Crystal Forest Return Trip

The ride back from Maine yesterday was unexpectedly memorable, for esthetic reasons mostly.  We were in semi-Northern Maine following our credo – we will travel to party.  We had to get back south ahead of the latest storm and the minor inconvenience of having to work today.

The hardest part of the trip was prying my wife away from her friends.  They were all a little punch drunk from their extremely late night frolicking/conversations.  That is, except for my wife, who seems to extract energy from being around her friends.  We were having a leisurely brunch after loading up the car when I gently started reminding her that we had to get on the road.

She went into her normal travel avoidance procedures of first ignoring me and then sending pleading looks of irritation (she’s a master).  I had the trump card to play that we were planning on stopping in Portsmouth to take our son and MEF out to lunch.

We Did Get Her Into the Car Eventually

I had the card until it was unceremoniously pulled away by that self same son.  He called to report that based on his own New Years Eve shenanigans he was in no shape to consume food.  My wife immediately took this as license to spend more time with her friends. 

We all eventually herded her towards the door during which even the most innocuous comment by someone immediately led a delaying conversation started by my suddenly very interested wife.  It became so obvious at a certain point that everyone started having some fun with it.  We got her close enough to a door that opening it to admit some frigid air left only the sanctuary of the warm car to flee to.

The first seventy miles south on I-95 were spectacular.  It had been dark the day before when we drove up but the sunshine was bouncing off virtually every tree glistening with a thick layer of ice.  It was like we were driving through a forest of crystal trees.  While it was starkly beautiful I can only imagine how much fun it was when the ice came in.  It reminded me of the devastating ice storm a few years ago that killed power for weeks for some people.

Thankfully, while it was still arctic cold, the roads were clear and the scenery was just spectacular.  This was a boon because this stretch of highway north of Augusta is usually monotonous in the extreme; but certainly not so yesterday.

By the time we reached Portsmouth, leaving the crystal forest behind, my son had recovered enough to answer his door and we spent a very short but thoroughly enjoyable time with he and the MEF.  They both looked a little like horses that had been rode hard and put away wet; evidence of a very fun New Years Eve themselves.  My son is still adamantly opposed to pursuing any of my recommended hangover avoidance strategies; despite my lifelong study of the phenomena. 

The final hour and a half home flew by with the sense the holiday season was really coming to a close but with it a confidence we had all given it out best effort.  It’s easy to feel cheated when you go into a period of time with such high expectations; lofty to the point of impossibility.  I then remember back to all the time I got to spend with my family and friends, both old and new, and I think we did pretty well.  I can’t wait for next December.

Her Friend Returned a Dress My Wife had Given Away Since It No Longer Fit
Since She Lost Some Weight This Year It Fits Again and She was Dancing (Big Surpirse)
When It Did