Ben's Blog: Day 29 [July 13]
Well. Today's the day. If all goes well, we should be home shortly after three in the afternoon. I'm pretty sure I'll just crash when I get home. For the meantime though, I'm practically wired.
So yes. The only stops we're making today are for gas, and home. Sounds like I'll spend the day listening to music, and staring wistfully out the window. Maybe I'll amuse myself by making faces at the other cars. That's always fun... I especially enjoy staring down people that try to pretend they don't see me. Hehehe...
As far as music goes, I definitely prefer non-mainstream artists. It seems like most of the popular artists these days are insanely unoriginal, and all they ever do is talk about drugs and such. And people wonder why I don't relate...
Highlights of today's listening include: The Glitch Mob, Yellowcard, The Downtown Fiction, All-American Rejects, The Hush Sound, Panic! at the Disco, fun. (Yes, it's lowercase, and has a period at the end. Get over it.), Maroon 5 (Yes, they're mainstream, but their cover of The Way You Look Tonight is most definitely not), Owl City, Sinfonia of London Orchestra, Glen Miller And His Orchestra, Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly, Bing Crosby, DeVotchKa, The Polyphonic Spree, Sondre Lerche, The Airborne Toxic Event, Michael Buble, Alkaline Trio, Train, and many more.
I did not realize today was Friday the 13th, otherwise I would probably have picked up a hockey mask to use while staring down people... I can imagine the looks on the faces of those superstitious few. [Insert Evil Laugh Here]
I can't decide if I'm ending this blog when I get home, or if I should continue it. I guess that would give me motivation to do interesting things so I could write about it, but... I don't really know.
*snaps fingers*
I know! You guys can decide. Comment with what you think I should do.
(Now I can see how many of you actually read this...)
-On My Way Home,
Ben
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Day 27: Fort McKinney...
Ben's Blog: Day 27 [July 11]
I woke up before most of my family. I was in a tent. By myself. Oh yeah, life is good. I got to shower this morning, which is always nice. Although I felt awkward, because the stalls allowed you to see the head of the person next you. Eesh. They were all old men. *shudder*
On a happier note, breakfast was oatmeal. Peaches and Cream, with a hot chocolate on the side. Shaken, not stirred. Heh heh heh... And a little Vodka Martini for you...
The rest of the 'chilluns took ages to wake up, and get packed up. I can't believe them. They're so unpunctual.
[Truthful Interjection #23: Contrary to popular belief, I was actually on time this morning. Not sure why...]
Lots of driving today. We saw Mount Rushmore, passingly, and we also saw Devil's Tower, again passingly. In other words, Dad didn't really want to stop and get out. So at least I can say I've seen them. At least through a car window.
In fact, we were driving so fast, we got to Gillette a day earlier than expected. This meant I got to see my friend Alex a day earlier. I was super excited. She had dinner with us, which was really the only way I was gonna be able to have time to talk to her. So yeah. Dinner was good, as was the conversation. I ordered pancakes, and got waaaaay more than I expected. Still can't believe I ate them all. THEY WERE HUGE! And there were five of them. I normally eat like four medium ones. So I'm stuffed right now. Any mention of food, and I'm liable to barf.
Sadly, we didn't spend much more time in Gillette after dinner, so I guess it's goodbye to Alex for quite some time. At least face to face. Thank heavens for Facebook. I swear, I'd have like twenty less friends if not for Facebook. (Wait, wouldn't that mean I'd have negative 17?) Haha, kidding. It would be -10.
So yeah. We have another hour of driving ahead of us, before we get to Buffalo. (That's in Wyoming, in case you didn't know.) So I think I'll be sleeping. *sigh*...
Goodnight. If the hotel has wi-fi, today's and yesterday's entries will be posted. If not... well, you wouldn't be reading this anyway, now would you?
-Between Gillette And Buffalo (And Wishing It Was Still Gillette),
Ben
OH! I forgot. We're staying at a Super 8 Motel... and we got the Fort McKinney Suite. I thought it was amusing because my friend's last name is McKinney.
I woke up before most of my family. I was in a tent. By myself. Oh yeah, life is good. I got to shower this morning, which is always nice. Although I felt awkward, because the stalls allowed you to see the head of the person next you. Eesh. They were all old men. *shudder*
On a happier note, breakfast was oatmeal. Peaches and Cream, with a hot chocolate on the side. Shaken, not stirred. Heh heh heh... And a little Vodka Martini for you...
The rest of the 'chilluns took ages to wake up, and get packed up. I can't believe them. They're so unpunctual.
[Truthful Interjection #23: Contrary to popular belief, I was actually on time this morning. Not sure why...]
Lots of driving today. We saw Mount Rushmore, passingly, and we also saw Devil's Tower, again passingly. In other words, Dad didn't really want to stop and get out. So at least I can say I've seen them. At least through a car window.
In fact, we were driving so fast, we got to Gillette a day earlier than expected. This meant I got to see my friend Alex a day earlier. I was super excited. She had dinner with us, which was really the only way I was gonna be able to have time to talk to her. So yeah. Dinner was good, as was the conversation. I ordered pancakes, and got waaaaay more than I expected. Still can't believe I ate them all. THEY WERE HUGE! And there were five of them. I normally eat like four medium ones. So I'm stuffed right now. Any mention of food, and I'm liable to barf.
Sadly, we didn't spend much more time in Gillette after dinner, so I guess it's goodbye to Alex for quite some time. At least face to face. Thank heavens for Facebook. I swear, I'd have like twenty less friends if not for Facebook. (Wait, wouldn't that mean I'd have negative 17?) Haha, kidding. It would be -10.
So yeah. We have another hour of driving ahead of us, before we get to Buffalo. (That's in Wyoming, in case you didn't know.) So I think I'll be sleeping. *sigh*...
Goodnight. If the hotel has wi-fi, today's and yesterday's entries will be posted. If not... well, you wouldn't be reading this anyway, now would you?
-Between Gillette And Buffalo (And Wishing It Was Still Gillette),
Ben
OH! I forgot. We're staying at a Super 8 Motel... and we got the Fort McKinney Suite. I thought it was amusing because my friend's last name is McKinney.
Day 28: Have Car, Will Travel
Ben's Blog: Day 28 [July 12]
Well, the hotel was nice. I slept well enough. We got out relatively early, after all, we had a long way to go. In fact, we're heading all the way from Wyoming to Washington today. Quite a distance...
We really don't have any stops planned for today. Mainly we just want to get away from the heat, and back home. I seriously hope it's not hot in Sequim. (Sorry to all you people there who like the heat. Go to D.C. if you want some... I hear they're pretty warm about now.)
I can't decided if I'm happy or not about going home. I mean, part of me wants to be home, with my friends, and out of the sun. However, this trip was actually okay, (despite my best intentions not to enjoy it), and I'll miss the fun of sleeping somewhere different every night, and being cramped into a car with screaming siblings, and not having anyone to talk to, and fighting over electronics, and... Okay, so yeah. I'm ready to be home. Desperately so. I need Washington, with its clean air, and well water, and lack of temperatures over 80 degrees. Here I come!
Tonight, we will be sleeping in Washington actually. Spokane to be precise. The FairBridge Inn, I believe, is what the hotel is called. It's pretty nice. The room's not as large as the one in the Super 8, but that's cause we didn't get a suite. *sigh*. My poor tortured existence. Not getting a suite...
[Truthful Interjection #24: I'm okay with the hotel room. Heaven knows it's larger than mine back home. Although mine doesn't have six people in it. Honestly, I'm just glad I have a place to crash.]
Tomorrow's the day we get home. No stops, just an all out stretch for home. I'm ready to be done.
-The Evergreen State (At Least, I'm Pretty Sure Washington's The Evergreen State. I'm Not All That Sure Any More),
Ben
^Fort McKinney Suite
Well, the hotel was nice. I slept well enough. We got out relatively early, after all, we had a long way to go. In fact, we're heading all the way from Wyoming to Washington today. Quite a distance...
We really don't have any stops planned for today. Mainly we just want to get away from the heat, and back home. I seriously hope it's not hot in Sequim. (Sorry to all you people there who like the heat. Go to D.C. if you want some... I hear they're pretty warm about now.)
I can't decided if I'm happy or not about going home. I mean, part of me wants to be home, with my friends, and out of the sun. However, this trip was actually okay, (despite my best intentions not to enjoy it), and I'll miss the fun of sleeping somewhere different every night, and being cramped into a car with screaming siblings, and not having anyone to talk to, and fighting over electronics, and... Okay, so yeah. I'm ready to be home. Desperately so. I need Washington, with its clean air, and well water, and lack of temperatures over 80 degrees. Here I come!
Tonight, we will be sleeping in Washington actually. Spokane to be precise. The FairBridge Inn, I believe, is what the hotel is called. It's pretty nice. The room's not as large as the one in the Super 8, but that's cause we didn't get a suite. *sigh*. My poor tortured existence. Not getting a suite...
[Truthful Interjection #24: I'm okay with the hotel room. Heaven knows it's larger than mine back home. Although mine doesn't have six people in it. Honestly, I'm just glad I have a place to crash.]
Tomorrow's the day we get home. No stops, just an all out stretch for home. I'm ready to be done.
-The Evergreen State (At Least, I'm Pretty Sure Washington's The Evergreen State. I'm Not All That Sure Any More),
Ben
^Fort McKinney Suite
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Day 26: Short Entry For A Long Day
Ben's Blog: Day 26 [July 10]
Well. Nothing really happened today. We drove. That's about it. We spent the entire day heading home. Stayed at a KOA. It was nice, because they have wi-fi. Which is, after all, one of the necessities of life.
I'm sorry that I don't really have to much. Some of glad of this. We honestly didn't do much today. Really. That's it. Zip. Zilch. Nada.
So... I'm gonna end this, at a point that would normally be premature, right here. Because there is nothing more to say.
-KOA In Kennebec, South Dakota,
Ben
Well. Nothing really happened today. We drove. That's about it. We spent the entire day heading home. Stayed at a KOA. It was nice, because they have wi-fi. Which is, after all, one of the necessities of life.
I'm sorry that I don't really have to much. Some of glad of this. We honestly didn't do much today. Really. That's it. Zip. Zilch. Nada.
So... I'm gonna end this, at a point that would normally be premature, right here. Because there is nothing more to say.
-KOA In Kennebec, South Dakota,
Ben
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Day 25: Custard (It's Delicious)
Ben's Blog: Day 25 [July 9]
We had to wake up early this morning, because the empty apartment we were staying in was getting painted. So we moved all our stuff next door into Sarah's apartment. I feel kind of bad that we take up so much room. Or at least that my family does, because I'm absolutely amazing at packing, and therefore got all my stuff into one bag, and a small pile. Oh yeah. I'm pretty much awesome.
We spent the first part of the morning playing video games (I can actually call them video games this time, instead of computer games. We played on the Wii) and going shopping. We had to pick up a swimsuit for me because, why else, we were going swimming at the landlord's pool.
The landlord's name is Fred. I didn't catch his last name. He's a pretty cool guy. He has a pool in his backyard that he lets anyone and everyone use, or so it seems. So we went swimming. For several hours. And of course, we got sunburnt. Ouch. Jonathan got it the worst because, despite our best efforts to warn him against such uncivilized behavior, he didn't put on sunscreen. (Okay, okay, uncivilized isn't the right word in this case, but I wanted to use it. If you don't like it, substitute the word 'reckless' instead.) He got it bad... all over his back. He looked like a lobster. That is, if lobsters had only two legs, opposable thumbs, and were shaped like people. You can bet he had fun sleeping on that.
After swimming, we went home, played more video games, and then had dinner. Papa Murphy's. It's good to know that Papa Murphy's is delicious no matter where you have it. For dessert we went out for custard, something I'd never had before. Basically, it's like ice cream, but better tasting, and worse for you... Man it was good. I had cherry, and they gave me so much, I could barely finish it. I feel like I'm packing on the pounds with this trip. Even though I'm most definitely not.
We leave tomorrow morning. I'm gonna miss Milwaukee. Even if only for my cousin, her family, and custard. Ahhhh.... custard.
-Milwaukee (Well, Actually, It's Tomorrow, So A Minivan Somewhere Between Milwaukee And Where We're Headed...),
Ben
We had to wake up early this morning, because the empty apartment we were staying in was getting painted. So we moved all our stuff next door into Sarah's apartment. I feel kind of bad that we take up so much room. Or at least that my family does, because I'm absolutely amazing at packing, and therefore got all my stuff into one bag, and a small pile. Oh yeah. I'm pretty much awesome.
We spent the first part of the morning playing video games (I can actually call them video games this time, instead of computer games. We played on the Wii) and going shopping. We had to pick up a swimsuit for me because, why else, we were going swimming at the landlord's pool.
The landlord's name is Fred. I didn't catch his last name. He's a pretty cool guy. He has a pool in his backyard that he lets anyone and everyone use, or so it seems. So we went swimming. For several hours. And of course, we got sunburnt. Ouch. Jonathan got it the worst because, despite our best efforts to warn him against such uncivilized behavior, he didn't put on sunscreen. (Okay, okay, uncivilized isn't the right word in this case, but I wanted to use it. If you don't like it, substitute the word 'reckless' instead.) He got it bad... all over his back. He looked like a lobster. That is, if lobsters had only two legs, opposable thumbs, and were shaped like people. You can bet he had fun sleeping on that.
After swimming, we went home, played more video games, and then had dinner. Papa Murphy's. It's good to know that Papa Murphy's is delicious no matter where you have it. For dessert we went out for custard, something I'd never had before. Basically, it's like ice cream, but better tasting, and worse for you... Man it was good. I had cherry, and they gave me so much, I could barely finish it. I feel like I'm packing on the pounds with this trip. Even though I'm most definitely not.
We leave tomorrow morning. I'm gonna miss Milwaukee. Even if only for my cousin, her family, and custard. Ahhhh.... custard.
-Milwaukee (Well, Actually, It's Tomorrow, So A Minivan Somewhere Between Milwaukee And Where We're Headed...),
Ben
Day 24: Sunday, Why Is It Always Sunday? [July 8]
Ben's Blog: Day 24 [July 8]
Sunday... Why do you always creep up on me. Last sunday of the trip though... My cousin Sarah's ward had barely any kids my age in it. One boy and two girls. Honestly, I don't think I've had a decent face-to-face conversation with someone my age since I left of this trip. Heck, I may not even had any conversation... least ways not one lasting longer than a few sentences. I need a life again.
After we got back from church I got to try a new game. Something I'd heard about, but never played. It was called "Bang!". [Don't make any jokes... it's a wild west "shoot 'em up" card game.] I'm too tired to go into details about it, if you're really interested, google it. It was quite enjoyable, and rather splendid. Also, we played a game called "Curses", which a few of my friends may be familiar with... Very fun, but it would have been better if the players weren't related to me.
[Truthful Interjection #22: I'm not actually all that against playing games with my family, (when I'm in a good mood). It's just that "Curses" is more fun when you play with your friends, or at least people your age.]
Tomorrow's our last full day in Milwaukee. We're leaving Tuesday morning for South Dakota, I think... More on that tomorrow.
-Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
Ben
Sunday... Why do you always creep up on me. Last sunday of the trip though... My cousin Sarah's ward had barely any kids my age in it. One boy and two girls. Honestly, I don't think I've had a decent face-to-face conversation with someone my age since I left of this trip. Heck, I may not even had any conversation... least ways not one lasting longer than a few sentences. I need a life again.
After we got back from church I got to try a new game. Something I'd heard about, but never played. It was called "Bang!". [Don't make any jokes... it's a wild west "shoot 'em up" card game.] I'm too tired to go into details about it, if you're really interested, google it. It was quite enjoyable, and rather splendid. Also, we played a game called "Curses", which a few of my friends may be familiar with... Very fun, but it would have been better if the players weren't related to me.
[Truthful Interjection #22: I'm not actually all that against playing games with my family, (when I'm in a good mood). It's just that "Curses" is more fun when you play with your friends, or at least people your age.]
Tomorrow's our last full day in Milwaukee. We're leaving Tuesday morning for South Dakota, I think... More on that tomorrow.
-Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
Ben
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Day 23: Kirtland Should Have Been Called "Land Of The Heat" [July 7]
Ben's Blog: Day 23
Well, I woke up in one of the worst hotels ever. After a night of bad sleep. Oh well. At least we got out of there as soon as we could in the morning. We had a ten hour drive in front of us, with one tour stop on the way. Our last church history stop of the trip. Kirtland.
The traveling was enjoyable enough. The usual humdrum. I've started playing Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time to pass the trip. My parents must be proud of me...
In Kirtland we visited some cool places. The first was a church tour, through historic Kirtland. Lots of interesting things. Old houses and such. I've decided I want my house to have old fashioned windows. (With warped glass and everything.) The other place we went in Kirtland was on a tour of the Kirtland Temple. That was amazing. Really cool building. And impressive when you think about the conditions under which it was made. So. That part was cool. At least the buildings were air-conditioned. A nice change from the excessive heat and humidity... I hate humidity, I've decided. And heat. I think I'll move to Antarctica when I'm older. Study penguins.
The rest of the trip consisted of Kimberly screaming, Chris and Jonathan fighting, and an insane amount of toll booths. Seriously. There were like fifteen! Way too much money. Thank heavens it wasn't mine. (Not that I actually have money.)
Our final stop was Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where our cousin Sarah lives. We'll be staying there 'til Tuesday. WE'RE FINALLY HEADING HOME!!!!!! YAY! I mean... ummm... yeah. We're on our way home. Cool.
Really, I probably could have one into more detail about Kirtland, but it was yesterday, and all I remember is the heat. So that's all folks!
-A Couch In Milwaukee,
Ben
Well, I woke up in one of the worst hotels ever. After a night of bad sleep. Oh well. At least we got out of there as soon as we could in the morning. We had a ten hour drive in front of us, with one tour stop on the way. Our last church history stop of the trip. Kirtland.
The traveling was enjoyable enough. The usual humdrum. I've started playing Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time to pass the trip. My parents must be proud of me...
In Kirtland we visited some cool places. The first was a church tour, through historic Kirtland. Lots of interesting things. Old houses and such. I've decided I want my house to have old fashioned windows. (With warped glass and everything.) The other place we went in Kirtland was on a tour of the Kirtland Temple. That was amazing. Really cool building. And impressive when you think about the conditions under which it was made. So. That part was cool. At least the buildings were air-conditioned. A nice change from the excessive heat and humidity... I hate humidity, I've decided. And heat. I think I'll move to Antarctica when I'm older. Study penguins.
The rest of the trip consisted of Kimberly screaming, Chris and Jonathan fighting, and an insane amount of toll booths. Seriously. There were like fifteen! Way too much money. Thank heavens it wasn't mine. (Not that I actually have money.)
Our final stop was Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where our cousin Sarah lives. We'll be staying there 'til Tuesday. WE'RE FINALLY HEADING HOME!!!!!! YAY! I mean... ummm... yeah. We're on our way home. Cool.
Really, I probably could have one into more detail about Kirtland, but it was yesterday, and all I remember is the heat. So that's all folks!
-A Couch In Milwaukee,
Ben
Day 22: The Miami Hotel [July 6]
Ben's Blog: Day 22
(July 6)
*sigh* What did we do today? I really can't think... wait... It's coming to me...
We stayed in a really nice place called the Miami Hotel. May I just say, the pillows were super comfortable. Real classy joint. I got a good night's sleep for once. I was even tempted to steal the pillow when we left. I didn't though. Sadly.
Our first stop was The Hill Cumorah (another church history stop). They have this really cool pageant every year, so of course we timed things just right, so that we missed it. Of course. Darn it.
Then we drove past the Palmyra temple. Man, it was small. After that we saw the Smith Family Home, the childhood home of Joseph Smith. It was bigger on the inside than it looked on the outside. Kinda confused me. Like Narnia almost, but not quite that incredible.
After the home, we saw another one of the homes (ugh... that sounded weird) on the property. And then, it was time for the sacred grove. Man that place was peaceful! It was like, really, really cool. All quiet like, and you just felt happy while you were there. I really enjoyed it.
After the sacred grove, we saw the building where the Book Of Mormon was first printed (yeah, today was a huge day for church history...) We got to tour the building, and see the stuff they used to print books. That was nice. I decided if I lived back then, I would be a typesetter (I think that's what they were called), the guys who put the text in blocks for printing. I'd pick that 'cuz I can read backwards and upside down, and the job requires dexterity, not physical strength.
Then we saw (pause for effect)... NIAGARA FALLS!!! I swear, I always read that Ny-uh-garr-uh. It was quite humid, and rather warm. I enjoyed feeling the mist from the falls (man, I use the word 'enjoy' too much). And then we had to walk back... which was exhausting. Then we circled around whatever town we're in now, trying to find a place to spend the night. Word to the wise: Never spend the night at Lighthouse Inn. You pay way too much for way too little. One room, two small beds (small as compared to a queen-size), a small bathroom, and, free of charge, the complimentary smell of old, stale cigarettes. Mmmmmm.... not. So. I had one of my worst nights of sleep, because I was hot, and dehydrated. Not fun. Not fun at all. Didn't even have wi-fi, as far as I'm aware. Plus the iPad was dead, so I couldn't even write this until the morning of day 23.
(July 6)
*sigh* What did we do today? I really can't think... wait... It's coming to me...
We stayed in a really nice place called the Miami Hotel. May I just say, the pillows were super comfortable. Real classy joint. I got a good night's sleep for once. I was even tempted to steal the pillow when we left. I didn't though. Sadly.
Our first stop was The Hill Cumorah (another church history stop). They have this really cool pageant every year, so of course we timed things just right, so that we missed it. Of course. Darn it.
Then we drove past the Palmyra temple. Man, it was small. After that we saw the Smith Family Home, the childhood home of Joseph Smith. It was bigger on the inside than it looked on the outside. Kinda confused me. Like Narnia almost, but not quite that incredible.
After the home, we saw another one of the homes (ugh... that sounded weird) on the property. And then, it was time for the sacred grove. Man that place was peaceful! It was like, really, really cool. All quiet like, and you just felt happy while you were there. I really enjoyed it.
After the sacred grove, we saw the building where the Book Of Mormon was first printed (yeah, today was a huge day for church history...) We got to tour the building, and see the stuff they used to print books. That was nice. I decided if I lived back then, I would be a typesetter (I think that's what they were called), the guys who put the text in blocks for printing. I'd pick that 'cuz I can read backwards and upside down, and the job requires dexterity, not physical strength.
Then we saw (pause for effect)... NIAGARA FALLS!!! I swear, I always read that Ny-uh-garr-uh. It was quite humid, and rather warm. I enjoyed feeling the mist from the falls (man, I use the word 'enjoy' too much). And then we had to walk back... which was exhausting. Then we circled around whatever town we're in now, trying to find a place to spend the night. Word to the wise: Never spend the night at Lighthouse Inn. You pay way too much for way too little. One room, two small beds (small as compared to a queen-size), a small bathroom, and, free of charge, the complimentary smell of old, stale cigarettes. Mmmmmm.... not. So. I had one of my worst nights of sleep, because I was hot, and dehydrated. Not fun. Not fun at all. Didn't even have wi-fi, as far as I'm aware. Plus the iPad was dead, so I couldn't even write this until the morning of day 23.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Day 21: In Which We Discover That Mother Cannot Navigate [July 5]
Ben's Blog: Day 21 (July 5)
Ah... Sleep is wonderful. As are showers, air conditioning, and food. Breakfast was Cheerios with bananas. Mmmmm... I don't care if my grammar sounds bad.
Today we went on more or less a driving tour of historic Boston. Mainly because:
a) Boston is largely one-way streets, and therefore impossible to navigate.
b) Even if Boston *were* navigatable, (that's not a word...) my mother is a terrible navigator (At least according to my dad.)
c) We were tired.
We did however walk to one site, which was Bunker Hill. There was an obelisk monument, which means to say that it looked almost exactly like the Washington Monument. Tall and pointy. With way too many stairs. So of course, we climbed to the top. Twice.
[Truthful Interjection #21: Okay, okay. We only climbed it once. But it felt like TEN times by the time we were finished. My family is not as in shape as they should be.]
We also drove by a few other places, which I can't remember the names of. Or what happened there. Or why they were significant in the slightest. Oh well. We actually started going somewhere once I took the map from Mom, and started navigating. Hah. Looks like I'm better at something than Mom. (For once.)
Dinner was at Denny's. So I guess technically it was breakfast, but sine we'd already had lunch, we called it dinner. Make sense? I had french toast. And eggs. And bacon. You hungry yet? It was mouthwatering.
Now we're currently on the road, hurtling through New York (The state, not the city, sadly) at 71 miles per hour. Give or take my sibling's cooperation level. (Around 10 out of 100). I managed to post yesterday's entry using the Wi-Fi from a passing motel, but not this one. Guess I'll have to wait until the, you guessed it, hotel. Or motel, depending on prices.
-A Minivan In New York (State),
Ben
Ah... Sleep is wonderful. As are showers, air conditioning, and food. Breakfast was Cheerios with bananas. Mmmmm... I don't care if my grammar sounds bad.
Today we went on more or less a driving tour of historic Boston. Mainly because:
a) Boston is largely one-way streets, and therefore impossible to navigate.
b) Even if Boston *were* navigatable, (that's not a word...) my mother is a terrible navigator (At least according to my dad.)
c) We were tired.
We did however walk to one site, which was Bunker Hill. There was an obelisk monument, which means to say that it looked almost exactly like the Washington Monument. Tall and pointy. With way too many stairs. So of course, we climbed to the top. Twice.
[Truthful Interjection #21: Okay, okay. We only climbed it once. But it felt like TEN times by the time we were finished. My family is not as in shape as they should be.]
We also drove by a few other places, which I can't remember the names of. Or what happened there. Or why they were significant in the slightest. Oh well. We actually started going somewhere once I took the map from Mom, and started navigating. Hah. Looks like I'm better at something than Mom. (For once.)
Dinner was at Denny's. So I guess technically it was breakfast, but sine we'd already had lunch, we called it dinner. Make sense? I had french toast. And eggs. And bacon. You hungry yet? It was mouthwatering.
Now we're currently on the road, hurtling through New York (The state, not the city, sadly) at 71 miles per hour. Give or take my sibling's cooperation level. (Around 10 out of 100). I managed to post yesterday's entry using the Wi-Fi from a passing motel, but not this one. Guess I'll have to wait until the, you guessed it, hotel. Or motel, depending on prices.
-A Minivan In New York (State),
Ben
Day 20: Fireworks + Pouring Rain = Awesomeness
Ben's Blog: Day 20 (July 4)
Today is Boston day. We woke up early (early for me, anyways). I slept moderately well. Despite the company of the rats, and the small child that came downstairs at two in the morning asking for mommy, I got more sleep than usual. Just a note for future reference. Cheap plastic shower curtains have a natural tendency to move towards you, due to static cling. It's kind of obnoxious, much like a lost puppy. (Not that lost puppies are annoying, just that they drift towards you, and won't go away.)
The countryside was quite lavish. Lots of old, expensive houses. Pretty cool, but way too pricey. The usual mundane drive ensued, involving the average fights over electronics that so often accompany us.
We spent the day in Boston with our cousin Jenny. She's quite the tolerant person. A person of lesser patience would have probably thrown Kimberly out of the speeding vehicle. Or at least dropped her in the water.
Kimberly has reached the "I'm-no-longer-tired-I'm-just-trying-my-best-to-tick-you-off-as-much-as-is-physicallly-possible-without-you-putting-me-up-for-adoption" stage. It's very tiring. My sanity levels have reached new lows. I'm bound to snap one of these days, and go completely 'round the bend.
Boston was really cool though, despite the five-year old. We saw several amazing places, including a pond which I cannot for the life of me remember the name of. It was really more of a lake, come to think of it.
After the pond (my father now tells me it was called "Walden Pond") we went to Kimball Farms and got Ice Cream. I wish I'd gotten a picture of the banana split me and my brothers split (haha, bad pun), because it was ENORMOUS. Seriously, the three of us couldn't finish it... Probably because Chris and Jonathan ate less due to the bananas and strawberries. The ice cream was simply delicious (when is ice cream not delicious?). After Kimball's we headed off to a barbecue for dinner, and then got in place for the firework show.
The fireworks were, quite undoubtedly, one of the most amazing spectacles I have ever laid eyes on. Forgive my use of caps lock, BUT IT WAS FREAKING GORGEOUS!!!! Really, I can't think of a better word than gorgeous... Maybe supercalifragilisticexpiallidocious. (Hah. That word is in the Autocorrect dictionary. And I spelled it right. Double win.) It was kind of cool, because there was like two acts to the whole thing... Everyone thought it had ended... And then came the second round. And the rain! I almost forgot about the rain.
Up until the show, there had been lightning flashing in the distance... Halfway through the fireworks show, as previously mentioned, the storm that had been threatening all evening set in. It was beautiful. Pouring rain, dripping from the sky, and swirling torrentially all around, while billowing blossoms of light boomed across the water. I smiled, I laughed, I almost cried even. It was poetry... Honestly, it was one of the first times I felt perfectly happy and content since the trip has started. I just stood out in the rain, soaking every moment of it in. Literally. Definitely an experience that will stay with me for a long time.
Unfortunately, Chris made us leave prematurely, because he was wet, and as we all know, everything is about Chris. So, I missed the finale, because it happened right as a tree blocked my view on the way back. Jonathan caught a stray parachute from a firework. He was pretty thrilled about that. And then, it was a long, wet wait in a parking garage for millions of people to get out, so that we could get out. Lots of honking involved, though surprisingly not on Dad's part. I think the show and the rain mellowed him out some, because he just sat in our parking spot for a while, not upset in the slightest. After all, we weren't going anywhere. We sat for so long that my clothes more or less dried out... Whoa. That's a long paragraph.
Long story short, we got to our cousin Jenny's fiancé's apartment where we would be spending the night, long after Kimberly and Jonathan had fallen asleep. And there we more or less collapsed.
-Boston, Massachusetts,
Ben
Today is Boston day. We woke up early (early for me, anyways). I slept moderately well. Despite the company of the rats, and the small child that came downstairs at two in the morning asking for mommy, I got more sleep than usual. Just a note for future reference. Cheap plastic shower curtains have a natural tendency to move towards you, due to static cling. It's kind of obnoxious, much like a lost puppy. (Not that lost puppies are annoying, just that they drift towards you, and won't go away.)
The countryside was quite lavish. Lots of old, expensive houses. Pretty cool, but way too pricey. The usual mundane drive ensued, involving the average fights over electronics that so often accompany us.
We spent the day in Boston with our cousin Jenny. She's quite the tolerant person. A person of lesser patience would have probably thrown Kimberly out of the speeding vehicle. Or at least dropped her in the water.
Kimberly has reached the "I'm-no-longer-tired-I'm-just-trying-my-best-to-tick-you-off-as-much-as-is-physicallly-possible-without-you-putting-me-up-for-adoption" stage. It's very tiring. My sanity levels have reached new lows. I'm bound to snap one of these days, and go completely 'round the bend.
Boston was really cool though, despite the five-year old. We saw several amazing places, including a pond which I cannot for the life of me remember the name of. It was really more of a lake, come to think of it.
After the pond (my father now tells me it was called "Walden Pond") we went to Kimball Farms and got Ice Cream. I wish I'd gotten a picture of the banana split me and my brothers split (haha, bad pun), because it was ENORMOUS. Seriously, the three of us couldn't finish it... Probably because Chris and Jonathan ate less due to the bananas and strawberries. The ice cream was simply delicious (when is ice cream not delicious?). After Kimball's we headed off to a barbecue for dinner, and then got in place for the firework show.
The fireworks were, quite undoubtedly, one of the most amazing spectacles I have ever laid eyes on. Forgive my use of caps lock, BUT IT WAS FREAKING GORGEOUS!!!! Really, I can't think of a better word than gorgeous... Maybe supercalifragilisticexpiallidocious. (Hah. That word is in the Autocorrect dictionary. And I spelled it right. Double win.) It was kind of cool, because there was like two acts to the whole thing... Everyone thought it had ended... And then came the second round. And the rain! I almost forgot about the rain.
Up until the show, there had been lightning flashing in the distance... Halfway through the fireworks show, as previously mentioned, the storm that had been threatening all evening set in. It was beautiful. Pouring rain, dripping from the sky, and swirling torrentially all around, while billowing blossoms of light boomed across the water. I smiled, I laughed, I almost cried even. It was poetry... Honestly, it was one of the first times I felt perfectly happy and content since the trip has started. I just stood out in the rain, soaking every moment of it in. Literally. Definitely an experience that will stay with me for a long time.
Unfortunately, Chris made us leave prematurely, because he was wet, and as we all know, everything is about Chris. So, I missed the finale, because it happened right as a tree blocked my view on the way back. Jonathan caught a stray parachute from a firework. He was pretty thrilled about that. And then, it was a long, wet wait in a parking garage for millions of people to get out, so that we could get out. Lots of honking involved, though surprisingly not on Dad's part. I think the show and the rain mellowed him out some, because he just sat in our parking spot for a while, not upset in the slightest. After all, we weren't going anywhere. We sat for so long that my clothes more or less dried out... Whoa. That's a long paragraph.
Long story short, we got to our cousin Jenny's fiancé's apartment where we would be spending the night, long after Kimberly and Jonathan had fallen asleep. And there we more or less collapsed.
-Boston, Massachusetts,
Ben
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Day 19: New York, New York (And There It Goes...) [July 3]
Ben's Blog: Day 19 (July 3)
Today was the big day. New York! Woo! Throw confetti! Make some noise! Balloons! One of those little obnoxious things that rolls up and looks like a weird tongue! (Do those even have a name?)
Well. I wish it was that exciting. Turns out we had only one day to see it. [Song from "On The Town"] Less than on day even. Like half a day. Woop.
The half a day thing kind of upset me... I mean, we spent a week in Pennsylvania, the middle of nowhere, and we only spent like six hours in one of the most famous cities ever? (Okay, we had family in Pennsylvania, I get that, and I enjoyed it. But six hours? Come on...)
Our time in New York started with trying to find parking. Of course. That ate up around half an hour to an hour of our time. Finally we got a place near-ish to the pier. Then we walked who knows how long to the ferry terminal. We took the ferry all the way to Manhattan just so we could see the Statue of Liberty. Then we had to ride back. Time Elapsed: 1 Hour.
Next we waited at a mall while Dad got the car. Time Elapsed: 10 Min.
We got in the car, and drove around for a while, trying to find Times Square. As usual, the GPS was no help. Kept trying to tell us that we were already at Times Square. We never actually got there, just got to glimpse it. Dad was nearing the "Obscenity Fountain" point, as I like to call it, what with all the traffic. So, we drove through central park, and headed off to Mom & Dad's friends, the Clays. They live in Connecticut. (I think.) We'll be spending the night here. They're really pretty cool. They have a nice house to, and internet of course, which is important. At least to me...
So that's where I am now. Feeling somewhat cheated out of a trip to New York... Oh well. I just move there when I grow up to get back at Mom and Dad. (Dad, if you're reading this... ignore my complaints.) And sadly, the only picture *I* got was of Mario's Pizza... And only because it had a picture of Mario on the sign.
*sigh*. Now I'm just making myself depressed. On the bright side, I did see New York, which is pretty cool. One more thing off my bucket list. However I will have to go back, 'cuz riding a New York Taxi is also on that list. Come to think of it, riding a Taxi in general should be on there...
Final thought of the day: If you have a piano, love it well, and take care of it. A dusty, out of tune, piano is not as fun to play as a well-loved one.
-Somewhere In Connecticut, (Not sure where...),
Ben
Today was the big day. New York! Woo! Throw confetti! Make some noise! Balloons! One of those little obnoxious things that rolls up and looks like a weird tongue! (Do those even have a name?)
Well. I wish it was that exciting. Turns out we had only one day to see it. [Song from "On The Town"] Less than on day even. Like half a day. Woop.
The half a day thing kind of upset me... I mean, we spent a week in Pennsylvania, the middle of nowhere, and we only spent like six hours in one of the most famous cities ever? (Okay, we had family in Pennsylvania, I get that, and I enjoyed it. But six hours? Come on...)
Our time in New York started with trying to find parking. Of course. That ate up around half an hour to an hour of our time. Finally we got a place near-ish to the pier. Then we walked who knows how long to the ferry terminal. We took the ferry all the way to Manhattan just so we could see the Statue of Liberty. Then we had to ride back. Time Elapsed: 1 Hour.
Next we waited at a mall while Dad got the car. Time Elapsed: 10 Min.
We got in the car, and drove around for a while, trying to find Times Square. As usual, the GPS was no help. Kept trying to tell us that we were already at Times Square. We never actually got there, just got to glimpse it. Dad was nearing the "Obscenity Fountain" point, as I like to call it, what with all the traffic. So, we drove through central park, and headed off to Mom & Dad's friends, the Clays. They live in Connecticut. (I think.) We'll be spending the night here. They're really pretty cool. They have a nice house to, and internet of course, which is important. At least to me...
So that's where I am now. Feeling somewhat cheated out of a trip to New York... Oh well. I just move there when I grow up to get back at Mom and Dad. (Dad, if you're reading this... ignore my complaints.) And sadly, the only picture *I* got was of Mario's Pizza... And only because it had a picture of Mario on the sign.
*sigh*. Now I'm just making myself depressed. On the bright side, I did see New York, which is pretty cool. One more thing off my bucket list. However I will have to go back, 'cuz riding a New York Taxi is also on that list. Come to think of it, riding a Taxi in general should be on there...
Final thought of the day: If you have a piano, love it well, and take care of it. A dusty, out of tune, piano is not as fun to play as a well-loved one.
-Somewhere In Connecticut, (Not sure where...),
Ben
Day 18: Cheese Steaks!
Ben's Blog: Day 18 (July 2)
I apologize for yesterday's silliness, and today's lack of punctuality. (I'm writing this a day late again...) Today was Philadelphia, on a monday. I think I'll just make a list of the necessary things I did.
1) Saw the Liberty Bell
2) Viewed Independence Hall
3) Broke Traffic Laws
4) Ate a Philly Cheese Steak
[Truthful Interjection #20: Apparently if you ask ten Philadelphians where the best cheese steak can be found, you'll get ten answers, and three fist fights.]
The cheese steak was good, but I felt terribly fat after eating it. However, it did its job. I wasn't hungry at all for the rest of Philadelphia. (Not sure if was full, or just scared I'd be offered another cheese steak if I said I was hungry.)
Um... Our tour guide for Independence Hall was hilarious. I can't really remember the jokes well enough, and those that I can don't make sense out of context.
Sorry, I don't have any pictures. I kind of didn't take any. Mainly because I was too busy enjoying the scenery. I'll try and document future places better.
That's all I have the memory to write about. Anything else would probably be made up, or highly sarcastic, so goodnight!
-Pennsylvania, (Well, Actually Connecticut Now)
Ben
I apologize for yesterday's silliness, and today's lack of punctuality. (I'm writing this a day late again...) Today was Philadelphia, on a monday. I think I'll just make a list of the necessary things I did.
1) Saw the Liberty Bell
2) Viewed Independence Hall
3) Broke Traffic Laws
4) Ate a Philly Cheese Steak
[Truthful Interjection #20: Apparently if you ask ten Philadelphians where the best cheese steak can be found, you'll get ten answers, and three fist fights.]
The cheese steak was good, but I felt terribly fat after eating it. However, it did its job. I wasn't hungry at all for the rest of Philadelphia. (Not sure if was full, or just scared I'd be offered another cheese steak if I said I was hungry.)
Um... Our tour guide for Independence Hall was hilarious. I can't really remember the jokes well enough, and those that I can don't make sense out of context.
Sorry, I don't have any pictures. I kind of didn't take any. Mainly because I was too busy enjoying the scenery. I'll try and document future places better.
That's all I have the memory to write about. Anything else would probably be made up, or highly sarcastic, so goodnight!
-Pennsylvania, (Well, Actually Connecticut Now)
Ben
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Day 17: Sunday...
Ben's Blog: Day 17
Sunday again. It always sneaks up on me. Hate when it does that. Well, since it was sunday, we had church. Pretty sure not many of you care about that, so I'll just say it was very spiritual, which it usually is. After church was lunch, and then the afternoon. Not much happened. I went on Facebook for a while, and that was about it for the afternoon.
Also, yesterday, the downstairs toilet broke. That was exciting. (Or at least it was the most exciting thing that happened to me yesterday.)
[Truthful Interjection #18: Apparently I forgot Gettysburg and Valley Forge... So um yeah. We went there. That was fun. Also, the "Some Relatives" we stayed with before D.C. were Mike and Edith Hanson. Sorry for forgetting that.]
Are you happy now Mother? CAN I GET SOME PEACE NOW? Sheesh. This is what happens when you make your journal public.
I'm sure I've forgotten a whole bunch of other stuff, and will get yelled at. Dinner was Lasagna, and it was amazing. Quite delicious. Right now we're downstairs watching slideshows of photos... I really can't see much, mainly 'cuz I'm blogging. Any claims my mother makes about Facebook having something to do with it are entirely false.
[Truthful Interjection #19: Okay, okay, I'm also on Facebook. Sorry, but I have to have *some* social life, don't I?]
Alright... My friend Josh wanted me to show you all how "beautiful" he is... I'll leave that up to you to decide.
(One of those is Josh.) That's all the silliness for tonight.
-Yet Again Pennsylvania,
Ben
Sunday again. It always sneaks up on me. Hate when it does that. Well, since it was sunday, we had church. Pretty sure not many of you care about that, so I'll just say it was very spiritual, which it usually is. After church was lunch, and then the afternoon. Not much happened. I went on Facebook for a while, and that was about it for the afternoon.
Also, yesterday, the downstairs toilet broke. That was exciting. (Or at least it was the most exciting thing that happened to me yesterday.)
[Truthful Interjection #18: Apparently I forgot Gettysburg and Valley Forge... So um yeah. We went there. That was fun. Also, the "Some Relatives" we stayed with before D.C. were Mike and Edith Hanson. Sorry for forgetting that.]
Are you happy now Mother? CAN I GET SOME PEACE NOW? Sheesh. This is what happens when you make your journal public.
I'm sure I've forgotten a whole bunch of other stuff, and will get yelled at. Dinner was Lasagna, and it was amazing. Quite delicious. Right now we're downstairs watching slideshows of photos... I really can't see much, mainly 'cuz I'm blogging. Any claims my mother makes about Facebook having something to do with it are entirely false.
[Truthful Interjection #19: Okay, okay, I'm also on Facebook. Sorry, but I have to have *some* social life, don't I?]
Alright... My friend Josh wanted me to show you all how "beautiful" he is... I'll leave that up to you to decide.
(One of those is Josh.) That's all the silliness for tonight.
-Yet Again Pennsylvania,
Ben
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Day 16: (So Do-Nothing I Can't Even Come Up With A Good Title)
Ben's Blog: Day 16
Today, as a result of yesterday's fiasco, was a do nothing day. I don't know if you're familiar with the term, but it means what it says. We went nowhere. We saw nothing. We did nothing (of historical/religious significance). I was on Facebook and Youtube all day.
There's really not anything to report. I don't know where we're going... (Wait, scratch that, my mom just told me we're going to Philadelphia. That would explain why they're watching National Treasure...) I really can barely remember where we've been. Up 'til now I'd forgotten where I am now.
...*sigh*...
I'm just gonna fade into blissful nothingness now. Goodnight. Or evening, depending on where you are.
-Same Place As Yesterday,
Ben
Today, as a result of yesterday's fiasco, was a do nothing day. I don't know if you're familiar with the term, but it means what it says. We went nowhere. We saw nothing. We did nothing (of historical/religious significance). I was on Facebook and Youtube all day.
There's really not anything to report. I don't know where we're going... (Wait, scratch that, my mom just told me we're going to Philadelphia. That would explain why they're watching National Treasure...) I really can barely remember where we've been. Up 'til now I'd forgotten where I am now.
...*sigh*...
I'm just gonna fade into blissful nothingness now. Goodnight. Or evening, depending on where you are.
-Same Place As Yesterday,
Ben
Day 15: We Visit Blankety Blank D.C. (As My Dad Calls It)
Ben's Blog: Day 15
Today was the sojourn to D.C.. (There's that double period again.) I woke up under a table. It was a rather nice table, nicely colored and all that. I had chose under the table as a place to sleep, because I reasoned that no one would step on me. Thankfully I was right.
After showering and eating breakfast, we quickly packed, and set off. The day was sweltering. We expected to be fine, after all, we had an air conditioned car. How wrong we were.
My mother had deigned to meet a friend for lunch before we explored D.C.. This meant parking a half mile away from where we wanted to be, and walking all the way to the restaurant. It was hot. (The day, not the restaurant.) Lunch was predominated by Kimberly alternatively screaming, and acting hyper. The caffeinated soda didn't help. After the ____ of a lunch, (feel free to put whatever word you wish there... Preferably an expletive.) we walked back through the heat, to take my first metro ride ever.
The metro was pretty cool. (As in interesting, not low-temperature.) I had to stand... The upside of this was that Jonathan and Kimberly from then on thought standing was "cool" and tried to do so on each subsequent ride... Meaning I got a seat. Yay role models.
I won't bore you with the details of our trip to D.C., but instead highlight what I thought was exciting. The National Art Gallery was pretty sweet. I asked to go there because I knew my siblings would hate it. Hehehehe....
The Air and Space Museum was nice. Lots of cool displays. I can't remember specific details. It was yesterday after all. I can barely remember what I had for lunch.
(I think it was a sandwich...)
Our next stop was the Museum of Natural History. Also our last stop, because Kimberly and others were getting tired. That was nice. Chris and I went off on our own. Lots of gift shops and such.
Then it was time to leave. Long metro ride, then a walk to the parking garage. It was really, really hot. Turns out we picked the hottest day, on record, since 1934. Ouch.
Anyway... My dad wanted to drive around and see some monuments before we left. That was around when the expletives set in. The GPS giving bad directions didn't help. Eventually Dad just gave up and headed back to our relatives' house. Well, we stopped at a Temple on the way back, but that was it.
[Truthful Interjection #17: Well, the swearing chain actually got started when we were backing out of the parking garage, and broke off our car mirror. What ensued in the next hour was more swearing from either of my parents than I've heard them use, throughout my entire life, combined. Final conclusion: We are not moving to D.C. anytime soon.]
Alright. I'm tired of D.C.. Later.
-A City, (Not Actually Allentown, Turns Out, But Somewhere Near) Pennsylvania,
Ben
Today was the sojourn to D.C.. (There's that double period again.) I woke up under a table. It was a rather nice table, nicely colored and all that. I had chose under the table as a place to sleep, because I reasoned that no one would step on me. Thankfully I was right.
After showering and eating breakfast, we quickly packed, and set off. The day was sweltering. We expected to be fine, after all, we had an air conditioned car. How wrong we were.
My mother had deigned to meet a friend for lunch before we explored D.C.. This meant parking a half mile away from where we wanted to be, and walking all the way to the restaurant. It was hot. (The day, not the restaurant.) Lunch was predominated by Kimberly alternatively screaming, and acting hyper. The caffeinated soda didn't help. After the ____ of a lunch, (feel free to put whatever word you wish there... Preferably an expletive.) we walked back through the heat, to take my first metro ride ever.
The metro was pretty cool. (As in interesting, not low-temperature.) I had to stand... The upside of this was that Jonathan and Kimberly from then on thought standing was "cool" and tried to do so on each subsequent ride... Meaning I got a seat. Yay role models.
I won't bore you with the details of our trip to D.C., but instead highlight what I thought was exciting. The National Art Gallery was pretty sweet. I asked to go there because I knew my siblings would hate it. Hehehehe....
The Air and Space Museum was nice. Lots of cool displays. I can't remember specific details. It was yesterday after all. I can barely remember what I had for lunch.
(I think it was a sandwich...)
Our next stop was the Museum of Natural History. Also our last stop, because Kimberly and others were getting tired. That was nice. Chris and I went off on our own. Lots of gift shops and such.
Then it was time to leave. Long metro ride, then a walk to the parking garage. It was really, really hot. Turns out we picked the hottest day, on record, since 1934. Ouch.
Anyway... My dad wanted to drive around and see some monuments before we left. That was around when the expletives set in. The GPS giving bad directions didn't help. Eventually Dad just gave up and headed back to our relatives' house. Well, we stopped at a Temple on the way back, but that was it.
[Truthful Interjection #17: Well, the swearing chain actually got started when we were backing out of the parking garage, and broke off our car mirror. What ensued in the next hour was more swearing from either of my parents than I've heard them use, throughout my entire life, combined. Final conclusion: We are not moving to D.C. anytime soon.]
Alright. I'm tired of D.C.. Later.
-A City, (Not Actually Allentown, Turns Out, But Somewhere Near) Pennsylvania,
Ben
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Day 14: I Like The Number 14... Not Sure Why
Ben's Blog: Day 14
Today... I was woken up, yet again, way before a time that was even halfway decent. After waking at this ungodly hour, I was thrown a pile of clothing and told to shower, which I did. I must say, cold showers are quite splendid in a hot climate.
[Truthful Interjection #16: I doubt that the hour at which I was woken was all that ungodly... I really don't know. I'm not one for caring about, let alone checking, the time.]
After eating breakfast and writing several blog entries, we were off... Or at least we would be, an hour or so later than planned. With all this heat, I've probably sweated off all my baby fat. Contrary to popular belief, I do have a little bit of fat on my body. I'm not entirely skin and bones.
Today we were headed to Washington D.C.. (It feels awkward putting a period there, but I really don't know how I'm supposed to end that sort of sentence.) We travelled for quite some time, and finally arrived. Our relatives also came. It was nice because all the children (Excepting Kimberly) piled into my Aunt and Uncle's minivan. Why does everyone in my extended family own a minivan? [Insert joke about mormons and big families.]
We took an "Auto Tour", which means we got to sit in the car, and drive by famous things and such, occasionally stopping so my father could take pictures. I wasn't complaining. Air conditioned comfort beats walking in the heat any day. After that we went to Arlington Nation Cemetery... at least that's what I think it was called. It's a cemetery for soldiers and other patriotic heroes. Quite fantastic. We watched the "Changing Of The Guard" ceremony at the Grave of the Unknown Soldier. I should think that it gets awfully dull guarding there. Doing the same thing for 15 minutes, let alone however long they do it, causes me to get the urge to do something fantastic, to break the tedium. (Unless of course it's something fantastic already.) I think I saw one of the guards try and hide a smile while his commanding officer stood rather close to him. I know I was trying to hide a laugh.
We are now staying the night in some relation or other's house, in order to make our sojourn to D.C. tomorrow shorter. Should be fun. Hopefully I can obtain the Wi-Fi password.
-Somewhere, Someplace, Between Pennsylvania And Washington D.C.,
Ben
(I hate putting punctuation after punctuation.)
Today... I was woken up, yet again, way before a time that was even halfway decent. After waking at this ungodly hour, I was thrown a pile of clothing and told to shower, which I did. I must say, cold showers are quite splendid in a hot climate.
[Truthful Interjection #16: I doubt that the hour at which I was woken was all that ungodly... I really don't know. I'm not one for caring about, let alone checking, the time.]
After eating breakfast and writing several blog entries, we were off... Or at least we would be, an hour or so later than planned. With all this heat, I've probably sweated off all my baby fat. Contrary to popular belief, I do have a little bit of fat on my body. I'm not entirely skin and bones.
Today we were headed to Washington D.C.. (It feels awkward putting a period there, but I really don't know how I'm supposed to end that sort of sentence.) We travelled for quite some time, and finally arrived. Our relatives also came. It was nice because all the children (Excepting Kimberly) piled into my Aunt and Uncle's minivan. Why does everyone in my extended family own a minivan? [Insert joke about mormons and big families.]
We took an "Auto Tour", which means we got to sit in the car, and drive by famous things and such, occasionally stopping so my father could take pictures. I wasn't complaining. Air conditioned comfort beats walking in the heat any day. After that we went to Arlington Nation Cemetery... at least that's what I think it was called. It's a cemetery for soldiers and other patriotic heroes. Quite fantastic. We watched the "Changing Of The Guard" ceremony at the Grave of the Unknown Soldier. I should think that it gets awfully dull guarding there. Doing the same thing for 15 minutes, let alone however long they do it, causes me to get the urge to do something fantastic, to break the tedium. (Unless of course it's something fantastic already.) I think I saw one of the guards try and hide a smile while his commanding officer stood rather close to him. I know I was trying to hide a laugh.
We are now staying the night in some relation or other's house, in order to make our sojourn to D.C. tomorrow shorter. Should be fun. Hopefully I can obtain the Wi-Fi password.
-Somewhere, Someplace, Between Pennsylvania And Washington D.C.,
Ben
(I hate putting punctuation after punctuation.)
Day 13: A Garden Of Epic Proportions
Ben's Blog: Day 13
This is getting ridiculous. I've got to keep up with this thing better. Two days is unacceptable. Although I have a valid reason for not writing Day 13 the night of.
Today we went to Longwood Gardens. Oh my... Never have a seen such a beautiful place. There were plants everywhere, in every shape, size, and variety one can imagine. There were tall plants, there were short plants, there were plants that hung from the ceiling (man, I hate the word ceiling. It's impossible to spell right) there were plants that ate insects. I could go on and on for days. And then there were the fountains... My description could never do the place justice. Here's the official website if you're interested: http://www.longwoodgardens.org/
I wish I had a camera attached to my eyeballs so I could show you the place. It was freaking incredible. I wish I'd brought my friend Daniel, because he would probably... well, I don't even know what he would do. Something extreme. The boy loves plants.
Anyway, I feel like my tone of utmost amazement is getting rather tawdry, so I'll just finish it up with: "OHMYGOODNESSITWASABSOLUTELYAMAZINGWITHOUTADOUBTTHECOOLESTPLACEI'VESEENONTHISTRIPOHMY!"
[Insert long breath here.]
And then there was the "Lights" exhibit. So many fiber optics and such. It was pure beauty. (Ugh. I'm starting to sound poetic. Better stop that.) We stayed until around 11:00, but I wish we could have stayed longer. It was that cool.
OH! There was also this... I can't think of any other way to describe it than 'gorgeous', piano. My fingers were itching terribly to play it. In addition there was a pipe organ, which kind of made me weak in the knees. Both were splendid instruments.
[Truthful Interjection #15: I'm a bit of an enthusiast for keyboard based instruments, from pianos to pipe organs, and marimbas to all forms of mallet instruments. Yes, I know a marimba counts as a mallet instrument, I just wanted to force the alliteration.]
By the time we got back, I was so tired that I fell asleep almost instantly. That's all for Day 13.
-Allentown (I Found Out The City), Pennsylvania,
Ben
This is getting ridiculous. I've got to keep up with this thing better. Two days is unacceptable. Although I have a valid reason for not writing Day 13 the night of.
Today we went to Longwood Gardens. Oh my... Never have a seen such a beautiful place. There were plants everywhere, in every shape, size, and variety one can imagine. There were tall plants, there were short plants, there were plants that hung from the ceiling (man, I hate the word ceiling. It's impossible to spell right) there were plants that ate insects. I could go on and on for days. And then there were the fountains... My description could never do the place justice. Here's the official website if you're interested: http://www.longwoodgardens.org/
I wish I had a camera attached to my eyeballs so I could show you the place. It was freaking incredible. I wish I'd brought my friend Daniel, because he would probably... well, I don't even know what he would do. Something extreme. The boy loves plants.
Anyway, I feel like my tone of utmost amazement is getting rather tawdry, so I'll just finish it up with: "OHMYGOODNESSITWASABSOLUTELYAMAZINGWITHOUTADOUBTTHECOOLESTPLACEI'VESEENONTHISTRIPOHMY!"
[Insert long breath here.]
And then there was the "Lights" exhibit. So many fiber optics and such. It was pure beauty. (Ugh. I'm starting to sound poetic. Better stop that.) We stayed until around 11:00, but I wish we could have stayed longer. It was that cool.
OH! There was also this... I can't think of any other way to describe it than 'gorgeous', piano. My fingers were itching terribly to play it. In addition there was a pipe organ, which kind of made me weak in the knees. Both were splendid instruments.
[Truthful Interjection #15: I'm a bit of an enthusiast for keyboard based instruments, from pianos to pipe organs, and marimbas to all forms of mallet instruments. Yes, I know a marimba counts as a mallet instrument, I just wanted to force the alliteration.]
By the time we got back, I was so tired that I fell asleep almost instantly. That's all for Day 13.
-Allentown (I Found Out The City), Pennsylvania,
Ben
Day 12: ICE CREAM!
Ben's Blog: Day 12
Alright. I confess. I'm two days behind on this thing, so get ready for a lot of made up stories to replace the things I've forgotten.
I woke up on a couch. A nice change. I didn't sleep well last night. I must say, I'll be glad when we get back to washington where I have my own bed and room. And where I can sleep in as late as I want.
Today we decided to head to a farm. I wasn't all that thrilled, but it turned out to be okay. There were all sorts of animals (imagine that) and because of this, all sorts of... well... poop. It was everywhere. Somehow I avoided getting any on my shoes. My poor converse.
We spent a large portion of the day on the farm. After that we went and picked fresh vegetables. Even though I didn't enjoy the work, I was quite amazed at what a fantastic way to get food it was. It's way better than what you can buy at the store, and exponentially cheaper. (If you don't like big words like 'exponentially' it means it was a whole lot cheaper).
After that we went to a Creamery/Bakery/Chocolate Factory. I swear I put on ten pounds just walking through the place. We bought some ice cream, coconut ice cream, and vanilla ice cream. IT WAS HEAVENLY. Oh my goodness... I almost died it was so good.
That's all I can remember for day twelve. Luckily I didn't make anything up this time.
-A Comfortable Couch In Pennsylvania (I Still Don't Know What City)
Ben
Alright. I confess. I'm two days behind on this thing, so get ready for a lot of made up stories to replace the things I've forgotten.
I woke up on a couch. A nice change. I didn't sleep well last night. I must say, I'll be glad when we get back to washington where I have my own bed and room. And where I can sleep in as late as I want.
Today we decided to head to a farm. I wasn't all that thrilled, but it turned out to be okay. There were all sorts of animals (imagine that) and because of this, all sorts of... well... poop. It was everywhere. Somehow I avoided getting any on my shoes. My poor converse.
We spent a large portion of the day on the farm. After that we went and picked fresh vegetables. Even though I didn't enjoy the work, I was quite amazed at what a fantastic way to get food it was. It's way better than what you can buy at the store, and exponentially cheaper. (If you don't like big words like 'exponentially' it means it was a whole lot cheaper).
After that we went to a Creamery/Bakery/Chocolate Factory. I swear I put on ten pounds just walking through the place. We bought some ice cream, coconut ice cream, and vanilla ice cream. IT WAS HEAVENLY. Oh my goodness... I almost died it was so good.
That's all I can remember for day twelve. Luckily I didn't make anything up this time.
-A Comfortable Couch In Pennsylvania (I Still Don't Know What City)
Ben
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Day 11: Nothing Of Importance Happened Today
Ben's Blog: Day 11
Man, I really need to work harder on writing these the day of. I always forget everything overnight... Usually it means I make stuff up to make it more interesting... Let's see. Now what did I do yesterday?
Ahhh, that's right. I woke up, as has become increasingly familiar, in a hotel room. The difference, however, was that it was a nice hotel room. As usual, our plans to "wake up at 7:00" didn't happen. Our intention was to visit the pool before breakfast, but due to our late start and by virtue of the fact that the pool was getting cleaned that morning, it didn't happen. Breakfast was great... we had many different options... so of course I chose Froot Loops over waffles. I mean, I get waffles every week, but my parents are rather stingy when it comes to novelty breakfast cereal.
After breakfast, we quickly packed everything up, and made it down to the car in one load, a new family record. Then again, we didn't bring much into the hotel. Then we were off.
I honestly can't recall at the moment whether or not we stopped anywhere other than the usual rest stops and such. It was a long journey however... We were going from Indianapolis to Pennsylvania. Not sure where in Pennsylvania. We're staying for a week with our relatives. The term "relatives" in this case means our Aunt and Uncle, Susan and Scott respectively, and our cousins Lily and Audrey. They're quite the jovial bunch. And, they have a piano! Happy days.
That's about all I can remember, so for the sake of staying honest, farewell.
-A Breakfast Table (On Day 12) In Pennsylvania,
Ben
Man, I really need to work harder on writing these the day of. I always forget everything overnight... Usually it means I make stuff up to make it more interesting... Let's see. Now what did I do yesterday?
Ahhh, that's right. I woke up, as has become increasingly familiar, in a hotel room. The difference, however, was that it was a nice hotel room. As usual, our plans to "wake up at 7:00" didn't happen. Our intention was to visit the pool before breakfast, but due to our late start and by virtue of the fact that the pool was getting cleaned that morning, it didn't happen. Breakfast was great... we had many different options... so of course I chose Froot Loops over waffles. I mean, I get waffles every week, but my parents are rather stingy when it comes to novelty breakfast cereal.
After breakfast, we quickly packed everything up, and made it down to the car in one load, a new family record. Then again, we didn't bring much into the hotel. Then we were off.
I honestly can't recall at the moment whether or not we stopped anywhere other than the usual rest stops and such. It was a long journey however... We were going from Indianapolis to Pennsylvania. Not sure where in Pennsylvania. We're staying for a week with our relatives. The term "relatives" in this case means our Aunt and Uncle, Susan and Scott respectively, and our cousins Lily and Audrey. They're quite the jovial bunch. And, they have a piano! Happy days.
That's about all I can remember, so for the sake of staying honest, farewell.
-A Breakfast Table (On Day 12) In Pennsylvania,
Ben
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Day 10: John Williams Is My Home Boy
Ben's Blog: Day 10
Hey! I hit the double digits... Nice. Today was sunday... yet again. It seems like it's always sunday. We went to church, of course. Afterwards, we visited Carthage Jail, Illinois, which was pretty cool. For those of you who care, it's the place where Joseph Smith died. Pretty big significance for us mormons.
That was the only place we stopped today. The rest of it has been spent in our cramped minivan. May I just say... John Williams is absolutely amazing. As is Nicholas Hooper, Patrick Doyle, and Alexandre Desplat. For those unfamiliar with those names, they were some of the composers of the various Harry Potter soundtracks. Gah. I love that kind of music. It's all I've been listening to for the past five hours, and honestly, it makes me realize how terrible most of today's music is. I'm sorry to any of you Nicki Minaj fans out there, but really, most of it just ghastly. Especially when compared to the genius of John Williams.
Eh. I'm a little weird at the moment... sorry. (Then again, when am I not? Weird, that is.)
Alright. I just stepped into the hotel room. Wow. This one has two, count 'em, TWO ROOMS!!! Two queen size beds, plus a hide-a-bed, or whatever the devil they call them, in the sofa. Plus, it doesn't smell like cigarettes. Thank you efficient hotel room cleaning.
I think I'm just gonna sink into the sofa for a little while... I'll post this once I work up the effort to get the Wi-Fi username and password from the front desk. Chow.
-An (Amazing) Hotel Room In Indianapolis, Indiana,
Ben
Hey! I hit the double digits... Nice. Today was sunday... yet again. It seems like it's always sunday. We went to church, of course. Afterwards, we visited Carthage Jail, Illinois, which was pretty cool. For those of you who care, it's the place where Joseph Smith died. Pretty big significance for us mormons.
That was the only place we stopped today. The rest of it has been spent in our cramped minivan. May I just say... John Williams is absolutely amazing. As is Nicholas Hooper, Patrick Doyle, and Alexandre Desplat. For those unfamiliar with those names, they were some of the composers of the various Harry Potter soundtracks. Gah. I love that kind of music. It's all I've been listening to for the past five hours, and honestly, it makes me realize how terrible most of today's music is. I'm sorry to any of you Nicki Minaj fans out there, but really, most of it just ghastly. Especially when compared to the genius of John Williams.
Eh. I'm a little weird at the moment... sorry. (Then again, when am I not? Weird, that is.)
Alright. I just stepped into the hotel room. Wow. This one has two, count 'em, TWO ROOMS!!! Two queen size beds, plus a hide-a-bed, or whatever the devil they call them, in the sofa. Plus, it doesn't smell like cigarettes. Thank you efficient hotel room cleaning.
I think I'm just gonna sink into the sofa for a little while... I'll post this once I work up the effort to get the Wi-Fi username and password from the front desk. Chow.
-An (Amazing) Hotel Room In Indianapolis, Indiana,
Ben
Day 9: Nauvoo
Ben's Blog: Day 9
Today we went on our day long trip to Nauvoo. That was really cool. I got to see all these old mormon houses that had been rebuilt. Turns out some guy, way back on my family tree, Theodore Turley, actually owned a house in Nauvoo. There was a plaque for him and everything. No house though. (He's like my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather times fifty.)
The day was hot, exhaustingly so, and I am extremely thankful for air conditioned cars. Really, I can't remember, or describe all the amazingly cool stuff I saw there, and since the only people who probably care are my family, they can read about it in my mom's letter. Assuming she writes one.
One thing about the area we're in. There's a ton of corn. Like, way more corn then there should ever be in one place. I'm getting kind of sick of looking out the window and seeing nothing but corn. Nauvoo was kind of a nice little break from that. I only got one thing from a gift shop in the area, a nice little dog tag with CTR (Choose The Right, a popular mormon saying) on one side, and "I Love Mormon Girls" on the other... doesn't everyone?
The heat is seriously getting to me... I might even have to start drinking water if this keeps up. Heaven forbid. Fortunately there's enough milk in our cooler for the time being. I love milk. If not for milk, I'd probably have died from dehydration years ago. That or broken bones.
[Truthful Interjection #14: I'm actually drinking plenty of water. It's all chlorinated though. Blech. I miss our well water.]
We're staying in the same hotel again tonight... hopefully I won't be too exhausted to post this.
-A Minivan Driving Through Endless Fields Of Corn, Somewhere In Iowa,
Ben
[Truthful Interjection #15: In all honesty, I wrote this entry a day late... sorry.]
Today we went on our day long trip to Nauvoo. That was really cool. I got to see all these old mormon houses that had been rebuilt. Turns out some guy, way back on my family tree, Theodore Turley, actually owned a house in Nauvoo. There was a plaque for him and everything. No house though. (He's like my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather times fifty.)
The day was hot, exhaustingly so, and I am extremely thankful for air conditioned cars. Really, I can't remember, or describe all the amazingly cool stuff I saw there, and since the only people who probably care are my family, they can read about it in my mom's letter. Assuming she writes one.
One thing about the area we're in. There's a ton of corn. Like, way more corn then there should ever be in one place. I'm getting kind of sick of looking out the window and seeing nothing but corn. Nauvoo was kind of a nice little break from that. I only got one thing from a gift shop in the area, a nice little dog tag with CTR (Choose The Right, a popular mormon saying) on one side, and "I Love Mormon Girls" on the other... doesn't everyone?
The heat is seriously getting to me... I might even have to start drinking water if this keeps up. Heaven forbid. Fortunately there's enough milk in our cooler for the time being. I love milk. If not for milk, I'd probably have died from dehydration years ago. That or broken bones.
[Truthful Interjection #14: I'm actually drinking plenty of water. It's all chlorinated though. Blech. I miss our well water.]
We're staying in the same hotel again tonight... hopefully I won't be too exhausted to post this.
-A Minivan Driving Through Endless Fields Of Corn, Somewhere In Iowa,
Ben
[Truthful Interjection #15: In all honesty, I wrote this entry a day late... sorry.]
Friday, June 22, 2012
Day 8: In Which I Come To Grips With My Stunning Tan (Or Lack Thereof)
Ben's Blog: Day 8
I woke up pleasantly dry... which surprised me. Usually when one goes camping, at least in western Washington, they wake up slightly damp. Scientists and other such people, will probably say this is due to atmospheric pressure, or relative humidity, or something else of the nature, but I choose to think that Washington just enjoys annoying people by soaking them. And of course that's why we all love Washington.
Our parents planned on getting out of the camp by 11:00, and we all know how well those plans work out. We tried our hardest, and we left right when I thought we would. Well past 12:00. Nicely done.
I'm not sure if I can take much more of this heat. I swear, I'm slowly roasting my own flesh. Haven't gotten sunburned yet, but I haven't gotten tanner either (Well, okay, just plain tan. We all know I don't have any semblance of a tan) so that means that either I've gotten skin cancer, or I'm just not getting any sun at all. Considering that I avoid direct sunlight like a teenage vampire (the burning kind, not the glittery six-pack kind), it's most likely the latter.
Today we had three destinations in mind. (Twelve if you count all the bathroom stops and the hotel.) Liberty, Missouri, Far West, Missouri and Adam-Ondi-Ahman, Missouri. That's a lot of Misery... I mean Missouri.
To those mormons reading this blog, you may recognize the significance. For the sake of blasphemy prevention, I won't say the importance of those places, because I'll probably mix them up. Google them if you must know.
Those were pretty cool, I'll admit. Got some cool panorama shots, but those don't exactly turn out well. Instead, I'll put up some pictures of our hotel room. I apologize for my lack of activity for the past few days, though I doubt any of you noticed. I was "grieved", shall we say, with a serious lack of the commodity, no, necessity known as Wi-Fi. However, we will be staying in a motel for the next two days, so I'll survive.
-A Somewhat Cramped Motel Room In Keokuk, Iowa,
Ben
[Truthful Interjection #13: To those people who were in the Music Man, yes, this is the city mentioned in Iowa Stubborn. I also saw a "Shinn Street" I was quite delighted. That's all for tonight.]
Smile For The Camera, Dad
Our Cramped Room
I woke up pleasantly dry... which surprised me. Usually when one goes camping, at least in western Washington, they wake up slightly damp. Scientists and other such people, will probably say this is due to atmospheric pressure, or relative humidity, or something else of the nature, but I choose to think that Washington just enjoys annoying people by soaking them. And of course that's why we all love Washington.
Our parents planned on getting out of the camp by 11:00, and we all know how well those plans work out. We tried our hardest, and we left right when I thought we would. Well past 12:00. Nicely done.
I'm not sure if I can take much more of this heat. I swear, I'm slowly roasting my own flesh. Haven't gotten sunburned yet, but I haven't gotten tanner either (Well, okay, just plain tan. We all know I don't have any semblance of a tan) so that means that either I've gotten skin cancer, or I'm just not getting any sun at all. Considering that I avoid direct sunlight like a teenage vampire (the burning kind, not the glittery six-pack kind), it's most likely the latter.
Today we had three destinations in mind. (Twelve if you count all the bathroom stops and the hotel.) Liberty, Missouri, Far West, Missouri and Adam-Ondi-Ahman, Missouri. That's a lot of Misery... I mean Missouri.
To those mormons reading this blog, you may recognize the significance. For the sake of blasphemy prevention, I won't say the importance of those places, because I'll probably mix them up. Google them if you must know.
Those were pretty cool, I'll admit. Got some cool panorama shots, but those don't exactly turn out well. Instead, I'll put up some pictures of our hotel room. I apologize for my lack of activity for the past few days, though I doubt any of you noticed. I was "grieved", shall we say, with a serious lack of the commodity, no, necessity known as Wi-Fi. However, we will be staying in a motel for the next two days, so I'll survive.
-A Somewhat Cramped Motel Room In Keokuk, Iowa,
Ben
[Truthful Interjection #13: To those people who were in the Music Man, yes, this is the city mentioned in Iowa Stubborn. I also saw a "Shinn Street" I was quite delighted. That's all for tonight.]
Smile For The Camera, Dad
Our Cramped Room
Day 7: Poorly Written Narratives
Ben's Blog: Day 7
Well, I must say, I slept better in the cabin than I have for quite some time. I woke, not sure what time, to the smell of french toast. Mmmm... After breakfast, we packed up and left. It's a shame. I rather enjoyed that cabin.
Our two stops for the day were Winter Quarters and Council Bluffs. At Winter Quarters we saw this really cool cemetery. I took a panoramic shot... not sure how well it'll show up here.
After that we headed of to Weston Bend State Park, in Missouri. That's where we'll be spending the night... more on that when we arrive.
[Time Passes]
Alright. We arrived and set up camp. I'll be sleeping in a one-man tent, and I've decided to not put the rainfly on. It's really cool just sitting in the mesh enclosure, and watching the fireflies, which I have decided are my favorite insect.
[Truthful Interjection #12: This entry is terrible in a big way, mainly due to the fact that I'm actually writing it the day after the occurrence. I'm presently speeding down the highway in our minivan, listening to Kimberly sing along with a tape from my childhood, that deserves to be violently destroyed. Preferably with fire.]
That's all folks. Hopefully I can post all three entries that I'll have written, by tonight. Hope you people didn't get too worried...
-A Noisy Minivan, In The Middle Of Some Highway, In Missouri,
Ben
Well, I must say, I slept better in the cabin than I have for quite some time. I woke, not sure what time, to the smell of french toast. Mmmm... After breakfast, we packed up and left. It's a shame. I rather enjoyed that cabin.
Our two stops for the day were Winter Quarters and Council Bluffs. At Winter Quarters we saw this really cool cemetery. I took a panoramic shot... not sure how well it'll show up here.
After that we headed of to Weston Bend State Park, in Missouri. That's where we'll be spending the night... more on that when we arrive.
[Time Passes]
Alright. We arrived and set up camp. I'll be sleeping in a one-man tent, and I've decided to not put the rainfly on. It's really cool just sitting in the mesh enclosure, and watching the fireflies, which I have decided are my favorite insect.
[Truthful Interjection #12: This entry is terrible in a big way, mainly due to the fact that I'm actually writing it the day after the occurrence. I'm presently speeding down the highway in our minivan, listening to Kimberly sing along with a tape from my childhood, that deserves to be violently destroyed. Preferably with fire.]
That's all folks. Hopefully I can post all three entries that I'll have written, by tonight. Hope you people didn't get too worried...
-A Noisy Minivan, In The Middle Of Some Highway, In Missouri,
Ben
Day 6: Fireflies
Ben's Blog: Day 6
Today started with waking up in another motel. We made our own breakfast this time, as opposed to yesterday when we were served. Life is rough. Nothing worth noting happened for the first half of the day, other than the usual screaming and shouting in the car. Our destination is Omaha, Nebraska, where we will be staying in a Teepee.
[Truthful Interjection #10: (Hey, I got into the double digits!) Scratch the Teepee idea. When we arrived, the place was soaked, and we upgraded to a cabin. I, for one, am not complaining. (For one, not for once.)]
Mid-journey, we encountered a TREMENDOUS rain storm. It was pouring buckets, man. Honestly, I'm not sure if Chris and Jonathan even noticed it, their eyes were so glued to the computer scree. It was really cool though, even if I was scared that Dad would drive off the road. One of his eyes is irritated, so he can't really see out of it. That, coupled with the rain, gave me a serious case of the willies. The rain subsided for a while, then came back, dispersing only shortly before we arrived. Of course, the Teepee was drenched. Second time our "Camping Plans" have been changed by the weather. Maybe God just doesn't want us to camp. Don't tell Dad, but I'm okay with it, if it means we get electricity. (Dad, if you're reading this, I didn't mean it... okay, actually I do, but... well, there really isn't a 'but' about it. I don't like camping with siblings. Accept it.)
[Truthful Interjection #11: That little comment probably just cost me some privileges, so I'll take it back. Only for you, father.]
OH! I completely forgot. For the first time IN MY LIFE, I got to see... wait for it... FIREFLIES! Now, to some of you, that probably isn't all that great, but to me... It was pretty special. That's one more thing I can add to the list of things I actually enjoy about this trip. A list which, I may add, I will deny exists 'til the day I die. I also caught a frog. Almost died from happiness right there.
That's about all the special I can take. This might not get posted for a few days, because I have no internet connection, but then again, no one reads this thing anyways.
-A Warm, Comfy Cabin (Not a Cold, Damp, Teepee) in Omaha, Nebraska,
Ben
Today started with waking up in another motel. We made our own breakfast this time, as opposed to yesterday when we were served. Life is rough. Nothing worth noting happened for the first half of the day, other than the usual screaming and shouting in the car. Our destination is Omaha, Nebraska, where we will be staying in a Teepee.
[Truthful Interjection #10: (Hey, I got into the double digits!) Scratch the Teepee idea. When we arrived, the place was soaked, and we upgraded to a cabin. I, for one, am not complaining. (For one, not for once.)]
Mid-journey, we encountered a TREMENDOUS rain storm. It was pouring buckets, man. Honestly, I'm not sure if Chris and Jonathan even noticed it, their eyes were so glued to the computer scree. It was really cool though, even if I was scared that Dad would drive off the road. One of his eyes is irritated, so he can't really see out of it. That, coupled with the rain, gave me a serious case of the willies. The rain subsided for a while, then came back, dispersing only shortly before we arrived. Of course, the Teepee was drenched. Second time our "Camping Plans" have been changed by the weather. Maybe God just doesn't want us to camp. Don't tell Dad, but I'm okay with it, if it means we get electricity. (Dad, if you're reading this, I didn't mean it... okay, actually I do, but... well, there really isn't a 'but' about it. I don't like camping with siblings. Accept it.)
[Truthful Interjection #11: That little comment probably just cost me some privileges, so I'll take it back. Only for you, father.]
OH! I completely forgot. For the first time IN MY LIFE, I got to see... wait for it... FIREFLIES! Now, to some of you, that probably isn't all that great, but to me... It was pretty special. That's one more thing I can add to the list of things I actually enjoy about this trip. A list which, I may add, I will deny exists 'til the day I die. I also caught a frog. Almost died from happiness right there.
That's about all the special I can take. This might not get posted for a few days, because I have no internet connection, but then again, no one reads this thing anyways.
-A Warm, Comfy Cabin (Not a Cold, Damp, Teepee) in Omaha, Nebraska,
Ben
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Day 5: Motels, Motels Everywhere
Ben's Blog: Day 5
Woke up in a motel. Not always a good thing. I apologize for yesterday's lack of factual events. That's because nothing exciting happened. In fact, not really anything at all happened. We drove. For hours.
This morning our destination was Casper, Wyoming, with a stop midday at some historical site or other. So far it's pretty cool. We're presently on a "Rover", which is an open vehicle for tourists, moving at high speeds down a hot, windy road. I can barely hear the tour guide over the wind, the sound of Jonathan making random noise, and some horrific wailing, which I have been told is my brother singing. Ouch.
[Truthful Interjection #8: Chris actually does okay at singing. If he tries. Most of the time he doesn't try though. I'm seriously considering throwing him off the back of the vehicle.]
I really hope I don't lose my fedora in all this wind. (It's funny, because as I wrote that, my hat whipped off my head, and flew back several yards.)
[Truthful Interjection #9: At this point I dropped the iPad, got yelled at by my father, and was forbidden from using it for the rest of the tour. Sorry.]
After the tour, we climbed in the car, and moved on. Our next stop was Glenrock, home of a dinosaur museum. Surprisingly, I actually enjoyed it. (Don't tell Mom and Dad I said that.) We stayed there for... I don't know, an hour? Then more driving... *sigh*
Final destination: A Luxury Inn in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Yay. More Motels. Excuse me for not jumping with joy. Bright side, however. No camping (Mom and Dad's original plan.) Which means wi-fi. BONUS! That's about all for today, guys.
-Yet Another Motel, (This Time In Cheyenne),
Ben
Woke up in a motel. Not always a good thing. I apologize for yesterday's lack of factual events. That's because nothing exciting happened. In fact, not really anything at all happened. We drove. For hours.
This morning our destination was Casper, Wyoming, with a stop midday at some historical site or other. So far it's pretty cool. We're presently on a "Rover", which is an open vehicle for tourists, moving at high speeds down a hot, windy road. I can barely hear the tour guide over the wind, the sound of Jonathan making random noise, and some horrific wailing, which I have been told is my brother singing. Ouch.
[Truthful Interjection #8: Chris actually does okay at singing. If he tries. Most of the time he doesn't try though. I'm seriously considering throwing him off the back of the vehicle.]
I really hope I don't lose my fedora in all this wind. (It's funny, because as I wrote that, my hat whipped off my head, and flew back several yards.)
[Truthful Interjection #9: At this point I dropped the iPad, got yelled at by my father, and was forbidden from using it for the rest of the tour. Sorry.]
After the tour, we climbed in the car, and moved on. Our next stop was Glenrock, home of a dinosaur museum. Surprisingly, I actually enjoyed it. (Don't tell Mom and Dad I said that.) We stayed there for... I don't know, an hour? Then more driving... *sigh*
Final destination: A Luxury Inn in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Yay. More Motels. Excuse me for not jumping with joy. Bright side, however. No camping (Mom and Dad's original plan.) Which means wi-fi. BONUS! That's about all for today, guys.
-Yet Another Motel, (This Time In Cheyenne),
Ben
Monday, June 18, 2012
Day 4: A Day In The Life Of Ben Heintz, Private Investigator
Ben's Blog: Day 4
The day began, as any ordinary day would, with the sun. It rose, loudly announcing its presence to anyone who tried to sleep past 5:00. If you ask me, I'd say it was a tad much, like bringing a gun to a knife fight.
My mid-morning thought process was interrupted by a dame, who, like most dames, wanted something. And they way she asked for it didn't leave me with a shred of doubt that she meant business. Violently, she dislodged me from my perch. My head hit the floor quicker than a Louisville Slugger smacking an award winning pitch. "Get up," she said, using her voice with all the force of a trained professional. I knew that voice. When your teacher's the streets, you get it a lot.
I inquired as to the hurry. She merely snarled, pointing out of the room, with a look that said "If you want to leave the room in something other than a bod bag, you leave it now." I complied. My head works better when it's firmly attached to my shoulders.
Breakfast was a thin, tasteless gruel, prepared with all the warmth and loving-kindness of a parole officer, who's recently gotten off of parole himself. I swallowed it, knowing that it'd be the last good meal I'd have for a while. A long while.
As I was finishing the last watery mouthful, a rough sack was pulled over my head, and tightened. I was dragged outside, and heard a car start. Chevy. 1952. Not a good year for Chevys. I was forced inside, between two people. A large man, built like a sack of bricks, and warmth to match it, and a larger woman, named Florence. At times I got confused as to which was which. After a long drive through a barren wasteland, we came to a cheap motel. At this point the sack came off my head. The neon "Vacancy" sign looked as if it had been saying that for a while, and by the looks of the place, it would go on saying it. I was thrown into a room, and handcuffed to the radiator. And so here I sit, with the cold steel of a revolver pressed to my neck, and wrists rubbed raw.
[Truthful Interjection #7: I decided that today's "adventures" really weren't adventurous in the slightest. So I improvised. Basically, we drove a lot, and ended up in Rawlins, a town where the only thing that pleases the eye is the graffiti on the passing trains.]
-A Cheap Motel In Rawlins, Wyoming,
Ben
The day began, as any ordinary day would, with the sun. It rose, loudly announcing its presence to anyone who tried to sleep past 5:00. If you ask me, I'd say it was a tad much, like bringing a gun to a knife fight.
My mid-morning thought process was interrupted by a dame, who, like most dames, wanted something. And they way she asked for it didn't leave me with a shred of doubt that she meant business. Violently, she dislodged me from my perch. My head hit the floor quicker than a Louisville Slugger smacking an award winning pitch. "Get up," she said, using her voice with all the force of a trained professional. I knew that voice. When your teacher's the streets, you get it a lot.
I inquired as to the hurry. She merely snarled, pointing out of the room, with a look that said "If you want to leave the room in something other than a bod bag, you leave it now." I complied. My head works better when it's firmly attached to my shoulders.
Breakfast was a thin, tasteless gruel, prepared with all the warmth and loving-kindness of a parole officer, who's recently gotten off of parole himself. I swallowed it, knowing that it'd be the last good meal I'd have for a while. A long while.
As I was finishing the last watery mouthful, a rough sack was pulled over my head, and tightened. I was dragged outside, and heard a car start. Chevy. 1952. Not a good year for Chevys. I was forced inside, between two people. A large man, built like a sack of bricks, and warmth to match it, and a larger woman, named Florence. At times I got confused as to which was which. After a long drive through a barren wasteland, we came to a cheap motel. At this point the sack came off my head. The neon "Vacancy" sign looked as if it had been saying that for a while, and by the looks of the place, it would go on saying it. I was thrown into a room, and handcuffed to the radiator. And so here I sit, with the cold steel of a revolver pressed to my neck, and wrists rubbed raw.
[Truthful Interjection #7: I decided that today's "adventures" really weren't adventurous in the slightest. So I improvised. Basically, we drove a lot, and ended up in Rawlins, a town where the only thing that pleases the eye is the graffiti on the passing trains.]
-A Cheap Motel In Rawlins, Wyoming,
Ben
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Day 3: In Which I Do Nothing Of Importance
Ben's Blog: Day 3
I watched Iron Man last night. That was pretty cool. Never seen it before. Spoiler Alert: Everyone dies. I mean EVERYONE. Got to bed about 1:00 again.
[Truthful Interjection #5: That's not actually what happens. Don't go complaining that I ruined it for you. Just go watch it]
I slept until noon this morning. The only reason I got up at all was because I had church. That was... enjoyable. All about fathers for some reason or another. Still can't figure out why. Tried some new cereal. Thought it'd be nice to have a change. It was called Krave. Enough about that.
We leave Boise tomorrow morning. Next destination is Rawlins, Wyoming. Never heard of it. I'm pretty sure I could have lived my entire without hearing about it, and been perfectly happy. No offense to anyone from Rawlins. According to my father, the only thing we're gonna do there is sleep and eat, then get out of there as fast as we can. Sorry Rawlins.
After that, I'm not sure. Could be anywhere. I can say that I'll miss the use of a piano for the next couple of days. That, and this blog, are the only things keeping me sane these days. My family's completely 'round the bend. (Then again they've always been like that.)
[Truthful Interjection #6: I'm more insane than my parents. Can't say the same for my siblings, but I probably made them that way]
I started trying to learn a piano piece called "River Flows In You". I believe all you twilight fans out there know it as "Edward's Lullaby". Despite this fact, it IS actually a good piece of music. Not much else happened today, leastwise nothing of great importance.
Happy Father's Day everyone.
-A Bed in Boise,
Ben
(Hah. Alliteration.)
I watched Iron Man last night. That was pretty cool. Never seen it before. Spoiler Alert: Everyone dies. I mean EVERYONE. Got to bed about 1:00 again.
[Truthful Interjection #5: That's not actually what happens. Don't go complaining that I ruined it for you. Just go watch it]
I slept until noon this morning. The only reason I got up at all was because I had church. That was... enjoyable. All about fathers for some reason or another. Still can't figure out why. Tried some new cereal. Thought it'd be nice to have a change. It was called Krave. Enough about that.
We leave Boise tomorrow morning. Next destination is Rawlins, Wyoming. Never heard of it. I'm pretty sure I could have lived my entire without hearing about it, and been perfectly happy. No offense to anyone from Rawlins. According to my father, the only thing we're gonna do there is sleep and eat, then get out of there as fast as we can. Sorry Rawlins.
After that, I'm not sure. Could be anywhere. I can say that I'll miss the use of a piano for the next couple of days. That, and this blog, are the only things keeping me sane these days. My family's completely 'round the bend. (Then again they've always been like that.)
[Truthful Interjection #6: I'm more insane than my parents. Can't say the same for my siblings, but I probably made them that way]
I started trying to learn a piano piece called "River Flows In You". I believe all you twilight fans out there know it as "Edward's Lullaby". Despite this fact, it IS actually a good piece of music. Not much else happened today, leastwise nothing of great importance.
Happy Father's Day everyone.
-A Bed in Boise,
Ben
(Hah. Alliteration.)
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Day 2: Bowling, Breakfast, and a Side of Zombies
Ben's Blog: Day 2
Yesterday, (Or rather today), we arrived in Boise. My entire being was aching, due to falling asleep while hunched over. We pulled into our cousin's driveway, and snuck inside, falling asleep almost as soon as my head hit the arm of the sofa.
This morning, breakfast was Pancakes. (Chocolate Chip and Blueberry)
Toppings consisted of Syrup, Butter, and Whipped Cream. It was quite delicious. I'm tempted to post pictures to make those reading even more hungry.
The first part of the day was spent "recuperating" which is a fancy way of saying I did nothing worthwhile.
[Truthful Interjection #2: I did practice piano, and play Nintendo. I consider those things worthwhile, although my parents tend to disagree.]
Lunch was Kraft Macaroni, skillfully prepared, (as skillfully prepared as Macaroni can be prepared, anyway) and afterwards, I went bowling. I'd like to say I threw two perfect games... So yeah. I threw two perfect games. Everyone was simply agog over my marvelous abillity to hit a standing target with a large object. That was fun.
[Truthful Interjection #3: I barely broke 60 on my first game, and 70 the second.]
Not much worth mentioning happened after that, other than my father's gross overreaction to use of electronics. (Gross as in huge, not disgusting). If I don't post for a few days, it's because I've been grounded, not because I'm dead. Currently, I'm digesting a magnificently cooked steak, and Pina Colada smoothie. I've decided the evening needs more excitement... So. We were attacked by a horde of Zombies. I fended off half a dozen of them with a broken lawn chair, and got one with a few golfballs. I was almost overtaken when the Intergalactic Police arrived and...
That's about all the excitement I can handle.
-A Picnic Table In Boise,
Ben
[Truthful Interjection #4: There were no Zombies (I hope you were able to figure that out on your own). However, it is my dad's birthday, and that's enough excitement for me.]
Yesterday, (Or rather today), we arrived in Boise. My entire being was aching, due to falling asleep while hunched over. We pulled into our cousin's driveway, and snuck inside, falling asleep almost as soon as my head hit the arm of the sofa.
This morning, breakfast was Pancakes. (Chocolate Chip and Blueberry)
Toppings consisted of Syrup, Butter, and Whipped Cream. It was quite delicious. I'm tempted to post pictures to make those reading even more hungry.
The first part of the day was spent "recuperating" which is a fancy way of saying I did nothing worthwhile.
[Truthful Interjection #2: I did practice piano, and play Nintendo. I consider those things worthwhile, although my parents tend to disagree.]
Lunch was Kraft Macaroni, skillfully prepared, (as skillfully prepared as Macaroni can be prepared, anyway) and afterwards, I went bowling. I'd like to say I threw two perfect games... So yeah. I threw two perfect games. Everyone was simply agog over my marvelous abillity to hit a standing target with a large object. That was fun.
[Truthful Interjection #3: I barely broke 60 on my first game, and 70 the second.]
Not much worth mentioning happened after that, other than my father's gross overreaction to use of electronics. (Gross as in huge, not disgusting). If I don't post for a few days, it's because I've been grounded, not because I'm dead. Currently, I'm digesting a magnificently cooked steak, and Pina Colada smoothie. I've decided the evening needs more excitement... So. We were attacked by a horde of Zombies. I fended off half a dozen of them with a broken lawn chair, and got one with a few golfballs. I was almost overtaken when the Intergalactic Police arrived and...
That's about all the excitement I can handle.
-A Picnic Table In Boise,
Ben
[Truthful Interjection #4: There were no Zombies (I hope you were able to figure that out on your own). However, it is my dad's birthday, and that's enough excitement for me.]
Day 1
Ben's Blog: Day 1 Well folks, today's the big day. That's right, the day me and my debatably tolerable family cram ourselves into a minivan, and set off across the country. Also, coincidentally the day I start this blog. With any luck, someone out there might actually read this, and sympathize with the madness I have to live with. Please excuse me if the truth gets a bit muddled at times. Where to begin. The day of travel did NOT start off as planned. Father's idea was to be packed and leave the minute school got out. The rest of the family had other ideas. After much heavy work on my part, and excessive lazing about on everyone else's, I (singlehandedly) packed the entire minivan, condensing what I would live with into two small bags. The event is comparable in significance and heartbreak to the mass exodus's of old, such as those made by Noah, or Moses, or Holocaust victims. [Truthful Interjection #1: Actually, dad did most of the packing, whereas I did the lazing about. Mom made sandwiches, and did other such motherly tasks.] Finally, two hours later than expected, we were off. Things went swimmingly... for the first ten minutes anyways. That was around the time we started having laptop issues. I won't bore you with the details, but let's just say I'm the only child in my family with a shred of common sense. There was much weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth over the fact that the computers wouldn't do what they were supposed to. (Not my fault, I may add) Our first destination is Boise, Idaho, where our cousins live. We've visited them just about every summer for as long as I can remember. (And I know what you're thinking, no, they do not grow potatoes.) Due to the delayed start, we will be arriving there sometime around 1:00 in the morning, a fact I did not fully appreciate until 9:00. As I am writing this, my siblings are drifting off into sweet dreamlands, my mother is quietly snoring in the front, and the gently wafting odor of cow manure has decided to fill the car. Thanks, Oregon. All I can say is that I hope my father doesn't fall asleep at the wheel, or we'll be seeing our relatives a few hours sooner than planned. That's about all I have the patience to write, so goodnight, good luck, and tune in if you have nothing else to read. -Somewhere in Oregon, Ben
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