Travel Fatigue

OK, I wanna go home. I want to get my clothes out of a closet or drawer, not a suitcase. And I want to eat food that I cooked, heavy on the fruits and veggies. Travel fatigue has set in, for sure. It's been a great trip, but ending it by going through the storage area in one of our rental houses in Maryland is taking its toll. The adults are tired, and the girls are bored and tired, which is a lethal combination for harmony. So while John is over at the rental house with his helpers, I am at the Hampton Inn letting the girls watch Cartoon Network, waiting for my BFF to rescue us and take us out to breakfast. Shaking things up a bit always helps. I know we can get through the next few days with more smiles than tears, and that the trip back to Key West is getting closer. We got this! I've so enjoyed being back in Frederick, Maryland. Between visits I forget how lovely it is. The region has had a lot of rain so everything is green, green, green! The flower baskets hanging from the street lamps on Market Street are lush and colorful, and the blooms along Carroll Creek are striking. We got to visit some of our favorite spots and see some of our favorite people. It's good to see that the Tasting Room is still packed on a Tuesday evening, and I swear some of the patrons at Bushwaller's have been sitting on the same bar stools since we grabbed a beer last summer. La Paz is our 'Cheers' where everybody knows our name and our life story....the regulars looked at photos of the girls during the adoption process and some had tears in their eyes when they finally got to see them in person. Last evening I attended a book signing at Curious Iguana book shop on Market Street, which is owned by a friend from Hood College, not far from downtown on Rosemont Avenue. Our ties run deep here. I lived in Frederick longer than I lived in Altoona, where I grew up, so spending time in both places is quite special. Tonight we are taking the girls to Pistarro, the new Italian spot on East Street. Tomorrow evening will be our last big La Paz dinner. I hope to get to Wegman's one more time as well. As much as I love the Taj Mahal of gourmet grocery stores, I'm actually glad I'm not closer to one because I don't think I could sleep at night, knowing that all that stuff is there just waiting for me to come and claim it.  :)