In which we have blue sky, hay, friends and traffic. And many many words.

"It's a billion degrees in Eastern Washington--let's go get hay!"*

*We get hay from Gail and Mike whenever the hay is ready and I have a day off...
which is usually when temps in the hay field are close to that of the surface of the sun.

Jim and I spent the morning driving over the pass and picking up hay.  The great thing about getting hay from friends is that we can go back to their comfortable air-conditioned living room and relax and chat a bit before heading home.  We even took showers to wash off the hay dust!  You don't get to do that when you buy hay from strangers!

The drawback to getting hay from Yakima is the drive home.  

Although it took about 2 hours to drive over (with plenty of pit stops along the way, because when you leave home early in the morning, you drink a lot of caffeine to keep moving, and then you have to stop for a potty break...and pick up more caffeine to drink...and then another stop is needed...) it took about FOUR hours to get home because of all the going-home-at-the-end-of-the-weekend traffic in the pass.

Gahhhhh.

Fortunately, my friends are sympathetic to being stuck in traffic, and some are willing to play my favorite road-trip game:  Bulbous Bouffant.

If you aren't familiar, watch the video (the cartoons are a little weird, but the comedy sketch is brilliant):

"So, how is this a road game?"  you ask.

When we're travelling with friends in caravan, we play via text message.  Otherwise, it happens on Facebook.

Me:  Beluga!  Mukluk.  Blubber blubber blubber.

This is the classic opener for the game.  Here are some typical responses:

Patty:  Pedunculated.  (her favorite)

Me:  Smelt.  Twinkle.  Obsequious.

Duana:  Vampire.  (from this word, you can infer that Duana is doing something more interesting than being a passenger in a truck that is stuck in traffic)

Me:  Bramble.  Contiguous.  Fishskin.   (I am clearly NOT doing anything interesting).

People on Facebook:  ??????

Me:  Widget.  Dawdle.  Contiguous.  Stomp!  (I would be travelling faster if I pushed this truck...uphill...with the brake on....)

People on Facebook:  ??????

Sometimes the game goes for hours, especially when there are several people stuck in traffic, and the words fly fast and hilariously between the rigs. There are no rules, there are no points, there is no winner.  But it's fun to appreciate the words your friends send, and try to think of wonderful words to send out.

(It's at times like these that I dearly hope that Homeland Security is tapping my phone to check for suspected terrorist communications.)

I'm home now, but I'll still play along!  You can put your favorite words in the comment box below.

Spatula.

WARNING: DO NOT PLAY THIS GAME WHILE DRIVING IN WASHINGTON STATE.  Our new e-DUI law makes it illegal to use have a phone in your hands for anything other than emergencies, even at stop lights.**

**of course, how is a cop going to pull you over when you're stuck in gridlock and they can't sneak up on you?   Hahahaha.