Since you’ve been gone, no wait maybe that was me.  I believe I’ve been away for a time.  Unlike Alice, I felt myself pulled under the riptide of busy work and never found the white rabbit or any other muse.

Sucked into the overwhelming crush of long hours and too many projects, none of them personal, I had no time, energy or creativity left to write one word.

A generational family trip proved to be the cure.  Combine one granddaughter, her mother and me, a grandmother.  Allow the mixture to rest until mellow.  Toss in a sprinkle of laughter, a dash of high adventure and season well with affection.  A change of scenery, an abundance of laughter, lots of companionship and a journey is a sure cure for recovery.

Embarking on a road trip across ten states in five days, we visited aliens in Roswell, slid across blistering white sand in search of Area 57 and followed a trail of crumbs left by Guy Fieri to consume amazing food.

Our final destination, Mount Rushmore.  We arrived after twilight, late in the night, while mule deer grazed the shoulders of the winding mountain roads.  The mountains, shrouded in the thick night air loomed eerily against the darkness.

As we drove, we played long forgotten car games, naming animals, flowers and songs beginning with each letter of the alphabet.   Hotel lights, a beacon, welcomed three weary explorers ready for a warm bed and restful night’s sleep.  It was a lovely hotel, but all we longed for was warm and clean.   The next morning, we awoke to a crisp 24 degrees, a dramatic swing from the 83 degrees I left behind in Austin, TX a few days before.

Squeezing a trip in wasn’t easy.  It took willpower to leave unfinished projects on the table and walk away.  The respite was exactly what I needed and I am so thankful I could do it with my daughter and granddaughter.   I am rested and ready to reignite.