I think one of the most beautiful sights for me to see is fog in the mountains and on the ocean. While we were in northern California we were blessed with many foggy mornings.
We like to get up early. To walk out a cabin door, look at the mountains and see a completely different scene than the one we had witnessed the night before.
Everything looks different in a foggy haze. The imagination can conjure up all sorts of images in the mist. Stories yet to be written are forming in the back of my mind. The camera is going spastic. I want to capture this area, this time in my life, forever. I am in no hurry to get on the road today. I want to walk and discover what the fog is trying to hide. Tommy agrees. We set off on a long walk to nowhere in particular, just following my muse and the fog.
The mountains loom all around us. The Shasta River is across the road and about 200 feet down from where we are standing. The view is exotic and intoxicating at the same time. The fog is lower in some places than others. The misty clouds fight for control of the morning.
All the time I am walking the road and in the woods, I hearing "Smoke on the Water, Fire in the Sky" in the back of my mind. I always loved that song. My past is never far away. It must have seemed appropriate to me that day, because it played off and on for several hours in my mind. Soon it was time to wrap up our walk and get on the road. The fog remained with us until about 9 a.m. when the sun reclaimed the sky.
We had the road to ourselves, that was a good thing. I could still get a few pictures. Around each turn was a new photo shot waiting to turn into a memory.
We were almost to the coast. The ocean and the Redwoods were just out of our reach. In less than an hour we would be there. I tell Tommy that I don't think anything we will see today will be any prettier than this morning. I was so wrong! This was one of many days when beauty became almost a drug. I was completely awestruck with all that nature had to offer that day. It was a wonderful day to be alive.
Then we saw the Pacific Ocean . Once again my camera went crazy trying to capture what I was seeing. Nothing can compare to what the hand of God can do.
One of my main reasons for wanting to go to northern California was to see my cousin Sherry Poe. It would be the first times in 43 years.
We had lost touch with each other over the years. We both moved several times, we married giving us different last names making it hard to find each other. Time gets away and life goes by very fast. People get busy living and forget to stay in touch .The one constant we had was Aunt Donna. She still lives in Clinton and Sherry had her phone number. Aunt Donna and Uncle Gene were friends of her father. In fact Uncle Gene was her father, Bill Poe's first cousin. Aunt Donna is a doll, when Sherry called her on a random Sunday morning, Aunt Donna told her that I was in Kentucky for a month and gave her my cell phone number.
When Sherry called me I was thrilled to hear from her. We talked like we had just seen each other the week before. When we met each other in California, it was the same way. It felt like we had just had coffee the day before.
We ate dinner at Denny's and then went to the ocean. It was cool by the ocean. It wasn't cool---it was cold. The wind whipping the waves surrounded us in a damp coldness. It was beautiful to watch. We sat on a picnic table and told each other our lives.
Tommy took pictures of us as we talked. It was almost like being a kid again. There were lots of "do you remember......" questions. The answers were sometimes surprising. We laughed and talked for several hours. We will stay in touch this time. Time flies, however we do not have another 43 years to loose.
I probably shouldn't complain about the little annoyances in life, however those little thorns in my side are the very ones that piss me off the most!!!
It is what I call the "domino effect". One little thing goes wrong, that leads to another and then another and before it is all over---Wham!!! It is the makings of a less than perfect day, to say the least! What is worse----none of it really matters. It just is what it is and nothing more. I can say that now, however three hours ago, I was far, far from saying anything even remotely close to this.
I had too little sleep and way too much coffee. I was in the process of getting ready to go home. It was raining and everyone was thrilled. I ran to the store to get Tami some milk. I bring the milk back and I race out of her house because the rain is getting harder and I need to get home. My black purse was in the front seat. My night bag was on Tami's coffee table. I remember this 17 miles down the road. No big deal, I turn around and go back to Tami's for the 2nd time that morning.
I get there, get the bag, grab a cupcake ----give kisses all around and I am out the door---going nowhere fast!!! My ignition switch locks up on me. We have meant to get this problem fixed for a year. Today push has come to shove and it has got to be fixed. I am trying my best to make my key line up with the switch. Nada!!! No way was it gonna budge. I was just about to call Tommy when I think, " maybe a fresh pair of eyes can help" so I go back in, scare the snot out of Tami. She thinks I have gone, has her ear buds in and is working on her paper she has to write. Evidently, she did not hear me when I stormed up her stairs yelling, ' this is the worst freaking morning I have had in a long time".
She is so sweet, tells me to calm down and goes out to check the ignition switch. After a few tries she gets it lined up and the engine turns over. She jumps out and tells me not to stop on the way home......like I would.
I am once again in the car headed out of Centralia when I see a car off the road on the left side and a frantic woman waving down traffic. A black pickup stops and she is waving her arms and the guy drives off. The lady is short and stocky. She is wearing a black tube top and shorts. She has short blond hair and is unsteady on her feet. I assumed she was drunk. She tried to get in her car and missed her step somehow and falls on her back on the rocks and rolls under her car. Her arms were flailing around, like she was trying to do the back stoke to get out from under the car. More traffic is approaching her side of the road. I am afraid she will get out and try and flag down someone else. I can't stop because my car may not start again. There we would both be and I am not sure what it wrong with her. I call Tami and ask her to call the cops in Centralia . Someone needs to check on her before she gets hurt.
When Tami answers the phone there is a little "what now" in her voice. I explain what is going on and she tells me NOT to stop ----keep going, she will call the cops. Good, that made me feel better.
The rain started to pick up some. Wonderful, we need it so bad. However my right windshield wiper needed to be changed. The new ones are in the back seat. S$$T!!!!! I am going home!!! I do not care. As long as I can see, and I can I am on my way!!!
I get there just as Tommy is about to leave to go help Jody fix his transmission. He is in his truck. I jump out of the car and tell him my story. He tells me to hurry up Jody is waiting on him. I sigh a huge sigh from the bottom of my toes. I am home. It hasn't rained one little drop here. It is cloudy but hot. Hopefully the rain will find us this afternoon or tonight. Tommy is gone, I have the house to myself and I have just vented my little heart out!!! I feel better. I am going to eat a grilled cheese sandwich and take a hot shower--then I am going to bed, read until I get sleepy and hopefully when I wake up ----my world will be back in sync. One can only hope. I am a big believer in starting over. Worst case scenario, I can do this until I get it right, after all I am home---FINALLY!!!!
Today is the first day since we returned from vacation where I do not have to go somewhere or have an obligation to fulfill. The first three days home we slept most of the time. Our bodies were tired so those 3 days do not count. I barely remember them. Yesterday I began my 43 year ritual, to reclaim my home and make my "nest".
I love traveling. Mention the word 'go' and I am ready. However sooner or later while I am traveling, especially while I am on the return trip, my thoughts seek out my home. I start to miss it. I will see something I like and I am ready to change the look of my house. This never fails to happen. This begins the "nesting mode."
I started with my den. It is where I write and do most of my reading. I added some red to the room, a few more plants, a coffee table for the love seat and I found a lamp that will follow me home next week. It looks pretty, homey and I enjoy spending most of my time in this room. It flows into the kitchen, that received a new tablecloth and a general good cleaning. That room flows into the living room. All I can say right now, is that is where the flow has stopped!! Today I attack it! There is a lot to do in that room. We unpacked there. Walked off and left it, hoping someone would put all those clean clothes away. Apparently, that someone is me, and today is the day.
I enjoy this process. For me it is a form of purging. I get rid of unnecessary things to make room for new memories. While I was unpacking the things I bought on the trip I found 5 coffee cups of Oregon. I guess I really liked Oregon, however 5 coffee cups are 4 too many. Needless to say, I forgot what I was buying apparently. Would anyone like a coffee cup from Oregon? I know a lady who can fix you up---fast.
Today should have been a rather solemn grown up kind of day. Tommy and I made our will out and took care of some very serious business issues. Notice I said,"it should have been". Every word I am about to write is the honest truth!! I am writing this in case the genes of Tommy Carter appear AGAIN in unborn descendant's. Whoever is blessed to marry or raise this little person has my blessing and a prayer for patience to not knock him in the head at least once a day. Today was one of those days when his sole purpose was to aggravate the crap out of me and to entertain everyone within ear shot. He did both with great enthusiasm and much pleasure.
First we go to the bank to get our will signed by a notary public. Most people are quiet in a bank. Not us. It was almost like the circus came to the bank.
We were there for 2 hours. Tommy told them about each daughter as we listed them on the will. He told them about the grandchildren. He told them how we met, how long we have been married. The lady was typing, listening and trying to get done. Then she started laughing. I am groaning inside, this was all Tommy needed. Once she laughed it was on. There was no way she was getting rid of us anytime soon. She just drew the short straw today.
I kept telling Tommy to not talk and let her work as sweetly as I could. He knew what he was doing. We had already had this talk in the car. Every time we buy a house, a car, groceries, any thing, Tommy talks up a storm about any and everything but what we are buying. The people doing the paper work get all screwed up, having to do most of it over twice. We have probably paid more for everything we ever bought than most people did who bought the same things we did only, they kept their mouths shut.
He does not care!! We had a teller, a notary and a young man who gave us our safety deposit box key so screwed up they didn't know if they were coming or going. BUT they knew our life story. They were laughing and talking like we were best friends. That is nice, I just hope the paper work is right.
We stopped to get a bite to eat. I asked him for the millionth time why he does this every time. His answer was not what I expected but was definitely the truth. "I like to mess with you, it's fun. Besides you are gonna die first and I will do what I want!!" It was on then. When we got home, unloaded the car because after lunch we hit almost every store in town, trying to find the kind of dog food our two extra kids will eat.
We decided to take a nap. We were still talking about dying. I lay there for awhile when I realized that I hope he does out live me. I don't think I could ever be happy with out him in my life.....I got up and started to write this blog. He on the other hand is sleeping like a baby. Inside he feels the same way about me. It is just one of those things the heart knows.
Today has been a very good day. For me it was a day of learning. On our vacation I literally wore my camera out. I take lots of pictures on any given day. Bridges, trains, old barns, odd people, rocks, streams, just any and everything that catches my eye. The camera was well used before we started out. I don't print off all the photos I take. The ones I do, I put in an envelope, date it and write what I photographed for future blogs. I am really thankful it waited to die until we got home. I went to Walmart with every intention of getting another Kodak easy share. Only to find out Kodak has gone out of business. I really don't know how I missed this but it sure got by me.
A nice little guy from the Middle East was helping me find a new camera. I bought the one he suggested. When I got home I tried to get it to work and failed---miserably and rather noisily I must add. Tommy says with his usual moral support---"why do you always buy things you can't work?" It is simple Tommy, "that is all they sell now days!" His reply was "then don't buy it." That will not solve anything nor was it an option! We have to learn and keep up as best we can with the changing times.
First thing Monday morning we go to WalMart in Fulton to take back the camera and get something easier to use. I was all prepared for an argument. I was so wrong. The young lady who waited on me could not have been nicer. As I handed her my camera and all its parts that I couldn't fit together, I told her I would need another camera. That camera was too hard to work. Before I got the last words out of my mouth, she had the camera together and it was back in my hand. I looked at the camera and asked her to do that again. I missed the whole operation and I still didn't know what she did. She started laughing, saying I reminded her of her mother. She then very slowly showed me again how to work my camera. I asked if there were any easier cameras to buy. She smiled and said, "Mam, they are all basically the same. You can do this."
I hesitated for a minute, that is when my hero says, "All she really needs are some blank sheets of paper and some colors. She can make her own pictures." That's when I tell the young lady that the camera is perfect. Thanked her for her help, grabbed my camera and bag of goodies that appear to be add on's to the camera, and get ready to leave. Tommy is just tickled pink! I can work it a little and by morning I will know exactly how to work it. He on the other hand will not know Squat about the camera!!!
Tommy and I then strolled to the hunting section. To my utter surprise I saw locked behind glass cases, assault rifles, with 30 round clips, ranging from $600 to a $1,000. They were 22 caliber and 223 caliber. I wanted him to buy one. The only hold back was the fact that it would be registered. I really believe that some day in the future, guns will confiscated. It has happened in other countries and there are factions in America that are trying to get this done. I hope I am wrong.
We soon left WalMart with a ton of things to talk about. We stopped, got a bite to eat then headed home. It was a good day in my part of the world. I sincerely hope it was in your corner of the world also.
When Tommy and I travel, he always does the driving. The main reason he does this is because he hates how I drive.....and I hate how he grabs the dash, slams on his imaginary brake and just generally behaves like my Mother did when she was alive and had to ride with me!
There were three of us on the trip to California, Mel, Tommy and me. Tommy wanted to drive the truck, and I assumed Melodi would drive the car. I would just visit around with the two of them. Melodi and I were not on the same page. She had already driven half way across the country by herself and was tired. She wanted me to drive. Oh my God this is not gonna be pretty by any means. When we reached Colorado, Melodi told me I had to drive. So I did. She got her pillow, laid the seat back and tried to sleep.
I swear I tried to be quiet but I have always talked to myself and when I drive I talk to the other drivers on the road! If they drive like idiots, I let them know in no uncertain words. I must admit, Colorado and Utah have more than there share of idiots driving 90 to nothing in the mountains. Insane for sure. I tried to be quiet, however a semi cut me off and nearly ran me into a mountain. Various curse words erupted from me. Melodi came flying up out of a sound sleep wanting to know what was wrong. I apologized and told her to go back to sleep. Everything was fine. She told me to be quiet and not talk. I tried . I really did try.
We hit a stretch of mountains that were gorgeous. No one was behind me. Tommy was in front and Mel was asleep. I needed some pictures of these mountains----bad. I slipped my camera out of the case and slowed down. I was clicking away on straight stretches. There weren't many of them. All of a sudden Melodi wakes up and snatches my camera out of my hand. She turns the clicker off on my camera. I didn't know that could be done. Now my camera is silent when I take pictures. I like that. Evidently Mel did too. Once again she tries to sleep. I had been driving about 3 hours and I was happy. I was finally driving through the mountains!! This is another thing I could check off my Bucket List.
However, Melodi was not quite as happy as I was----even after a three hour nap! She sets up, snatches the camera out of my hand and begins to take pictures. She said she felt better, more rested and wanted to see what I kept ooohing and ahhing about. She took some great shots. When I pulled in to gas up, Melodi took the wheel. I asked her if she wanted me to drive. She gave me the Carter "look" over her sunglasses. I went and got in the truck with Tommy. He was glad to see me and was ready for some company. That was a good thing because I was out of options for the rest of that day.
We followed Melodi out of town, onto highway 5, as we were leaving her home in Moorpark, California. It was early in the morning. Traffic was already becoming heavy. She showed us our road, waved out the window and we were on our way for the next part of our vacation.
We didn't eat breakfast before we left. We would eat when we stopped for gas. We took our coffee with us. The weather was perfect and we were each quiet knowing that we would not see Melodi for another year.
We finally started talking about all the fun we had with Melodi and the boys. We were laughing and telling stories again about things that had happened on our trip. Talking helped a lot.
Soon we were hungry and ready to gas up. We see a sign reading "Gas $4.01" that was cheap for California that week. It also had a restaurant attached to the store. As soon as we pull in we see that gas is really $4.29. We were low on gas so we decided to bite the bullet and pay the outrageous amount. As soon as we filled up, we went to the adjacent restaurant wanting coffee with an order of biscuits and gravy.
It was a new Mexican restaurant that had opened earlier in the week. We walk up to the counter and ask if we could have an order of biscuits and gravy. We should have known better, however sometimes if you ask you get what you want. Not that day! The man who waited on us was a beautiful, extremely nice man. His English had our Spanish beat all to heck, but still we could not understand each other. He showed us the menu. I could find nothing we wanted for breakfast. Tommy said again," do you have any biscuits and gravy?"
The man caught the word "gravy" that time. He was smiling from ear to ear saying, "Soup!!! Yes, yes we have soup"!!! Tommy said "No not soup--gravy with biscuits". I look at Tommy and tell him we are in the wrong place and need to leave. About that time, Tommy grabs the man's hand and shakes it vigorously. He tells him that he hopes his restaurant is a huge success, we just happened to be in the wrong place. We walk out of the restaurant like a couple of idiots. Get in our overpriced gas powered car and hit the road. About 2 miles down the road we start laughing at ourselves and looking for a "Denny's" to get biscuits and gravy.
Off and on all day one of us would say, out of the blue "Soup" and the laughter would start all over. The other one would say, ""no gravy," laughing like two kids.
One of the things I bought Tommy when he retired, was a set of DVDs to teach us Spanish. They are still sealed in the box they came in. I think when we recover from the trip, we might need to get them out and learn Spanish. It would be helpful to know for the next time we are hungry and need to order in Spanish something other than biscuits and gravy.
This is the little puppy that got the whole
misunderstanding started!!!! $4.01 my foot!!!
For weeks I have kept a journal of our travels and adventures. We have had a wonderful time. We almost overdosed on beauty, if that can be done. Each state in the old West is a rock hounds slice of heaven. I am a rock hound of the first degree and I have been high on beauty for 4,889 miles.
Tommy and I had many conversations about pioneers, the Oregon Trail and Lewis and Clark. I look at the scenery and can not fathom how they crossed the mountains, traveled the rivers or survived the desert. What looks beautiful to me, was a beautiful danger to the early settlers. The danger is still there. We are blessed with a better way to navigate. However, there were many places where cell phones did not work. As we were entering Utah, there was a sign that said, "No food, water, gas for 100 miles." We took that sign seriously and made sure we had plenty of everything. It was an odd feeling to know that if we broke down, we were at the mercy of strangers, or on our own.
Colorado, Utah, Arizona all have the same continuous scenery. Each turn in the road seems to become prettier than the last. I had an incredible time. I gave my imagination free reign and let my muse ramble anywhere she wanted to go. I think she spent most of her time in Vegas. I was pleased with the results.
Utah resembles a child's work of art; nothing fits exactly like a man would create. Neat, conformed, safe, efficient... no way. Utah is rugged, huge, exotic and dangerous. Rocks can be found in all shapes sizes, colors and heights. Driving through Utah and the old West one gets the feeling of being on another planet at times. The mountains, crevices, vivid colored rocks and buttes have little in common with other areas of our country.
I asked Tommy his impression of the West, "It was like the finger of God painted the perfect portrait." Melodi replied, "isolated beauty" and my impression was, "other worldly". We were all on the same page with what we were seeing.
This is a country where a giant would seem small. The roads are steep, curvy and at times scary and exciting all within the same second. The colors of sunrise and sunset glow on rocks, trees and bushes, causing different colors to be reflected.
Around one curve a traveler will be faced with huge red rocks, thrown about like someone played pool, making the first shot and scattering everything in its path. Round boulders are everywhere. The red rocks were my favorite. They were tall, massive as high as I could see, competing in ancient beauty.
While on this trip I checked off many, many things on "My Bucket List". One item was to actually drive through the mountains. I did it!! I was holding the steering wheel so tight my hands hurt when we changed drivers. But I did it! I enjoyed it too......
now that it is over:)
Words and photographs cannot do justice to the West. It has to be seen for yourself. The hot winds need to catch your breath, the mountains need to make a person seem small and insignificant.
The vastness of the mountain ranges need to surround you for hours and hours. It is stepping back to an era that most of us do not see on a daily basis. It is the old West and I love it.
For about the past three or four weeks we have been in the process of helping Melodi move to California. So many funny things have happened. It is hard to know where to start in telling a story.
However, today has been the hardest, most nerve wracking day so far. Waiting--waiting and waiting some more. I had plenty to do and I did it all, but finished in record time. I do not wait well at all! My better half has watched the Olympics --All Day Long!!! It is 8 p.m. and he is looking for his suitcase. Have I seen it? Yes! Do I know where it is right now, no! Does he know where it is --NO!!! But he did come out of the hunting room with another tent. We have a new one that sets up in a minute. Sleeps 6 and he wants to take the old tent that nearly caused a heat stroke and a divorce the last time we tried to put it together. I promise myself--that old tent is not going! We are planning on camping in the Redwood Forrest and in Oregon and maybe in Idaho. Only if the temperature is cool.
He found his suitcase, thank you Jesus!!! The old tent went back and out came the clothes. I don't care what he takes as long as he puts something in that suitcase before tomorrow morning!! This is just like trying to herd cats---it can't be done. He just ran out the back door to throw something away. Now that really makes me nervous!!! Tommy never throws anything away.
Once we get on the road, bam--everything will be fine. All I have to do is make it through the night, without committing a crime. I am a big girl---I can do this.
When I was at Melodi's and we were tired and needed a break we either watched "The Big Bang Theory" or played with the dogs. Both ideas worked wonders.
We were getting stressed, needed to drink some water when Melodi found her remote control truck. Talk about a sweet toy!!! This is nice. Melodi looked at me and asked if I wanted to see something funny. Absolutely, I wanted to see something funny, out comes the remote controlled big, bad blue truck.
The boys were on the couch sleeping until they heard the buzz of the truck. Ears up, ready to attack were 2 cute little 8 pound dogs,
Grizz and Bear to be exact.
To say the boys hate the truck is an understatement. As soon as they saw it, they were in attack mode.
Until the truck got too close, too fast and they found themselves in an awkward retreat. Every where they went, the truck was there.
It was exactly what we needed to relax and forget about the pressure of packing and trying to beat a deadline. Mel, chased the boys and we laughed until we cried. As soon as the truck stopped, Grizz and Bear were there to show it who was boss. All Melodi had to do was rev the motor and the boys were headed for the couch, where the truck could not reach them.
We enjoyed their playtime and it was a blessing for us.
Now if I could just get a big blue truck and chase Tommy for about an hour I would feel so much better.
Since that isn't happening, if I had ruby slippers I could click them together and one of us would end up in Kansas. Ugh, I wouldn't wish that on anyone. So I guess I will go watch the Olympics and play nice. While I am playing nice I will be thinking of the big blue truck and smiling to myself.
