Tomorrow is the day of our 9 hour Thanksgiving Road Trip to Michigan. This will come as no surprise to my husband, but I am not very good at road trips, especially those over 30 minutes or so. I'm probably worse than most toddlers. And you can't occupy me with a sippy cup and fruit snacks.
Here's the usual routine for our treks. I'm ok for a while, listening to music, singing along, making conversation. But eventually, I go into Survival Mode which entails staring out the window, and ignoring Kevin (who prefers to do most of the driving) in an attempt to will the car to our destination. Intermittently, I'll pick up a book or a Sudoku puzzle, but inevitably, Survival Mode will commence, once again. It only escalates when the sun goes down and I don't even have the option of print distractions: Full-blown Interstate Syndrome complete with glazed-over eyes and a crabby disposition.
Last year, however, I found a solution my problem of nighttime car boredom and Kevin's problem of a crabby wife: the headlamp. When it gets dark (which is at about 4:30pm these days), I slip on my trusty headlamp and I can knit, read, do puzzles, search for snacks in my numerous bags, all without the dreaded Dome Light, a serious hazzard to night driving.
However, after a few regretable incidents, we had to set up some parameters for the headlamp's use.
1. The wearer's head must stay reasonably still while the headlamp is in use. (Imagine strobe light in the passengers seat.)
2. The headlamp cannot be worn while going through customs. (We need to have at least the appearance of sanity while crossing into another country.)
3. When wearing the headlamp, do not stare out the window toward other cars while it is on. (Flash of light in another driver's eye...startle...swerve...accident...lawsuit.)
I must say the headlamp has come in mighty handy during our long trips in the dark. It's not just for spelunking anymore!
Here's hoping I can avoid full-blown Interstate Syndrome, at least for Kevin's sake.
Here's the usual routine for our treks. I'm ok for a while, listening to music, singing along, making conversation. But eventually, I go into Survival Mode which entails staring out the window, and ignoring Kevin (who prefers to do most of the driving) in an attempt to will the car to our destination. Intermittently, I'll pick up a book or a Sudoku puzzle, but inevitably, Survival Mode will commence, once again. It only escalates when the sun goes down and I don't even have the option of print distractions: Full-blown Interstate Syndrome complete with glazed-over eyes and a crabby disposition.
Last year, however, I found a solution my problem of nighttime car boredom and Kevin's problem of a crabby wife: the headlamp. When it gets dark (which is at about 4:30pm these days), I slip on my trusty headlamp and I can knit, read, do puzzles, search for snacks in my numerous bags, all without the dreaded Dome Light, a serious hazzard to night driving.
However, after a few regretable incidents, we had to set up some parameters for the headlamp's use.
1. The wearer's head must stay reasonably still while the headlamp is in use. (Imagine strobe light in the passengers seat.)
2. The headlamp cannot be worn while going through customs. (We need to have at least the appearance of sanity while crossing into another country.)
3. When wearing the headlamp, do not stare out the window toward other cars while it is on. (Flash of light in another driver's eye...startle...swerve...accident...lawsuit.)
I must say the headlamp has come in mighty handy during our long trips in the dark. It's not just for spelunking anymore!
Here's hoping I can avoid full-blown Interstate Syndrome, at least for Kevin's sake.
5 comments:
oh wow. this was a good one. had me laughing out loud reading it... partly because i myself don't sit still very well (I do fine if i'm driving), partly because i can picture how... um... hysterically ridiculous you are going to look wearing the headlamp, and partly because i can imagine that funny husband of yours probably has some witty quips about it :D Happy travels!! enjoy your headlamp while you can- once you have kids, you may have to get rid of it, can you imagine a van full of clamoring wiggling kids all with their own headlamps? Dad would go blind... so you may have to hide yours once they arrive, just for survival's sake... until then however, enjoy it :D and have a terrific thanksgiving!
PS. the BOC and I are sitting here on a quiet Tuesday night and would love a good Buck story or two someday and maybe some pictures... we are starting the dog section of the fridge at dog-eye level for their pooch pals :D
Do you look like a miner or something? Is it that sort of headlamp?
--Philomena
Sort of like a miner's headlamp. Except my headlamp isn't stuck to a hard hat. It's on an elastic band around my head. A little more streamlined.
. . .waiting impatiently to hear how both legs of the roadtrip went, and how the headlamp stood up.
--Philomena
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