Day Three

Day Three started out beautifully uneventful.  I decided to leave the Mammoth Cave area a day early.  Two reasons.  First, it was cold!  I only have limited warm clothes with and frankly, I want to be in shorts catching rays - not bundled like I am still in Wisconsin.  The second reason, I wanted to go to Cumbrland Falls State Park and thought it was a little stupid to travel 3 hours east only to turn aorund and drive back to Mammoth Cave.  So I set out on an adventure.  It is really a good thing I can read a map.  The falls are not 100% able to be GPS mapped.

The falls are is beautiful.  The drive was even amazing.  I wish I could have taken pictures as I drove.  Okay I won't lie - I tried. They look like crap so I will not be showing them!

 Here is a view of the falls from the lower observation deck.  So worth the three hour out of my way trip. 

 Down stream frm the falls the view is even better.  I can not imagine how awesome it would be to see sites like this daily! 

Here is the drawback to the three hour side trip.   I had pretty much mapped out my trip straight from Mammoth Cave to Florida.  I knew the route fairly well.  I knew it well enough to trust my GPS and, I had a map!  Well, when you take a side trip that leads you 150 miles east of your "planned" route.  Everything changes.  I neeed to trust my GPS.  Fastest Route selection on a GPS can take you on some pretty odd "back" roads.   And, it can take you through Atlanta, GA which no one in their right mind wants to do.


So here I am In Eufalau, Alabama on US 431.  Had a minor meltdown on the way here but made it.  I was/am tired and all the hotels I was seeing looked like something out of Pycho.  No Bates Hotels for me please!  I found a great Quality Inn with nice people and I am about 3 hours from my final destination of the sandy beaches of Florida.    The sunset photos are the plus side of Rural Route driving!

The hotel clerk gave me a room with a view of the lake and told me it was the most beautiful sunrise.  I can not wait!  Well, if I am awake!


Tomorrow is another day. Look out beach, here I come.
 Written October 7, 2012
Quality Inn Eufaula, Alabama

Day Two

It’s Dark in that there cave!

Today was full of underground adventure. I took the self-guided discovery tour of Mammoth Cave.   Did you know that Mammoth Cave was actually name by a reporter in Ohio?  I think it was Ohio.  I was eavesdropping on a tour guide.  He said that the reporter had been visiting the cave and when he got back to write his story on the cave ran short of time for a clever title to the story and came up with Mammoth Cave in Kentucky.  I may have research this to find out for sure.

This is the entrance to the self-guided tour.
The walk down (and back up) reminded me of Japan and the walks near any of the temples or well, pretty much anywhere you walk in Japan.  Always with the stairs too!  I should have counted them but I was too busy trying not to fall down them!  If I had to take I guess it is about 100 steps (each way)  You have to come back up.  The hill & path down to the cave, while beautiful, was steep.  Good thing I was wearing my Tevas!  I paced my self back up the hill with some old lady.  I figured if the grandma can do it, so can I.  Man and I out of shape!  Round is not a good shape for this adventure.   

Once inside the cave you follow paths that lead you to the great dome room.  I think that is what they call it.  It is a huge cavern. 

It is very hard to photograph but I tried. 

I continued to walk around looking at the massive underground maze I was inside.  The ranger told me there are 392 miles of cave so far mapped & discovered.  There are people there every weekend still mapping new tunnels & formations.  Can you imagine?  Another ranger stated that inside the caves was the best place to be during an earth quake.  Underground!  The caves are that stable. 

The whole day was not spent in the caves.  I did a side trip to Bowling Green to find a Best Buy.  Of all things to forget or rather mess up – I grabbed the wrong battery charger for my camera.  What a wonderful drive.  It has inspired me to follow through with plans to go to Cumberland Falls tomorrow.  To the best of my mapping skills it is about 120 miles east of where I am.  I am excited to see the falls.  My goal is to get there by noon.  There is a brochure that states if it is a sunny day you can see amazing rainbows in the mist of the falls.  Wish me luck – my GPS can not find the highway the park is on….

Breakfast and a late lunch we here at the hotel.  Breakfast in the actual restaurant, lunch was in the diner.  It killed me not to hit a drive thru when I was in Bowling Green.  They were all there, Wendy’s, McDonald’s, Hardee’s and Taco Bell.  I may have to make an exception to my no chain rule however.  I need to go to a Waffle House – just because it is a Waffle House – it is kind of like a southern must eat.  And, even though I have a Sonic about 6 miles from my house, I have never eaten there and I think this trip I may have to.

It is cooler today.  A lot cooler.  I actually had to put on longer pants.  I think everyone must know I am from the north though.  I was in shorts most of the day and I am still only in capri’s with flip flops and I think real shoes might be more appropriate!  

These are from a roadside scenic overlook within the park.  It is a small example of the beauty I am surrounded with this weekend and what I have to look forward to for another day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Written Oct 6, 2012 from Mammoth Cave Hotel, Mammoth Cave, KY, Day 2

Day One

Day one turned out to be both eventful and uneventful.  I managed to leave the house about 3:45am and head out.  I guess I made good time because I made it to Mammoth Cave by noon.  Stopped three times to pee J  Twice for gas & ate my munchies on the way instead of stopping for breakfast or lunch. 

Thankfully my hotel room was ready early!  I unloaded, called mom & dad and tried to get some sleep.  Alas – sleep was not my friend so I headed to the Diner for a quick lunch.  My first meal lone.  In a restaurant, This trip.  It was not a chain so I have kept my promise!  I was not super adventurous – stuck with a grilled cheese.  It was fantastic though!  I have a feeling I will be back there for lunch again. 

Food must have been what I needed because I made it back to my room and slept like a baby for about 3 hours. 

I just got done walking the Heritage Trail here at the park.  I am always amazed by the beauty of nature.  This walk was no exception.  This photo was from Sunset Point in the park.     It is kind of hazy right now so I am pretty sure there will not be a ton of color in the Sunset.  I will check again tomorrow.  It is a great path. 

These deer are about 10 feet from me.    I think they are very used to humans!  They didn’t even flinch as I approached.  I have about 5 more deer photos but I won’t bore you with them.  The plan for the rest of the night is to relax, read and relax some more.  I am sitting on the balcony of my hotel room and just enjoying the views, the fresh air and the peace & quite. 

Oh and, no internet.  No phone usually.  This is definitely a off the grid experience for me.

This was written October 5, 2012 – Mammoth Cave State Park & Hotel.

Twenty Four More Hours

Vacation time is almost here!  I am both excited & nervous about the next 9 days.  Tomorrow I leave for my first ever long solo road trip.  I am headed to Panama City Beach, Florida via a 3 day stop in Mammoth Cave, Kentucky.  Alone! 

I will be posting along the way.  As for right now, I have to get through my last day at work until October 15th, fill up my gas tank, get home, finish laundry, pack, load up the car & try to sleep! 

The plan is to leave by 4am....I want to get through Chicago before rush hour and have a late breakfast/early lunch somewhere in Indiana.  Any suggestions?  My original plan was to go to Jersey Cafe in Carmel, IN but they do not open until 11am and I think I should be hitting there around 10.  I really do not want to loose an hour waiting for them to open.  Kentucky before nightfall is the plan.

The only goal of this trip beside total relaxation is no eating at chain restaurants - other than the drive there & back-  This is tough for me...not exactly adventurous when it comes to food :-)  Baby steps!  I have a list of a few restaurants from the Food Channel & The Travel Channel that may fit into my plans.  The Jersey Cafe is one of those.  Diners, Drive Inn's and Dives is what is inspriring the try new restaurants goal.

Check in often & I will do my best to keep you entertained with my travels.

Politics Nuetral

I have noticed this year more than ever this country is so divided politically.  I fear it will be the ultimate ruin of America.  No event, no gathering no moment where two or three are gathered seems to go without some underlying political atmosphere. 

I am of the opinion that there are some things that should remain political neutral.   Take for example last night.  I was a my usual Wednesday night trivia game when the hostess decided it would be a good idea to have song suggestions based on what songs should follow a certain campaign. 

Let me preface this with a couple of things.  One - the bar I play trivia at tends to be a very liberal minded crowd.  Two, the current hot "idiot politician" Representative Todd Akin, the Republican Senate nominee from Missouri, trying to support his stance on abortion by saying that in instances of what he called “legitimate rape,” women’s bodies somehow blocked an unwanted pregnancy was a huge underlying theme of the evening in trivia team names.  Three - Rage Against the Machine & Dee Snyder both have come out asking the Romney/Ryan campaign to stop using their music. 

Now, back to songs that should follow campaigns.   The idea was to come up with songs that would be appropriate for current political candidates.  Last night was Romney/Ryan night and next week, in the spirit of giving "equal time to the other candidates" will be President Obama/Biden week.

Here is where I have trouble.  All the songs that the hostess decided to play were bashing the Romney/Ryan campaign.  Songs like Rape Me by Nirvana, I'm an Asshole by Denis Leary, Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne, Eat the Rich by Motorhead just to name a few.  I know that a positive song was requested (because I requested it) Kryptonite by Three Doors Down.  Should I therefore assume that there will be no positive recommendations for Obama/Biden week and they will all be negative?

Is it really giving equal time to both campaigns if everything you select is negative towards Romney/Ryan? Is it really too much to ask to have one public event be as political neutral as possible?  Shouldn't by all professional standards a hostess of such an event remain as political neutral as possible?

The real question is, will the hostess stick with the plan to give equal time to the Obama/Biden campaign next week or will like most things, the Romney/Ryan bashing be the solo event and all hail Obama/Biden?

Should I be getting my hymnal out to pick songs like Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art and Jesus Christ Super Star ready for the suggestion box.... all while vomiting in my mouth just a bit considering I would like to recommend songs like Been Caught Stealing, Before He Cheats and Going Under.  

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

My Dad used to always say, "don't sweat the small stuff."  The older I get them more I understand this phrase.  I say understand with a bit of trepidation.   While I understand it, I still fail to live by the concept.

In the never ending saga of small stuff starting to get to me, my sixth plumber will be coming to fix yet another round of plumbing issues involving my kitchen sink & laundry tub.  This, Lord willing will be the last.  I still have a mess in the back yard, have painting to do on the garage and of course cleaning & sorting.   All this just to put my house on the market.  I can only imagine what mt realtor & the potential new inspector will want me to do.

This is the time to though.  So while I strive to keep my Dad's words of wisdom, I will purge the petty stuff and petty the sweaty stuff.

The Art of Being Shy

Being shy is a skill.  It is an art.  I am skilled at this art.  If they gave out awards for shyness, I would win first place.  I am not sure where the awkward shyness came from but it is here.  I am trying to over come it but it doesn’t seem to be working.  If it worked, I wouldn’t need to be someone’s shadow when I am out.  If it worked I could do a presentation in front of my co-workers without getting nervous.  If it worked, I could call someone on the phone instead of using email.  I need some help on this one.   If I wasn’t so shy it would not have taken me eight years to tell the man I have a crush on, that I have a crush on him.  If I wasn’t so shy, I wouldn’t over hear comments like, “hey look it’s Sue and she isn’t with (insert name of person I shadow A LOT here).  She actually came alone”!  If I wasn’t so shy, I would tell people that I have a blog and they should read it.

More proof of my shyness?  Halloween, 2007 or 8, I decide to go as a chicken.  People say on Halloween you dress as your alter ego without even knowing it.  My alter ego is apparently a chicken.  I think that was my alter ego's way of saying I am shy. Still need more proof?  My favorite animal/reptile/collectible is a turtle.  I have four turtles tattooed on my foot.  Why a  turtle?  Because they can go into their shell when they feel the need to be safe.  The ultimate move of a shy person.

People that really know me know I am this shy.  People who first meet me probably wouldn’t notice because if I really met someone new it is because I am with all my friends and very comfortable. 

Being shy sucks.  Perhaps, I am too self conscious, not too shy.  Or are they the same?  Merriam-Webster defines shy as 1. Easily frightened, timid 2. Disposed to avoid a person or thing, 3. Hesitant in committing oneself, 4. Reserved, 5. Secluded, hidden.  All of those don’t fit me, do they?  Timid yes, reserved, yes, secluded, maybe?  Disposed to avoid?  Is that the same as passive-aggressive?  I am definitely passive aggressive, but I think that goes hand in hand with shyness.

Back to Merriam-Webster for a definition of self-conscious.  Conscious of one’s own acts or states as belonging to originating in oneself: aware of oneself as an individual.  Talk about using a word to define a word…I thought we learned not to do that in third grade.  I don’t think it is self-consciousness. 
I am not sure what to make of my shyness.  I don't think I was always this way?  My brother used to call me a social butterfly.  Social butterflies are not shy, are they?
 

More than one best freind works for me

I remember once my brother telling me I could not have more than one best friend.  I remember arguing with him about it then and I stand by my argument now.  I firmly believe a person can have more than one best friend.  I am lucky enough to have three.  Each of my three best friends is best for different reasons at different times for different purposes.  While all three are significantly different, all three has similar morals, faiths and basic decency.  They are all a part of me.  Each one of them adds something to my personal life and makes me who I am.

Here is why they are best – in no particular order (or order of length I have known them).

Best friend number one.  He is the sole reason I believe men & women can be friends.  We are friends at the deepest level.  At times, he is my conscience, my guide and my protector.  He tends to know better than I that something is “up” with me.  He notices when I change hair colors.   He is the constant make you think and laugh freind.

Best friend number two.  She has been around the block.  She is older, has a different view on life and is so different now than when we first met.  She is the married, reserved and balanced one.  She is loving and kind and protective to a fault.  She never hesitates to tell me when I am wrong or doing the wrong thing – yet she let’s me fail on my own with out saying I told you so.  We can talk about anything, and usually do.  We may go weeks or months without talking but I know we can pick up right where we left off with out skipping a step.  She is the hang out at home and laugh all night friend.

Best friend number three, the newest addition to my collection.  She taught me how to make a fist.  She is tough & strong and sensitive all at the same time.  She is courageous and fun and is never a cause for drama.   She is the youngest of my friends and is most like me.  We have more in common that BFF’s 1 & 2 yet we are also the most different.  She is the hang out at home, head to the bar or hit a concert but always laugh friend.

All of my best friends are my bests for a reason.  I love them all with all of my heart and if I don’t get to see them or talk to them it hurts down deep.  I miss them.  Without the influence of these three and the many other best friends of the past, I would not be who I am today. I am grateful to them all.

The Seven Year Itch

At some point growing up I learned the phrase 'Seven Year Itch'  I learned it in the context of marriage and after seven years couples can get bored with each other and want to scratch some itches.  Eyes wander, people stray, the potential for divorce becomes more likely. 

I realized earlier this month that I have owned my house for seven years.  The longest I have lived anywhere since I was thirteen.  I was thirteen in 1983.  You can do the math and see that that is quite a block of time. 

I have decided my house has 'the seven year itch' and is trying to break up with me.  I am going to let it.  Sometimes, when a relationship is over, it is best for both parties to walk away.  Well, my significant other is a house and can not physically walk away, I am going to do the stepping for it.  It officially will go on the market September first of this year. 

I can give you a list (a list from me? shocked I know) of the reasons this relationship is not working out.  Reason number one, I like to have a life.  The thought of staying home and doing yard work just makes me want to sink into a fluffy chair and take a nap, or tie a ribbon in my hair, call some friends and make a party.  The thought of giving up social hour or nap time for yard work is just an unrealistic goal.  Even as I am typing I should be out helping my yard have some curb appeal before I try to sell it. 
Reason number two - I do not care how new the house is, how it looks to be in great shape, it is a money pit that will suck every last dollar from your savings and then some.  If you are not a handy person, or you try to be but end up with broken thumbs, pulled muscles, a lung infection, cuts in weird places and bruises down the middle of your head then you are destined to hire out.  Hiring out is never ever cheap.  EVER.

Reason number three - A washing machine can cause a lot of interference in a relationship and while it is never good to point fingers while determining blame, a washing machine that decides to dump about 1500 gallons of water in your basement can cause permanent damage to a house/owner relationship.

I should have known this relationship wasn't meant to be when after only a couple of months in to the relationship a fire happened to kill some landscaping and a bird flew in the closet through a hole in the roof, my sidewalk broke and my garage hit my truck...three times.  All of these are signs.

While all of these milestones in my house/owner relationship have taught me valuable lessons and while the house now has a new roof, new windows, new furnace, new carpet in the basement, and new landscaping this only adds to the face value of the house being a good partner and leaves me feeling like the failure.  I look at it this way, I made the house relationship ready for the next fool owner.

It's not me, it's you..house.

If it smells like fish, there is something wrong

Get your mind out of the gutter!  That is not what I am talking about!  I am talking about the grocery store.  As an life long hater of seafood of all types, the last thing I want to smell when I finally break down and go to the grocery store is fish!  This is a dilemna when the best grown up gorcery store near your house has a fresh fish section.  Damn eating healthy,  fish smells and I just don't want to smell it anymore!

For anyone paying any attentionto my facebook posts, you know I hate the grown up grocery store.  Now, I must define grown up grocery store I suppose.  First sign you are in a grown up grocery store is that you had to walk more than 10 feet from where you parked your car to the front door.  This in itself is an acceptable trait.   The second sign you are in a grown up grocery store is you have to go to the furthest corner from the front door to buy your quart of milk.  If they do not have quart size cartons of milk, that is part B of sign number two you are in a grown up grocery store.  Grown up grocery stores do not have small portions of anything,  Single serrve is not in their inventory list.  Unless you are talking ice cream - then you have about a zillion varieties tochose from.  Now, for the ordinary grown up this great selection would be wonderful, however, I am no ordinary grown up.  I really do not care for ice cream.  If you had a zillion varieties of sherbet, we can talk!

Sign number three you are in a grown up grocery store, you run in for ten things and end up spending $100.00.  Seriously, how do they does that happen?  The forth sign you are in a grown up grocery store; the check out lanes.  Obviously there are about 30 lanes, 3 are manned with actual live bodied people and 4 are lanes you can check yourself out under the watchful eye of the neighborhood high school superstar.  Of the lanes with live bodies, the lines are about 5 people deep with the cashier both ringing and bagging.  When it finally is your turn, you had the cashier your savings card and your coupons and you hope like hell you have enough money now that you have about 50 more items than the original 10 you came in for. 

Sign number five you are in a grown up grocery store.  Perhaps this is the most forwarning of all signs.  Of the 10 items you came into get, you got two.  Among the things your forgot, toilet paper, cheese and toothpaste. At this point, do you go back & get what you need or do you say screw it knowing you will drive by the local corner store on your way home and can pick up those other eight things?  Me?  Screw it!  The corner store it is!

There is just one more sign you shopped at the grown up grocery store.  Big sign number six.  This sign is perhaps not forwarning but on a scale of one to ten both amusing and frightening.  After spending your $100 at the grown up grocery store on your way home you stop at Taco Bell and get dinner -because face it, after the stress of the grown up gorcery store, who wants to cook?

Lists

Today I find myself wanting to say about a million things.  It starts with a wish list of all the things I wish I had and all the things I wish I could change.  Of course, the list of things I wish I could change is entirely up to me.  I can change those….I am just too lazy.  Apparently this is going to end up as a list of things I list; therefore making it a list in and of itself.

I wish people would use their blinkers.  I drive the freeway a lot.  A LOT.  I like to be nice to merging traffic, if they are nice to me.  To be nice to me, all you have to do is use your blinker and not come to a complete stop at the beginning of the entrance ramp and sit there letting traffic pile up behind you.  You have a whole lane to work with – you work with it, I will work with you.  As long as you use your blinker J .

I have a list of blog ideas on my iPhone.  I also have a list of titles for chapters if I ever write a book.  I never thought of myself as a list person.  I guess I am.  I could list all the ways to get out of yard work in one year.  I could list all the reasons not to buy a house. I could list all the reasons to buy a house. Apparently I am in the mood to list all the things I could list about.

Nice?  That word sure can start a rant all on its own.  Maybe another day?  What is wrong with being nice?  This means I now have started a list of single words that can trigger an emotion.

Someone today told me they have migraines that are triggered by guitar solos.  I couldn’t imagine.  I couldn’t imagine not listening to some of my favorite people & bands because they have too many guitar solos.  The list of who I would miss would be endless.  Starting with Lyden Moon, Joe Satriani, Steve Ray Vaughn…and those are just guitarists… Could you imagine if I have to include Van Halen, Metallica, Quiet Riot or Ozzy in the no play list?  Death would surely be near.

A list of songs that are “grrr” songs.  Or angry songs. Not because I am angry or because the songs themselves are angry but because they just encourage release.   Some artists on the list include Evanescence, Breaking Benjamin, Marilyn Manson. Motorhead and MegaDeath.

A list of travel songs.  Songs you can not hit the road without.  Or songs when you hear them make you want to hit the road.  Kenny Chesney’s Road and the Radio is the top of this list. 

I have a list of pass codes into people’s garages.  I guess people trust me.

I have a list of qualities of a perfect man for me.  It is a short list.  Be nice to me (there is that nice word again) and have a job.  I guess this is too much to ask because I have a list of guys who don’t make the list.

I have a list of things I want to buy.  What person doesn’t?  It starts with a gun.  I of course have a list of reasons I want a gun.

I have a list of people I could not live without.  And of course a list of those I could.

I have a list of books & movies that are must sees and must reads for everyone.

I have a list of why it is okay to like bad movies.   

This temporarily concludes my list of lists.

Everyone has an asshole side....

So I have a crush on you.  Even if you do not crush back, please be who you are.  I started crushing on you when you didn't know I was looking so why change who you are because you found out I was looking?    I want to get to know who you are when you are being who you are.  I even want to get to know the asshole in you.  I think of it as character.  

Someone once told me I shouldn’t have a crush on them because they were an asshole.  I can live with an asshole that knows they are an asshole.  That didn’t change my mind, I still have a crush.

It does pose a dilemma though.  Why be an asshole for no reason except to prove you are an asshole.  I mean really?  That is pretty much an asshole move.  If in any status quo situation all is good & no assholes are showing their asshole-ness; why suddenly would you decide to be an asshole?  If it was just so you can prove to me you are an asshole that is a pretty asshole move.