How big is your plate?

Often people say that they have alot on their plate so they can't take on any more responsibilities but the size of these 'plates' seem to range from child's tea party size to a huge platter. In my case, the plate seems to shrink or grow with time. Right now it seems to be a fairly small plate with a huge helping of Naomi dripping down the sides. And this is the calm before the storm. In my absence, Naomi and her father have been getting along better and even went out to eat steak together. She will come over today so we can fill out a questionnaire for her new health providers, the mid-wives. If her doctor had privileges at a Washtenaw hospital, this wouldn't be necessary but rules are rules. I am not sure what will happen if she were to go into labor at 36.5 weeks in New York. I am hoping she has my uterus (holds babies forever)versus Shanna's (early upside down babies). I am also hoping that since the baby's age is based on size as Naomi never paid attention to her cycles at all (despite being warned), she isn't as pregnant as they say she is. (They have knocked another day off the due date making it 7-5-10: I am thinking maybe more like mid-July). She and Dontae are large people; both were big babies.

I am home now after making the trip in record time-12 hours even. I was helped by the good weather, lack of traffic, fairly reasonable custom agents, lack of cops, the construction zones being closed down on Sunday etc but it was still a chore that I wasn't very enthusiastic about performing especially as it meant that I was leaving the babies and returning to all sorts of messes. I will be seeing them at the wedding next month, barring Naomi complications, and Shanna promised to have an extended visit this summer with the boys.

Immediately I made a wrong turn getting on to the Mass Pike-not a good start. I was headed toward the airport versus the westbound. Fortunately I was able to get off in South Boston but signage in general is very poor in Boston so it took a while to find the unmarked passage to the turnpike. Another complaint is how they number their exits. On I-93 (their basic north-south x-pressway), Exit 26 and exit 29 are only a half mile apart; there are no exits 27 and 28. I know their exits were changed due to Miss Dig but they should get with Michigan's system. I live near exit 41 which means I am 41 miles from the Ohio border. If someone tells me they live near Exit 17, I know I have 24 miles to go. Also they are are too pedestrian friendly. Saturday it looked like I had plenty of time to get across Beacon driving but ahead, cars had to stop because pedestrians chose that time to cross. I ended up blocking Beacon when the light changed. There was a whole string of cars behind me too, also blocking (gridlock). There was a cop standing on the corner who motioned those cars to pull over to ticket them for gridlock. I was spared but it looked like a no-win situation. The cop's presence reeked of entrapment.

But I really don't mind the drive;I had my radio to entertain me. No Dvorak though (listen to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2amTjF_mkM and see if you can still be depressed). I was tired of the comics. Too many of them think it is hilarious that women would think they have any worth beyond their sexual parts. Misogyny humor is not my favorite. I found other things to listen to twirling the knob wildly and often with no one to object. I had my Trader Joe treats to nibble on stopping only once for coffee and a sandwich. Outside Buffalo there was an electronic sign with crossing times at the 3 major crossings. The Lewiston (most convenient) was 60 minutes. Damn. This meant navigating through Niagara Falls NY without a map or TomTom and we've gotten lost with the TomTom. I have never seen a sign for the Rainbow Bridge (note to Niagara Falls Tourist board: if you happen to have your bots scanning cyberspace for complaints, this is one). I kept close to the water looking for the bridge and found myself next to the exit ramp for it. A U-turn in the middle of the road put me on the entrance. I don't know about the legality of U-turns in NY, It would have been illegal in Michigan. No line there and only a few cars ahead of me in Detroit but the customs woman chose to take 2 cars apart in front of me. I always pick the wrong line. She spent the least amount of time with me. She had a print out of my comings and goings and wondered how come I keep going back and forth and why do I keep changing where I enter.

I will post pictures later today. I will try to get a run in before it rains.