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
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