The Barns

It's 850 miles from Mom's house to Jane's house.

Bill, Mom and I drove it in 14½ hours.

It was a piece of cake, really. Bill and I were freaking out about it in the days and weeks beforehand because although we drove around the country in our Westy for the better part of 8 years, our M.O. was to drive a few hundred miles, stop, make camp and have a drink. Like civilized humans beings do.

But Mom and Dad have always been gas-ass Road Warriors, and for this, Mom's first long road trip without Dad and with us instead (poor Mom), Mom insisted we do it the Mom-and-Dad way: drive like crazy people until we arrived.

What we were afraid would be a long, uncomfortable, endless journey was actually pretty cool. And really, kind of fun. And the best part was whenever Mistah was in the back seat, he aimed the camera out the window and took photos of the barns in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana.

And oh, there are lots of barns in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana.

Tons of barns.

And lots of birdies too.

We were driving Lexie -- Mom's Lexus by way of Dad -- and man, Lexie can fly. I think even if we had wanted to stop, she would have continued driving to Chicago without us.

In the meantime, back in the back seat, the barns kept flying by . . .

. . . one after another . . .

. . . endlessly. Mom and Bill had a contest about who would see a real-live living person first.

I think they both lost.

Mom's turn. Bill did his fair share of driving, too, of course, but nobody took a photo of him driving Lexie. Sorry, Schleckie.

But thank you . . .

. . . for your diligence and talent back there in the back seat . . .

. . . all day long.

Hey look! Our first sign for Chicago. I think the sign said "in 400 miles".

But we didn't care . . .

. . . the good people of Pennsylvania and Ohio and Indiana kept us well-occupied and well-entertained with their lovely abodes.

Oh, that's a nice one.

And look at that cool blurred snow in the foreground.

Then suddenly, just like that, 14½ hours later, the Big City:

Chicago's Sears Willis Tower was lit up red and green for Christmas. Bill drove us into the city and I took photos out the window, with him instructing me on aperture and shutter speed and ISO.

Oh, too dark.

Oof, too bright.

Oooh, too blurry.

And finally, weirdly awesome and totally perfect:

Oz.