I am cursed to listen to the same music over and over. And here, I thought that I was just stodgy.

The trip to Gaylord on Sunday was entirely unlike our trip to Cleveland, with striking similarities. Unlike Cleveland, our getting there wasn’t the largest problem. Car troubles – namely ours not starting – and whirling police lights did their best to keep us from Ohio, but the kindness of my brother-in-law combined with potent energy drinks saw us through the long drive. Our car started fine on Sunday, now that the ignition switch has been replaced. Getting me running was a different matter entirely.

I was grumpy, mopey, depressed and all other kinds of dwarf. Benny got me to the cafe for coffee, and we addressed the road situation. According to radar, Lansing and a spot north of Gaylord were terrible, but everything else looked clear. I called , who assured me that my continued state of being alive was far preferable to frozen death. I agreed, and she suggested that we make the attempt, and turn around if it got too shitty. As long as it was before the halfway mark.

I hung up the phone, and Benny remarked that I sounded excited to see Ani. I explained that I wasn’t excited to see her in Gaylord, but I was stoked to see her down the street.

The trip up had three distinct snowstorms, unlike the trip to Cleveland, where it waited to snow until we got there. Lansing, just north of Clare, and the Grayling/Gaylord area were all kinds of treacherous frozen hell. Everything in between was salted and dry, though I admit to being unable to relax for the entirety of the trip.

In Cleveland, we met quite a few of ‘s friends and associates (crap, I’ve got to send an email), but in Gaylord we pretty much stuck with , Justin, , and the kids. Much like in Cleveland, the snow kept coming down while we were there. Sunday night found us snowed in, and temperatures dropping to negative retarded degrees. We were graciously invited to spend the night, but I confess that between sleeping on the floor, the kids waking up, and then the kids staying up, I didn’t get much sleep.

Don’t let me make you think that I didn’t have a good time while I was there. The company was fantastic, dinner was delicious, and the visit was capped off with Monsters, Inc. I was even gifted with a new blank notebook. It’s enormous, and has a brazillion pages that are lined perfectly. And let me tell you, that’s a lot.

It’s struck me again, now that I’m writing every day again, how much people want to encourage my writing. The whole pen plus paper equals words thing. I’m continuously gifted with notebooks to fill. Not only that, but I am regularly getting (small) royalty checks from Lulu, which means that the book is still selling, slowly and steadily. They’re not encouraging me to be a writer. They’re encouraging me to nurture and develop an aspect of myself. It is there, and it is undeniable.

So thank you, everyone who believes in me.

Oh, right, the trip. Well, we left around noon on Monday, and the roads from Gaylord to Grayling were still frozen-over suck. Once we got beyond Grayling, the skies cleared and the roads gradually became sane. Sleepiness and hunger overcame clutch-the-oh-shit-handle panic, and I struggled to stay awake so that Benny would be able to do the same. The protein bar (yuck) in the car did nothing for me, so we decided to stop and eat in Clare. We were presented with the usual fast food fare, plus a Big Boy, but decided to see what the city proper had to offer.

I spotted a wee white-painted establishment sporting a sign that proclaimed, “HAMBURGERS,” and suggested it to . We parked on the street and inspected further. “OMELETTES” and “Breakfast served all day” and “Open 24 Hrs.” This was my kind of place. I secured seating while raided the ATM for cash.

The place had six or seven booths, top. Smaller even than the Golden Harvest in Lansing. Delicious food, the lady behind the counter knew we weren’t local because she didn’t know our names. Also, the place has been open for more than 70 years. 24/7. For serious.

Go there. Eat. It is awesome. Whitehouse Diner in Clare, MI.

My mood brightened, and I was able to stay awake, if barely, for the rest of the trip home, as well as my entire work shift. I totally forgot to leave one of my business cards on their bulletin board, but that might be added bonus for another trip up north after the weather has improved.

Hope I get a phone call tomorrow.