My parents old van is in need of fixin, so I got to drive it to the garage to get fixed, the mech will look at it tommorrow. The garage is right by our house, so it was no problem to drop it off.


I’ve been driving in the jeep a good deal, hard to remember not to clutch (an automatic van does not like it when you attempt to clutch on the brake). It was also very quiet. I’ve been driving with the soft top on the Jeep, and while that’s a blast, and easy to take down/up, it makes highway drivin pretty loud. Their van was very quiet, little road noise, and the radio didn’t need to be cranked so loud. Well, and the drive was a lot smoother, my Jeep is a bouncy critter. I Love my Wrangler, but I felt so secure in my parents van. It smelled like home. Coffee smells, a hint of my mom’s hairspray/perfume. Book smell from the book biz they’ve had almost as long as I can remember. Memories of the long trips in that van and similar, streched out on a long bench seat, listening to the radio as we go through chicago to ohio. My family drives a lot, for a bit there, I felt like I could drive several hours in their van somewhere, in the dark, and end up at some roadside stop for a bite of breakfast.

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We had a great weekend! Friday night we went to LuLu’s for a wonderful dinner before our Lord of the Ring’s reading group met (chapters 1-6). We got to sit at the low table, with the cushions just off the ground, very cool. Of course, it was only comfortable until we were overfull, and couldn’t stretch out.


The reading group was so awesome, though late. Tony and Carlo have read the trilogy multiple times, with Michael not too far behind. I haven’t read it since 5th grade, and am happy to understand so much more this go around. Jaz is reading for the first time, I think, and Jon is already into the Two towers, ee! It was a great time, though we had to send Maria off to bed early, to have friends discussing a whole set of literature that is close to the hearts and childhoods of many. We are gearing up for the movie this winter. Want to make sure everyone has read the book, before they see the movie.


Saturday we had another nice time together, played our Middle Earth Role Master characters for the first time, I play a female ranger, and carlo plays a hobbit cook. (who did indeed turn out to be the key to the operations, heh) All in all a good deal of fun, and can’t wait to play more. We ended the night with the atrocious movie ‘The Musketeer’–kids, steer clear of this cow pie.


Sunday we watched the Packers awesome game at home, and headed back to M&M’s for board games, we arrived in time to see Maria beat Tony and her husband in scrabble, and then settled in for Star Wars Monopoly -Epidode one. The best part in the game was my cool Amidala playing piece. I was happy to break out the Scattergories, which Dan (who has moved to vegas) bought us as a wedding gift. It was a great hit, and a couple people had never played it. Good times. I love autumn, it always makes me feel more connected. Just a wonderful, all round weekend.