Leaving on a ...train

Written on Monday, December 16.

The journey began today with the usual running aroud like chickens with our heads removed; last minute errands to the banks, post office, drug store, Chik-Fil-A, and my office. We also worked in one final workout before 17 days of train travel, hotels, visiting, and uncertain food. It was go go go, all day long, with only a few minutes here and there to check email and Facebook and set the DVR. Left behind in Savannah today, my mother, hanging with the cats and dog, probably cleaning something as we speak. After cramming everything we possibly could into our over-stuffed suitcases, laptop bag, book bag and overnight/travel bag, we load into the Jeep and race out the southwest bypass to the Amtrak station, located in a wasteland of industrial warehouses and whatnot. Praise God, they called and said the train was running an hour late. Praise Him again because when we called while driving like bats out of hell, they told my husband that the train was not expected until 8:55...almost an hour and a half late. We make it to the station, park, unload, check our bags, print the tickets, and now I can breathe a sigh of relief and relax. It is all in Amtrak's hands now, our coming and going, our rising and sleeping, our eating and, well, you get the picture.
This is only my third train trip here in the US (I took a marvelous train trip when in Norway in 2001...) but my first US train trip took place in 2006 when I drove from NY to Montana with my fiance, then took the train from Williston, ND to Pittsburgh, PA to attend a friend's wedding. That trip was a lot of fun, despite being in coach the whole way, not sleeping for something like 36 hours and my camera battery dying as we came in sight of Chicago. This time, my now-husband and I are travelling with roomettes all the way. Already, I feel more civilized. We boarded, dropped our carryons and headed one car away to the dining car where we had a nice meal and coffee and then wove our way to the club car to read and for me to be able to write this. There's no wifi yet, so it will be at least tomorrow before I can post this...






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A call to radical self-love

"Live as if you liked yourself, and it may happen" Marge Piercy "The seven of pentacles" According to the societal standards of beauty, I am an abject failure. For years, I walked around, beating myself up in my head because of my fat body. Every day I looked in the mirror and was never satisfied. I obsessed about everything I ate, especially when eating in public. Unlike many fat women, I don't have any horror stories of ill-treatment from strangers, or potential romantic partners, or employers, but we know these exist for many, many obese men and women. When I look around me at women on television, in movies, in magazines, in advertisements, and in almost every representation, I see more benchmarks of beauty that I do not meet. That I will never meet -- not because I am slothful and uncaring -- but because they are meant to be unattainable. Long, thick, glossy hair. Wrinkle, blemish, and pore free. Perfectly proportioned body, boobs and booty. Cellulite
Read more

Reflections on a few days on the Montana/North Dakota border

Image
After our arrival on the 19th, it was dark by the time we reached our hotel in Syndey, MT, a small town graced by a few new stoplights since my last visit in 2007 (and a new grocery store or two as well). One of the best things about Sydney is Sunny's Restaurant, a charming and excellent breakfast/lunch place on one of the main corners in town. We ate there four times during our stay -- one day when my hubby was feeling crappy, they graciously served him oatmeal for lunch, while I chowed down on the absolute best hot roast beef sandwich I've ever had...with a side of real mashed potatoes. They are only open until 2 or 3, so you gotta get there early. Every waitress we had was pleasant and friendly, and the food was delicious. They were always hopping too. Steam rising from the sugar beet processing factory in Sydney, MT One of the side-effects of the Bakken boom is that many local businesses keep more limited hours and find it difficult to keep help. If you can go out a
Read more

The Christmas card I didn't send, 2014 edition

Image
I did not send Christmas cards this year. Parent and sibling exceptions. They got special cards. Oh, I purchased them -- boxes of adorable sparkly cards at Target -- and I already had some that I've squirreled away for future use in a box at home, along with a cute package of make-your-own cards as well (mostly all purchased at some after-Christmas rock-bottom sale price). Oh, and some nice free cards that came in the mail from some organization or other. I love getting cards, especially from friends and family, even those that are just pictures. I'm one of the last relics who also sends cards for birthdays and babies and sympathy and just because. Not many people reciprocate, but that's fine; I don't send cards in order to get more back. I like the old-fashioned and tactile nature of cards. This year, the spirit was willing but the flesh was weak, and I was totally exhausted from the semester's end and still needed to do Christmas shopping. Something had to
Read more