Road Trippin'

I took a little trip the last few days...right down Nostalgia Lane. The boys, Emma, and I hit the road and traveled back to my college town, where we met up with one of my very dearest friends. I met Jackie in college, and we hit it off immediately. She has seen all my bumps and flaws through the years, and has chosen to stick around anyway, becoming one of the family. We decided to meet back in our college town to revisit some old haunts and retell some old stories. In other words, we bored the kids by starting way too many sentences with the phrase, "Back when we were kids..."

We started our reunion tour on campus, visiting the school mascots.

The bears were in fine form, coming right up to the fence and performing for us. They played and sat up and waved their paws. They were lots of fun to watch. "When I was in school"... they lived in a turquoise cement pit. Now they have a beautiful natural habitat. Progress has been good to the bears.

Next, we walked through the student union. The green Naugahyde couches have since been replaced with computer bars, and there is a Starbucks where the vending machines used to stand.

The changes on campus were in keeping with the growth of the town as a whole. "When I was a kid"....the town was small and sleepy. The school cafeterias were closed on Sunday evenings, so you either had to have a friend with a car or learn to love Ramen noodles. The latter was a necessity for most of us, because even those lucky enough to have a car to drive off campus didn't have too many destinations to choose from. Today there are strip malls lining all the major roads, each one peppered with dozens of dining establishments. None of the newbies, however, can hold a candle to some of the local landmarks that have stood the test of time. Case in point, Casa Ole'. That brightly painted beacon of tex-mex perfection. Case Ole' is known for its garish decor, its cheap prices, and its infamous, legendary, bring-you-to-your-knees delicious green stuff. Green stuff comes in a bowl and is served with the chips. It's different from guacamole. No one knows exactly what it is, but the Casa is packed night after night, year after year, with green stuff groupies. Jackie and I wholeheartedly agreed that our pilgrimage to green stuff validated our entire vacation. I wish I could adequately describe green stuff. It is cool and creamy with just the right amount of spice and tang. And I consumed 12 bowls of it last night at dinner. I was making up for lost time.


Today we took the kids to the zoo. "When I was a kid"...this particular "zoo" was merely a nook in the local park that housed a few birds and a reptile or two. Today it is a full fledged zoo, with actual animals, and many acres of shaded trails and exhibits. It is fantastically designed and a wonderful way to spend a day with kids.


Aunt Jackie and the kids...


The monkeys at the zoo. And yes, I'm referring to those in the foreground...

These two clean their rooms at the same pace...

These two eat the same amount at lunchtime...

Long, lean and graceful. I'm speaking, of course, of the giraffe in the background...

I shared a bed with one of the boys, who shall remain nameless. Said sleep mate took up residence in the absolute middle of the bed, and seemed to grow extra arms and legs as the night wore on. I dodged knees and elbows by creating a barrier of pillows, and fought hard to regain control of a crinkled corner of a bed sheet more than once. But I also got to hear his gentle breathing and feel his soft little hand patting my face awake this morning. They look so angelic when they sleep.

Yes, Aunt Jackie and I decided these three road trippers were quite travel worthy, and we cherish the memory of teaching them about what life was like "back when we were kids".