The Dreadful Commute

Yesterday was cold and rainy. It would have been the perfect day to curl up under my electric throw, hibernate for the afternoon and work on an appeal. Unfortunately, as luck would have it, I was expected to put on work clothes and venture from my quiet work solitude into the real world. I was obligated to spend the afternoon at a health fair which was hosted by a hospital within the quasi-close vicinity.

While I was unhappy about my comfy clothes being kept in the drawer for the day, I was downright miserable when faced with the prospect of the drive. One of the perks of working from home is that my commute is limited to the trips I take to my coffee pot. I don't have to deal with rush hour traffic, a benefit I never take for granted.

After dropping off Robby at school (while holding my head up high and proudly showing my prosthetic), I gassed up the car and headed into the quagmire of DC bound traffic. Between the torrential downpours, the fog and the congested lanes, the drive was anything but relaxing. Two hours of my life were wasted as I crawled through traffic mob to my destination, traveling only 40 miles. I was delighted to find the gift shop as soon I entered the hospital because I was in desperate need of Tylenol for my pounding headache.

The event went well and before I knew it, we were packing up our table to head home. Thankfully, reverse rush hour traffic had not yet started and the heavy rain had lightened to an inconvenient drizzle. I was optimistic about a stress-free drive home!

Everything was going well and I was cruising along, making what I thought was good time. I turned on the radio and happily began to belt out the songs. Then I noticed that I didn't recognize any landmarks, and I became concerned. Driving under the "Welcome to Maryland" sign confirmed my suspicion that I was lost. I had spent the past 30 minutes driving North instead of South. D'Oh!

A few more wrong turns, one poorly executed exit (I apologize to my fellow drivers and fully accept the middle finger that was extended in my direction), and two hours later, I was finally home. It took me 68 miles to get home from the hospital which was only 40 miles away. I think I'm going to have to write an explanation when I turn in my mileage for the event.

I really hate DC traffic, but it is especially offensive when the weather is less than ideal. Yesterday was exhausting, not because I was particularly active but because the commute was draining. I'm fairly certain that I would require prescription anxiety medication if I had to make the trip on a regular basis. Today I am going to change into my comfy pants as soon as I drop off Robby and hide in my home office.