Taking Our Marriage on the Road

Last Books Read

Born to Run by Christopher McDougall - (K) Humorous and thorough history and science behind ultrarunners and long-distance running
*****
Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela - (K) An autobiography covering his childhood, years as a freedom fighter and incarceration. Inspiring and informative
*****
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón - (K&T) A mystery set in Barcelona involving an old book, a failed writer and murder
*****
Lush Life by Richard Price - A Lower East Side tale of cops, drugs and drinking
***
The Chinese by Jesper Becker - (K&T) Modern history of my peeps, from the cultural revolution to the many failed economic and social attempts to move the country forward
***
Setting the Table by Danny Meyer - A "how-to" on hospitality and business acumen by the restaurateur behind such NY institutions as the Shake Shack and Union Square Grill
***
The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama - Obama lays out what is wrong with the current government and how, vaguely, to change it.
**

Taking Our Marriage on the Road

Posted on October 28, 2009 by kelch25

As Tim mentioned in a previous post, our year of traveling has not always been fun and games. Think about it: the common bickering between man and wife, the stress of traveling in a foreign country, and the sadness of finding yet another filthy bathroom all gets compounded. Worst yet, you are spending 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week, 11 months with the person you most love, but also the person who many times you’ve wanted to kill–and in a fight between me and Tim I would ALWAYS put money on ME and my Chinese cleaver. So there have been epic fights.

Sometimes Tim and I scream at each other in the middle of the street in all our ghettoness. Sometimes Kelly leaves Diesel on the side of the road to teach him a lesson, only to find out that the next exit is not for another several miles, and when she finally manages to turn around and pick him up, his wrath has reached unprecedented proportions. Sometimes I cry. Sometimes Diesel criticizes Kelly for complaining about going up a mere 50 steps to get to a guesthouse. And sometimes I finish going up a looong flight of stairs and triumphantly yell: “ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY STEPS. I TOLD YOOOOOOOU!”

But then again, sometimes Tim rubs my back when I am feeling motion sickness (which is pretty much every bus ride we took). Sometimes Diesel tells me it’s ok to spend another 5 dollars so I can have a clean(er) bathroom. Most times Diesel will carry all the crap I’ve acquired along the way. Most times I let Tim sit by the window because he likes to look out the window, even if I have to take the middle seat. Sometimes I leave him extra food on my plate because he loves to eat. Sometimes I drive more than I want to because I know he’s tired. It’s been hard at times, but mostly it’s been good. If NY has taught us to rely on each other in a city where we knew almost nobody, this trip has taught us that we are in this for the long haul.

Thanks Diesel for the good times. I hope we win the lottery one day and can do a lot more of this (or please become rich for me).

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