I’ve spent a lot of time in the minivan this past week. And that, combined with my advancing age, has led me to think too much.
1. America is too much the same. Every city has the same restaurants, the same stores. It’s kind of sad.

2. I have an amazing family. All of them. Even though some of the crazy connections are strange fodder for afternoon talk shows, they are made of awesome.

3. It’s hotter in Ohio than it is where I live in Florida right now. That is just wrong.

4. I miss hills and mountains. Jacksonville is too cussing flat.

5. My new favorite curseword is “cuss”. I blame Mr. Fox.

6. Marking time by how fast children grow is bittersweet.

7. I think there might be some niece or nephew to call me Aunt Coco forever.

8. I need more summer dresses if it’s gonna be this hot all over.

9. It’s really fun to wake up to umpteen birthday wishes on facebook.

10. It’s reassuring how somethings (and some people) never change.

11. It’s disheartening that the ones who really need to change never do.

12. I have the best sons in the world. You can’t have them.

13. Ditto for the husband.

14. The older I get, the more proficient I am at hiding my gray hair.

15. Today for my birthday I am getting a pedicure come cuss or high water. Fortunately musing #1 insures that there will be a nice little nail salon in every strip mall.

16. Short hair is way easier to take care of than long hair.

17. The hills in Cincinnati are more beautiful than I remember.

18. Skyline chili never changes.

19. Nor does LaRosa’s.

20. That’s two of those good not-changing things.

21. Yes, I am running out of profound thoughts. Why do you ask?

22. I love having a business that keeps running even while I am away.

23. Ditto when I’m asleep.

24. Vacation can make you a slacker when it comes to things like training for the 3-day.

25. But a nice hike in the ever lovely Rowe Woods can be a reasonable substitute, right?

26. My 20th high school reunion is this fall.

27. I wish I could go, but October is just too busy of a month.

28. You are never too old for Scooby Doo.

29. I can listen to Jim Dale read Harry Potter over and over again – even though I know how every story ends.

30. Wireless internet is a thing of beauty.

31. A knitting designer can never have too many stitch dictionaries/inspiration books.

32. To that end I bought two more last night.

33. Some of the pictures of me that hang in these homes I am visiting are very embarrassing.

34. No, I will not share them with you.

35. Trying to give up a 26 year addiction to diet pepsi during vacation is not the best plan.

36. Writing 38 things without my morning diet pepsi is also not very wise.

37. In order to see everyone I would like to see on vacation, this trip would have had to be a month long.

38. Being this close to forty is a bit humbling. But I’m happier than I’ve ever been and I can’t complain.