Road Trip

Miss me? Well, I've just returned from a road trip to Florida, which was startlingly amusing. Being one who'll drive just about anywhere, I was more than prepared for the drive. Big Buddy (my SUV) had never been on such a long excursion faired rather well, though he's a little stinky and very dirty right now. Gas prices were a mutha from time to time, but it still beat flying and gave me the convenience of driving a vehicle I'm completely familiar with.

My daughter was surprisingly tolerant throughout the entire ride and not once hit me with the infamous "are we there yet?" In fact, she slept a good portion of the ride to and from Florida. She successfully finished reading a book and was so proud of herself that she bought another one and is almost finished that too. She did make me laugh a time or too with her comments when she woke up and wondered which state (geographically...lol) she was in. On the ride down, when we stopped for gas in N.C, she asked where we were and then asked where's the beach. She looked and sounded so cute as she woke from her slumber. On the way back, she ironically woke up in N.C as we reached South of the Border and she asked if we were in Vegas. I LMAO on that one. She added additional humor by saying, "we should go there!" Imagine that. As much as mama loves to drive, I doubt that I'd be driving clear across the country to Vegas.

The overnight pit stop in Atlanta was fun too as it gave me an opportunity to spend some time with my college buddy and his dog Reno, a Rhodesian Ridgeback. He's a huge, loving, and playful dog, the kind you'd gladly housesit. Eating at Gladys & Ron's Chicken and Waffles was a treat too, though I had no idea there was one in MD very close to my friend Linda's house of which I've been too several times in the past year. Bummer!

There was a free day, save for the cost of gas, to Busch Gardens, Tampa compliments of Operation Hero Salute, which gives free access to military families to any Anheuser Busch park. In addition, I joked about getting a reduced parking rate due to my having a Temporary Disabled Placard and in fact it did save the cost of parking. How cool is that?

Getting confused and then lost on I-4 was both frustrating and hilarious; however, it did help me learn the highways in Orlando better. Refer back to previous blog Sense of Direction, and you'll understand how getting lost can be good.

Checking out housing developments was fun too, including getting locked out of Willows on the Lake because you need a code to get into the gated community. Meanwhile I could have gotten in had I called my cousin the Real Estate Broker. DOH!

Spending time with my family was great. I don't get to see them as often as I'd like, but we're always able to pick up where we left off the last time. We're a close knit bunch of a huge creation where everyone pretty much gets along. Yes, I realize that's a surprising concept, but it's true. The annual cookout was a smorgasborg of mostly Jamaican food, which is to die for; correction, get fat for. I'm sure I packed on a couple pounds, but trust me, it was worth what it'll cost me to take it back off.

There was a downer to the week, but since the situation has now been resolved, I won't detail it. I'll just say that it really doesn't pay to take things that don't belong to you and then turn around and show it off as if it's your own. The perp will be dealt with accordingly and will make his appearance in the Hall of Shame for quite some time.

That aside, I had a blast and look forward to the next event.