October 22nd Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina – 

Mornin’! Even with three bathroom breaks, two gas stops (I only put a few gallons in each time because I had an issue with paying $0.60 & $0.45 more a gallon then at home) and one stop at Panera to pick up soup for lunch, I made it home in six and a half hours. That’s not saying I wasn’t exhausted and crashed and burned when I got home, because I did, but the whole ferry route definitely saved time.

Today my back and legs are a bit sore and I have a mark from where the seatbelt was rubbing on my collarbone. I am not meant to drive fifteen hundred miles in four days, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat if it meant spending time with my daughter! My next road trip isn’t until November 22^nd when I go get her for Thanksgiving, but since she doesn’t have to go back until December 1^st, it shouldn’t be too bad. Let’s just hope the weather cooperates.

There is definitely a nap in my future today. Without one, I don’t think I would be able to stay awake for my writing group, and I’m running it tonight, so I kinda need to be an active participant. Keith, the leader of our group, is away on a week-long camping trip with his students. Monday – Wednesday half the 8^th grade class goes and Wednesday – Friday the other half of the 8^th grade class goes. It’s basically a team building retreat for thirteen year olds. Keith says he and the kids love it, and I’m sure they do, but I’m not sure I could handle a week with four hundred thirteen year olds! I shudder at the thought! God Bless teachers. I couldn’t do what they do, that’s for sure.

I have a zillion things to do today, so I better get started. I hope you have a terrific Tuesday, and happy writing!

 

Your Last Challenge was:

 

Do you have a point in your trip which signals you are almost at your destination? A particular land mark you spot where your heart does a little flutter and your brain screams, “almost there”? Over the years I have had several. Years ago, it was the sight of the Twin Towers as my plane was about to land. It signaled the end of a conference, a business trip and even a European excursion. It meant I would be home soon.

When I was a teenager, I’d often take trips to the shore and we would travel the back roads to get there. We’d have to make a right at a farm, and that road eventually wound its way to the highway which led to the beach. On our second trip, we weren’t exactly sure where the turn was, so we were watching carefully so we wouldn’t miss it. As we neared the farm, my girlfriend Laurie said, “There’s the turn. I remember the cow.” and the rest of us started laughing hysterically. She had no idea why we were laughing until we pointed out that cows moved. On all subsequent trips we would rib Laurie if she saw her cow. One time I told her we couldn’t turn because the cow wasn’t there.

On trips to Florida, the sight of the Mickey Mouse telephone pole was our land mark. To this day, whenever one of us or one of the members of the other family who went with us on that first trip sees the telephone pole, we take a photo and text it to the others with “MICKEY MOUSE TELEPHONE POLE” as the comment. The random texts make us smile and remember the wonderful vacation which started it all.

 

Now, the sight above, tells me I am almost to my daughter’s college. In less than an hour, I’ll be able to see her, to give her a hug. The remaining drive time goes both quickly and slowly, and it is filled with anticipation which wasn’t as prevalent in all the hours preceding that point in the trip.

So whether it is South of the Border, the Maryland House rest stop on Route 95, Big Bird and Elmo on the water tower, or the first glimpse of Penobscot Bay after cresting the hill, there will always be certain things which make my heart sing “almost there”.

 

 

 

(I did add all the photos AFTER the ten minute time limit.)

 

Your Next Challenge is:

 

Write a letter from your future adult self to yourself as a teenager.

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.