Finally

The pups and I finally pulled into the driveway of "home" last night shortly after 8:30pm.  I had driven 3,257 miles over 4 1/2 days since leaving here on Saturday afternoon.  The specific goal of the trip was a simple one - to pick up my puppies and bring them home.  In that regard - mission accomplished.

Along the way there were other admittedly short opportunities to satisfy deeper needs and break up the hour-after-hour drudgery of averaging 800 miles a day on the highway.  I spent a night at my mom's house.  I had breakfast with my son and spent a couple of hours with him in Austin.  And, my birthday on Tuesday ended up being a memorable one.

One of the first people I met during my transition now lives in the mountains of North Carolina with her partner.  We've always had a deep friendship and despite distance and time whenever we get together again it's wonderful.  The pups and I arrived at her house at 6:45pm after driving all the way from Jackson, Mississippi.  I had a glass of Cabernet in my hand by 7.  And we were enjoying the most wonderful NY Strip Steaks by 7:30.  Pure heaven.

The dogs loved it there.  The mountains have no end and they could run and jump and escape the confines of the car if only for a few hours.  They went splashing and swimming in a pond.  They had the best time, and it made me yearn for that kind of life.  Unfortunately, I had to re-plug into the matrix by for the final 500 miles of the drive.

The thing I've relearned about my pups is that they make me laugh out loud.  Still.  As far as I'm concerned, anything that makes you laugh can't be all bad.