BARKING IN SPANISH

The alarm goes off before 6:00am, but we are beat... We are up before 7:00am and on the road by 7:30 or so. We dig the hosta and lilies this a.m., pack the car, take out the trash, and water the flowers.

CA drives to Marengo before we get coffee and then onward to Omaha. I have a very good new book by--get this--a mother/son writing team "Charles Todd." The first in the series of nine is A Test of Wills, an Inspector Ian Rutledge Novel--not to be confused with Ian Rankin. I am so loving this one that before the day is out I will have ordered 4 more from Amazon to take along to Europe. (No I am not manic--Amazon offers me a buy three get one free deal, coupled with free shipping for any order over $25.)

I am loving this drive. I read and doze and read and doze. CA finds plenty to keep him company on satellite radio and somewhere along the way we hear someone talk about teaching their dog to bark in Spanish. I offer that must be arf-o, bark-o, woof-o, or whoops! is that Italian? CA says bark-o loung-o and we decide we are the clever, fun couple...

Just before the half-way point (Iowa City) I offer to drive and he takes me up on it. I drive 100 miles and then beg for a pit-stop. We find a gas station Subway and split an Italian BMT. I have been off of Subway for a long time, but recently we shared a very fine sandwich. This one is less than average, so there are no guarantees.

I confront my prejudice in the Subway as soon as I notice the turban. A Muslim man in front of me... And, he asks the server to change her plastic gloves before preparing his veggie sandwich--he needs to make sure no meat has been touched. Well, what the heck... Everyone should be able to, Have it your way. Then, I turn around and see a young white mother with a small boy who looks very much like he is physically abused--fading buises, healing wounds in various stages and locations over much of his body. I am sickened. First, for the little boy and what his life must be like, and then at myself and the prejudices and biases I have been harboring these past few years.

CA drives the balance of the trip and we arrive in Omaha just after 3:30pm. JA runs to the car and throws himself at us! How fun. This is the first time we have been greeted this way and we are loving it. He has been anticipating our arrival and immediately asks about the park. MA is leaving very soon for a retreat weekend with 50 other men, so we beg off on the park until tomorrow. Lucy has grown, but is still a tiny delight. She smiles. Ah-h-h... Nothing better than a baby's smile. JA shows us his guitar skills and we dance and march and read books.

We order from Thai Kitchen again this trip and while yummy, it falls a bit short of our expectations. The little ones are in bed early and the big ones are not up late. I fall asleep on the couch sometime after 9:00pm and fake it for awhile so that CA won't make me move... About 1:30am I realize how much more comfortable the guest bed is than this couch and drag myself to bed.