So I Was Just Thinking

...when I last had a good night's sleep and it doesn't seem it is coming anytime soon. I just got back from a whirlwind trip to Texas where I and four friends/family members cleaned and painted my living room/dining room and kitchen. We also got painted the front porch and eliminated most of the evidence that swallows had made a home in my portico. I couldn't have finished it all without the help of two of my best friends and my aunt and uncle. (Actually they are those relatives that are related to me so obscurely, that it is hard to describe.) Regardless, they were all invaluable. Mom and I also ordered carpet for the house. She will be making sure that gets done. After a long weekend of reaching and bending and carpet ripping and dirt and paint, I headed back to Missouri again. When I got home eleven hours later, I crashed on the couch and didn't get up until 5:30 a.m. Now I have to prep for the next part of the tour. I am heading to North Carolina for my brother...

If you have been following me for any amount of time, you will remember that I had been waiting patiently anxiously for the movers to come pack my things and bring my household goods to Missouri. Well, that time finally came! However, it did require me to drive back and forth between my new home and my old home several times. Driving alone for eleven hours on empty roads gives the mind a lot of time to wander. I looked at the landscape and the surrounding architecture and wondered about the history of the place. I saw occasional passing cars and became curious about who the drivers are and where they were going. It took a lot of caffeine to keep me focused. On the way back to Missouri for what I thought was the final time (more about that later*,) I was surprised by how clear the interstate seemed. I made the mistake of saying it aloud to my mom on the phone. At the exact moment that I exited that highway for the next one, I came to a standstill. Now, my first reaction was ...

I have a really bad habit of taking pictures when driving. I see things. Don't have time to stop. (You all know I am always on the run.) Sometimes I am fortunate enough to be the passenger, but usually I just have to hold the camera, point in the general direction of my intended subject and pray for the best. Sometimes I get something good. Sometimes, not so much. Let's start with the oldest drive-by photo on my memory card. I guess this one isn't a drive BY but a "drive TOWARD" photo. It was something I saw on the way from dance class. I just pulled out the camera and clicked while paying attention to the other drivers and just hoped for the best. This one I was in the passenger's seat. I was fascinated by the rider's hair, but I didn't want him to know, so I didn't roll down the window. Now these next two are of two men that intrigued me yesterday. I always wonder what drives people to feel they need to share their message in this fashion. I am a...

The mission should you choose to take it is a simple one: Accompany your mother to a doctor's appointment and drive her to an IKEA in a major metropolitan area. Things to consider before accepting this job are as follows: Every route you will take will be under construction. Your mother will not want to walk through the parking lot at the hospital because she is late. She does not want to pay for valet parking. You will be required to sit in a waiting room for an hour watching a myriad of sick people wander by. Your only entertainment will be an oversized aquarium and your eleven old daughter who is listening to her new iPod. After her appointment, your mother will want to eat lunch, delaying the trip to IKEA. Your mother will ask you where you want to eat, knowing that there are only two places in town that she is willing to eat. You will get to listen to your mother describe the many difficulties she has eating, including, but not limited to her inability to open her mouth more t...