Road Rambles Revisited

I won't be one of the millions traveling the highways and byways this Memorial Day Weekend.
Nope, not this year.
This year, I will be happily kicking back and doing a whole lotta nothing.
No. Thing.
A burnt hotdog on the grill, a fire in the fire pit, a lawn chair and ahhhhh.
That's all I ask out of life.
But since so many of you will be hitting the road and driving off to your happy place destinations, I thought I'd pull some words out of the archives. 

Welcome back to 'Road Rambles', written this time last year.

....................

First up
Billboards and rest stops.

For some reason, this trip, I took notice of billboards.
I usually don't pay attention to them at all.
Billboards are just there.
They have always been just there.
I take those very large signs for granted, for sure.
Well, this go around I saw them.
From the gigantic lawyer faces to the pecans pecans pecans, to the big daddy fireworks guy and the stuffy nose blows allergy place.
I noticed.
& I'm thinking
Billboards.
That's America, baby !
AMERICA.

& how about those rest stops ?
Did you ever notice how incredibly long the '47 miles to next rest stop' can be ?
Especially after the 'Let's go to the next rest stop. It's only 47 miles' conversation.

uh huh.

Next up
& this is going to sound morbid and gross but, I just have to ask ...
Who's in charge of taking dead critters off the road ?
Not the side of the road.
The road.
I mean, how do they get to the side ?

For instance, if I hit a deer
which I hope I never do because I would never, ever forgive myself
But, IF I would hit a deer ..
would I be in charge of moving his body off of the highway so no one else hits him too ?
Dead critters are almost always on the side of the road
& it got me to wondering ...
How do they get there ?

hmmmm

And finally.
Big trucks.

Growing up and traveling with Gramma, I remember her refusing to sleep.
She wanted to stay awake to alert Dad of the trucks.
When told by Mom it was ok to doze, her wonderful, loving Gramma words were always "I'll watch for trucks"
& watch for trucks she did.
Like a sentry soldier, she did.
I always got the biggest kick out of that little lady.
She wasn't about to let any big rig harm her precious cargo.
I could snooze peacefully knowing that my gramma was watching for trucks.
zzzzzzzzzz

The older I get though, the more I appreciate those big trucks.
Gramma saw them as a threat to her peeps.
But, I see them as my go to helper in times of need.

We traveled through some heavy duty rain storms yesterday
& although I wasn't driving, I heard myself offer this awesome advice to the man behind the wheel
"Time to follow the trucks"
Time after time after time.
Through fog, snow, rain and sleet.
I have always followed the trucks.
Those slow, steady, guiding light trucks.
They ease me out of the icky weather and into the sunshine.
Every single time.
Thank you truck driver.
You get me to where I need to be and I really do appreciate that
& YOU.

....................

& there you have it.
Words of wisdom from a patiently bored passenger with way too much time on her hands.

Safe Travels My Traveling Friends
&
Happy Memorial Day Weekend to all.

Enjoy !

:)

I Am My Feelings

Can You Hear Me Now ?

I'm not very good at remembering names.
Especially when talking on the phone.

"Hello. My name is ------. How can I help you ?"

At that moment, I'm usually too busy thinking of what I'm going to say to this person
& I completely miss it.
Or, I catch their name and forget to write it down
& by the end of our conversation, I've forgotten.

Bad habit.
I listen.
But, I don't hear.

Have you ever had a song follow you around ?
That's happening to me.
It's Chicago's 'Colour My World'
I've heard that song more in these past few months than in my whole, entire lifetime.
Which is a good thing.
I love it.

Since 'Colour My World' has decided to attach itself to me, I listen every single time it plays
& it's amazing.
I never realized the incredible simpleness of that song before.
& I'm hearing a new something each and every time.
Those quiet instruments, such easy words.
That uncomplicated tune has been around for many a year and I've listened to it multiple times but, it took me this long to finally HEAR it.

WoW.

I've slept with the windows open these last few nights.
YaY
& chirp, chirp, chirping has been the very first thing I hear when I wake.
You know that old saying 'up with the birds' ?
Yep.
Those tiny tweeters sure do enjoy bright and early.
They are happily just THERE, singing their lovely tunes
& it makes me wonder, how long have they been back and I just didn't notice ?
Weeks ? Months ?
hmmm.

I do believe it's another gentle reminder to pay attention to the wonderful signs life continually offers.
I'll listen but, this time, I'm going to hear.

:)

I Am My Feelings

But, I Don't Wanna

Have I mentioned that I'm Pretty. Darn. Good. at the art of stalling ?
yep.
Especially when it comes to activities I really, REALLY don't want to do. 
Like grocery shopping.

UGH.

I despise it.
I do.
Everything about it.
From the making of the list, to the walking down the aisles, to the emptying of the cart, to the paying and packing  ...
Seriously.
I beg of you.
Please Please PLEASE don't make me !! cause I don't wannaaaaaaaaaa !!!

Somewhere down the line though, I must have made my thoughts known.
Maybe it was my huffing and puffing and the always present I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS every single time I headed to the grocery store ?
hmmmm.
Whatever it was, it worked.
It WORKED !

I don't recall when exactly but, one glorious day Husband declared that HE would take over the grocery shopping reigns.
"What ?? WHY ?? Are you SURE ?!?" I asked, as my heart was dancing with joy
& sure enough, he did.
I can't for the life of me figure out why but, Husband actually enjoys the task
& he's real good at getting all those super duper deals.
YaY
& since we all know how I truly, madly, deeply ADORE cutting the grass, the switch was made.
We decided Husband will handle the groceries and I, the lawnmower.
BEST DEAL EVER if you ask me.
I even threw snow shoveling into the bargain because I was so overwhelmed with glee.
weeeeee !!

& so, this is how we have muddled along for many a year.
He's happy.
I'm happy
& I don't have to grocery shop !!
woo ! woo !

Until.
Today.
Circumstances beyond my control have put me right smack dab back into a spot I don't want to be.
Groceries.
We need them
& it's looking like I will be the one that will have to temporarily handle that horrible chore.
waaaa.
I've tried. Lord knows, I've tried to come up with ways around going to that dreaded place but, Old Mother Hubbard has gone to her cupboard and we are low on just about everything.

boo.

hmmmm.
If I could just think of something ... someway to put it off that awfulness until tomorrow or the next day or the next, next, next ...
hmmmmm.

Hey ! Look !
The grass !
It's getting much too long.
It must be cut.
Like, NOW.
For. Sure.

Ooooh Tomorrow, Tomorrow.
I love you tomorrow.
You're only a day away
&
I'm cutting the grass today.

Yippeeeeeeee.

:)

I Am My Feelings

 

  

Cold Hard Cash

I was talking to a garage door repair guy not too long ago
& I asked, "What ever happened to good old fashion garage door handles?"
Talk about upper arm exercise .. ! .. especially if the door got stuck.
Up
Down
Push
Pull.
By golly, you would get that door opened if it took all day.
Whew !

Our conversation wandered into the days of playing outside until the lightning bugs told us it's time to go home.
Running bases.
Catching pop ups.
ahhhhhh
The good ol days.

I saw a few kids playing football recently
& it made me smile.
I cannot remember the last time I saw children playing all day, into the evening football.
Sure, there's all kinds of organized sports out there.
But, I'm talking neighborhood friends, playing 3 on 3 football.
Oh, the memories.

How about cold hard cash and a slow as molasses written check ...? 
I know. I know.
WHO does cash and checks anymore ?!??
Ummmm.
Me.
I adore them !
I'll use a debit card if I must but, I try my best not to must.

There are so many old school things I would really, really love back.
Like jump ropers jumping rope all day long.
Man, we would spend hour upon hour in jump rope glee.
Or those around the leg, jump in place spin it things.
Spin. Jump. Spin. Jump.
Seriously.
All. Day. Long.
I could use a workout like that now.
Woo !!

Can I please go back ?
Can I ? Can I ???

How's about talking to a human being instead of that annoying automated voice
or looking around at this lovely land we live in instead of concentrating on those phones.
Yep.
Nothing against modern tech and times but, I could live happily in Old School Land forever and ever and ever on end.

btw ...
does anyone have change for a five ?!?

:)


I Am My Feelings

Rejuvenated

You know I like to keep it positive around here, right ?
Well, truth be told, some days it sure ain't easy.

Some days, I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle.
There's this thing called Negative and it's everywhere.
Every. Where.

The local and national news thrive on it.
Social media adores it.
The radio guy needs to tell me about it.
The gal at the store repeats it ...
& sometimes, some days it feels like Negative follows me around.
Poking, prodding, testing, trying.
Confidently determined to break me.

Welp.
I really hate to admit this but, last night Negative won.
I finally howled "UNCLE"
Yep.
I couldn't take it anymore.
I found the nearest blanket, covered my head, called it a day and succumbed to it all.

IgiveIgiveIgiveIgiveIgive.
You win Negative.
I am DONE.

done.

But, that was last night
& THIS is a brand new today.

I escorted Negative right out my door this morning with a powerful push and an equally determined  "don't come back !"

You may bend me but, you will never break me Negative
& you will never, ever, EVER win.
Not in my world.
Nope.

Positive resides in me
& it's amazing what a good cry and a wonderful night's sleep does for the soul
I am rejuvenated is what I am.

So bring it, Negative.
Show me what you've got.
Poke, prod, test and try.
Do it
& do it again
& again
& again.
Get it out of your system if you must, because I am confidently focused
& I am Completely, Positively Happy

& on those days when it feels like I'm fighting a losing battle against this negative swaying world of ours ?
I will keep chuggin out the bright side anyways
& as promised, I will forever keep it positive around me.
Here.

So believe me when I say ...
Today is going to be a very, VERY good day.

Oh. Yes. It. Is.

:)

I Am My Feelings

Show Me

I've been trying to figure out a way to write this without sounding whiny or preachy.
I decided to just tell it like it is.

Stuff happens.
In my life, in your life, in everybody's life.

There's good.
There's bad.
There's ugly
 &
There is beautiful.
Every single body has some kind of something going on.

We all have a story.
& today, I'd like to share a page out of mine.

I had an especially bad moment in December of 2013.
It came at a time when a lot of bad moments seemed to be following me around.
But, this moment was the straw that broke me.
I'd  had enough.
I could not take anymore.

I was alone at the time.
I sat in my room crumbled up and crying.
Ican'tdothisIcan'tdothisIcan'tdothis rumbled through my head.
I am done.
I am SO done.

The autopilot in my brain clicked on.
It guided me to the nook where my Bible sits.
Like a zombie, I grabbed that book and held on.
After a long while, I opened it, glanced down
& what I read became etched into my brain.

"I will instruct you and show you the way you should walk"

Bam.

Those were the most beautiful words I had ever read.
They still are.

"I will instruct you and show you the way you should walk."

Worry stopped right then and there.
No matter what happened next, I knew I would be ok.

It was a definite 'everything changed inside of me' day.
& I've been instructed and shown how to walk ever since.

Those wonderful words.

They didn't make the stuff go away.
Nope.
Not at all.
Stuff still happens, all the time.
The good, the bad, the ugly and the beautiful.
It's all still here.
It's  Life
& I am very much loving it because I see things, I handle things differently now.
I trust.

I. Trust.

"I will instruct you and show you the way you should walk."

Yep.

I do believe I will keep on walking.

:)

I Am My Feelings