The Hawthornes Are On The Road.

This picture is from Saturday afternoon. Dixie is just realizing that we're leaving tomorrow. Funny how she always knows.

Now, it's Sunday morning. 6 AM. (Yeah, right. Not.) Mr. Hawthorne and Rosie are on a Road Trip! Please check in with us. I'll try to blog every night about our meals, experiences, and adventures, all dependent upon the wi-fi-nesse of our venues. We're headed to far western NC - to Asheville, NC, for the 25th annual Biltmore Festival of Flowers. And I've scheduled numerous side trips and stops along the way. Our destination for today is Asheboro, NC. I want to go to the North Carolina Zoo and to the Pisgah Covered Bridge. Years ago, when I was in my funk period and couldn't/wouldn't go anywhere, Mr. Hawthorne took the boys on an ad hoc trip. They actually went to this bridge and Youngest Hawthorne carved Tyrone Loves Jameel (?) inside. I want to find that. We are soooo looking forward to this trip. Stay tuned for lots of fun! Now, for the sad part of this. Dixie knows I'm leaving. It's Saturday afternoon, and I've got my crossword puzzles and books bag packed. I've got my clothes packed. I've got our laptops and cameras and related attachments ready. The cooler is here and the ice packs are in the freezer. I have a to-do list to get the Garmin, the cell phones, the maps out of Mr. H's truck. I'm ready to go. And Dixie knows I'm leaving.

She follows me every where and nuzzles me and stays right beside me. She begs for attention. I give her love and hugs and a heartworm pill on a Ritz with peanut butter. She loves it.

And you wanna know the best part? Youngest Hawthorne came down Saturday night about 6:30 and took up the VACUUM CLEANER. I clutched my heart a la Fred Sandford. "Elizabeth I'm comin'!!" Except I said, "MAMA! DADDY! I'm coming!" Youngest Hawthorne tried not to laugh, unsuccessfully. For the next THREE HOURS, as I blogged and exercised, YH was heard vacuuming, cleaning, and doing all sorts of shit in his room. He has NEVER done this before. Apparently, he is looking forward to our trip. He's bringing down bags and boxes of trash and also three pairs of shoes for his father. OMG. My son finally came downstairs Saturday at 9 PM and asked me if I would do his laundry (only 2 loads - sheets and towels, then clothes) and please come up and see his room, if I'd like to. Are you freakin' kidding me? I went upstairs into his room and it was IMMACULATE! Even the closets were cleaned out. (There are three.) Here it is: I was stunned. I actually cried. I hugged my son. He actually hugged me back. He CAN do it! I believe he was proud of himself. I'm so proud of him. I believe the boy has plans for this week. I believe I want to get on the road.