Are we there yet? Take 2

I've decided that it's more fun to travel with at least one other adult, provided you get to chose which adult. At least with Man or one of my girlfriends, someone will actually talk to me. When traveling solo with the kinder, I end up being just the sounding board for all whining, griping, complaining, bitching and all verbal &/or nonverbal expressions of dissatisfaction. I'm cold. I'm hot. I have to pee right now! It's taking too long. When will we be there? Why can't you highlight my hair tonight when we get home?! But, Mom, I want my highlights, right now!

Another adult might actual care about how I'm handling the trip & show some consideration. Do I need a pee break? Would I fancy a diet soda? What might be nice to listen to on the CD player? Do we need to switch drivers? It's okay, I got it. I'll yell at the kids this time . . .

OK, so traveling with a buddy is more fun, but that wasn't my reality. This was a Git'R Done RoadTrip - school starts tomorrow, pedal to the metal. Just me & the girls and miles and miles of Autobahn stretched before us. And, having had the recent experience of traveling with the same kids, I was ready to have a different tale to tell for the return trip.

We pulled onto the A3 late yesterday morning and all was well, Enchanted playing (a-freaking-gain) on the surround sound. 24 minutes into our journey, MiniMe started foaming at the mouth because she can't get her 3 pillows fluffed just so. Somehow that meltdown quickly disintegrated into pillow throwing and a kicking temper tantrum - something about our not fluffing pillows to perfection posthaste. That song & dance was quickly followed by I hate you! I hate Sissy! I hate the both of you! etc. etc. blah, blah, blah.

For the record, that was so not cool. But darned if I didn't have to keep driving because there was no where to pull over legally.

It was during that small part of the drive (between pillow tossing & Pilot parking) that I decided patience is way overrated, it just delays the inevitable. I tried that on the trip down & told you all about it, play by play. I know some of you were gritting your teeth for my putting-up with what I did in the name of tolerance, understanding & love. I mostly restrained myself for that 7 hours of RoadTrip fun & as a result, had to fall face first into a bucket of margaritas at my final destination.

Then there was that unpleasant hangover bit.

Not wanting a repeat of that anytime soon ever, I decided to handle myself in a manner that smacked of Malcolm in the Middle's Mom. Stress relief without the ethanol.

So, 3 minutes later when I did find a parkplatz, I whipped the Pilot off the Autobahn & relieved MiniMe of her seat belt in one fell swoop, dragging her darling butt out of the vehicle. We had a little Come to Jesus Meetin' on the side of A3, with it being Sunday and all, it was appropriate. That brief display of parental fortitude bought me 7 hours of relative peace & quiet for the rest of the trip.

Go, HausFrau. Go, HausFrau.

Hallelujah!

Incidentally, I'm not the only one who's gone momicidal on the side of the Autobahn. I ran into a friend of mine in Wiesbaden - in the restroom of the food court of all places. Small world, isn't it? Everyone using the same loo.

Anyway, upon chatting with her - later at the actual food court, over Burger King chicken fries - we swapped some RoadTrip tales. Remember my mentioning something about it not being legal to just pull over on the side of the road? Well, when she was faced with similar traveling meltdown issues, she didn't care. She just stopped the car, put on the hazard lights & climbed over the back of the seat . . .

Could you imagine sitting there, strapped into your carseat, throwing a mack-daddy temper tantrum & having one pissed-off mum flying over the seat, headed straight toward your center of happiness?

Wow.

I'm definitely going to remember that one.

And, should I be traveling with another adult, we wouldn't necessarily have to pull over. There goes HausFrau, kicking butt, taking names & hauling-A on the highway.