Monday, May 26, 2008

The Invisible Aliens are Not In DuBuque

Damn! I still didn’t find the invisible aliens.

However, I did find something that I’d been missing for quite a while: real relaxation. You know how sometimes you don’t even realize how stressed you’ve been feeling until you get away for a while? Yep, that’s how I felt.

On this three-day voyage, Iwanski and I traveled through Northern Illinois, into Iowa (ooo, Iowa!), and then through Southwest Wisconsin. We saw beautiful green hills and valleys, pastures with cows lazily grazing, and forests with the occasional deer venturing out into the open. We even saw a bald eagle carrying his prey (perhaps a snake) over the treetops. We did some real hiking, and some real relaxing. It was just beautiful.

And at night, we retired to our hotel to swim in the pool and kick back with a couple of cold beers while we listened to some country and bluegrass music. Ahhh…this was the life.

Now we’re back in the city, in the place of beautiful manmade “hills” known as the Sears Tower and the John Hancock Building. It’s the place of city parks, where pigeons graze on the popcorn or corn chips somebody left behind, and of metal rails with the occasional subway rat venturing out into the open. It’s the place where we often see seagulls soar over the rooftops of buildings, in search of their next meal.

And I love it, too. I just need to remember that it’s just as important to relax here in the city as it was in the country.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to crack open a couple of cold beers and listen to some hip-hop music.

Ahhh…home sweet home.

5 comments:

Lorraine said...

Ain't that the truth? Why do we think we can only relax away from home? That's just silly. We relaxed all day yesterday in our own home sweet home and it was awesome.

Unknown said...

I am sure you'll eventually find your aliens. I am confident there are few living here disguised as my family.

I recall making the trip to Dubuque and then driving back via Wisconsin. My mother totally freaked our crossing the Mississippi. One my favorite memories of my alien mother.

Miss Healthypants said...

Rainey, you are so right! Glad to hear you've been relaxin' in Seattle...

Mathman, you're funny! :) And the Mississippi is nothing compared to crossing on the Mackinac Island bridge!!

Unknown said...

You're right, my alien mother would never have gone near the Mackinac brigde either. She freaked out on the bridge over the Calumet (is I90 or I94 can't remember).

Miss Healthypants said...

Wow, Mathman! Your Mom is an alien. :)