Muddy Travels

I winged myself South again yesterday, adding another 100 miles to the odometer---and another inch of mud to the side of my car. Roads were icy, but the air was filled with the fresh scent of living things. It was the same scent as the Van Doozer corridor in Oregon, when you're surrounded by trees and ferns and green and you're overwhelmed with gladness at the cool temps after being in hot western Washington on your way to the coast....*sigh* It reminded me of summer and I rolled the windows down (with the heater cranked LOL). It felt like things were growing. But it is only January! I felt like yelling out the window at the fields I was passing: "No! Go back to sleep! It will snow again and you'll freeze!" I figure they know better than me when to grow and sleep though. My visits yesterday went well. I went to see one of my study subjects that I do not know too well. She asked me if I would be coming back to sample the next time around. I said yes, it will be me. She then hugged me and said, "Good! I get to see you again!" It caught me off guard and made me smile, and I look forward to seeing her again too. I met smiles at the rest of my houses which lit up the rest of my trip home in the dark. Happily back, my beau and I went to dinner and chatted about our respective days and our eagerness for the weekend. I am looking forward to three days off, though I haven't the foggiest what I'll do with all that time! It will feel strange not being on the road. :) Oh, how I will be able to sleep in though! Can't wait!