Road Trip Mini-Update 1.5 - KOA quirks and how I'm kind of Macguyver

Yesterday, except for some probably fake tea (read: reconstituted, not brewed), I had almost no caffeine. Between that and the weird dust storm stuff plus my allergies, I got a couple of visual migraines which, if you have to have a migraine, they're the best ones because you can't feel them at all; they're just freaky. Anyway, here at the KOA, I had bought a 20-ounce Diet Coke in the store, and barely had time to take a swig before we went to dinner - where I didn't buy soda because I knew we had cheaper soda at "home."

However, once we got back, I realized that I probably needed not to drink anything else the rest of the night if I didn't want to have to get up and go to the restroom. It's not too far from our cabin; it's probably 100 yards, maybe a little more. But, as I mentioned, the wind got *worse* once we got back. The porch swing hit the cabin several times. I did *not* want to have to run over there.

Fortunately, my strategery worked and I made it until 5:36 this morning. Since it was practically morning morning, I decided to go ahead and get my shower, then I'd fix my hair while Daphne was over getting cleaned up this morning... later.

If you've ever stayed at a KOA "kamping kabin" (I hope that's not a racist thing), you know that you have to bring your own linens. Except here we had the option to rent them for $20 for the night, and since we already had to bring jackets and coats and shorts and clothing options that ranged from the high-70s to the mid-30s, I didn't want to haul any more than we needed to, especially for just one night.

Consequently, we had bed coverings... just not towels. I didn't think of those. Oh well, we can make do, right?

So this morning, in the cabin in the dark (little man by the window stood-- oh, wait, wrong story), I grabbed my clothes for today (which I'd put on the handy peg last night; three pegs, three people's clothes) as well as the "bathroom bag" I'd packed for D and me to tote over there. I threw my ugly plaid overshirt on over my nightgown, pulled on a pair of leggings, and came outside to find it in the high-40s, yes, but not windy. It was actually not cold at all. It felt lovely, and the air was cleared out of all of the grit we were chewing on yesterday.

First thing about the bathroom is that the lights are on a 30-minute timer. During the day, there is enough ambient light from the windows that you don't really need them. That's one interesting way to keep people from standing in the hot showers all morning. Oh, and, yes, the water (after three minutes of my being concerned) gets wonderfully scalding.

The facilities at every KOA I have visited have been consistently clean and nice. However, in a bathroom for women, I can't believe there is nowhere to prop a foot in case you want to, you know, shave. Well, we made that work.

Drying off sans towel would be no big deal; my plan was to use my yesterday clothes for that. But then it hit me that Saturday afternoon, after I'd showered and towel-dried my hair, when it drip-dried, I ended up with orange spots down the back of a yellow t-shirt. I know, I should rinse my color out better. But that was the THIRD wash since I'd colored, and I can't stay in the shower for two hours!

Anyway, I didn't want to mess up my pretties; I'm kind of in love with my maternity clothes. Then it hit me: Leggings! I turned them inside out, flipped my head over, put the waist part around my hairline, and then pulled each "leg" around my head in an opposite direction so that I ended up with a Jemima-esque bow in the middle of my forehead. Ridiculous? Maybe. But problem solved.

Also, I forgot my shoes, so had to slip sandals back on over my socks. Oh well.

Back at the cabin now, waiting for the others to wake up. We have some more driving to do today, then will arrive at our destination. Grateful for the milder weather so I can sit out here on the porch updating and watching the sun rise without bothering James and Daphne too much. I can sleep, but on vacations, I guess my body doesn't want to miss a minute of anything.

Here are the pictures from yesterday!