Wednesday, September 27, 2006

A VERY FRUSTRATING SIGN

Don't you just HATE these signs? You KNOW you need to go straight like the tempting arrow points..and yet you hang a left. And when you explain to your wife that you DID hear her say that you were supposed to go straight, but that the sign said NO. You Turn. Takes an extra couple of blocks to get where you want to go.

Things to do while parked

You know those times when you travel and there is no rest area in sight but your bladder just doesn't care? Well, if you pull over and park beside one of these No Peeing signs, you'd have to just hold it. I'm not sure why some areas have these signs more abundantly than others...I suppose too many people stop there and the place is getting an odor..or maybe there are complaining neighbors within eyeshot that you may not even notice. In either case, if you're going to park and nap next to one of these be sure you go somewhere else to relieve your bladder or you might get a citation.
Sometimes...officers will run you off even for parking next to one of these, guess they don't trust that you're not going to step out at some point and take care of business.

Almost Done With a Rough Week


Traveling thru Tennessee on I24 before getting into Georgia, is full of beauty. This pic was taken at about 65 or 70 mph, I didn't have a chance to "stop and shop" to get the best shots...but just gives you a glimpse of the beauty. There is a beautiful lake on both sides, with mountains all around. One of these days I may rework this pic and others I took using photo shop to get them cleaned up a bit, but this is a blog not a gallery so it will do for now. This place is Especially pretty in the early dawn or late evening hours with the sun beyond the ridges but still light. Definitely in the top 20 "most beautiful drives" I've encountered.

We'll be leaving Atlanta shortly (never soon enough for me...sorry Atlanta but I find you an awful place to be) enroute to Charlotte NC, then Asheville...a land with a couple years of my childhood stored in its history...then on up into Kentucky, and zip back down to Ft. Smith Arkansas area tomorrow night.

Still waiting to hear whether Sam will be sleeping in his own bed tonight, or still sleeping on the floor of the overcrowded and condemned jail with sewage backing up into the floor...awaiting his trial. (by "awaiting trial" we're thus describing conditions people go thru while considered innocent) We're not yet as bad as Turkish legal systems but we're headed there at 87mph.

This has been a rough year, and an especially rough week, so we're very much looking forward to piddling around the house this weekend!! Sorry about the bug splats on the windshield. Even though they were brave bugs, I bet they don't have the guts to do it again.

Friday, September 22, 2006

Thats just not fair

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place; and to them he said, `You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing; and he said to them, `Why do you stand here idle all day?' They said to him, `Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, `You go into the vineyard too.' And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, `Call the labourers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.' And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the householder, saying, `These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' But he replied to one of them, `Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you, and go; I choose to give to this last as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?' So the last will be first, and the first last." Matthew 20: 1-16

After K's excellent point about its not personal I thought that I might share another attitude issue/thought that can be helpful. All thru my life, I've seen things that just were not fair. Now I know the common answer...WHOEVER SAID you are "entitled" to FAIR? But that thought doesn't help much does it?

Now plenty of horrible things have happened to people much better than us, but we tend NOT to cry "unfair that that didn't happen to me instead" ...but thats not really my point. I'm thinking about situations where you work/play right along side someone else and they get treated much better and given much cooler benefits and its not because they rightfully deserve superior treatment. In fact when it comes to what is deserved, YOU or I might actually deserve the premium benefit. THAT is the "unfair" I'm talking about.

Good example. Out on I40 coming into California, theres a very long stretch of nothing but straight boring road. A 16year old who just got their license the day before can legally drive 70mph on that road. Passing by the commercial truck driver who has millions of miles of experience in all seasons and terrains, but who is restricted to 55mph. (the picture I included is actually from Michigan...seems dumbness in legislatures is spreading like the plague) Keep in mind its a divided 4 lane interstate, and there is nothing built into the equation to make it less safe for the commercial driver...its the law (voted in of course by the resident car driver, the visiting commercial driver having no vote in the matter). So there the new driver out for a pleasure cruise zooms by at 70 and the trained, experienced, working commercial driver on a tight schedule is limited to 55.

Have you ever worked right along side people who get away with things you we're just not allowed to do, or given the cool assignments you deserved but are never considered for? I've seen this in a variety of jobs. And it may have nothing to do with our merits. At times a person can simply write it off like.."well thats the coaches kid", or the "owners kid", etc.., but sometimes its just not "write offable" and it stings and thats that.

When this happens you can dwell on what "they" are getting...and something you might otherwise be enjoying... becomes annoying and irritating and just eats away at you. The other choice brings much greater happiness though...its the choice I learned from the scripture cited above. I always think of that when I feel things are not fair.

Did you agree to do the job you're doing for the wage the employers paying? That other person's priviledged life has nothing to do with your own. Either your benefits and work is acceptable and enjoyable or it is not...don't let somebody else's life and priviledges distract you from your happiness. If the wage and work is acceptable...do it heartily and laugh often. Ya spend your life looking over your shoulder to see what someone else is getting, you indeed lose out.

Monday, September 18, 2006

ELK RIDGE LANDING

A picture I shot a few minutes ago looking directly overhead...quite a bit different than what would have been seen in this very spot some time back...a place once called Elk Ridge Landing....

Well, thats what it was called over 200 years ago. There was a settlement here before the declaration of independence. And here I am waiting on the sun to rise in what is now called Elkridge, Maryland. If you looked for it on the map you'd probably just consider it a suburb of Baltimore, but it actually has a history all its own.

Interesting place, like always I wish I had time to just kickabout the streets...especially in the older parts of town . Reading the history of it makes it possible to kind of go back in time, the days of dirt roads or cobble stone streets, and watch the tobacco farmer...relieved that the crop has come in, headed towards the landing with his crop, maybe even sense the leariness he might be feeling as he mulls over what his neighbor told him about the way the buyers cut the price back on what they had hoped for. Then as he thinks about the port in England where his crop will be unloaded...a wisp of nostalgia sweeps over him, he remembers working on the docks in England as a young boy, never would he have dreamed he would some day be in this place shipping tobacco there..."my my how the times have changed".

Elk Ridge Landing referred to the shipping docks and concentrations of population alongthe Patapsco River (navigable into the 1800's).
Planters brought their tobacco "hogsheads" (large barrels weighing as much as 900 pounds when filled) to the "Elk Ridge" landing to load them aboard large sea vessels bound for England. The farmer would pack his crop into the hogshead and roll them with the help of mules or oxen to the wharves at the landing.

Second in importance to tobacco at Elk Ridge was the iron industry. When Captain John Smith first ventured up the Chesapeake Bay and the Patapsco River in 1608, he noted the red clay in the hills along the river. The colonial province's assembly passed an act in 1719 to encourage iron manufacturing.

Caleb Dorsey began to mine ore along the Patapsco and was owner of Elk Ridge Furnace established in 1750. He helped establish the port of Elk Ridge to ship his products to England.With this, Elk Ridge Landing became second only to Annapolis among Anne Arundel County seaports in the mid-1700's.

The iron industry declined by the mid-1800's due to an inconsistency in U.S. tariffs and competition abroad. After the iron works closed, the land along Deep Run spawned a grove of willows, which later provided a resource for another industry. The willow canes were harvested and woven into baskets in the early 1900's.

As the population grew along the river and its tributaries -distributing soil to farm and build homes and communities- the rivers began to silt. The river's silt combined with the decline of iron and tobacco shipping, finally closed the port. Elk Ridge Landing became simply -Elkridge.

A few homes in Elkridge remain standing that date back to the 1700s, but most were constructed during the early 1900s on up to today.

The Thomas Viaduct, located over Levering Avenue at the entrance to the Patapsco State Park, is the oldest stone curved bridge in the world. Built in 1833, its architect was Benjamin Latrobe, Jr. The B&O first used horse-drawn coaches in relays, hence Relay Station was added. The Viaduct also carried the Tom Thumb and the first telegraph message from Washington, D.C. stating: "what has God wrought?" was wired across.

(For more history and references click on this Wikipedia link )

Friday, September 15, 2006

The Atlantic Ocean




This is a shot of the Atlantic Ocean from the window as we went over the Chesapeake Bridge. (Its now my background on my computer and its beautiful). I took this one for Marbella since she finds peace in the ocean view.

Its loading very very very slowly as I'm waiting here in Macon Illinois. We're headed to Edwardsville Il. next, (north side of St. Louis), then down to Alabama for an appointment around 3am then back up to Iowa for Sunday.

Heres one, not the best shot, but shows the bridge curving and ending...as it becomes a tunnel at that point, and you can see it come up and continue as a bridge. Kind of weird seeing the bridge end in the ocean. Maybe more journey photo's later...they take a long time to load, the connection isn't strong here. Be Safe ,Happy and Good.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Imagine waiting at a 4 hour red light!

This is the morning view. See how one light is green? The trailer to the left is empty, ready to be picked up..but the yellowish light (its actually red...(the redeye on my camera must work a little too good)...means that trailer is not done yet.

When the light turns green you can hook back up to your trailer and go in and get your signed paperwork and leave. But I got here at 5am eastern, and the appointment isn't till 945...so its no surprise at 820 I'm sitting here with not much view but the red light.

Wish I could tell you it was a gorgeous drive on 64 thru Kentucky, WV, and Virginia, but it was dark and raining the whole way so there wasn't much sightseeing. When they get me done here and its time to head over to Norfolk, then up the coastline to NJ..thats what I'm looking forward to!! It's overcast here..but maybe it will clear up a little and I'll have time to get a picture or two and maybe even time to touch the ocean!!

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel connects Virginia's Eastern Shore with the Virginia mainland at Virginia Beach near Norfolk.

Thats US highway 13 the bridges and tunnels carry. Almost 18 miles shore to shore. Designated "One of Seven Engineering Wonders of the Modern World" in 1965. For a better concept of how these tunnels and bridges are all united read this article it has a really good drawing of how it is laid out. Even tells me that a one way trip in a truck is $35.


Oh turn green already! Just look at the difference between those two pictures...plus, weather there at the moment is showing to be partly cloudy but with 10 miles visibility and 65 degrees!!

Ahhh....it is green now so you guys will have to go read somewhere else, this post is done. 930am here on the east side of things.






Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Seeing the Country Again

Sometimes living gets to be such a busy activity, its hard to take the time to write about it. I'll try to get a picture or two and a chance to write a bit but heres some of our travel points you might want to put into a mapping program and see the places we'll be seeing, mostly tomorrow.

Mondays Stops...
Bowling Green, Mo.
Cedar Rapids, Ia.
Cedar Falls, Ia.
Cedar Rapids, Ia.

Tuesdays stops...
Walcott Ia.
Currently entering Indianapolis, In.
Hurricane, West Virginia

Wednesdays stops...
Gordonsville, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Bordenstown, NJ.
rest of the day not planned yet.

Going up US Highway 13 from Norfolk to Bordenstown will have us crossing by the Chesapeake Bay and running up the cape near the North Hamptons and the Accomack. We'll be taking the Chesapeake Bay bridge across part of the Atlantic ocean and running up the seaboard into Maryland on our way to NJ. If you have a good mapping program, you can travel along too. What a Country!!

Thursday, September 07, 2006

A Few Quick Words of Wisdom

Don't have much time this morning so I'll sum up "my advice" quickly for any youngsters that'll listen.

The secret is easy, keep the focus narrow onto these guides...

1. Stay Employed

2. Pay your bills ontime, everytime.

3. Always be improving your Spiritual, Physical and Financial Health.

Judge all your decisions/actions/daily activities based on whether it is helping or hurting compliance with these three essential ingredients. And when you hit a really rough time, practice grinning. If you get enough grinning practice in during the rough times, just imagine how "use to being happy" you will be when it gets going good again...and it will always get going good again.

My old coach told me..."good, better, best, ..never let it rest, till the good becomes the better and the better becomes the best"...a saying I've kept with me always...even if I was working in a graveyard.

And one very vital "standard" to always be applying that "improvement" principle to...is KINDNESS. Want to be Unique? Become the Kindest person in your entire village. The benefits are without end.

Thats it. Life is Simple huh? Write it down, keep your focus, enjoy your life. If you ever catch yourself horribly sad about life...its probably because you aren't keeping to the principles above...or you're not reaching out to help anyone else in life. Either one of those will smash ya.
-gerbeans-

On the Road Again

Well, the summer romance has entered the mourning stage and its time to move on. It appears though there is one last twist, as we set out to get showered and get clothes washed...the water has been cut off temporarily. A quick drive revealed OG&E and the Water people were out working on something so it will probably be on after while.

Ole Sam got moved into his apartment over the labor day weekend, and got his fridge and freezer stocked for his very first time...when the power company cut off the electricity, giving him a day and half delay till it was turned back on in his name! LOL..welcome to the real life issues. Good thing his grandma had room in her fridge so I hope he was able to save it all. Its turned on now though so he was going to use his lunch break to restock. Looks like all he's got left to do now is keep a job and keep the bills paid and keep healthy, and he will be well on his way to that much longed for independence.

The full moon out tonight was beautiful. Its been wonderful having so much time to enjoy the home place and family and friends. I'm thinking in a year or so if financially possible, it may be time to take a long break again...but realistically it may be a couple more years before thats possible.

Anyhow, looking forward to watching the seasons change around the country. The NorthEast is especially beautiful during the fall. Hopefully I'll be able to get some digital shots of it...I'm still a long ways from knowing how to use that silly camera but getting SOME better at it anyway. Will keep you posted by Sierra AirCard as time and signal permit.

Sunday, September 03, 2006

A Puzzled Brother

From my archived notes and memories I found a word-video of a scene with my oldest two youngens. Since I didn't have a video camera or digital camera back then, some events were written down for preserving and what I call...a word pic or a word-video. This is one I didn't want to forget.

Nov. 1999
"Here is a word picture of a scene with my kids at the house the other day. Just as I was starting to feel like there was hope for my 'determined to be non-domestic' daughter...My 15 yr old little bundle of joy was trying her hand at cooking, and relishing the authority that comes with being the cook...catching her 11 year old brother lifting the lid looking in the pan...she starts chastising him out of there, saying she is waiting for the water to boil so she can add her rice, (she even swings the long wooden spoon at him, it was a classic scene)..he looks at her real puzzled and says...it IS boiling...she said with that aire of expertise... 'no its not! its just bubbling, its been doing THAT for 10 minutes.'

Back to square one with little Betty Crocker"

Ah, the joy of parenting. I wish I had every such memory ready to revive, but then again, with those two I laughed hard and often I barely escaped the nuthouse as it was...Getting it all in one concentrated dose would probably cause respiratory failure. Little Betty Crocker has continued to improve and can set out some pretty goodeating these days, course she now IS the mommy, cooking for a little bundle of joy of her own.

Saturday, September 02, 2006

A Parenting Pancake Tip


Nothing deep today. Just that when you have a youngen in your 40's there are some advantages. (Some serious disadvantages mind you, but alas..SOME advantages). After years of making pancakes for kids then going thru the syrup and cutting routine I'll tell ya a much easier way and actually it will get much less syrup down them than the typical way, but shhhh! they'll never notice that healthy fact.
So heres how I do it in my old age...

Since I buy my drinking water in gallon jugs there are always plenty of emptys. I cut them off about halfway up but cut around the handle so it stays with the jug. Then dump in the mix and the water and hand it to the youngen with a stirring stick. They are usually very glad to be involved in the process. Meanwhile the skillet is heating up with a quick spray of non-stick cooking oil on it. As soon as its hot enough for a drop of water to sizzle and disappear, its ready, and as you fetch the mix make sure you look at it with pride and amazement at how GOOD of a job they did and how much you appreciate their help.

While the pancakes are making, you put a little syrup in a microwave safe bowl and 30-40 seconds later you've got hot syrup in a bowl. As the pancakes get done you pitch em onto a paper plate and when you're all done, haul the plate in and the bowl and sit down with em. You'll get an odd look at first till they see you roll your pancake and DIP it into the syrup, and lean over the bowl to bite it...get them to do it the same way cause if they bring it to their mouths you'll have a drippy mess. It makes a fun breakfast as you alternate whose turn it is to dip and hover over the bowl. (NO don't get two bowls...sheesh, enjoy the togetherness).

Make sure you bring a cup of water for them to drink, and a wet wash rag. Ahh...a great breakfast and time shared. No silverware involved, and no cutting and all that waste of time. Anyway, its my idea so naturally I like it but I wouldn't pass it on if I wasn't pretty sure you would too.