When I was a kid, we drove the 18 hours straight from DC to our place in Canada every summer and I *loved* it. Long road trips make me happy. (DH and I generally take 2 days with a stop in either Toronto or Tobermory, but eventually I want to start driving straight through again. If my parents could drive for 18 hours straight with 4 kids in the car, we can sure as hell do it with 1. What's the point of owning the World's Greatest Travel Game if you're only going to be on the road 10 hours?)

Ann Arbor to Los Angeles and Los Angeles to Ann Arbor.

My longest solo drive in one day was Chicago to Nashville, which ended up being ten hours after adding an extra two hours to get through some construction at the Kentucky/Tennessee state line. I've also solo driven from Chicago to southern NJ twice, but did that in two days both times. My dad always drives that in one day, but there's no way in hell I can make the 13-14 hours without a break. Last time, I did get from NJ to Sandusky, OH before having to stop, so I only had another four hours the next morning.

I've driven DC to various points in southern Wisconsin in 2 days, several times. Longest 1-day was either Atlanta-DC or DC-Boston.

Atlanta-DC was probably the worst because it started raining at the end. And I made the mistake of taking 85 to 95 instead of going up 77 to 81. Which meant that the last 2 hours involved dark, rainy conditions with heavy traffic and an exhausted driver who was too close to home to really stop.

Worst 1-day was either Parkersburg, WV to DC through a major snowstorm that started halfway through, or Janesville, WI to Cleveland through an ice storm in northern Indiana and dense fog all through Ohio.

Remains of a cup of coffee:

And new news on Teddy -- he's doing pretty good. His kidney values are stable, if a little high. His creatinine is 2.9, should be 2.5 or lower. His BUN is 45, should be 36 or lower. Everything else is within normal ranges.

The problems now are significant anemia and his weight loss. His red blood cell levels are 15 (should be at least 25, and 30 is really recommended). And he's hovering around 7 pounds, when at this time last year he was closer to 12.

He's off the Zofran (anti-nausea pills), as well as the liquids (Lactulose and Aluminum Hydroxide to deal with constipation and phosphorus, respectively). And the subcutaneous fluids are being cut to every other day. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to happy about it because (1) he still has to take meds, and (2) we're adding in meds that were labeled optional a few weeks ago (organic renal support pill and cod liver oil).

Vibing hard for Teddy and all others who need good health vibes!

ION, If Larry Craig were gay...

ETA: Tap Three Times with your loafer if you want me...

So I'm walking for two hours every day for my commute now. I know it's probably good for me or some shit, but I'm still not going to be happy about it.

And all the health-ma I can muster for those that need it.

Vibes for Teddy-- I hope he keeps doing okay.

I don't have to go to work today!

I hope Teddy continues to do OK.

And I really wish I wasn't at work today! Although I don't know what I'm bitching about, since I was off on Monday.

And I really wish I wasn't at work today! Although I don't know what I'm bitching about, since I was off on Monday.

Jesse is me. It seems that more that half our office is out. So I feel resentful that I have to be here too.

I also just realized that I totally spaced on something I was supposed to follow up on this week. Then I call the person who I am supposed to be following up with. She is on maternity leave, and her replacement knows nothing of what I am looking for.