Hello There, Stranger

Well.

I didn't mean to be gone quite so long, but you know how it goes... First, my parents come into town and then spring break comes along and before I know it,  I've forgotten how to blog. Be careful, it could happen to you too.

But I'm back. With the remains of a sunburn that are fading into a tan, and a long list of items that have been fixed by my dad around my house. I couldn't be happier.

The problem with being gone for so long is that I feel compelled to write about it all, because it was enchanting, but (lucky for you) I don't have that kind of attention span. So, I will just summarize a few of the truths I discovered spending a week with my parents, and then a week on vacation:

• Having my parents stay is like having kindly, live-in servants. Rich people are so lucky.
• If we set our minds to it, we really can eat an entire giant bowl of fruit in one week.
• Take time to wander in small shops; they could be selling magic pants.
• A trip to the beach is not the same without the bacon ice cream store.
• Field of Dreams is actually a very strange story. How did we miss that in 1989?
• Some gas station food is actually good.
• Watching your parents with your kids is one of life's treasures.
• The cherry blossoms in Washington, DC are worthy of every lovely adjective sent their way.
• Speaking of adjectives, the only ones worth using in Mad Libs are: poopy, chunky, smelly, and pimpled.
• The best Mad Lib nouns are: poo, poop, turd, diarrhea, armpit, and pee.
• Taking a tour of the nation's capitol is even more fun when your nephew is leading it.
• The best Smithsonian cafeteria is in the American Indian museum.
• If you're a mom or a grandma, a trip to a cool grocery store can feel like a trip to Disneyland.
• Dropping my parents off at the airport will always make me cry. Always.
• Packing for vacation can keep your sad heart occupied.
• A ten-hour road trip seems exponentially shorter when started at 7 am instead of 2 pm.
• When in doubt, rent the minivan.
• My oldest child is becoming an adolescent, which means that I am becoming an agnostic.
• Some Subway employees are not worthy of the title "Sandwich Artist."
• The sound of the ocean is very good for the soul.
• Mexican food, as it turns out, is also very good for the soul.
• There is no shame in eating Mexican food every day.
• There are no wiggly pigs anywhere in the Piggly Wiggly.
• If you really concentrate, fried okra is almost as delicious as fried Oprah.
• Never miss an opportunity to wander a tiny, used bookstore.
• No matter how long you're gone, the dog will always be happy to see you again.