Tuesday Night:

Die Amtrak!

So, we get onto the first train in Syracuse, walk on, claim seats only to realize that they’re twice as close as usual with no footrests or anything to make a bed of sorts that’s actually bearable to stay in. I ask the conductor what the hell happened, and he says that they just gave the train this car and tough luck. Now honestly! Why the fuck do we have to get onto a coach car that is made of tiny, squished-in, commuter seats!? One PAYS quite a bit of money for the large seats, footrests, and space between rows obviously because why else would you voluntarily ride something OVERNIGHT without these amenities!? But, to just put the wrong fucking CAR onto the train then force people who’ve paid for the advertised conditions to just get squished on an overnight trip is absolute madness!!!! ARGH!


Wednesday Afternoon:

Minor Concessions

Eventually, (and after making it readily known the failures of Amtrak) our family was ushered to seats in the coveted, “normal” car, though the four seats faced each other and thus had little to no leg room, either. Still, by putting our feet up on the seats across, we managed to squeeze like sardines into the space and claim a few hours’ sleep on the Lakeshore Limited to Chicago. But, before calm had covered the train car, we were interrupted by ragged and painfully loud, hacking coughing from across the aisle. Walrus-cougher continued throughout the night and well into the morning at seemingly random intervals. What joy was mine... This morning we docked into Chicago’s vast Union Station and set off toward Navy Pier to blow some of our five hour layover. I highly recommend the free trolly that runs throughout the city, for it affords a peaceful trip through the bustle. Navy Pier was dead at 11am, so Noah was in full-quoting swing. He bored us silly with inaccurate representations of Monty Python, Farscape, Futurama, and more Monty Python. I mean, if you’re gonna do it, DO IT RIGHT! After several minutes of calling him “Santos,” he subsided long enough for us to eat lunch. We took the trolly back and here we are, waiting and waiting for the Empire Builder to take us back to St. Paul. It seems like ages since we were home, but I can’t believe the summer is over. Tomorrow is, of course, Dad’s surgery. I’m really worried, but I don’t think I’ll let that one come out to romp.

Thursday (a.k.a. the day of hell) To Do:
Wash and dry comforter
Dry bed and toss pillows with pair of shoes to make them fluffy
Do dirty laundry from vacation (Meg, I’m thinking of you here!)
Pack up computer speakers
Pack up last essentials: makeup, lotion, shampoo, shoes, underwear, razors, etc.
Double check list and already-packed boxes
Move bags and boxes downstairs
Roll up rug and figure out where to put it
Start loading everything into Subaru
-get creative and use trucking skills from band
Bring Noah to middle school to pick up schedule @1:30
Sell G Con books to Nathan @3-4pm
Teach final private swimming lesson @6:15
If time:
Go out to coffee
See few friends
Try not to go insane

Now, ought that not to be FUN!? Mwa hahahaahahaha