Bigger or Better: Life outside of Texas

Several weeks ago, Mark and I went to the Maryland State Fair. Because I am lazy, I am blogging about it now. Well, I also have a second fair-type event that we went to much more recently (aka yesterday), so I'm just combining the two events into One blog post. I mean, the similarities: both about 1 hour away, both with educational and fun activities, both had food, both had lots of people we didn't know....Clearly, they're basically identical. It is quite possible we enjoyed the second fair more (it was a Pioneer Day celebration, which in Mormon culture refers to the people who traveled from the eastern United States to Salt Lake City in the 1840s-ish ), because it wasn't as hot, and it was free. I also get to brag that I got a "nothing-but-air" bean bag toss in the hole, and I have witnesses. Unfortunately, I couldn't repeat it (I'm inconsistent with my sport skills), but still, it was cool. On top of that, I challenged Mark to a hoop roll race-...

Have you ever had a feeling that a certain moment in your life will define your family for generations? That your grand++-children will say, wow, that girl (or dude) was tough? Maybe. Maybe not. It's certainly reminiscent of Sam's thoughts at the end of the second The Lord of the Rings , when he considers that what he and Frodo are doing is going to become legend for future people, relatives and friends and acquaintances and strangers alike. I am not carrying the One Ring. In case you were wondering. Also, I don't think strangers will ever hear about my life. But I have the distinct impression that how I survive these next few years will drastically influence my [currently nonexistent] descendants. We--my husband and I, as a team--are working through depression and anxiety, new employment and unemployment, loneliness and isolation. We're figuring out a lifestyle that will accommodate the increased cost of rent and groceries and transportation. We're refining a...