Tag Archives: traveling

road trip

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I love road trips. I especially love some of the odd things one sees while cruising along across multiple states.

Especially in the south.

For instance, today I saw a Sonic advertising: It’s back, the Southwest Supersonic buger . Now, I’ve never had a SW styled buger and I certainly haven’t had a SW styled supersonic buger. but that sounds like a big ass spicy booger buger. I wonder if it burns when they pick it…

and just down the street I found a sign for Jehovah Java: Gourmet Coffee. So, you get a dose of God with your morning shot of caffeine?

I saw a restaurant who advertised “Travelers Welcome”. Of course, this made me wonder, are there restaurants where travelers aren’t welcome? Do you have to sign in as a traveler or a local? Do travelers eat from the special menu?

I can’t tell you how many JESUS signs I saw. And I don’t mean churches. I mean billboards with just the word JESUS on it. I saw one billboard that advertised: “Parents, take the rod to your child to save them.” I shit you not. I’m sooo getting a picture of that one if I see it again.

I drove by one house that had it’s front yard fenced in with chicken coop fencing. The entire family was sitting in the yard, many of them on kid toys like wagons, big wheels, rocking horses, etc. I’m serious. I slowed down to take a better look cuz I wanted to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. It was very cartoonish.

So now I’m sitting in my big room drinking my Samuel Smith’s India Ale and enjoying some mindless tv. I’m gonna listen to the rest of the book I brought (Nora Robert’s Morrigan’s Cross. I’m loving the story but hating the reader) and I’m gonna just chill. I pick up two of my friends from the airport tomorrow at 1:30, so I’ll probably check out and head to the mall until their flight lands.

The beach and shopping. Doesn’t that just sound heavenly?

checking in then checking out…

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So, I spent the weekend in Oxford. Got in Friday night, dropped Rader off with a friend and then headed to my next door neighbor’s house for some late night swimming. The water was so warm it was like swimming in a giant hot tub–or giant pool of pee. We decided the hot tub analogy was better.

Saturday was a day for cleaning. We didn’t accomplish as much as we wanted to but we did get the back 3 bedrooms and bathrooms cleaned and in ship shape. Then we went to see our friends Richard and Heather in Water Valley, MS. It was a good time, but I thought I was gonna have to cut Rich’s fingers off. He kept trying to touch my nose “diamond”. And he kept saying “you got something on your nose.” Yeah, that never got old. But it was Richard, so I forgave him. Besides, he’s from Alabama, he really doesn’t know any better.

I wasn’t feeling very well, so we left a little early. I was in bed by 9:30 that night. It seems my mother passed on her chest cold to me. Ian had it last week…so bad he actually missed his 3rd day of school. I’ve been fighting it with everything I’ve got. Vitamins, sleep, airborne, more sleep…today I’m feeling much better. Which is good because I didn’t want to go to the beach with a cold.

Oh, did I forget to mention I’m going to the beach this week?

Sorry ’bout that.

I’ll try to blog some while I’m there, but honestly, don’t be surprised if you don’t hear from me. I don’t think I’ll be able to type while I’m two-fisting my beverages…

I’ll be back on Sunday night. If you haven’t heard from me by next Monday, call the blog police.

My workout was good this morning. I ran 2.15 miles in 30 mins on the eliptical and did arms and abs. I know I’m still as slow as a snail, but it feels good to be back in the exercise saddle. I have to make sure I at least walk while at the beach this week–otherwise it will be like starting over again next week.

Maybe I’ll drink light beer while I’m playing the role of Sungoddess. Okay, maybe not.

Any book recommendations for my week of lounging?

i’m on my way…

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I’ll be heading to the airport in a couple of hours. My flight is at 12:15 and I land in Dallas at 1:30. I’ll be meeting my friends there today and tonight we’re all going to dinner together. I can’t wait to see everyone!

I promise to blog while at the conference…I can’t guarantee they’ll be coherent blog, but I can guarantee they will be somewhat entertaining.

packing…

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I loathe packing. I loathe unpacking even more. Usually, Fishdog packs /unpacks for me (cuz I’m a spoiled little princess diva…but at least I know that about myself and am totally okay with it. And c’mon, you’re only calling me names because you’re envious. It’s okay. I totally understand. You can’t help it that you’re a hater.) Anyway, since I’m going to RWA’s conference next week without the Fishdog, I’m packing solo. It sux. So I thought I’d procrastinate take a break from packing to blog about packing.

People tend to get a little knotted up about what to wear to these conferences. We’re all writers. Many of us roll out of bed and into the chair only changing clothes when we have to leave the house. So it cracks me up when I hear the “this is a professional conference so you must dress as a professional writer would” argument. Um. You know I write in my underwear, right? does that make me less professional because I sit at the computer wearing my Hanes Her Way? Frankly, I’m thinking that you guys want me to wear more than that when I’m at the conference. I could be wrong. I suppose we’ll see next week…

Professionalism is in the eye of the beholder. It’s in how you carry yourself. It’s not in what you wear. I promise. If you’re confident and happy, you’ll present yourself as such, even if you’re wearing a potato sack. If you’re a dried up negative bitty who can’t bother with a sincere smile but you’re wearing couture, the only thing people will notice is your grim attitude and then comment on what a shame it is to waste such nice clothing on such a rotten egg.

This year I’m packing a few dresses and skirts because those are the clothes that fit me. (did I meantion I’m a size smaller this year?) The last two years I wore jeans and capri pants and nice shirts. (usually low cut shirts because that’s how I roll. When you have tits like mine, it’s best to show them off–you know what I’m sayin’? And I’m not the only one, as witnessed from last year’s conference… Don’t hate us cuz we have great cleavage.) So I’ve packed my nice clothes in my hang-up bag and now I’m working on the suitcase. Did I mention how much I hate packing?

Okay, I’m done. I’ve procrastinated put off packing long enough. I’m totally looking forward to the conference but I’m not looking forward to the rest of the night filling my suitcase.

miss me?

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Yeah yeah, I know. Bad Mel.

Sorry.

I’ve been really busy. REALLY busy.

Mark had his 20 year reunion, so we were in Little Rock for that. We were busy all weekend long and frankly, I could’ve used another couple of days to recover.

The next weekend we drove the boys to camp, also in Arkansas. So we drove to Little Rock, spent the night, then drove to Subiaco to drop the boys off. Rader for 1 week, Ian for 2.

During the week without kids, we started working on the house…because we’ve decided to move and we want to put the house on the market by the middle of July. Where are we moving? you ask. Well, back to Arkansas, of course. It’s not like we’re not really living there already this summer.

Since Rader was only going to be at Camp for one week, we had to go back to pick him up the next weekend. Mark went so I could stay and paint trim and clean.

We had to clean because that next week, we were hosting the British Soccer Camp coaches again. Remember last year?

So, all last week we hosted Rob and Del. They were super great guys. I’ll be posting some pics soon. I faltered in my British Lad blogging this year. I feel like I failed our newest family members. Sorry, guys. There were 6 coaches this year, and one night, they all came over for pizza. (we were supposed to grill out but Mother Nature had other plans, so Papa Johns came through with some online ordering and pizza delivery…) The other guys were Blaine, Danny, Chris, and Eddie. A good lot, but not as rowdy as last year’s group. Probably a good thing since I never quite recovered from last year. LOL

I left early Friday to head back to Little Rock (seeing a pattern here?) I did a little shopping because I am one size smaller and don’t have a lot of clothes. (Yay me. Like how I worked that in?) On Saturday, I picked Ian up from camp and we had lunch with my BFF from high school and her son, then we went to the liquor store to pick up some economy size booze for my other friend here in Oxford (not good prices here in town) then drove the 6 hours home–where we proceeded to have a Die Hard movie marathon to prepare ourselves for hitting the late matinée today for Die Hard 4.

Next weekend I drive back to Little Rock for a baby shower for my college roommate and then fly to DFW for RWA’s National Conference. I will be blogging much more regularly, I promise.

So–if I have any readers left, tell me, what’s new?