On our way back to Virginia. Spending the night at a Holiday Inn that is hosting a massive family reunion. Our room is on a courtyard facing the pool. Are y'all thinking what I'm thinking? Yeah. There's going to be lots of voices outside our door tonight.

I hated saying goodbye to E's mom this morning, thinking how long it will be until I see her again. As the car was heading north, my mind was traveling south--imagining her day, the cans of Sprite and Ensure, the TV set to Animal Planet, her walker next to her chair, and the nurse standing by to help her as necessary, including the task of distracting her from the deafening sound of absent family.

I'm dragging today. Tired even after dozing in the car on and off all day. It's been four weeks since we left home. We've traveled 2,500 miles in the van and slept in five different places. When I wake up in the night, it takes me a while to get my bearings, figure out where I am, and how to navigate the darkened room and find the bathroom. All my clothes are wrinkled from being bound by my suitcase. Everything smells unfamiliar.

Tomorrow we  arrive at my friend Lynn's, and i'm looking forward to settling into the familiarity of her home and our friendship. Then on Tuesday it's back to Woodbridge and house buying and mortgage loans and house inspections and tying up loose ends. Next week at this time, I'll be home, trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my summer.