Back on the mild side.

I spent 4 days in the car driving from California to Texas.

Leaving L.A., my hand got scratched pretty bad by my friend's cat and I was convinced for an hour it was going to get infected.

We made it to Arizona that night and pulled over to a gas station in the rain and ate vegetables we had chopped before the cat scratched me.

We slept in a Comfort Inn that night, fearful of bed bugs even though no one on TripAdvisor said anything to the sort.

Day 2, we drove to Williams, AZ where we retrieved a pillow a colleague had left the weekend before at another Motel 6. So weird, even for us.

Then on to the Grand Canyon which was cold, windy and magical.

That night we made it to New Mexico where against our better judgment we ate at a Cracker Barrel and both of our stomachs felt upset.

And we drove a little further and slept in a Quality Inn which was much nicer than the previous night's hotel.

Day 3 we drove through New Mexico and it took forever. Like really, all day.

We eventually made it through Texas with felt like a finish line. We slept in a little cabin in Alpine, TX and it felt like my childhood mixed with Little House on the Prairie.

Day 4, we explored Marfa, Texas which was just wonderful. My friend had to pry me from this town.

We drove through West Texas and for hours, we were the only car on the road ALONE. But it was beautiful in its own barren away. We eventually made it to the Pecos River which was pretty special. And Del Rio where we ate at a Lubys and Uvalde, where I may have been conceived. We stopped at a Dairy Queen.

Then home to Texas, where it felt like we were entering through some hidden entry way.

I've never entered Texas through this direction. The direction of coming "home" from California.

I'll try to get my mild act together and write some more before the year's end.

--Cathy