Thanksgiving is over, I can take a little breath and tell you about something that I've been meaning to tell you about for a long time.

It has nothing to do with Thanksgiving, at least not directly. Are you disappointed that I'm not going to talk about the crazy dinner, surprise guests, full length table of food, and the Holiday Haikus that I suggested and my sisters pulled off while I was clucking around in the kitchen?  Ah, that's boring, lets talk about our family members. Namely my sister, The First Lady of Ingvaldia, Sara.

See, I've been tormenting her for YEARS. It's true. She made the mistake of telling the whole family when she got married that Under NO Circumstances, did she want "FISH" items.  "Just because we LOVE fishing, doesn't mean I want a SWEATSHIRT with a WALLEYE on it!" She declared.

As you can imagine, that hasn't stopped me from finding exceptional examples of fish related items, taking pictures of them and sending them to her on her phone with a not so veiled threat... That I'm at the store now buying this for you. HAHAHAHAHA.

It started out simple enough. One really ugly fish head photo holder just couldn't be passed up. I had to show it to her. Of course, it really was just a gateway. A gateway of torment, that was really just my way of showing love... Right?

Every store I walked into, every catalog I opened. Garage Sales, Craft Shows, Festivals... all full of glorious ways to taunt my fish loving sister.

There wasn't anything more to it... but the examples... they  just kept coming.

There were the lamps that were fashioned to look like a walleye jumping out of the water, the wire mesh chip basket with a dip bowl in the tail (and mini fish hanging off the side), the stained glass suncatchers, the pot racks that looked like a giant lure.

The best part of it, however, was Sara's reaction to everything I showed or sent to her. Sometimes she would walk away without acknowledging the awesomeness that I was showing her.  Other times she tried to play it cool, because she knew (or did she?) that I was just playin' her. When she started to act like it was no big deal, that I wouldn't really do it... I reminded her that it might be true that I wouldn't get something for her... but her husband was fair game.  He already had a "Rather be Fishing" bumper sticker.

That's when she would turn a shade lighter and try to change the subject.

All I have to say is... Christmas is a comin'! Will I?

heheheheh HAHAHAHAHA hheheheheh HAHAHAHA

Touche`, Stacy, Touche` *

In Response to the last post by The Mayor of Ingvaldia:

---

From:Stacy
Sent:Monday, October 05, 2009 8:39 AM
To:Sara
Subject:handshakes

in a world filled with murder, mayhem and h1n1 ... blogging is safer then handshakes.  stacy ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

==================================================================

You may have noticed that The Mayor hasn't been posting to the Howktown Gazette recently (or at all). She has a lot excuses, some of them good... like she didn't know how to log on.  So this weekend I assisted her in that endeavor.  She now has no excuses for not being able to log on.  I can't say that will increase her posting though, since technically I wrote that post for her while she was sitting next to me.

*(Snrk. touche! I crack myself up!)

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Hide

Don't expect much.

Happy Birthday, Erin. I hope your freaking happy. I blogged, okay. Can I go on with my life now? Huh? Huh? You know, interacting with people on a personal level. With voices, and handshakes, and such?

Thanks. Love you too!

Ta Ta!

Sara.