Eggs, Bacon, and Coyote Heads

We made it to Rochester last night.  It took us twelve hours because we all know I can't be in one place {including a car} for too long.  I think Mom appreciated my style of travel and enjoyed the frequent distractions and stops rather than Dad's style which is a style I like to refer to as GET THERE.  

Mom picked me up at my house bright and early and we headed to the Starbucks before we left town.  Along with my iced coffee, I got a little slice of cinnamon swirl.  Once we were out on the open road, I tried to break off a piece of cinnamon swirl and turns out it was frozen.  I made a royal mess of my fingers trying to eat it and said, "Boy, I wish I had a fork and plate...that would be perfect."  Mom said, "I think I have that."  I said, "What?"  She said, "Yep, right here."  She then handed me over the cinnamon swirl on a plate with a fork and I proceeded to eat it.  Now, that's what I call a prepared traveler.  Who carries with them a plate and a fork?  

As we continued on, I was really glad I brought my sunglasses along.

We had to stop in Grand Forks to drop off the lens I've been borrowing from my cousin.  It's the lens I have been wanting to marry the last two weeks and I was belly aching the entire way to GF about having to give it up.  We pulled up to their house and Mom handed me a box and told me to quit complaining.  Yeah!  Now I really can get married to this lens...mine, all mine!  

The front porch of cousin's house; had to make sure my new husband worked.

Then, Mom and I went to the car wash and it turns out Mom's car does have a neutral indeed.  I didn't even struggle with finding it.

When it was time to be dried, Mom said to me, "Please do. not. ask. him if he is living the dream.  He obviously is not."  I have no idea why she would say that to me; it's not like I've ever asked anyone that before.  Her saying that about dryer guy had nothing to do with him being a dryer guy, that is living the dream.  It had everything to do with the fact that he looked about as happy as a cat in water.  I said, "Mom, why would you ever think I would ask that?"  She gave me the look.  So, I showed her...when the dryer guy opened my door, I most certainly did not ask him if he was living the dream.  Instead, when he asked if I wanted the door jams dried, I looked right at him and said, "Well, of course.  Do you like eggs and bacon?"  Mom laughed because really what else are you going to do.  Dryer guy did not laugh.  His loss.  His loss.

I would like to get something off my chest before I go any further.  North Dakota gets a bad rap sometimes for being country, hickish, call it what you want, but I'm going to tell you something.  Minnesota has its own backwoodsishness.  At a very high class gas station in a town in Minnesota that shall remain nameless, we found Daniel Boone style hats that were made from REAL coyote heads....sunken eye balls and all.  Say what?  Say yuck.  I'll say this; I have never, never, never had any desire to have a real coyote head on top of my head.  Am I alone in this?  Are there people out there who desire a coyote head on their head?  I didn't dare take a picture.  You just never know.  Please imagine them in your head, or maybe on your head...it's really your choice.  Rather, here is Mom and I outside classy gas station; we were clearly starting to look a little traveled.

Then, we headed further into MN and found some things prettier than coyote heads.  I know, that is really quite hard to believe.  Look...water and trees.  Must be MN.

They are further along in their spring than we are.  Pretty trees.  Pretty trees.

So, we are here.  We are living the dream sitting in a waiting room and Mom is calm, cool, and collected.  Here's hoping to a GREAT day with easy to take news and maybe some more coyote heads.  One day of that just isn't enough.