December 20-29
For the first time in five years, I got to spend Christmas with family.
The last time I got to spend Christmas (or even Christmas Eve) with my parents was in 2018.
In 2019, they went to California to see my sister and her family (and that was the first Christmas I’d ever spent completely alone.)
The following year, 2020, they had a gathering at their house in New Mexico but out of an abundance of caution, Brandy and I elected to stay home to avoid the risk of a COVID infection.
By the time the next year, 2021, had rolled around, they’d moved to Idaho and we’ve spent the Christmases in Iowa, in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
Past conversations with dad have indicated that mom had been exceptionally down during the holidays as none of her kids were making an effort to see them for the holidays. Leah is too self-centered to make ANY effort to see them, and Carrie is almost as much a homebody as Brandy is; getting her to even leave the house is a chore, much less leaving the state to see her parents.
I decided it was high time for one of my parents’ kids to put forth some effort and visit for the holidays.
The Drive Out
We departed Iowa bright and early on Friday, December 20. With 22 hours of driving ahead of us, I figured a split of 8/8/6 would be the best.
Eight hours after leaving Ottumwa, we found ourselves in Ogallala, Nebraska, a charming little town tucked in to the corner of the panhandle of the state. A very small town with a population just over 4,000, I’m surprised to have found some big chain hotels there. Sure enough, we wound up staying at an AmericInn (by Wyndham) and I gotta say, that was one of the best stays we’ve had in a long time. The hotel was incredibly clean, I felt safe and secure, and, even right by the interstate, it was pretty quiet. The hotel-provided breakfast the following day was pretty good, too.
The next day, we headed out for another 8 hour drive. We quickly found ourselves in Wyoming, then, not too long after that, were flying through Cheyenne.
We were almost to Laramie when I decided to make a pit stop at the Summit Rest Area. As I was getting ready to exit, I noticed signage announcing an Abraham Lincoln memorial. With no prior knowledge of this, I’ve decided to look it up and see what it’s about.
At the rest area can be found a 12-foot-tall bust of the great former president that was erected in 1959 by Wyomingite Robert Russin. The bust was originally placed on old US Highway 30 (the Lincoln Highway). A decade later, when Interstate 80 was built, the monument was moved to the new location, the Summit Rest Area and Visitor Center.
The bust sits atop a 30-foot-tall granite column and can be clearly seen from the highway as you drive by.
We parked and I ran in to do my business. When I returned, I took Ash for a stroll while Brandy went in to do her own business. We wandered over to the highway-facing side of the rest area and were greeted by the massive sculpture watching over the travelers as the speed by.
Truly, the moment is impressive. The sculpt captures the hard-lined features of Lincoln while still allowing the gentle softness of the man’s heart.
After reading the plaque and checking out the view of the road below, we headed back to the truck and carried on.
Before long, we found ourselves in Evanston, Wyoming. Located in the very southwestern corner of the state, Evanston is a lot bigger than Ogallala, yet we found ourselves at a rather old motel called Prairie Inn. The building is rife with mid-century charm, harkening back to the days of the 1960s. The lobby led to a hall that carried guests to their rooms, but each room could also be accessed from outside as well.
As we entered our accommodations, I was struck by the smell of stale cigarette smoke. One was was paneled with the old-school paneling so common in that mid-century era and the ceiling was similarly paneled with exposed beams running through the room. The walls were all cinderblock (likely so behind the paneling on the one wall, at least) and there was a tiny, probably 32″ TV in the large room.
After a night of drinking, I got up the next morning and went next door to Jody’s Diner, a likewise holdover from the same era the inn was clearly from. I had a light breakfast of a biscuit with a chicken fried steak on top, two over-medium eggs, a mess of hash browns and a strip of bacon, all smothered with sawmill gravy.
Yes, the “light breakfast” remark was sarcasm.
I brought an order of biscuits and gravy back for Brandy and by the time she ate and we got up and moving, and we were on the road, it was pushing 10:00, which is much later than we usually hit the road.
Our Arrival in Boise
After a stop at nearby Walmart for some groceries, we headed to the AirBnB, a terribly cute little one bedroom house in what my parents described as not a great area (though Brandy and I see NO issues with the neighborhood. It is a working class street, but it’s certainly no ghetto, to the extend as our place in New Orleans was.)
The place was eclectically decorated with lots of bright colors in patterns that removed me back to the southwest. The living area was an open concept with the living room, dining room and kitchen all merged into one space, with a standard sized bedroom and a large bathroom with a huge, two-person Jacuzzi tub beyond that. There were laundry hookups in the bathroom, but alas, no machines were hooked up to them.
I unloaded the truck and soon after, mom and dad showed up with Panda Express. We sat and ate and socialized for a bit before they headed out, then Brandy and I watched TV for a bit before calling it a night.
The next day, we both had to work. Before my work day ended, I started a big pot of goulash for Brandy’s meals throughout the week, then, once I logged off, I headed to my parents for a bit to do a bit of socializing with them. We had fajitas for dinner, and after a margarita, I headed back to the AirBnB where Brandy was pretty tipsy already. I joined her for a few drinks then we headed off to bed.
Christmas Eve
The next day, we both had to work again but I knew we would be getting an early release for the holiday. Sure enough, we got the e-mail about 1:00 that we could log off, so I did, and after Brandy finished up a couple of things with her work, we headed out toward my parents’, stopping at a state-run liquor store for booze on the way. Being Christmas Eve, the store was packed. Two registers were open at the front of the store and the lines for both of them reached to the back. I grabbed our chosen alcoholic beverages and waited in line, all told being in there nearly 15 minutes (which doesn’t sound like a long time, but when pretty much that entire time was time spent in line, it was.)
Afterward, we tried to find a gas station or something to get our mixers. Finding a gas station with an actual store that I could walk into and get what we needed seemed to be way more challenging than I ever thought it’d be. We eventually happened upon one though, so I ran in, got what we needed and we finally found ourselves at our parents’ house at 3:15.
Brandy and I, in our matching pajamas, went in and spent a good evening chit-chatting with my parents and munching off of a charcuterie board until their friends, Chris and Ceanne, showed up. My parents’ moods seemed to suddenly lift immeasurably, seeming so happy that their friends were there. It was the level of happiness I expected to see when we arrived, and, to be honest, that’s what I thought I saw when we first got their, but Chris and Ceanne’s arrival seemed to outshine ours by light years.
The expectation was set that we would each open one gift, our long-standing Christmas Eve tradition from when my sisters and I were children and still lived with our parents. C&C’s arrival shanghaied that though and we never got around to opening any and Brandy and I left to return to Ash who had been home alone for several hours.
Christmas Day
The next day, we returned early to my parents’ house for a breakfast of biscuits and gravy/gravy and eggs (depending on who you ask). We set the expectation when we got there that we would need to leave at about 6:00 to once again return home to our canine companion who, at that point, would be left alone for another 8 hours.
After breakfast, we sat and all opened our gifts from each other (I won’t bore the reader with the gifts that we each opened). We sat, chatting for a bit, then I suggested that my parents and I retire to the dining table for a game of Mexican Train while Brandy did some work (yes, on Christmas.)
At around 3:30, I asked how long the ham would take to cook as I felt it was going to take a while. Sure enough, all instructions we looked up indicated it was going to be upwards of 2 hours to heat through at a low temperature of 275 degrees. Dinner was started but the oven, in use at such a low temperature, meant that the scalloped potatoes they meant to make wouldn’t be able to be made in that oven, as it took 40 minutes at 425 degrees according to those instructions. The decision was made to try to cook them on the small propane grill in their back yard which meant the temperature would need to be constantly monitored.
Frozen, unbaked dinner rolls were planned for but they needed 3 to 5 hours of rise time once they’d been defrosted, then they needed cook and cool time. As they were just being taken out of the freezer at that point, they were scrapped.
They had bought fresh green beans for the veggie side, but they were purchased too long prior so they were discolored and undesirable so they were discarded in favor of canned green beans.
And the pie couldn’t be cooked because the oven was already in use so that was scrapped as well.
The ham never reached temperature, the potatoes didn’t quite make it to the finish line and the green beans, now having already been cooked twice (once in the can and now once in a sautee pan) were mush.
We ran out of time so we assembled some to-go containers with the food and we took it back to the AirBnB where we finished off the cooking in the microwave.
My parents were thoroughly embarrassed by the poor planning on demonstration but frankly, I didn’t mind. It’s just another hiccup on the road called life. Sometimes shit happens and you just have to roll with it. That’s one thing I’ve come to understand in the last few years. I guarantee that even to this day, they haven’t let it go yet.
Anyway, after we ate, we cuddled up in bed and watched Carry-On on Netflix, then called it a night.
Post-Christmas and Our Departure
On Boxing Day, I woke up way earlier than I wanted to with tremendous back pain. I went to the kitchen and made some coffee, Ash following me out. Once he left the bedroom, I closed the door to let Brandy get some more rest.
I read for a bit, then took a shower, got dressed and got ready for my day.
Once Brandy got up and I got her situated, I headed back to my parents’ house.
I hung out there for a while playing Mexican Train, then left to get Brandy.
My parents had made reservations for us at Brick 29, an upscale steakhouse where some items are priced at “Market Price”, the type of place that might have a slogan, if you have to ask, you can’t afford it.
Brandy and I cleaned ourselves up and headed to the restaurant. The lobby of the place is a small room with a podium in the corner. To the left of the podium is a wall of curtains, behind which is the entrance to the Craft Lounge, a hoity toity bar where they employ mixologists, not bartenders.
To the right of the podium is an elevator that takes you up to the third floor of the building where the restaurant is. the dining area is a long, narrow aisle with a row of tables down the middle and booths flanking on either side. We were seated in one of the tables in the middle.
I ordered a drink, the Black Widow, a tequila-based drink with fruit syrups and a skewered raspberry floated in the drink.
Brandy ordered a vodka and water and added Mio to it.
My parents arrived shortly after and we soon ordered. We got a plate of Dijon Bacon Sprouts (Brussel sprouts roasted and finished with a whole grain mustard sauce, house bacon and fresh tarragon) and a Black Garlic-Mushroom Flatbread (Black garlic-brie spread, thyme-madeira mushrooms, smoked gouda, mozzarella, arugula finished with truffle oil and sea salt.)
I ordered a cup of pumpkin bisque and the Angus ribeye, one of the items marked “market price”, and Brandy got a chicken Caesar salad.
My parents had fully expected to pay the bill but when the check came, they were too slow on the draw and I was able to snag it before they could. They were (really, more mom was) very upset about the fact that we paid the bill but there was nothing they could do about it.
After the check was paid, we made our way back downstairs where we said our good-byes and we parted ways.
The Pack-Up and Leaving
Once we got back to the AirBnB, we did our best to pack up what we could and I loaded the truck with everything that was not essential through to the next morning.
We had a couple more drinks then made our way to bed for our last sleep in Idaho.
The next morning, we hit the road at about 8:30. Neither of us felt great; we brushed it off as too much to drink, staying up late and getting up early. Time would later prove that was not the case.
We made the drive south through Idaho, and into Utah, contending with rain that had been coming down for the better part of the previous two days.
As we continued south, and higher in elevation, the rain turned to sleet, then to snow, and the roads became treacherous, slick and slippery. Traffic slowed to a crawl in places before the ice eased up and we found ourselves on wet (not icy) roads. The weather would continue to vacillate between snow and rain, the roads bearing slush or just water accordingly. The slow spots on this leg of the trip extended our day’s drive by about 30 minutes but before long, we found ourselves in Rock Springs, Wyoming, a small town where we’d stayed on our trip to Grand Teton National Park in September 2022. The Motel 8 we’d stayed at on that trip was long gone, but we found ourselves at a joint called Sweetwater Lodge.
The room we were in was a groovy little room with a heavy 1970s vibe to it. It had a wonderful curved couch that extended off of the floating Formica nightstand that was perched next to the incredibly low bed (legit, it was the same height as a box spring and mattress on the ground without a frame.)
There was a mirror with a wonderfully groovy pattern etched into it and a mirror-topped cocktail table where I’m sure plenty of coke had been done in the life of the place.
We ordered in Old Chicago pizza, ate and before long, we were asleep.
The Sickness
We woke up the next morning, both of us feeling like shit. Brandy had some pretty bad stomach cramps and we both were super tired and achy. Knowing we had no other choice, we pressed on, hitting the road at about 8:00 Saturday morning.
The roads, by and large, were much easier to traverse, thank goodness, as the precipitation had died down and the last remnants of icy roads were only found on the less-traveled pathways. Once we hit the freeway, it was pretty smooth sailing.
It’s a good thing, too; as the day wore on, I felt worse and worse, Brandy not faring much better. I was so incredibly tired and sore that even just sitting in the truck was a task. The 8 hours we drove to Kearney, NE, seemed to take a week.
We pulled into a Motel 6, where we stayed on our way to Cannon Beach, OR. We got our stuff in to the room mostly in one trip, and I almost immediately crashed. Brandy ordered me a cup of chicken noodle soup from a nearby Panera and I had just finished it when I had my CPAP mask on and was asleep.
Being asleep as early as I was ensured an early wake-up for me. I was up at about 1:00 and stayed awake until about 2:30 before I fell back asleep for another few hours. All told, I slept about 10 hours that night.
I woke up slightly more refreshed than I had gone to bed. We had hoped for an early departure for the last leg of our trip; sure enough, we were on the road at 7:30.
This last push was a six hour drive through southern Nebraska and into Iowa, making several twists and turns before we found ourselves on highway 34 into Ottumwa.
We arrived home a little before 2:00 pm. I unloaded the truck and got a few things straightened out, then I took a gummy and sat and watched Monk until it kicked in. I peaked and headed to bed a little before 8:00, falling asleep quickly and hard.
Conclusion
It was nice to see my parents for Christmas again. They made mention a few times that it was nice having someone come visit them. Both of my sisters have blatantly told them that they won’t make an effort to travel to see them whereas Brandy and I have already visited three times now. Granted, the first two times were quick, one-day visits, but still, the effort was made.
Upon my last text to them to thank them for having us and for our Christmas gifts and what-not, mom responded with, “You have changed quite a bit in the last few years and it makes me so happy.”
I am so glad that change is recognized.
Up Next
We are home for two weeks before we head out again for a quick week in Cripple Creek to visit the Ice Castles.
Upon our return from that, we will be home for a month before we turn right back around and head back to Montrose, Colorado, for Brandy’s birthday trip. We will be there for 2 weeks and plan on visiting Crested Butte, Ouray, and Breckenridge.
Up next for this blog will be my 2024 Year in Review. This was a year unlike any other and I am super excited to recap it.
Then, shortly after that, I will be celebrating the fifth anniversary of the publishing of this website. Always a good time to reflect on how far I’ve come since sparking the wild idea in my head back at the end of 2018.
I didn’t take a lot of pictures on this trip, but the few I did take can be found on my Photo Diary.
Be sure to check back soon for my 2024 Year in Review!
-Phil