Notes from the Road: A Road Trip Diary

Sunday July 5th:


I've got a few minutes to myself right now. I'm sitting in my in-laws' living room stretched out on a chair and ottoman feeling sleepy. It's almost 2pm. It's 26 degrees in the house but rather cool compared to the heat outside. Various parts of the family have left to run errands, leaving me happily to chop some veggies for my veggie platter for our BBQ in a few hours. I felt after 2 days of constant visiting and being around people that I needed a little quiet time to myself. My morning shower doesn't count. I've cut my veggies and made the dip - homemade of course. I'm mentioning food? Does this mean I'll share some of the goodness? Why sure... (no pic though)


Lindsay's Veggie Dip:


Sour cream
Mayonnaise (I actually use Miracle Whip)
juice from 1 lemon
fresh chopped basil, dill and parsley
Dijon mustard (you can use dry mustard powder if you don't have anything else- just don't use prepared yellow mustard)
ground cumin
garlic powder
salt and pepper

Let it sit for an hour to get the flavours going and add more of things if needed.

We don't have any garlic powder here at the moment so I compensated by adding a little more cumin. Now it tastes like cumin and not much else. Oh well, trial and error. Don't ask for quantities, go by your own taste buds. After all, I just made this up...
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Monday, July 6th

*10:11am- 363 kilometers to Vancouver. The return trip begins officially.

*Coming up the big hill on the Connector from Kelowna, I stare eye to eye with clouds hovering
among the tops of these mountains. It's like momentarily floating in the air, a feeling of weightlessness. An illusion that is quickly dashed as you curve down the other side of the hill.

*Driving along through the torrential rain that appeared out of nowhere, I glance into the backseat. On the left is a car seat and on the left is our new stroller, folded. A Saturday shopping spree with my mother-in-law. OMG, we have a travel system!! Bean's movements have gotten so much stronger since we left on Friday. 3 days later I no longer need to press on my belly to feel her. Just placing my hands can pick up the movement. Of course, it's fun to press down and have her press back as if to say, "Hey, cut cramping my space!" Watching my belly move on its own is also my new hobby. Enlessly fascinating.

*Okay, I revise my earlier assessment of this highway. Normally it's pretty boring. There are some big mountains and the occasional pot lake but generally it all looks the same. Today, however, is a bit of a carnival ride. The crosswinds are trying to move our little rental car into barriers and other lanes. The rain was novel for the first half and hour and now I wouldn't mind if it dried up. It makes pee breaks a little more friendly to get out for. [insert pep-talk here] "Seriously sweetheart, you need to cut that out! We've got another 40 km till the next pit stop and my bladder isn't too sure it can make it that far!"

More notes to come...