Road Warrior - Revisitng Lover's Leap

I left abruptly Monday morning for Saint Louis, Missouri. It was 3:00am when I couldn't handle the situation at home any longer having slept about two hours when I departed. I watched the sun rise somewhere south of Peoria, Illinois. Adrenalin coursing through my veins finally wore out about fifty miles from my destination and I had to pull over for a coffee refill and pull myself together.

I spent two days in Saint Louis, terrified to drive anywhere other than work. I have a fear of driving in big cities. I knew there were several sights I would have liked to have visited but didn't. Our job was nothing short of a bad dream. But you'll have those days. I pretty much stayed in my motel room for the duration and ate nearby. Of course, I never thought I'd be driving all over the country side for work at any point in my life or solo for that matter. I'm glad fear didn't prevent me from taking this job, though I may complain on occasion, I do love it.

I left on Wednesday morning and decided to take the scenic route 79, even though it was an hour longer. I had plenty of time to enjoy the day and a lot on my mind. Normally I avoid driving the winding, curving hilly roads as much as possible ( like the busy cities) but this time I chose to drive them deliberately. If I hadn't I would have missed some beautiful scenery and some good pictures.

I stopped in a place called "Blue Rose" North of Clarksville and saw a sign for the "Village Lodge Bed & Breakfast", touting a restaurant with a beautiful view, I had to take a peek. Unfortunately I was 1/2 hour too early for lunch and they weren't open but it was a beautiful view indeed and I walked about the property thinking that maybe some day I might like to stay there. I think I also stopped at every scenic overlook that I came across.

When I came upon Hannibal I saw the Mark Twain Cave off to the left and a flood of memories came rushing back. I'd been in Hannibal before with my now ex-husband and I had a feeling I knew what was coming up on the right hand side of the highway. Sure enough there it was, "Lovers Leap". I had to stop, I was drawn to it. After taking pictures and appreciating the view much more than I had years ago I thought about revisiting the Mark Twain Diner for lunch and headed back down the cliff to town.

Town was a buzz with activity and I couldn't find a parking place, so I decided to continue on with my journey, I could see the bridge that would take me into Illinois and away from "The Great River Road" and decided that I'd had enough. On my way to the interstate I glanced to my right and there was the horrid hotel we had stayed in, it was a dump then and was worse today but regardless, I smiled, remembering us both waking with aching backs from the bed.

Even though things didn't work out with my ex-husband, it didn't stop me from enjoying the memory that we shared in Hannibal which brings me to the moral of this particular story. When I left for Missouri It was an unpleasant evening, I won't go into details except to say that no one was hurt, physically anyway. No one ever really wins in a break up, but if it doesn't work out you can at least say you tried (sometimes several times) and took a risk and jumped off the cliff into the unknown, just as I did this trip. Even though it began badly and work didn't go well, I chose to take the winding, curving, hilly roads home despite my fears and ended up making some new memories as well as recalling some good old ones. We choose how we are going to remember our experiences. I choose to look back and remember the good things about this trip and life.

Road Warrior - The Friendliest People You Will Ever Meet

I was back on Highway 24 this week it was nice to return to a familiar place that I enjoyed before. This time it was a trip about the people. I worked in Fredricksburg Iowa first, A small farming community as was Saint Lucas where I spent the last three days of the week.

I always learn a little something about everyone when they sit down at my table but I spent a lot of time mingling with them in the waiting area this trip. I met a 91 year old woman in Fredricksburg who left their young pastor in the dust when he personally picked her up and brought her to the church for her picture to be taken. Before the pastor could get out and help her to the door, she was in and ready.

Most of them hung around for coffee and cookies after they were done, just chatting and the positive energy was contagious. there were people who drove for miles to attend that particular church and it was very understandable. They were a tight group. I told them I loved it up in the area and thought about moving to the area many times but this church I said I would join if I ever did. They offered to come to the Quad Cities and help me pack. I made a joke about it, but the pastor said he was quite serious.

After Fredricksburg, Saint Lucas was much the same but we spent three days there. This tiny town was nestled in the crevice of the surrounding hillsides. It was beautiful countryside. I stopped one day on the way to work at "The Little Brown Church", the smallest church in the world, with only four small pews. Then I met up with my partner for the week and had lunch at "The White House". It went highly recommended by someone from Fredricksburg and the food and service was great.

The people of Saint Lucas were also very kind and friendly. We were told stories of the residents (not gossip) that we had met or in the case of one elderly man in his 90's, we never met, who had just gone into assisted living. He claimed he didn't need to be reminded of his appointment but when it came time, he had taken a bus to the River Boat in Dubuque. His sister rescheduled the appointment for the next day and he again came up missing. This time he had gone off on an expedition with one of his son's. I don't believe he ever made it to have his picture taken.

One thing I noticed was the prevalence of certain surnames in the area and I inquired with several of them as to their relations with this or that person whom I had sat with earlier but found a lot of them were distant relatives and these people had been farming and living in this tiny community for generations.

Its a good feeling to be so well received by an entire community. We had bars reopen their grills just so we could eat something after work. Everyone knew who we were and where we were from and struck up conversation wherever we went. Our presence was also requested on the next shoot in Fredricksburg in a couple of weeks. We apparently made a good impression.

Road Warrior - The World Is A Smaller Place

It poured all the way to Decatur, it was a depressing journey. Like many bad experiences, they are just part of life. Let me rephrase that, not "bad" or "good" so much, as reflective. Most of my journeys have been reflective thus far, however one reaches the threshold of enlightenment at some point that changes your entire perspective on life. And when that happens, it affects everyone around you. I've often been told "you think too much". I don't understand why that's a bad thing. Driving long distances allows an abundance of "thinking" time and is meditative.

I'm finding nothing appealing about Decatur and in a way this city and this trip parallels my life at this moment in time. It poured all the way here and many of the gas stations on the way had just been through a storm and had no power. Decatur is littered with large, looming factories producing pollution and it smells. The roads are confusing and in need of repair. I have difficulty finding my way around. The only clarity and solitude I'm finding is being locked up in my hotel room, a suite with no bathtub and taking a bath is sacred to me.

I tried to sleep in on Wednesday because I've been designated to receive advanced training before work. The doors here are loud and always slamming and it was fruitless. My District Manager believes I should be at the top of the district in sales after only six weeks. That's a lot of expectation to shoulder.

I was glad to return home on Saturday. It was a hot trip back, in the 90's with no air conditioning, it was a relief when the sun went down. I took a different route back and enjoyed the experience of crop dusting planes playing in the air and chicken with the cars. I also found wind turbines in the area as the sun was setting; my only visual pleasures of trip.

My only day off on Sunday was very busy. It began with Birthday shopping for my Grandsons and then to their party. It was a great feeling to be able to buy them gifts after such a long dry spell of being broke all the time and then unemployed. I've never been able to enjoy the satisfaction of giving without worrying about breaking the bank and it was an excellent feeling. They were all very pleased, with the exception of the littlest, whom only being one year old, doesn't care so much as whats in the box, but the box itself.

The remainder of the day was trying to stay cool, doing laundry, re-packing and finally a relaxing movie and bed only to turn around and start it all over again on Monday. I must say I am glad to be back in Iowa. Marshalltown, Fredricksburg and Saint Lucas are my jobs this week. Iowa seems so small now after feeling like I've been to every nook and cranny. When I really contemplate that thought, the "World" is now a smaller place and no destination feels "too far". Sometimes when I'm driving I think I could just keep going and see the World!

My 25th Class Reunion

I didn't know quite what to expect from my first Class Reunion. I stopped getting invited to them when I moved and wondered why I received the invitations in the first place. I didn't graduate. I actually got my GED, got married, went to the community college all before my Senior year.

Most people I've spoken with have dissed their reunions, never really hearing anything positive I don't know why I decided to go. Besides, I never really thought I'd be remembered. My perceptions of Jr. High and High School were that of having been a hermit, a loner and shy, thinking I blended in with the furniture. I've grown since then and thought it would be fun, I'm a kind of "off the wall" personality now, you never know what your going to get.

So I crashed the mixer, gathering at one of the local clubs. I was greeted by many vaguely familiar faces that actually did remember me! I was told "you were so cool", "you were funny", "you were fun" and then one comment that completely dumbfounded me "you always looked like you were going to beat the crap out of me". My perceptions of my self in school were apparently wrong.

We did not have name tags so part of the fun was walking up to everyone saying "Do I know you"? Out of a class of 600, though only a fraction of that attended, 9 out of 10 times I did know that person. One even recalled sitting next to me in one of our classes, how I wished I could remember school that well. Maybe it was my attitude that suppressed it or it could have been that I had terribly low self esteem during that phase of my life.

I had only had five beers but on an empty stomach, it didn't take long before I was feeling it pretty well. I was just having way too much fun to sit down and eat. My daughter called and checked on me a few times (Mom doesn't get out much). Finally I ended up calling her for a ride home. When I left, I was followed out to the car and one of my classmates just jumped right in and said "you're taking me home too". She was happy to oblige and probably very amused.

I really don't understand why there is so much dread associated with class reunions after having attended one. My intentions were not to brag about what a cool job I have nor did I care who did what and how much money they made. It was about seeing old friends that I had completely forgotten about and having a good time. As it was!

If you are contemplating your class reunion, don't. Just do it!

Peace
Liz