A quiet moment in the back seat squished between two baby seats. A Stephany Plum book on CD is plugged in the radio. We're entering the Appalachian mountain range in west Virginia. It's a beautiful sight and you do feel like you're in another part of America. We debate getting off at a local exit. I've been exposed to many cultures but
Appalachia hill billy is new to me and an unknown element. We're late on the road to Phili. The kids have been amazingly great on this trip. The long drive from the back seat has given me a lot of time to think about things.

Spring is here now. Dad says that my business karma for spring should be good. Casey is now a little over six months with one budding tooth on the way. It's time to put this liTle one in regular daycare. Next week, I'll be moving to a new office location. A very interesting place sort of like a business incubator. I hope that it will work out.

The past year has been interesting in terms of people met and mystery solved. It seems I've lived here long enough now to be scratching the surface of the core of Sheboygan society. Since moving here over six years ago, I have seen a mysterious woman in town who would walk downtown with a baby stroller in plump boots and a melon sized knitted beanie over her rastfarian like head and dressed in early 2000 club clothes reminoscent of the first Jamariquia album. I would see her walking nearly every spring with a stroller in this crazy get out outfit. She is soooo not from Sheboygan but is she an au pair? I saw her once fussing over groceries with a man at a house from their SUV. He was so corporate in his slacks and plaid collar shirt. Countless times I've been tempted to stop my car on the side of the road to ask her who she was and what she's about. When I walked through Goodside groceries last month and saw her behind the clerk's counter, it was hard to contain the giddy excitement. I was about to solve my six year mystery. A customer commented about her hat. It was a hot day and no reason for a hat. "Do you have more than one layer of hats?". "Yes, I'm wearing six of them.". Hmmm. Silence. I don't get it myself. Casey was an icebreaker. The girl cooed over her and told me she has several kids herself. I pounced at the opportunity to confront her at this point. "Are you from here? I've seen you around and it seems your kids are very young. Do you baby sit?". No, the youngest is about two and oldest about five. She's from Minnesota but they have a house in chicago. They just fell in love with Sheboygan and the affordable homes. They don't work in Sheboygan either and she's not married to the guy. There was a look in her eyes when she said this much and I decided not to press further. Perhaps she is someone's mistress and this was her hide away. Maybe she's got a big poppa. Very interesting but mystery not fully solved. I don't think I want to know any more to preserve the intrigue.