BIG D little a, double l a s

We’re here!!! After driving for three days, here we are at last!

First of all, if you’re thinking of visiting Unclaimed Baggage in Scottsboro, AL… DON’T BOTHER! The stuff was thrift store quality at mall prices – a total letdown! To be honest, I wasn’t expecting new stuff, but I also wan’t expecting prices at 50% – 80% of retail – insane! We did get a few books for the kids, a backpack for Hannah and a few jackets for Gerry (he NEEDS some lightweight jackets)

So after we WASTED a good deal of time getting to Unclaimed Baggage we were so far behind that we changed our route and didn’t stop in Little Rock (no Heifer Ranch, boo hoo!) Instead we headed for what we thought would be a good direct route to Dallas – Jacksonville to Shreveport to Dallas – via the Nachez Trace Parkway. It was obviously our day to be hoodwinked because the parkway was actually a very SCENIC route, slow, 50 MPH and NOT a great place to try to make up some time. Our mistake!

We were driving along, obeying all of the traffic rules, and a truck pulled in front of us and was doing about 45. It was interminable. So Gerry passed it. We figured it was the end of the story, but about a mile down the road a police officer pulled us over – we had apparently passed the truck during the only section of solid yellow no-passing line on the ENTIRE TRACE PARKWAY! The cop was actually really nice, and let us go with a warning – but we knew it was time to get OFF that road. So we took a less direct but faster route to Jackson, then to Vicksburg where we stayed at a nice, clean motel 6. Showers all around, re-grouping and we ordered pizza – what a night!

The next day the drive was easy and delightful – at one point we pulled over for the ubiquitous bathroom and water break and while we were waiting for dad to fill the car the kids and I wandered over to a trailer full of bulls and met 4 year old Tommy Taylor, a real cowboy! The kids were very impressed, and Tommy liked Atticus – we had a nice visit and then continued on to Grandma’s house.

The bond between Alex and Hannah was strong and immediate – both have the same kind of energy (which we hope they will use for good) and both of them are VERY dramatic. Future home of the Modesitt Summer Stock. Max was – as always – Max. Easy going, not quite in your face, but amazingly lovable and sweet, sweet, sweet! Starting on Friday (when Alex is out of school for the Christmas break) the kids will be staying here – probably camped out in Alex’s bedroom in their sleeping bags!

The kids are so thrilled to be in ONE PLACE for more than a day – Atticus is in HEAVEN here romping with his fellow doggies Rex (a white Standard Poodle ) and Nessie (a butterscotch Scotty) The big excitement today will be a bath in Aunt Karen’s Jacuzzi!