Driving North

When I am home in Illinois, your blogs fill me with warmth. Sometimes getting on the computer after supper, the next time I look up, the clock reads midnight. Lipstick Diaries makes me laugh right out loud and I feel that youthfulness, remembering what it was like to see the lights of home. The pictures of all the babies keep me in-the-loop, and the comments are instant conversation. Like your comments on my blog. It's good to know your thoughts, and maybe I should start commenting after reading your blogs? I never usually do that.
This has been a rare gift. To spend 24/7 with parents as an adult. For the first few days I felt about 9 years old. Then the light dawned, and I preached my chronological age to myself. 60. Sixty. Six decades. I am not 9. From that point on my self-made walls come down. I hugged Dad. One time I even kissed Mom. God is good, Amen, as my friend Jessy always says.
We left Jason's and headed north toward Brent and Jenny's on Friday. Driving across Florida, we spent the night in Dotham, Alabama, at an Econo-lodge. The rooms were 56$ a night. Need I say more? Bottom line was - they were clean.
To begin with, the rooms were kinda shabby. The beds sagged and the chairs were worn, like you could see the stuffing. So we didn't want to complain, and Red had to stop. Basically we just needed a place to sleep; we unloaded luggage and went to eat.
Getting in and out of the car is an ordeal. Dad has to unfold his legs and straighten up his back like a robot in the movies. Mom gingerly feels the pavement. Red groans. We were looking for a light supper - maybe scrambled eggs or soup? Somehow we pulled into Po Folks. I should have known better. Yep, an Alabama Po Folks has fried chicken, chicken fried steak, fried dill pickles, fried pork chops, fried okra - we had salads and went back to the motel to sleep.
In the morning I went into Mom's room and asked about her night. She started laughing. Dad shook his head and said, "Oh, I couldn't get my mask on last night and it just tickled her to death! I guess she hasn't had a good laugh for awhile." Then she explained. It seems the bottom sheet on the bed was not fitted. It slipped around with any movement. The mattress was a little weak, and they rolled together to the ditch in the middle of the bed. When Dad tried to turn off the tv, it wouldn't shut off with the remote. So he hauled himself up and tried to hit the button manually. Every time he clicked it, the tv went black and then the program would pop back on. Finally, and you can imagine how blue the air was about now, he just unplugged the set! He crawled back into bed and tried to put his breathing machine apparatus on. It had become all twisted up like a tangled rubber band. The more he swore, the more Mom laughed. She turned on the light and untangled it for him. They calmed down and were almost asleep when the neighboring room slammed the door and turned the shower on full blast. She said it sounded as if they were coming right into bed with 'em and she was off on another laughing jag. Maybe it was a case of Traveler's Hysteria!
Tonight we are in Columbus, Mississippi. It is a nicer motel room, and should be a calmer night. Plus a bonus happened. Dad met some bird dog men who are going to a trial in the morning. The Cajun Classic. They invited him to come on out with them, even offered him a horse to ride. Well, he can't do that! But Red and he are going to the field trial at six am. Serendipitous, wouldn't you say!! I am so excited....we get to see Jenny tomorrow.