Well, we made it back home in one piece. We did the two-day drive in one day coming back. And I’d do it again.
We had a blast enjoying the sun and the water but the prospect of two more days of driving was enough to push both my husband and me over the edge. We got an early start and did the entire 13 hours in a day. There’s no room for lightweights on our bus.
So, we packed the multitude of sandy beach toys, clothes and towels in the car, put the remaining steaks from our order in the bottom of the freshly-iced cooler and we beat it out of there.
The kids were real troopers as we passed through the same areas of the country it seemed like we’d just seen. Zoom! went the yellow fiberglass cow in someone’s yard. There went the hotel we had stayed in at the halfway point. No stopping this time.
But I think my new favorite sight from my window was the discreet green sign in Mississippi that just read, “Sanatorium.”
Now, I was never sure if Sanatorium was the unfortunate name of a town or if it referred to an actual facility for those needing mental care.
That’s all it said. Sanatorium.
I felt strangely drawn to it. Like it was calling out to me. “Sanatorium! This way!”
But we couldn’t stop. It’s nice to know it’s there, though, should I ever feel the need to travel back there.
When we got home it was 11 pm. Too late for the kids, but they were no worse for the wear. We put them quickly in bed and then went downstairs to assess the damage.
Our house looked like a Tiki hut. No matter how much wash I did over our vacation we still brought home truckloads of sand. Most of it deposited on the floor now.
We put away the things that HAD to be put away. The yogurt that somehow made it back with us and the steaks safely tucked in the cooler.
We put those in the freezer and we were delighted that they were still really, really cold.
Now, next time we grill those steaks it will remind us of the family memories we made on our trip halfway across the country. Nothing could be sweeter.
I can taste it now . . .
