I wish I could have “done” the trip before I did the trip.  I would have taken a lot less.  Too many clothes, too many shoes, too many do-dads I thought I MIGHT need and TOO MANY BOOKS.  Who has time to read?  Besides, all I’ve been doing is adding to my library everywhere I go.  Just too many good books in the resale shops.

Today was a gift.  It was a day that I was originally supposed to be in transit.  Since my plans changed I stayed one day longer than planned so therefore I didn’t have any plans, so therefore I could do what I wanted.  And what I wanted to do was go through everything I brought with me, cull, pack differently, and get ready to hit the road tomorrow.  It was much needed.  Betts wanted to go out to dinner with me so after I was finished with laundry, emptying everything out and repacking, we skedaddled out of Linda’s hair for awhile and went to Marie Calendar’s Restaurant.  It has been years since I have been to a Marie Calendar’s.  It was delicious.  In the front when you come in they have all their assortment of pies, for which they are famous, and the calorie count of each piece of pie.  These calorie counters were upward of 690 calories per piece up to about 960 calories per piece.  That took the craving away for me.  Privately however I still yearned for a piece of coconut cream pie.  My favorite pie.  Instead I ate a kale salad.  It was excellent!

I loved this day with my exercise and solitude and quiet.  I have not had enough solitude time the last few days because I haven’t been traveling.  I look forward to the long hours in the car with just God and me and my new CD, TIMELESS,  by David Hollandsworth.  I love the titles of his compositions.  As the title of the piece comes on screen I listen to see if I hear the title in the music.  And, you know what, it does.  Here are the Titles: 1. Awakening;   2. Carried by the Wind;  3. Alone;  4.  Timeless;  5. Black Rose;  6.  Through the Door;   7.  First Frost;   8.  My Heart is Yours, 9.  First Signs of Spring;  10.  Lake Effect;  11.  Shimmer on the Water;  12.  Nostalgic;  13.  Pause for Thought; 14.  Quiet Waters;  15  Touch; 16.  Waterfalls, 17.  View From Here; 18.  Mournful Waltz;  19  Flow;  20.  Pause for Thought ( piano solo).  I see on the CD case is his web address if you are interested.  davidhollandsworth.com 

Linda and her sons had the interview today from the Orange County Register.  The article is to be in the paper the Thursday before Mother’s Day. Linda said that the interview went well. I was in the bedroom going through all my STUFF during the time when the photographer and reporter were here.

After Betts and I went out to eat we went back to her house and picked oranges.  Oranges are difficult to pick in case you want to know.  Bets brought out a long stick with a caged basked at the end and one side of the basked had elongated prongs that were longer than the basket with curved tines.  You reach up into the tree with the picker and let the tall tines trap the orange below it and give it a strong tug.  The When the orange lets go it falls into the basket if you are lucky.  A few fell on us instead.  These oranges are falling from quite a distance and are very large and dense.  I would not want one to land on my head.  We picked two big bags.  I will take them with me to share with my few host families.  They are dense and very juicy.  Supposedly juice oranges but I love the flavor and texture so I eat them.  They taste how I imagine an orange is supposed to taste.  We are still eating avocados from the last house.  The next place I am going has horses. I don’t think I’ll be able to take any of them with me.

I’m going to bed so I can get up early, work out, and get on the road between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.  I’ll aim for 9:00 which could mean 11:00 a.m.  It is 6 hours on the mapquest but for me that probably means  7 to 7 and 1/2 hours for my bladder.  It is so good I am traveling alone.  Like I said before,  I get along well with myself and I am very patient with everything I do.  I’ll get there when I get there and absolutely no one to gripe at me.  The way I talk it sounds as if my husband must gripe at me a lot.  Actually he does not.  And honey if you are reading this, I MISS YOU A LOT!!!  Actually I miss you a TON. (Inside joke)

By the way, I’ll be driving all the way to Yosemite tomorrow to visit my Aunt Georgia and Uncle Jetton.  I have been informed to be as early as possible as there will be a lot of people coming to their house and they will be eating early because afterward there is going to be some picking and singing.  I look forward to that.  But, I’ll get there when I get there because I have been informed you can’t get on the freeways before 9:00 a.m. unless you want to be inching along in “rush hour” traffic when the 8 lanes of scores of freeways turn into parking lots.