toasting ashland

welcome to ashland, wisconsin. home of the micro-brewery we went to dinner at last night (our version of canadian thanksgiving included steak and seafood and smiling at each other). it made me happy to see a list of local farms and businesses that the brewery's restaurant supports. i revelled in the co-op i went to this morning, as well as the black cat café next door, where i am currently blogging and the queen is uploading photos to his computer and journalling, looking far sexier than you can imagine. i love that there is a little community here, and that it feels familiar because i can identify elements of a community: people and groups supporting each other in a way that all, including the children, can grow and prosper.

the pace of our travelling has slowed down, which is really really lovely. town names i have enjoyed include Nary and Wawina. signs i have cringed at include "Ask God Who To Vote For" and "Chicken - Crispy and Moisturized". moisturized chicken? what, we slathering hand lotion on these birds before we fry 'em? i am ashamed to say the chicken sign is in canada.

we stopped in grand rapids the night before last, and camped beside a lakeside beach. in the middle of the night, we were still up for some reason, and we saw a minivan pull up in front of a house and three black-clad figures hop out with leaf bags, which they proceeded to rip open and spread over a pristine lawn. drive-by leafing. ominous. the next day we went in to a sport store and the queen looked at handguns while i looked at camo onesies (called "the little shooter"). neither of us purchased said things, much to the relief of the other one.

yesterday, we drove through duluth. we had debated stopping there, but were too stunned to get off the highway. it was very... industrial. shockingly so. we decided it would have a desolate beauty in the winter, and i added that i would only feel safe living there if my dad lived there. he would know all the scary people, i decided. we took a lot of pictures from the bus. it probably doesn't help that we've been watching "the wire" as we travel, and are now terrified of baltimore, and by extension, all american cities.

they were doing construction on the bridge, and we marvelled that the construction workers looked the same as they did back home: there was the guy in shades with a moustache, the guy with grey stubble, the young guy who looked pissed off and was likely to injure himself before the year was out ... only missing was the woman in white pants, chewing gum and holding a 'slow' sign.

pregnancy update: 22 weeks, all's well. we have decided that my uterus is the size of either a large grapefruit or an acorn squash. did you know the placenta is classified as an organ? i have an extra organ for four more months! i've been reading ina may's guide to childbirth and am quite excited to give birth now. i have learned how it can be empowering. bring on the rushes! i was writing to another pregnant friend that i have struggled a bit to find where my maternal urges are without losing any other part of me. this book has helped me find a part of me that i simply didn't need before. i'm not so much different as bigger.

sigh. much bigger. the queen tells me i am beautiful, and i don't exactly feel ugly but i do miss my flatter body. and the ability to treat it selfishly. i miss the ability to bend and turn without thinking carefully. i have begun to put my socks on by bending my leg sideways.