We had to be in at 6:30 today (and tomorrow) because in the last week they up the deadlines for certain things. In some ways I don’t mind; there’s no traffic on the roads and I enjoy the quiet. I also fell asleep probably around 9:30 in my chair then slept 11:30-5:15 so that’s not awful.

But anyway, let’s backtrack. For those following along at home, you know we high-tailed it out of town. I got permission to take time off from my boss, though kind of wish timing had been better. I hated to ask in my first session but I did it weeks ago under the auspice of ‘you never know until you ask’ and they allowed it. I hope it didn’t count as some kind of strike against me but I don’t think so.

Anyway, we got out of town around 9:45 am Friday and it felt like the longest drive. Stopped in Orlando at a quirky bottle shop then took the kids to a Chik-fil-a while Ash and I got keto snacks at a Walgreens. Back on the road and it was fine until somewhere on the Turnpike south when it was just bumper to bumper. I can’t stand how trafficky it gets down there. Instead of going right to the airbnb we went to Tarpon River brewing where we met up with my cousins Alan, Erin, and her husband, Chad, who I literally had not seen since their wedding – and I think I was 17! We just don’t really make a point to see all that side of the family due to distance and plus, Facebook keeps us apprised of everyone’s happenings. The brewery was so-so but the food was good and the company as well. Kids were a bit whiny but they were good to go with food. They were none too happy about the heat but honestly, I wasn’t bothered by it. A combo of changing my eating habits with having grown up in it, I guess.

We took them to the airbnb and got them settled then went back out to a sports bar with the same folks. I guess everyone down there is super into the Florida Panthers hockey team and they are in playoffs so the atmosphere was fun that night. Had a beer and a fry basket and then went home. Long day!

The next day I got up and took my youngest with me to find a Publix. I knew they’d need some kind of food and I needed some things like travel size soaps that the kids didn’t pack. I had given them agency to get their stuff together but they missed a few things. I was lucky in that this Publix had a Starbucks inside! I know of them in a Target but not my grocery store. When we got back, I made everyone promise to be good but Elliot was still losing it; whining that he doesn’t know these people or care and just generally being a brat. We don’t typically bribe our children but Ash was like, “if we get you McDonald’s breakfast will you be good?” So we hit the fast food garbage and then drove about 20 mins south to my old neighborhood in Hollywood. The old house looks nice; the owners take good care of it.

Hard to see with the cars but that’s the house I lived in from 6 months old until I was 15. The old hood doesn’t look too bad either. Drove past some of my old haunts then we went to the store again for easy-drinking beer and then to Cooper City for the actual grad party at my cousin’s wife’s sister’s house. It’s my cousin’s daughter who graduated with her MFA in poetry.

We had a great time, I will say. They have a nice house on a canal and it was shady (I was worried about getting sunburned) and had plenty for the kids to do, like fishing and swings from a big banyan tree, etc. They had a taco bar and lots to drink and it was fun. My aunt and uncle were there, along with my other cousin, Adam. The only one not in attendance was the youngest of four, Bethany, but she’s a little too bougie for us now. But we had fun and I am really glad we went, even if it was a really long drive (7 hours without traffic). We took the kids home around 6, ordered them a pizza, then later, met Alan and Danielle at the Riverside Market, a cute bottle shop/tap house in a neighborhood in Ft. Lauderdale. We just decompressed and then the night was done.

We got on the road around 9 and headed to Melbourne for our tradition of eating at the one El Chico in Florida, then on to home, getting there around 5:30. We had to take the rental car back and then I did the store and laundry, etc. I was exhausted by the end of that day!

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OK this week’s theme has to do with medicine or music being a salve. The first related song that popped into my head with this one with your remedy:

And on the theme, well, let’s just give you The Cure!