Friday, July 5, 2013

traveling to MS... part 2

In addition to being profoundly tedious, traveling on the interstate highway is crazy-inducing. Especially sitting in the back seat, never having a good view of what's down the road. And not even looking at the back of a head - but only the back of the head-rest of the front-seat passengers... so though I have made vast amounts of jest, created much humor poked at people who entertain small fry with videos when on the road. I am now admitting: Yes. I do understand. And Yes. I do see the value of distracting seat kickers as long as humanly possible.

And Yes. I am now reminded I regularly fail to properly count my blessings. The one that currently comes to mind is the ability to read. I am so thankful for all those elementary teachers who drilled me with colors and numbers and ABC's, preparing me for the world of literacy. If I could not have worked my way through two library books while in the back seat for ten-plus hours this week, I would really be nuts.

And in addition to being profoundly tedious, road trips generally include activating a latent desire to eat stuff that is normally not considered part of any of the major food groups if not completely forbidden. So as soon as we got the card-player settled at the Blackjack table, we made a bee-line for 'wallyworld' to stock up on things that have no nutritional value what-so-ever. So in addition to enjoying two hardback books from our public library, I also have to confess that I enjoyed a whole box of Cheezits, practically single-handedly. I anticipate my digestive system will be confounded for several days hence in the process of recovery.

I thought I would get up on Wednesday morning, sneak out and leave the snoozers snoozing, and go for a walk - but it was raining. So I had to confine my exercise to the parking deck. Not much interesting to observe there - other than an assortment of car license plates from neighboring states. It had rained so much overnight, that the places where the concrete abuts, but not actually joined to allow for expansion, dripped onto lower floors, so it was sort of a hopscotch experience, skipping around puddles and avoiding showers.

When my traveling companions arose, we went to the 'fitness center' and I did more walking - on a treadmill: going Nowhere. Even less entertaining than walking up and down, around and around in the parking deck.

After showers, and grand plans for a trip to the Tato-nut store (think doughnuts made with potato flour) we ended up at lame-o Burger King. The Tato-nut crew was celebrating their independence by doing what lots of independent business owners do: closing for the week. Roaming the streets of Ocean Springs, MS, doing some wandering in and out of local businesses, and a bit of reminiscing. Enjoying a tour of the Walter Anderson Museum of Art (WAMA), with a docent who admitted to growing up in: Hahira, GA. (She did not claim any knowledge of, or kinship to, people who might be participants in a Shriner's parade... but she did not deny either!)

A little (very little) time spent by the pool at the Palace Casino and Resort. A fruity drink with a little paper umbrella - the best kind! A quick dip in the pool, and a complete loss of interest in baking in the sun. Some of us, those with poor aim, had oddly shaped sun-burned places, due to sun-screen mishaps. Always amusing to people who are not afflicted with sunburns. A show of true devotion in the act of peeling a plate full of boiled shrimp that I do not eat, or even much care to look at, to say nothing of handle.

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