I'm always amazed that you guys hang in there with me. I swear (well I shouldn't swear...y'all know my track record lately right?!) I'm going to find my blogging rhythm. Hopefully soon.
The last few weeks have found me putting the pedal to the metal and hitting the highway. Last weekend, I traveled to my grandparents for a family weekend (had a great time!) and then yesterday I headed to my parents' house to spend the week (it is much needed Spring Break time!). As I was trapped in my car for hours on end I made a few discoveries.
First, you can always go home again, but the drive never gets any shorter! It takes forever to get anywhere in the state of Texas. I mean, having lived here my whole life, I know Texas is a big state. I was telling someone just the other day that I spent about three hours driving to go about two inches on the map. And that was the short trip. I live about five hours away from my parents now. My mom always likes to ask, "Well did the road get any shorter?" and the answer is always the same...NO!
Second, we need to stop worrying about that chicken and start talking to all those poor stinky skunks about crossing the road! I've never seen so many dead skunks! Maybe it was the distance and that is why I counted so many. Poor stinky things...you'd think they would learn that cars are not friendly to skunks.
Third, it is a good thing I'm an educator because I'd never make it as a singer! In an effort to ward off the boredom, I plugged my MP3 player in and sang away. I love that thing! I guess it is a good thing I didn't give up and chunk it out the window at Christmas. LOL While it didn't totally take my mind off of how bored I was, it did make for some pretty strange looks from my fellow travelers. I was singing at the top of my lungs and dancing (well as much as you can strapped in by the seat belt) along to the songs. I'm sure I looked like I was on my way to the nut farm!
Anyway, despite the long and boring drive, I've arrived safe and in one piece. I unloaded to my mom about all the crap that has been happening at school. (Y'all, I could go on and on about it, but it is just same song different verse. Please just send thoughts and prayers my way that I find another job ASAP!) Well, after our debriefing, I resolved that I wouldn't give school another thought this week. I'm looking forward to sleeping late, catching up on some reading, and just over all having some time to just relax. My fellow teachers will completely understand that sentiment. The rest of you...sorry, but you made the wrong career choice!
Quick birthday update: The actual day was great! Both my aunts sent presents too, so over all I raked in the goods. I got three complete sets of outfits (which can be interchanged so it's even more outfits actually), a great ring with different stones I can put in, a new hairdryer, Halloween scrapbooking kit, the scrapbook journaler's handbook, and a neat zipper pull that my mom made. Plus, I had a really great visiting with my parents. Thanks for all the birthday wishes everyone!
Now, about this travel buds business. As you probably know, or should be able to guess if you've been reading long, I love to travel. This year I broadened my horizons by getting a passport and going to Mexico on a cruise. Those horizons will expand even more next year when I travel to Jordan. One of my really good friends is going to Jordan for a year-long missionary trip and has invited me to come and visit. I'm already excited!
But, I've got a little problem in the meantime. What about all those mini vacation trips I want to take around the USA? I was thinking today that I'd love to visit Niagara Falls, Yellowstone, take a bed and breakfast tour of New England, go to Alaska. Can I go alone on a vacation?
I mean, I don't have to ask permission to take a trip, but I've never been totally alone on a trip before. I have to admit that the idea appeals to me. I'm a planner and usually want to do the touristy things the first time I visit a place. My last few fellow vacationers have been more fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants type of travelers. I'm sure I made them nutty more than once! Plus, if I'm traveling alone, I'm not restricted by anyone else's budget or schedule.
Of course, being alone means I'm...well alone. What if I get lost (a distinct possibility given my map reading skills)? Who will take the pictures of me with all those sights?
The travel bug has me itching to plan a trip somewhere and to do something. But who to ask? Maybe I should take applications...up for travel? Apply below in the comments! Seriously, if you travel alone tell me about it. If you only travel with a bud tell me about that.
I'm ready to pack my bags and go....somewhere!
Well, I'm off...again. Several teachers from school are heading to the beach to enjoy the last few days of summer. I'm excited and I know I'll have time, but I kind of think I'm crazy for going off again so soon after having been gone.
We all agreed to pack light as we weren't planning on making this an activity jam packed vacation. Swimsuits, shorts, tanks, and toiletries should be all we'd need right? Well, this morning as I looked at my suitcase and all the stuff I needed to put in it I was getting nervous. There wasn't anyway way I could take two suitcases! So, after some slight readjusting I got it all in there. What is it with me...I can't pack light!?
Anyway, I've got it packed and it's time to head off. Y'all take care! I'll be back soon and I promise my life won't always be this exciting...lol. Oh, and my cousin, Amanda has volunteered to be a guest blogger and add her two cents to the cruise vacation!
Today I was reminded of quote...You can't make all the mistakes yourself so learn from other's screw-ups.
Okay so maybe that's not it word for word, but it sure does fit my post. Remember the post about waiting so long to get started on my passport? Well, consider this part two of the whole debacle. At least I was fully clothed for this round - that's about the only good thing I can say.
I went to the downtown post office this morning (I should mention that it's practically on the opposite end of town than where I live) and waited in the passport line for about ten minutes. Then I heard the somewhat grumpy guy behind the counter ask for the guy in front of me's birth certificate. That's when I remembered that I didn't have mine with me. Oh I'd wagged it from home, but it was currently in a bag at my parents house. I grumbled and then left.
This afternoon I went back...armed with said birth certificate. I was pleasantly surprised that it was a different guy altogether at the counter. He was friendly and quite chatty. He saw that I lived in Huntsville and asked if I was married. Strange question, but I answered. Then he wanted to know if I was any one's pen pal or working on an escape plan for some guy who'd ended up in the pin for robbing a convenience store for a snickers and tank of gas. I assured him that wasn't the case. Things were moving along smoothly when he stapled my birth certificate to the passport pack. I asked if he could make a copy and that's when he realized that it wasn't an "official" copy of my birth certificate. He directed me to the county courthouse to purchase an "official" one for $23. Grumbling some more I left.
I made it over to the county courthouse and waited in line there. I guess there was a run on birth certificates today. Anyway, I step up and the lady informs me that they only take cash. By now my grumbling is starting to be vocalized and just a tad unlady like. I asked if there was an ATM and of course there wasn't. I mean come on...that wouldn't fit the theme of this whole passport thing! She did inform me that there were two banks where I could get cash from the ATM. So, I left and returned with the required cash. Finally I was able to get my "official" birth certificate. And just so you know, an "official" birth certificate is just a copy of the original one with a Texas seal punched into the corner.
I returned to the post office to discover that the friendly guy wasn't at the window any longer, but rather that by-now-really-grumpy guy was there. I handed over my "official" birth certificate and we started the process of finishing things up. I asked for expedited service and apparently this was just what ticked this guy off. He looked back to my anticipated departure from the country date and let me know in no uncertain terms that I'd be lucky if it reached me in time. Well, thanks a lot Mr. Grump...I don't recall asking for your opinion on the matter. Anyway, I said thanks for the information and then we got to the big bucks part of the transaction. And when I say big bucks I mean it. Just to recap:
Practically naked passport photo $7.99
"Official" copy of birth certificate $23.00
Expedited passport paper work application $127.00
Post office processing fee $30.00
Expedited over night service to L.A. California $16.25
Expedited over night service of passport back to me $16.25
And there lies the lesson, friends. Get your passport crap together early! Do not wait until the last minute! I left the local post office this afternoon with a much lighter wallet and several new brain wrinkles when it comes to staying on top of things.
And I've also come to this decision...I will travel out of the country...a lot...in the next ten years to make this whole experience worth it!
