ticket total

The speeding tix was $550 usa. We paid a Hundred bucks in September.

Off to get Candy

Went over to Vancouver Island to get Candy our energetic Cocker Spaniel. That would complete our trip full circle. Vancouver Island on the West Coast to Prince Edward Island o the East Coast.

Almost home

We had to wait about 45 minutes, but in the end we DID get to see Old Faithful. Unfortunately there was no wifi as advertised at the KOA in West Yellowstone.

Afterward, we spent a pretty whiny trip driving through Montana and Idaho to eastern Washington. There were several mountain passes and they must have done a number on Mary's ears. We stayed in quite a nice Comfort Inn last night. One of the better rates and better hotels, too. Hot tub and great continental breakfast.

We're crossing the border back home today. Don't get too excited - we're not actually returning home properly. We still have to go and pick up Romeo and Izzy's long lost sister, Candy, from her big camping/fishing trip with Grandma on Vancouver Island.

Bursting a bubble

Today we're off to take Scott to see Yogi Bear and Old Faithful. I'm trying to figure out how to break it to him that Yogi isn't real.

The drive yesterday was stinking hot and over 100 degrees. Thank God for air conditioning. We spent the night in Buffalo, Wyoming. Today is expected to be even hotter, but hopefully cooler in the mountains.

Little Baby on the Prairie

The highlight of the trip for me was De Smet, South Dakota, setting of half the Little House on the Prairie series. I read those books several times over for years when I was younger, and they partly helped inspire my interest in historical fiction. It's a shame we were all so tired and pressed for time, or I would have toured the town, too, but we stuck to the Ingalls homestead.

It wasn't as authentic, perhaps, as Green Gables, but it was FAR more interactive. You could actually touch things and experience everything. There were horses, kittens, a replica shanty, a school house with an authentic OLD teacher, and of course a gift shop. Mary got a bonnet and I bought the box set of books. It was actually a deal, vs. buying the box set of Green Gables books in PEI.

We are currently in Wall, South Dakota, home of Wall Drug, a colossal tourist trap made famous by its numerous billboards. We're also quite close to Mount Rushmore, and there's a Wounded Knee museum. I would have liked to see 1880 Town, which we passed on the highway. I think somewhere around here, or perhaps the next state, is a cowboy museum.

It's tough being a baby

I don't understand. I sleep better if Mummy is right beside me and I can eat whenever I want. After just 8 hours of sleeping, she decided she didn't like that. I was mortified! I cried and cried and wouldn't go back to sleep. Mummy hid her head under the covers. Daddy tried his best to get me to stop crying and go back to sleep, but silly Daddy can't feed me the way Mummy can. After a while Mummy got really frustrated and fed me and I fell asleep! It was great. I was happy and they were happy. Then Izzy barked and I woke up and Mummy didn't want to feed me again. I don't understand. It had been a whole 20 minutes. Just a little snack and I'd go right back to sleep. Well, maybe.

Now I'm going to sleep in the car. Mummy is complaining because she won't get breakfast. She could I guess, but I'll wake up and cry cry cry if they stop, and I guess they don't want that.

It's tough being a baby.

No-tell Motel

We got lost in Chicago (big surprise) and ended up in a No-tell Motel of Super 8 in Lansing, south of the city. They snuck in the dogs for us, which was great, but all they had was a smoking room, which made me cough all night. The dogs pissed all over the room, too, because a drug dealer set up shop outside and Scott didn't want to hang around back there. They offered high speed internet, but the connection was so bad it didn't work. We DID order a fabulous Chicago deep-dish pizza, though.

In the morning, plans with friends fell through and we drove onward toward Iowa where plans with another friend were successful. We met up with my friend Holly and her daughter Charlotte and husband Shane. Charlotte was awesome. She wanted to hold my hand when we were walking and got me sucked into carrying her, too. She gave Mary lots of hugs and kisses, but did also kick her in the nose once.

Afterward, we drove onward again. Just past Des Moines we hit some terrible weather. Shortly after, once we'd cleared the storm cell, the emergency broadcast system came over the radio warning of tornado activity in the area we'd just been. Fun! Around this time Romeo also pissed himself in the car. He was desperately asking out and doing everything he could, but the last time we stopped for him the baby woke up and screamed for an hour. She needed her sleep. Poor Romeo ended up losing bladder control at my feet, onto the rubber mat. We apologized to him and told him he was a good boy.

We're in for the night at a Motel 6 in western Iowa. Their high speed internet doesn't work in the rooms. Lame. They've also got rules posted everywhere. Take off your muddy shoes. Don't open the window. And they're going to inspect the room before we check out. The TV is tiny, too.

Tomorrow we'll start to head north to South Dakota.