i am not going to amarillo by morning

This will be quick, since otherwise I risk getting incredibly maudlin, and I don't have time for that since I need to go to bed. But this is my last night in Iowa; my goal is to make it to Cheyenne by tomorrow night, which is fine except for the six hours spent crossing Nebraska, the most boring stretch of road on earth, with cruise control firmly set at exactly the speed limit to avoid getting ticketed by the Nebraska State Patrol. Ugh.

I spent most of this afternoon loading my car; I did a better job this time than I did on the way home (as evidenced by the fact that everything is properly packed, and there aren't myriad random objects stuffed in cup holders, under seats, etc. I also took a road test to see whether anything was shifting or making annoying noises, but everything was beautifully still. Of course, I can't do anything without a little bit of drama, and this experience was heightened by the dozen or so wasps that were investigating and then making themselves at home in my car while I was loading it. I thought that I had gotten them all out of the car, but when I went out awhile later to load something else, I opened the door and almost screamed when one flew into my face. Granted, these were mud daubers rather than truly aggressive wasps, but the last thing I want is to have wasps flying around my head while I'm driving.

Aunt Becky and the scandalous fiance were here briefly this afternoon, so I got to say goodbye to them. I also visited my grandmother briefly, and had a virtual repeat of the conversation I had with her earlier in the week (but since I left after half an hour, we didn't have time to have the conversation a second time). Then, my parents made a delicious last supper (hot dogs again -- but you have no idea how good these hot dogs are, especially since Dad grills them -- and Dad's amazingly perfect fried potatoes), which the four of us enjoyed immensely. I hung out w/my parents while watching a couple of episodes of 'Cold Case' and the ten o'clock news, before coming downstairs and packing up the last remnants of stuff scattered around my room.

Tomorrow I should be in Wyoming! I'll post an appropriately reflective post another time, likely with the pictures of town that I took the other day, but right now I need to get some sleep.