Driving Reflections

Yesterday we drove over to Annie’s to take Penelope all her garage sale goodies. She was absolutely delightful as she played with them all, laughing and squealing with each new toy or try. When Annie was fixing dinner Pnel came over and asked me to pick her up. Annie doesn’t always oblige this request, but Gramms can’t resist. So I picked her up. We went over to the chaise and played “pull the things out of Pepa’s pockets” (much to Nelson’s total delight!). After a couple of yawns Pnel was out like a light and took her nap all nuzzled into me. It was a precious time---worth the trip alone. I tried to lay her down when Annie called us for dinner, but I was too clumsy and she woke up. She ended up sitting on my lap and eating most of my mashed potatoes and some of my meatloaf. I didn’t mind sharing! Annie says I spoil her. I say it’s my job!

It was a gorgeous day to travel across the state, weather-wise. My senses were really tuned in as we made our trek and my mind was racing to take in all the data. It made me sort of wonder what other people think of when they drive. Here are some of my observations:
-I saw the most dead deer at the side of the road or median that I have ever seen in one trip. It made me very alert on the way home!
-Our winter was very hard on the trees. The broken limbs and split trunks from the ice storm in late December continues to grab me. Driving past tree lines marked by brokenness makes me sad. A new one I noticed was a split tree where the fallen portion landed on the back end of an old farmhouse. Not the way I want to get a skylight.
-Do Speed Limit signs mean anything? About half of our trip is on 2 lane state route. I normally drive between 55 and 59. This route is dotted typically with half hidden State Highway cars hunting for speeders. I can’t remember how many cars went flying by me, but there were quite a few. Close to Annie’s a big SUV flew around me (we were on the 4 lane then and I was cruising at about 68mph), as he passed me we came under an overpass and there sat the Statie. He was so caught.
-Ohio farmers are amazing. Every field had a tractor or sometimes two out working the fields. There were several still out on our way home, way after dark. The weather has been so conducive to getting the fields prepped for planting. When we were coming home it smelled good. There was just a hint of fresh dirt in the air. Only one spot left us gagging since it appeared that they had cleaned out the barn that day…peuiiiiieeeee!
-Flowering trees make me smile, so I was smiling a lot yesterday. And the greening of the earth makes my heart feel like it’s breathing again! I just love spring. It’s about birth, life, and beauty! (to me anyway)

Nelson is taking a nap right now. In a little bit he’ll be heading over to his parents’ in Toledo. His dad is having surgery tomorrow. The surgeons will be performing about 4 different procedures related to his kidneys, bladder, and urinary tract. They did a scope last month and there was such a large amount of cloudiness that they’re not sure what they’re going to find when they get in there. The one word they haven’t said is cancer, but I am concerned that’s what they may find. My father had bladder cancer and it was the root cause for his death (at 53yrs old) back in ’89. I know that this is on Nelson’s mind. He and his dad aren’t real close—his dad is an alcoholic that seems to take delight in belittling Nelson at every opportunity. Nelson is going over to support his mom while she waits.

I guess I’ll end this before it becomes a novel. I guess that would be novel. LOL.