Post Christmas Blue

I was going to post something from the gift exchange event in Nashua, IA but it was disappointingly uneventful. Sure, there was a pile of gifts under a Christmas tree but it took only an hour. One person is really into giving one of those toy guns shooting out marshmallows. All guys in the family get it every year. I just don't see any point but she thinks it is a fun... Sure it could be a comical image that marshmallows fly during the gift exchange but think of it, 5 year old girl holding her daddy's marshmallow gun and giggling while shooting her 4 year old cousin. I saw this 3 year old girl drinking rum coke by accident - believed it was regular coke. I might sound like a goodie goodie but it is certainly not a pretty picture. One of my closest members in this family, Megan (20), brought her 21 year old boyfriend from Minnesota. It was quite entertaining to see his reaction towards the sceneries described as above.... he and I went upstairs in the middle of it to take aspirins. He is in navy. "Dan, what did you think about what was going on downstairs..." "No comment...." It was indeed quite a culture shock for non-family members like us.

I was so ready to come home.... on the 27th, all the "guests" were leaving at 7am.... it is the saddest moment for all the families. I really can see why there is a term, Christmas Blue, existing. For myself as a guy who didn't have a close family bond, it is such a beautiful scenery. After stuffing home made cookies in an empty ice cream bucket, I left Nashua behind... there was a major ice storm passing by in the area. Very slow driving for 2 hours. I-35 corridor got hit by the storm badly - just to avoid any potential troubles and delay, I took a country road located 30 miles west of I-35 to get to I-80 instead even if it added an extra hour in the long drive to Colorado. Hot chocolate, tea and diet Mountain Dew.... this temporally caffeine addict didn't realize how difficult to find a restroom along corn fields (everywhere could be rest stops I suppose). Finally, I found a tiny gas station in the middle of nowhere. Rushed in and took care of business... now I had a chance to look around... there was a huge vending machine selling "adult novelties." "French pleasure - French silk pie flavor. @#$%^&*$%$# It is a patriotic thing to do!" "Miracle from Phuket - Asian secret!" I think Target might want to learn some marketing techniques from such place rather than just putting Trojans and KY Jelly on shelves..... I grabbed a bottle of diet coke instead of condoms and headed to the junction for I-80.

Gaining one hour by crossing the time zone line is a good thing but it doesn't make any difference on the 14 hour drive.... I skipped lunch so decided to have dinner a bit early. I was in North Platte, NE where I bought the portable DVD player on the way to IA. There are several restaurant choices but I didn't want to have something I could have back in Ft. Collins. Three choices - Cedar Bowl (I have never had a meal at bowling alleys), Long John Silver's or oh, Hong Kong Buffet! After a week worth of holiday meals, I was so ready for Asian foods. I drove straight to this all-you-can-eat $8.50 buffet establishment attached to a small motel. Egg rolls / wonton soup with jasmine tea tasted darn good (I just ignored my wonder if they used MSG or not). Lo Mein with chili oil certainly stimulated my sleepy head. 3 more hour drive.... then Ft. Collins.... Clear sky with stars and city lights with the Rocky's silhouette. This moment always makes me think "I am so glad that I live in the west." It would be better if there were the ocean and it were in 70's.