Little Rock, AR
My apartment seems brighter, cleaner, more welcoming than I remember. Bliss.
Kitty and I took a nap together. Life as usual begins. I don’t know if I can pick up my mail tomorrow, Presidents Day, I’m hoping there may be a small staff working at the post office mail center holding my mail. What’s one more day, if not?
I’ve loved every moment of traveling roads unknown. Every day is an unknown road and I hope to find each filled with unknown moments of joy.
Elk City, Oklahoma
I walked out of my motel room and almost walked into a man dragging a vacuum cleaner behind him. We, both startled, apologized and went on our business. I to retrieve my cooler from the car and he apparently to retrieve something from my room. I yelled, “Hey” as he walked back out the room with a can of beer. He smiled and offered the can, “You want?” “No, thanks.”
It was momentarily unsettling, then I figured either someone had left a beer in the room refrigerator and he discovered it when cleaning or he had brought it and stashed it in the room nearest the cleaners storage room. Either way, I can’t fault someone wanting a beer after cleaning motel rooms.
He must have told someone about our encounter, and they ratted him out - about a half hour later the front desk called, “This is a courtesy call, is every thing okay?” I said sure, just fine. I’ve been on the road for almost two weeks and never have I been called by the front desk to make sure I’m cozy and comfortable.
I hope the guy doesn’t get sacked. Just so my motherly friends don’t worry, I’ll lock all locks tonight.
Roswell, New Mexico
As I was driving along highway 70 toward this town that mocks aliens I was reminded of a poem by Pablo Neruda. Can’t remember the title, but it extoled the geography of a woman. The sensuous, feminine, beauty of the mountains I drove through was spectacular.
Now I am in the flat high plains and wanting to be home.
Wilcox, AZ
My cell phone chirped as I was approaching a bypass around Phoenix. Thank the goddess traffic was slow as I reached to the floorboad, found my purse and rooted around until I found the chittering creature. It was my brother, J.B., and I experienced my first highway cell phone conversation. I don’t want to do it again.
I think I’ve mastered driving in any given lane on freeways, but I don’t like my attention diverted. Talking on the phone is diverting. I slowed down but was not in the slow lane and had to change lanes with one hand on the steering wheel. That is not wise, but I did it, and we continued to talk until I said, “I have to hang up, I have all the windows closed so I can hear you and I’m boiling in here. It’s the desert. It’s hot. I’ll call you when I’m home. Love you.”
The only folks who will care about this are fellow snarkers at TC, or those who have maintained a friendship with someone online…and then had the opportunity to meet.
Voila! Steve – Macfisto – and I had lunch and the waiter took this picture.
Aren’t we loverly?
We met as old friends, there was never an awkward moment. Writers, creators, friends, have that luxury. We always have something to talk about.
Blythe, CA
Yesterday morning I enjoyed the luxury of the only natural hot spring mineral spa in Los Angeles. It’s call the Beverly Spa, but don’t get excitied, it’s on Beverly Street – in the Korean area of LA. Not Beverly Hills.
Imagine walking into a quiet grotto and slowly lowering your naked body into a pool the same temperature as your body. Subtle steam jets caress your body and you relax.
When I got to the hotel in Walnut Creek on Friday afternoon, I received an envelope. An itinerary of events. Sabbath dinner that night in Lafayette starting at 5:30 p.m., then evening Shabbat service at the Temple Isaiah. Saturday we (family) were to arrive at the Temple at 9:00 a.m. for pictures, Shabbat service, including Tamar’s Bat Mitzvh, would begin at 10:30 with lunch following. 6:00 p.m. at the hotel, thankfully, dinner and dancing party to celebrate Tamar.
Once I was in my room I called Cathy, my step-daughter, and left a message with my room number. Cath had called me that morning to see if I could get to Walnut Creek in time to join the family for a wine country tour. I didn’t think so, plus the last thing I didn’t want to do was sit in a car for any more hours than necessary. It gets old quick when one’s been on the road for a few days.
Family at the hotel was: Cathy, Tom and Becca – the Irwins, Mark (step-son) and Caroline – Joe’s ex-wife- but more importantly the mother of three people I love. Family.
Dinner was at a steakhouse, great food, great time reconnecting with Wendy’s (daughter-in-law, mother of Tamar) family and friends.
Now for the best part. I’ve never been to a Jewish Temple and had no idea what a Shabbat service would be like. If you’ve never been, go to one. The joy displayed through song and music was inspiring. There was a special treat that night; an Interfaith Choral Celebration, pieces by Mozart, Ernest Bloch, Guido Haazen and a specially commissioned piece by Greg Murai. Mozart to modern. It was faboo. One can’t clap in Temple, we learned how to silently clap – raised arms, closing all fingers down to palm.
2300 miles.
Been too busy with family to get online. Will report on the wonderful ceremonies and festivities soon.
Best thing is Tamar was beautiful. I cried lots. For the beauty of the moment and memory of Joe, Tamar’s grandpa and my late husband, who was also honored on this day the anniversary of his death.
Bakersfield, CA
Driving through the mountains west of Flagstaff was a beautiful experience. There was one pass where I felt engulfed by the mountains. It was like an inner passageway though them. I was so thrilled I honked my horn to thank the moment. What else do you do at 70 mph and nowhere to pull off and take a picture? Sing with joy? With my voice that would break the beauty. 
After the mountains came the desert. Why have I always thought the mojave desert was flat and barren? If you do too, let me disabuse you of that notion. There are parts that are flat, between mountains, joshua and juniper trees dot the landscape throughout.
Near the city of Mojave, all along the mountain tops, are windmills. I had a feeling they were not in active operation. They did not remind me of synchronized swimmers, more like lonely scarecrows.
I’m glad to be here. Tomorrow should be a short 5 hour drive. Then the festivities begin.
Time for a long soak in the tub.
February 6, 2007
Tuesday
I made it to Amarillo, TX. The wireless network isn’t working at the TraveLodge where I’m staying. Pfft.
The drive took an hour longer than I planned. 10 hours, mainly because I stopped every couple of hours for a stretch and walkabout. I also drove along a short stretch of Historic Rt. 66, just to say, yep I drove it. I’ll probably detour to do it again along the way.
The coolest thing I saw today were all the windmills around Weatherford, OK The windmills are beautiful, sleek, white hypnotic creatures. I was reminded of synchronized swimmers as I passed clusters of them.
February 7
Flagstaff, AZ
God lord, what was I thinking. Driving 8 or 9 hours a day is a good thing? My body aches. I know what I was thinking; I’m going to drive like hell to get to California….then after the event take my sweet time driving home. And I will, with a wonderful spa day in LA, thanks to my friend Deke (who hasn’t received his TY note yet. It’s in the mail Dekester).
Observations today:
This morning as I left Amarillo, I watched the sun rise in my rear view mirror. It began as a hint of red, then the globe rose until I had to switch by rear view mirror to night, it was that bright. That was the best sight in those high plains.
I was disturbed to pass a large cattle feed lot. All those steers mired in their own muck, waiting to be sent on to a slaughter house elsewhere. Why do we have to have feed lots when meat can be produced locally? Perphaps not in NY City, but still local.
While I’m thinking about local, my thoughts were the same as I noticed a few wind mills in New Mexico. Why can’t local energy, in such great places as the high plains and the mesas of the southwest, be produced locally through wind energy? There were probably 5 or 6 areas along Highway 40 in NM warning about high winds. Can’t it be captured locally?
