Being a divorced middle-aged man does not make me unique. Neither does being the father of two teenage boys. What’s a little different is living not just in a different town, but a different state.

What is also sometimes a rarity is getting along with one’s ex- wife. We try to work things out so that I can see the boys as often as possible. One of the things we set up from the beginning — it’s actually part of the legal mumbo-jumbo we went through — is how things work during the boys’ winter break.

Each year, the boys stay with her for the first week, which, in South Carolina, is the week leading into Christmas. Then, I pick them up after lunch on Christmas Day and they spend a week with me until New Year’s Eve. This will be the first year they spend with me here in Southside Virginia.

This year, they’ll also get to me sooner, on Friday night. Christmas Day will be spent traveling to and visiting with my sister in Winchester. Being adventurous types (but depending on the weather), we’ll likely avoid the interstate as much as possible and travel up through Scottsville, Charlottesville and on up to Fort Royall before getting on I-81. We’ll see.

From there, or later in the week, we’ll head to my father’s place outside Washington, D.C. Doing that pretty much requires U.S. 360 and I-95 before switching on to U.S. 301 to cross the Potomac River bridge at Dahlgren.

Being teenage boys, my sons will want to either a) stay indoors and watch shows or play on their phones, or b) brave the cold to go skateboarding. Perhaps they’ll turn them into snowboards?

Doesn’t matter — I just know I’m in for a good time with two of the most important people in my life.

Martin L. Cahn is the managing editor of The Charlotte Gazette. His email address is martin.cahn@farmvilleherald.com.