How thankful I am for the vast bread basket of America, the thousands of acres on which hard-working farmers grow corn, wheat, and soybeans. Driving through Iowa, the first thing that got my attention was the flatness of the land. It must be a joy to the farmer who can get on his tractor and drive in a straight line for miles, working the soil. Do they have cruise on tractors yet? Then there’s Missouri and Kansas. Kevin tried to tell me that Kansas reminded him of Yorkshire. Yeah, it really does... if all the sheep had been eradicated, all the rocks hidden, and all the castle and abbey ruins completely buried under Yorkshire soil. Yeah, then if I squint my eyes really hard, I can almost see the resemblance.I have this amazing husband who can get in the car at 3AM, drive hours through intense fog and drizzle, and when I awaken in a panic because he's driven over a rumble strip, he’s still there at the wheel – still awake! How does he do this??? There’s nothing like the drone of the car engine, the road noise, and the fan that just knocks me out. He doesn’t seem to mind my sleeping as he's driving hour after dreary hour. Like a prisoner of war, I think he spends his time building houses in his mind. Maybe he considers it more restful to have me asleep, rather than driving.
It’s not like I do absolutely nothing, I want you to know. Every now and then I awaken and then we have our devotions together, because I read Scripture to him. And I’m also reading The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus. Great book! So I read aloud until my voice can't take anymore, then we listen to the radio or a CD. I have a wonderful CD of Susan Boyle that we got from Bobby, that little ghost who frequents my blog but doesn’t leave a comment (understandably, because Blogger doesn't make it easy!) Bobby, we love that CD!! I hope Susan Boyle makes a CD of just blues music someday. She has an amazing blues voice!
So, here we are, at the Super 8 in Wichita. Thirteen hours of riding in the car with the scenery nearly unchanged, and we’re still six hours from our destination. I’m wondering how many countries we would have traveled through in that number of miles, had we been driving in Europe. Okay. I just looked it up. (What did we do before Google?) Supposing we had started in London, England, we could be in Florence, Italy right now. But who would want to be in Florence when they could be in Wichita, right?
And then if you include the remaining hours to Dallas, TX, we could have driven from London to Seville, Spain.
No wonder my old hip is stiff! No wonder Europeans, before they've visited America, have a difficult time comprehending the vastness of this country!
So we've had our morning coffee and caught the headlines on FOX. Time to 'head 'em up, move 'em out.'
Will you be buying replacement Samuels along the way? I am not a big fan of Peeps, myself, but I imagine that it will be hard to keep Samuel in good shape for two weeks. :D
ReplyDeleteLots of love to you all!
Or as your son says, "Wait a minute! How do we know that is the same Samuel as in the first picture?" :D Did I ever thank you for the brilliant privilege it is to live with such a man? :D
ReplyDeleteMany times the comments left on your blog are as good as the post. :D (like this morning with the comment left by Stacey.) It made me laugh and think...ya, that's right is this really the same Samuel? If it is I do hope you watch where you put him for the night as I hear Peeps have enemies...no it's true. Ask one that no longer sees the light of day because he has been eaten. :D I love your posting along the way as it is very entertaining and it helps me not be as lonely for you as I can still keep in touch. Have a wonderful journey my friend and you too Kevin.
ReplyDeleteOh my I just realized that if a Peep no longer sees the light of day you aren't going to ask him anything at all. tee hee (okay it was my senior moment.) Just in case anyone thinks I have a couple of screws loose, I have never ever talked to a Peep...dead or alive. :D
ReplyDeleteStacey, how did it happen that I raised such a skeptic! tsk tsk. I'll have you know that Mr. Peeps is just fine and is resting next to the coffee maker after an exhausting photo shoot in the garden. (Just as he would get settled on a branch of the azalea (sp??), the neighbor dog would fire up. Quite unnerving for a poor little Peeps.)
ReplyDeleteEveryone else is sleeping, but the bright sunlight is flooding in the windows and the coffee's ready.
And Deb, didn't Mike say you talk in your sleep all the time...so you can't really make any claims about not talking to a Peep. Maybe Samuel is not representative of the whole Peeps race, but he, for one, is quite conversant. It's just he and I in the kitchen at the moment, and until I got on the computer, we had quite a chat goin.'
I hear the following poem may be applicable to your comment, dear Mother-in-law...
ReplyDelete"Liar, liar, pants on fire, hanging on the telephone wire..."
Although, I have never understood why anyone's pants would be on a telephone wire!
Blame your son for this comment. :D
Yes, Stacey, I will be glad to place all the blame for that impertinent comment on my son. :-)
ReplyDeleteHugs to you all - except maybe that husband of yours! ;-) just kidding.