stunt_muppet

I actually got home yesterday, but by the time I finally arrived and hauled all my stuff in I was too tired to do much of anything but go to bed. And I spent most of today going along with my mom to pick my brother up from camp, which is in the middle of Absolute Freaking Nowhere, Maryland.

Getting home was something of an adventure in and of itself. But not a fun, cheerful, "Oh, let's see what picturesque landmarks lie beyond this exit!" adventure, unfortunately. From the top:

1. Got up late. Slept through about five wake-up calls from Mom and Dad. Woke up at 10:00 a.m. Dorms close at noon, for reference.

Of course I hadn't finished packing. Also, the dining halls closed after luch Thursday, and I'd been out of milk and cereal for about a week (we're not supposed to leave food in the dorms over break, as it draws ants and roaches). So no breakfast for Muppet.

2. Finally got out the door and on the road around noon. Checked tire pressure, upon Dad's prompting. Found I had insufficient air in my tires.

3. Made my way to nearest gas station. Discovered that their pressurized air hose was not working properly.

Did not realize this in time to avoid letting air out of my tires and reducing tire pressure to 18 lbs, thus rendering it quite flat and unsafe to drive on. Realized that next gas station is two exits down the highway.

4. Once finished cursing, called AAA. Waited 45 minutes (not a bad wait time, considering, but by that point I was quite tired and wanted to go home and just ill-disposed towards the world at large) for the guy to come put air in my tires. He had a portable air compressor, which he plugged in to my car's power converter/cigarette lighter jack thing. More on that later.

Followed guy to nearest gas station, where he filled my tires the rest of the way. Thanked him copiously. Went to get breakfast lunch.

5. After lunch, tried to plug in GPS, so as to have its reassuring voice to guide me home. Realized that my car's power converter was no longer working, and that, even though I'd fully charged it last time, my GPS's battery was dead.

After panic-calling Dad, arrived at conclusion that the air compressor must have blown the converter's fuse when the AAA guy plugged it in. Which meant that I would not be able to charge anything on the way back, including, significantly, my cell phone.

Further swearing.

6. Finally got on the road after getting directions from Dad. Thankfully, drive itself was largely uneventful, save that because I hadn't thought to bring CDs and my iPod was mostly dead I ended up listening to the only two CDs I happened to have left in the car last time - both anime sountrack mixes that Friend had made for me. Found I can still sing along with at least five songs on said CDs, despite not having even a vague clue what anyone's saying in them.

7. After a stop for dinner at the classiest McDonalds I'd ever seen, headed on up Highway 81. Around Strasburg, VA, ran into pea-soup fog; I literally couldn't see more than ten feet in front of me, and the only reason the road was visible at all was because of the little reflectors they put on the center line.

Followed other cars' taillights for most of the way, but was occasionally at the head of the caravan, which was not fun. Also, because I already had zombies on the brain from exam week, could not entirely stave off comparisons to Silent Hill. Not reassuring.

8. Fog mercifully cut out after a while, only to start up again the moment I hit Highway 66 - and stay firmly in place almost until I got on 495. Thankfully, 66 eventually widened out from a woody two-lane highway with no signs of life for miles to a six-lane highway with still no signs of life but plenty of streetlights at least. This made the fog, once ominous and obscure, look rather pretty. Plus, the people living along some stretches of 66 had their Christmas lights up, which created lovely haloes in the fog.

9. Finally reached home with little incident, since it was too late at night for 270 to be clogged. Found that my dog was not in fact particularly happy to see me, and instead gave my luggage a cursory inspection and then wandered off to gnaw on the bone she's already demolished half of.

I made very insulted faces at her. She didn't seem much bothered.

Replies, responses to your entries, et al shall come tomorrow, but for now, I am glad to be home, glad to be with my family (even my dog, the ungrateful little beast), and glad to see you all again as well. Friends At Home, expect a call from me tomorrow or Monday - I've got Christmas shopping what needs to be done.

To bed.