Mason to Grove City

A horrible thing happened this morning. I couldn't make my coffee. My electric kettle stopped working, so I had to pack up the car and head to the local mall where I found a Starbucks and a Target. I went in and bought a new electric kettle and a dark roast drip coffee. 

River and I stood under a tree in an island in the huge parking lot as I contemplated on the sameness of malls across the country. It saddened me that even I resorted to shopping at these comfortable homogenous institutions over supporting local business. 

I don't know if it was from going out into the sunlight before having my coffee, or if it was bad air quality in Cincinnati today, but my eyes were stinging and burning as I drank my coffee in the parking lot. 

It was just another hour to the motel and a good three hours before check-in, so I stopped at a rest area and River and I hung out for a long time. I was fascinated by the trees; especially the ones that were rotting or dying. River found a little frog (or was it a toad?).

What's funny is the name of the town that the rest area is in: Jeffersonville. It's the same name, but different state, of the town in which the mysteriously disappearing Motel 6 almost left me high and dry. So it turns out I DID get to spend some quality time in Jeffersonville. 

So then we eventually made it to our motel room in Grove City. This is the place I was staying at many years ago when I encountered some kids who were noisily playing outside my room. I went out with River and my camera so I could capture how unbelievably inconsiderate they were being, but I ended up getting roped into their fun and games. 

Strangely, now I'm sitting in the room and a bunch of guys started up a soccer game right outside my door! I can't believe how inconsiderate they are as they kick the ball back and forth amongst other peoples' cars. If it were later at night (it's only about 6pm) or if they were near my car, (I'm on the other side, near the grass). I'd go out there and tell them to stop.  But since I believe in choosing my battles and letting people do their lives, I can tolerate it for now. Plus if I told them to go somewhere else, they might go play on the grass and then I'd be worried about my car. So I'm just waiting for that ball to come through my window and end the game. 

What the heck is up with people in Columbus that they think it's OK to play sports and have recess in front of other peoples' motel rooms? People pay money to rest here. I didn't capture this on the video, but every few points, they all get really excited and cheer and shout in Spanish. It's annoying. Oh I just heard the distinct sound of a car being nailed by a soccer ball and now a lot of laughter. What a bunch of tools.