friend and foe

My best friend here in Houston has been, hands-down, the gps that Dan and I bought as an anniversary gift to each other. I am so horrible with direction (and so terrified of getting lost) that the kids and I just might have stayed holed up in the apartment during our time here without it.

My biggest foe has been what's known as The Roundabout. Down the street from us there is a lovely fountain and an intersection encircling it that our precious gps is determined to send us through on every outing. In order to successfully navigate The Roundabout one has to know which lane to be in before you enter. You also have to be aggressive enough not to be forced to exit too early. Finally, you have to memorize which street is which, as some are clearly, beautifully labeled and some are not. Here lie my problems - I'm not aggressive and I am terrified of having to decide quickly which lane I need. The result has been that *almost* every time we go through this intersection we wind up on the wrong street and the gps chastises me with her declaration of "recalculating." The kids have wondered aloud, "Mommy, why is this so hard for you?" If, by chance, we wind up on the intended street the kids actually cheer from the back of the van as I pump my fist in victory.

It is pitiful.

For the record, the photos make this beast look much tamer than it actually is - at least in my eyes.