On the Road with Technology

Raise your hand if you love technology.

I am writing this post on Katie’s little green Dell in the car on the way to Colorado. We don’t have a wifi connection, but I can type it into the computer, save it on my flash drive, and then when we find a place with free wifi, I can upload this to the shoebox castle. Matt is playing Nintendo DS and listening to a cd on a cd player. Paul is also playing DS and listening to music on his mp3 player. Katie and Jimmy are watching a movie on a portable DVD player together and Jim and I are listening to an Eagles cd. We had hooked my iPod to the car stereo and were listening to that, but then Katie and Jimmy needed the car outlet. OK—new idea for car designers: more outlets in the car. Each of us has probably three devices that need charging in the car and having just ONE outlet is not enough to handle our electrical needs.

The DVD is keeping Katie quiet. She’s been at YW camp for nearly a week, so she had a lot to tell us. She chattered non-stop from Savage to I-80 in Des Moines. She ran out of camp stories to tell so she and Jimmy started inventing hands-free cigarette holders. (yeah, I know. None of us smoke. I think someone gave her goofy gas) She and Jimmy came up with the Pez dispenser version of a cigarette holder. Then there is the one that comes with a recliner and operates much like dental chair apparatus so you can smoke while operating several remotes for your TV. Then there was the holder that fits on your head and looks like a phone operator headset. This activity kept Jimmy and Katie laughing for half an hour. Then they started throwing Red Vines licorice chunks at me and I had to gnash my teeth at them. Someday I might even take Mom’s advice and bite my hand at them. She says that works.

Boy, Iowa is flat and boring. At least it’s green. I’m looking out the window of the van and I can see for miles. There are a few groves of trees here and there, but most of the view is of cornfields. Mile after mile of cornfields.

We are meeting up with Mike and Jen of Hawleyfocus.com fame in Council Bluffs. I don’t know if we will be caravanning with them until we reach the lodge; it would seem logical and prudent to do so.

I have taken a few pictures so far, mostly of alien windmill invasions. There really isn’t much else to see. I can’t wait to get to the Rockies.

Now we are at the motel in Council Bluffs. Tomorrow morning we will be in Nebraska. Joy of joys. But I'd rather drive through cornfield after cornfield and treeless vista after sweeping treeless vista than be snarled in freeway traffic.

Around dusk, the fog started collecting in low-lying areas and the fireflies turned on their back lights. The blinking of the fireflies is mesmerizing and I stared out the window for miles, watching them flicker. One hit the window and left a streak of luminous green bug juice that faded after 30 seconds or so. I would have taken pictures of fog and fireflies, but Jim wouldn't stop the car for anything.

The motel has free wifi so I am able to post this using the little green Dell. I guess I am addicted to blogging--Jim is watching sports, and I HAVE TO BLOG. Like you all care what Iowa is like...

For now, goodnight. I'll post again when I can.