Friday March 25 2016 FINAL COUNTDOWN

I see the end in sight.  That is, the end of the interminable tasks that one must do in order to take a car trip.  It is so much easier when packing a suitcase and heading out to the airport.  First priority is making certain the car is safe and maintenance is up to date.  And when you have a car as compact as our Kia Soul is, you must also give great deliberation as to what you plan to take.  When not confined to a suitcase it is easy to allow your imagination, of what you THINK you need, to get out of hand. 

When I travel I would much prefer to take my own food, buy fresh food along the way to eat, and not stop at restaurants (especially fast food restaurants).  Dave prefers stopping, eating in the restaurant, getting back in the car and all is well.  We compromised.  When we leave I take all he food in the fridge and when we eat that up we’ll then we stop at Subway’s.  We like Subway’s because that is where I can choose what I want on my salad (which comes on flat bread) and not get all the grease that most other places sell.  On my four month trip last year I did not stop at one fast food restaurant until the day before I arrived home.  My food was long gone and I needed one more meal before I stopped for the last night.  Good old Subway was right where I needed it to be.  And…since I only eat half of a flat bread sandwich salad, I always have another meal to look forward to.  Now, if I must confess it all, I will say I did stop three or four times across the country for MacDonald’s soft serve cone.  And you know what?  They all tasted differently.  One MacDonald’s soft serve was so delicious I went back through the line and ate two in a row!  One other stop for restaurant food was at Panera Bread in Colorado.

So, tomorrow’s lunch is already made.  I designed one salad for each of us that will last for two meals.  We have chicken for one meal and home grown, grass fed beef for the next meal.  We’ll have plenty of boiled eggs along with sliced zucchini, sliced green peppers, cherry tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, baby carrots, oranges, and sliced apple (Honey Crisp) in case we need to munch on something.  So you see, we are set.  The lunches are already made and as one drives, the other one eats.  We share the trusty dusty bib!  If you know me, you know about my bib.  If you haven’t seen my bib you are probably only an acquaintance.  The bib works wonderfully in the car when it’s lunchtime.  It is made from a large terry cloth bath towel.  There is a hole cut out toward one end, bound with basting ribbon, that slips over your head.  The bib fits neatly down the chest wall and delicately curves at the lap.  And there you go.  All crumbs are trapped!  When I traveled alone, my bib served both at meal time and by being the blanket I needed to cover my knees during the rest of each day.  Two fold purpose!  I will say, I always stopped to eat my meals and did not eat and drive simultaneously.

I would rather eat fresh live food any day than packaged, processed, or cooked foods.  I could probably eat out for less cost.  When Dave travels he especially enjoys not having the mess of food in the car or needing to shop at grocery stores.  He does not say too much about it but I can feel his vibes.  So I made a deal with him.  We’ll eat up what I take during the first two long travel days and after that I will not prepare food to take along for the rest of the trip.  Even if food is fresh it must still be washed,  cut up, packaged, stored (sometimes on ice), and carted around.  He liked the compromise.   I get two more days of healthy eating.  And the way I figure it, we’ll then be at our daughter’s home and she always serves healthy nourishment, sometimes to Dave’s chagrin.  She especially creates healthy green drinks with foods you probably can’t pronounce.  Right up my alley.

Things are culminating nicely.  Now all we must do is get everything into the car.  But, perhaps I should finish packing first.

BUT THE TOILETS WILL BE CLEAN

By Kathleen Martens

March 25, 2016

We can only live in the moment

Yet we plan for days ahead.

Days which may never culminate,

Regardless if living or dead.

We just take one step at a time,

And do what we must do

That take us to the next plateau

Of that which we must ensue.

Wash the clothes, wash the dishes,

That we not leave our mess behind.

I certainly don’t want another

To be surprised by the mess they find.

So now that I am ready to go

I see my house through another’s eyes.

Oh my goodness what will they think

When all the dust they spy?

But the toilets will be clean

And the sinks will be cleared away.

And it will be fun just knowing

We helped others to have a nice stay.

And my time is up.  I’m going to do a little test in the car tomorrow while Dave is driving.  I am going to try to use my laptop in the car to write my blog.  If I don’t get dizzy and the computer does not slide off my lap, maybe I can do it!  I’ll give it my best.  Otherwise you may just receive a hello, a goodbye, and a GOD BLESS YOU! 

GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS YOU.

PLEASE PRAY FOR GOD’S PROTECTION OVER US AS WE TRAVEL.