With Research, Name Dropping Works

We made it back to foggy San Francisco a few days ago.
Our detour to Nevada didn’t solve the service engine light problem. The dealer shop there came up with a different fix but they actually did it by the book by calling the corporate tech line. The problem was diagnosed as an impaired fuel pump. The part we needed would take two days. Even though the lights of the Las Vegas strip were beguiling, I told Bubba we should just go the final stretch and make it back to the bay to do the repairs. We wouldn’t have to worry about constant nightly lodgings. The mechanic assured us we could make the drive, but to go slow.
After having researched all the sources to levy a complaint against the Mitsubishi folks in Oklahoma, I decided to reach out one last time to the powers-that-be, in the event we sue, and a court of law asks if we had exhausted all of our avenues of negotiation.
I called Fowler back a second time demanding the General Manager. The secretary did not respond well. Perhaps I had an aggressive tone. I should know by now that honey definitely catches more flies but their company’s aloof disposition pushed me to the edge. The secretary refused to give me her name and ran her game of interference by stating everyone was in a meeting or unavailable. Feeling helpless, I resorted to name dropping. I told her that I am in the midst of filing a complaint with the State Attorney General’s office against them. I did my research and named Assistant Attorney General, Ms. Jane Wheeler of the Consumer Protection Unit as being fully aware of my potential complaint. Furthermore, J.D. Powers and Associates would be hearing about their incompetence very soon. With that, she got the General Manager on the line. Once he came on, I bestowed as much calm and respect as possible. I explained how his mechanics failed to fix our car and we’re out $500. He seemed to listen intently and promised to get to the bottom of the issue. I added that his dealership’s repute would be marred once I begin my ‘letter writing campaign’ and State A.G. complaint. Bubba and I planned to send letters to every dealership in the state of Oklahoma including the Mitsubishi Corporate Board in Tokyo, Japan describing the dealership’s poor business practices. However, we informed the General Manager we were giving him the benefit of addressing the problem with us first.
The manager agreed to call us back within the hour. He did not. I asked Bubba to make the final call and I’d log all the details. I knew I would unleash my fury on the phone and the secretary would likely terminate the call. Bubba was polite and professional. The manager sounded defeated. He said he needed to stand by his team of employees but he would send a check back to us, refunding our money.
We are still waiting for the check to come in the mail. Bubba thinks we should still file the complaints because someone after us may suffer unnecessarily.

It’s nice to be back in my neck of the woods. I forgot how much traffic there is. When we passed through Holbrook, Arizona recently so I could buy my geodes and rocks, we were stuck at a railroad crossing for nearly 30 minutes. The cars backed up but nobody seemed stressed or in a hurry. Everyone turned off their cars and waited patiently. I could just imagine the frenzied honking or the U-turns, if such a hold-up happened here. That’s the nice part about being in these small towns across the USA.
We started de-cluttering this weekend as well. Bubba finally decided to part with all the Halloween masks he has been collecting over the years. We had a garage sale and got rid of a lot of stuff in storage. We figured that if we spent four months with only one shared suitcase (besides his camping, first-aid and etcetera paraphernalia in the truck) we can continue with this conservationist mode.

Service Engine Soon, Detour Hassle, Amex Rules

We should be in California today, but we’re in Nevada instead. Had we continued on our I-40 route, we may have witnessed the So-Cal fires. My heart goes out to those displaced. I have family there. They said the fire is visible all around but their area of Orange County is thankfully unaffected.
This Nevada detour is due to car problems. Our ‘service engine soon’ light came on in Oklahoma. We were referred to the Fowler Mitsubishi Dealership. They kept our car for three days, supposedly serviced it and charged us $500.
After a few hundred miles out of Oklahoma, the light came back on. We were agitated. We didn’t want to turn back to Oklahoma. We stopped at some small repair shops for reassurance to continue driving. We decided to find other Mitsubishi dealerships en route in hopes they would honor repairs at no additional charge. We made a detour to Lake Havasu in Arizona. They diagnosed the same error code but suggested an entirely different fix than the Oklahoma dealer. After hearing our story, the service manager was kind enough to waive the diagnostic fee. He said this was his way of honoring Bubba for his 25 years of service to our country.
We were offered the options of waiting a few days for a part to be delivered to Arizona or to drive 3 hours towards Las Vegas, Nevada to a dealership that has the part available. We were also warned that the car should not exceed 75 mph as it could cause a ‘detonation’ in the cylinders. This scared me immensely. How could the mechanics at Fowler fail to diagnose such a major problem? I called the Fowler dealership all morning, demanding the General Manager. The General Service Manager listened to me vent but did not offer any resolution. He offered to call me back but never did. I called back asking for the General Manager and was shunned by the secretary. She would not connect me to her chain-of-command. I told her that the Service Department’s error needs to be reported and heard. I told her that their dealership needs to take fiscal responsibility and cover the latest mechanic repair. I suggested they pay the Nevada mechanics the $500 we paid them to rectify the matter but to no avail.
Sitting here idly waiting, I researched different ways to report Fowler Mitsubishi’s incompetence and lack of professionalism. I need to make this nightmare story heard.
I found three immediate sources to file consumer complaints (within the alleged state). They are with: the Better Business Bureau, the Motor Vehicle Commission and the State Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit. I also wrote a dealership review on Edmunds.com and will put one on Ripoff Report.
Bubba said we will look into taking legal action. We have time. The statute of limitations is six years in small claims court.
After this experience, it’s a shame I’m only suddenly reminded of American Express’ Purchase Protection plan. If only we had paid the dealers with our American Express card. We have enough documents revealing Fowler’s blunders and to request a chargeback. Merchants like Fowler deserve to have payments withheld.
American Express is the best card to carry. I’ve been a member since 2000. While studying in France, I was pick-pocketed. I lost everything in my wallet. Amex delivered a card to me the NEXT day via DHL. I still remember the little DHL truck driving onto my narrow, cobblestone-street to bring me my Amex package. It took my own bank more than two weeks to send me a replacement card and when I received it, my name was spelled wrong!
When I came back to the US, I wanted Amex to hear my testimonial of their excellence. I asked the phone rep for the name of the person who runs Amex, not a manager, not a director, but the one who oversees the entire corporation. I was given the name: Kenneth Chennault in New York. I wrote him this gracious letter describing my astounding experience. Within a week, a huge bouquet of flowers showed up at my house. It was from American Express, sent by Mr. Chennault’s Executive Assistant. They thanked me for my letter and for my loyalty. To this day, I use my Amex card for everything, even other bills. I just have to get Bubba use to paying for all purchases with it. I pay a lump sum at the end of the month with a check and everything is itemized on my statement. I don’t even have to balance my checkbook!

The Aerodynamics of Tailwind

The winds have been fierce on our drive through Texas into New Mexico. The weather is extremely cool and crisp now. The sun is still out and the skies are blue, but the wind feels icy. We made it in to Arizona and didn’t realize we are already in the Pacific Time Zone. We’ve been driving through all the time zones this summer. We’ve gained time and lost time.
While we were driving against high winds, Bubba gave me a lesson on aerodynamics. It is not very fuel-efficient to drive against the wind. Bubba showed me that by following close behind a trucker, approximately a distance of no more than 30-feet, our vehicle would be drawn into the trucker’s draft, or tailwind. This allows our vehicle to sail smoothly and economize on fuel however this would not be fuel-efficient for the trucker. Bubba said that some truckers do this to help each other. He alluded to the V formation of how geese migrate to illustrate this science. The lead goose plows through the wind to ease the resistance for its followers and they each take turn taking the lead.
We didn’t follow a trucker for too long. A distance of 30-feet is not entirely safe and Bubba felt it would be rude to drain a trucker’s fuel economy by partaking in their tailwind. It is lovely to watch the landscape change from flat, open pastures to towering, jagged brown mountains. In observing this scenery, Bubba talked with an admiration of the west. He described how the various native tribes and American pioneers coexisted peacefully and how conflicts later ensued amongst them. He also explained how these parts of the US were gained through the Mexican-American war of 1846. We were able to overtake the lands that are today parts of California, New Mexico and Texas from Mexico. On our overnight stay in New Mexico, I got to see firsthand what a melting-pot state it is. Notable magazine and newspaper articles also rank the town of Las Cruces as the number one place to live and retire.
Another US factoid I relearned is that the Continental Divide flows through this state. The Divide parts the water drainage of our country into either the Pacific or Atlantic Oceans.
Knock on wood, our travels throughout the summer has been smooth. On this last leg, our vehicle is finally exhibiting some problems. The check engine light is illuminated. We spent $500 to have the problem fixed in Oklahoma but now we doubt they did anything. We plan to make a detour to find a dealership repair shop to have the problem corrected.
On the health front, Bubba is suffering symptoms of the flu these past few days. As a preventative measure, I am filling up on Airborne and Oscillococinum by Boiron and my scratchy throat has subsided.

Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened!

We started on our journey westward today. It feels as if the party is coming to an end and I’m sad. Though Bubba and I have our month-long Hawaii trip, the prospect of having to commit to a possible work schedule, next year, even temporarily, is unsettling. I love the open road. I love seeing our country and recognizing the history that occurred on the very soil of each state. I am discovering American facts, daily. For instance, I learned that 17th century Nebraska settlers built their homes out of sod due to the state’s scarcity of trees. They were nicknamed, Sodbusters.

We plan to reach the Golden State in about a week. Bubba said we can camp out in New Mexico tomorrow. The evening weather is dipping to the low 50s across these parts of the US. We felt an air of melancholy all day today. We said good-bye to our gracious Oklahoma friends, who we’ve come to know as family. Seeing the eyes of the children well up as they bade us farewell, moved me. These are only people I’ve come to know this summer and already there is so much love.
On the road, we also received news that Bubba’s first cousin passed away. He was in his early 40s. Bubba said if timing permits, he may fly out to Florida for the service in his dress blues, once we dock back in San Francisco.
I spent the rest of the evening contemplating morality and revisiting the saying that, “Life is what happens while you’re making other plans.” I thought about my age and wondered what it would be like to have only another two decades left in this life. It certainly forces one to treat the present moment with a greater sense of urgency and significance. In immediate retrospect, what a gift this road trip is to me.

Severe Storms, No Twister Sighting

We are still in Oklahoma, enjoying the lazy life in our friends’ castle.
We saw severe thunder storms and heard tornado warnings this week. I have yet to see a floating, swirling wind funnel but I’m excited at the prospect of chasing one with my camera. Bubba and I were able to catch a few bolts of lightning on film. We were waiting patiently out in the back porch, listening to rain pelting the roof gutters, in the pitch dark of night, videotaping. The sky continuously lit up with each lightning strike. (I can’t seem to upload the video onto blogger.)
Our friends have an underground storm shelter in their garage. If a twister were to come, it would be another first for me. I waited for one with earnest and excitement today, but it blew right past overhead this neighborhood at speeds of 60 mph.
The two boys have their autumn break this week. They run around being boys. They play their video games, play football, sneak around shooting bb guns (until Bubba caught them today) and run all around the vast field. I feel like I’m in the midst of a television-show family. The neighborhood kids make their way to this house and come in through the backdoor to hang out and to help themselves in the kitchen. The girl that lives next door reminds me of the character Urkel. She wears coke bottle glasses and talks with a lisp. The kids treat her politely and incorporate her into their games but I have this desire to pull her aside and teach her to speak clearly because I’m sure it will cause her to be an outcast in school. Even Kat helped out by braiding her hair last week and powdering her face to draw out her beauty.

Bubba did some handyman work here this week. I learned that Lola has technical inclinations. I listened to her and Bubba talk using engineering jargon. I could not follow their conversation but they were both on the same page. Lola said she spent more time watching her dad build things with his own hands than in the kitchen with her mother while growing up. She ended up acquiring a mechanical understanding of how things work. Bubba did some electrical rewiring work for the back porch. This morning, even the neighbor girl came over with a lap top asking Bubba to help fix it. She said her dad couldn’t figure it out. And Bubba fixed it! I am compelled to ask myself how my patience wears thin with Bubba at times. How can I ever forget I have myself a universal man?

As Smart As A 5th Grader….

Oklahoma has been a wonderful Midwest host and it will also be our gateway west. We plan to take Interstate 40 back towards California this coming week. We will make our way through northern Texas into New Mexico, then Arizona and finally California. It will probably take about one week. I asked Bubba for a stop through Holbrook, Arizona to buy beautiful crystals and stones I remembered seeing at great prices.
We scrapped our plans to take the northern route to see Yellowstone National Park and more states as we want to rest before our Hawaii trip. We will have to take the northern route on our next journey.
We sent Kat back home by plane to Tennessee today. Our Oklahoma family has shown us a great time. We picked pumpkins in a patch and I got to go through a corn maze, for the first time. Lola took Kat and I horseback riding, also a first for me. I wasn’t a great rider, because I panicked periodically at the thought of the horse going wild. The 2-hour ride took place along a scenic lake path. I spent the majority of the time focusing on posture and positioning. Our three horses somehow wanted to graze along the way. My horse, ET, even tried to nip my shoe when I pulled tight on his reins to get him to stop.
The more I pulled, the more he trotted further off the path to graze. I was not prepared to jump off him with a recovering broken foot. So, Lola, a very good rider, led my horse back by taking the reins. (Kat’s a great rider, too.) I spent the rest of the time concentrating on ab work. I would do it again, but I’d rather ride a well-fed horse next time. I also learn that horses can sense fear and much like dogs, jockey to be the leader and submit to human control.
After riding, I thought about things I would really like to master in this lifetime and surfing came to mind. Because I do not like water nor can I swim, it seems an unlikely goal. I question if it would be something I’d ever even attempt. Then I remind myself that our limitations are merely the mental restraints we place on ourselves.
I often revisit my past accomplishments as a way to motivate myself. I would have never imagined that I would harness a foreign language by living abroad for a year, nor did I think I would be jumping out of planes in the military and earning my paratrooper wings.
This drive across America is helping me to continue appreciating history and geography. I visited the book shelves of the 10-year old son here and read some his school books. I relearned that the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 consisted of territories stretching as far south as Mississippi to portions of Northeast Canada. This is how the US doubled its size from its original 13 colonies. After the purchase, President Jefferson appointed an exploration expedition that was led by Lewis and Clark, military and outdoorsmen. Though they expected to take one year, it ended up taking two. But they did find the Pacific Ocean as they had hoped. Now, I do feel as smart as a 5th grader.

Football, Big Country, Kids...

I have developed a better understanding of football, our big country and children since beginning our road trip this summer.
Having sat through Kat’s high school’s football games, tapping Bubba continuously for insight, I have since gained a good understanding of the sport. We headed westbound this week with Kat in tow. We made a small detour over to Memphis to visit Elvis’ Graceland estate. There is an actual Heartbreak Hotel across the street from his mansion.
We drove through Arkansas, a flat, plain state to reach Oklahoma. Highway signs remind me that these two states are home to the Cherokee, Seminole and Chicasaw Nations.
The weather has finally cooled down. Last week, the temps rose to the high 90’s but now it feels like autumn, with evenings requiring a jacket. We are back at our lovely friends’ castle-like home in Oklahoma. We stopped here in July when we were driving east. I am waking up again to mornin-mouthwatering goods. There is the strong brewed coffee and the pile of bacon awaiting consumption. We are offered eggs, pancakes, crepes anything to our hearts’ content by the wife, Lola. The design of the kitchen is inviting and ingenious. There is a faucet above the stove burners to facilitate with the ease of cooking.
Our friends have two young sons, ages 8 and 10. I am beginning to understand how parents use the term, ‘ham,’ to describe their children. They can be so adorable and they can also say the darndest things.
I enjoy observing both of these young boys. The 10-year old is very smart for his age. He is like a walking fact book and he is also an athlete. He excels in football. He is much bigger than average for his age. The younger brother also plays football but he has a greater interest in military science. Weapons recognition comes natural to him! It’s wonderful to witness raw talent blossoming within a child. With the right amount of nurturing and guidance they will undoubtedly develop their innate abilities. The boys’ parents are doing a wonderful job. The children are well-provided for and they participate fully in their school’s seasonal sports. We went to an after-dinner meet to watch the younger son practice. Seeing these small-framed boys coached with such rigor reinforced to me our country’s love of sports.
Bubba is great with kids and he adores the two boys. He suggested we surprise the kids at school during their lunch break as he use to do with both his daughters when they were little. We spent two days surprising each child at their school during their lunch break. We were a hit with the younger son’s classmates. We followed them to their 25-minute recess and Kat and I motivated them to exercise.They followed our lead on the monkey bars and continued climbing and swinging. We were happy to watch them so active.
A classmate came over and asked the young son how Bubba was related to him. He exclaimed in surprise, “You don’t know him?!” In his 8-year old reality, Bubba must be as famous as any celebrity. Bubba and his father were in the Army more than two decades ago. His father has never forgotten Bubba’s leadership qualities. He has praised Bubba in front of his boys for so long they are under the impression that Bubba is as famous as the president of the USA.
”That’s my daddy's Sergeant,” he said to his classmate, rolling his eyes. What a ham he is.

Tried and Trusted

Since we’ve been driving across the country for the last four months, we’ve learned a lot about lodging and long-distance driving while on the road.
I’ve learned that whenever we drive into a new state, all of the exits are numbered according to the mileage distance of the state (on that particular interstate). The numbers descend as we approach the next state.
So whenever I see exit # 1, I get ready with camera in hand because I know the next state’s ‘Welcome’ sign will appear within one mile. (However, some states' exit numbers are sequential according to Wikipedia.)
It is worth stopping at each state’s welcome center, even if it may seem like a detour. Each of them will have complimentary literature, maps and brochures boasting of its landmarks and assets. Most valuable are the traveler’s coupon books that offer discounts on motels and hotels throughout the state. We have found lodging coupons for as low as $35 per night.
During our trip, we compiled a personal list of trusty hotels that put us at ease.
Holiday Inn Express tops our list as the cleanest and most comfortable. We usually expect to shell out approximately $70 for the night.
Our next favorite is the Best Western. This is the hotel we found ourselves staying at the most. Their rooms are quite clean and they have a hearty continental breakfast. We usually pay $60 per night. For even lower priced hotels, ranging from $30 to $50, we have found America’s Best Value Inn, Super 8 and Days Inn rather acceptable. Most do not have coffee pots or hair dryers but they have cable and a decent breakfast.
I have found an invaluable website that allows online hotel booking without a deposit or a fee. We also always remember to inquire on AAA and or military discounts prior to booking.
To ensure cleanliness during our travels, we are armed with a supply of antibacterial products. We carry our own bottle of pump hand-soap, our favorite is Bath and Body Work’s aromatherapy line. We also have the pump hand-sanitizers in the car.
We have a can of Lysol wipes to clean surfaces. I use them especially for the hotels’ TV remote control, the nightstands, door knobs and the toilet seat.
I’ve also discovered that some hotel showers do not drain very well. Under such a circumstance, I’ve considered carrying a small bottle of bleach to sanitize the tub before stepping into it.
Finally, there is always a bag full of thick napkins under my car seat for accidental spills and meals on the run.

Chipmunk in a Jar

My country experience is getting more and more priceless. Bubba’s brother presented me with a surprise yesterday morning. In the very jar that I carried around the day before, requesting him to catch and fill with a skink for me, contained a mouse-sized chipmunk. Bubba’s brother said he had rescued it from the preying claws of his cat.
I studied the frightened chipmunk in the big plastic Miracle Whip mayonnaise jar and wondered how a request for a reptile turned into a rodent! It was an adorable, furry brown rodent with beady eyes and black stripes running down its back and tail.
I carried the jar around, amazed at the ability to tote this wild animal so close to me. I could detect the nervousness of the animal. I promised to return it to the wild as quick as possible, but after a few pics. Bubba and his brother suggested I put on gloves and pet the chipmunk but by the time they poured him out of the jar and into a net bag, the fearful chipmunk made his great escape. What a sight it was! The net bag bounced so high, it was airborne as the chipmunk fled. Finally, it somehow made its way out of the net bag and scurried away. In our brief encounter, I named him Alvin.

Wildlife Lessons

We will be leaving here tomorrow. I’ll miss the natural scenery that surrounds me here. City life won't be quite as educational.
Yesterday, a friend of mine sent me an e-mail commenting on my discovery of Snowball’s deafness, the white cat that has been visiting me. He said studies show cats, especially with white coats and blue eyes, are likely to have a genetic defect that leads to deafness. I looked into it further and found studies citing 17-20% of white coat cats suffering deafness. Snowball with amber eyes is unfortunately a statistic.
I have spent quite some time contemplating cat-napping Snowball and taking him with me to San Francisco. He is light and so soft. I’ve even trained him to jump on my lap now. At first, I reasoned that I would be doing Snowball a favor. He is obviously attached to me and his deafness warrants extra TLC. Bubba’s brother said that Snowball’s other senses are heightened due to his deafness and he is likely a great mouser (mouse catcher). I looked around at all this open space and then realized that I would be removing Snowball from his element, from his familiar surroundings. The wild is his backyard and at his disposal for continuous exploration. Bubba cheered me up by telling me Snowball will always remember me whenever I come back. His step-dad added cats have nine lives, so I’ll find him here when we come back.
While playing with the dogs and cats on the back deck, I encountered my second sighting of a lizard with a brilliant blue tail. Bubba and his brother told me I’ve seen a skink. (I love how they are my encyclopedia to wildlife.) The tail is a metallic blue and I am fascinated. I was able to examine one while it was sunning. My advances caused it to take off at warped speed burrowing itself under rock crevices.
I asked Bubba’s brother to catch one for me. I decided I wanted a skink as a pet. He put on some rubber gloves and started looking all over for one. He said it may be impossible as they are such fast crawlers. I insisted that he keep looking and had a jar in hand ready. My lesson on the wild is ever increasing. Bubba’s brother informs me that if he does catch the skink, the tail will fall off as this is a self-preservation method. If the lizard is being hunted, it will sever from its tail to escape, while the deceived predator stays to feed on the wriggling entity. “But the tail regenerates, right?,” I countered, insisting that he continue to find my new pet. It is just the tip that falls off and not the entire tail, I learned, and it does regenerate.
Since skinks are not sold in pet stores, the only advice he had was for us to bait a trap with worms. Alas, I decided that having a skink wasn’t all that necessary. Bubba still has his slender California King Snake, Sneek-e traveling with us. It's a 2 footer now! We don't need a car full of reptiles.... Pic of Sneek-e
Instead of a skink, Bubba’s brother returned with some wild ginseng root and leaves he dug out of the earth. He is very gifted in his ability to recognize all plants in the wild. He brings them home to make his own tinctures and elixirs. He boiled the ginseng leaves and made us a drink. It was so bitter but he said it is one of the greatest elixirs for the body so I drank a whole glass. He must be doing something right, as the older brother of Bubba, he looks so much younger!

Still In the East

We haven’t left the East, yet. Bubba’s younger daughter, Kat has a week-long autumn break from school coming up. We will take her on our drive westward and fly her back to Tennessee from wherever we stop.
Bubba says kids grow up too fast and therefore we must relish our time with them while we can. I still think of Kat as the way I met her at 9-years old, a charming girl who held onto my hand when we went out. I still reach for her 14-year old hand now. I guess that’s what parents the world over feel: that their kids will always be kids, no matter how old they get.
We’re back at Bubba's step-dad's ranch to spend the week, while we wait. Bubba said we can make a day trip to some popular attractions around the Smoky Moutains: Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and or Dollywood (yes, named after the superstar).
The weather is extremely cool now. We are starting to use the extra blanket at night and Bubba even turns on the heat in the mornings. I thought this day would never come, after such a sizzling summer.
I spend my afternoons waiting for my feline friend, Snowball to come around. And he does. We found out he’s deaf because he does not respond to noises or voices. I guess all this time the cat has been reading my body language.

We had a few friendly Mennonite visitors yesterday who may want to buy this ranch. I studied the woman, Rosetta who wore a very simple purple dress with a hair bonnet. I noticed behind the head bonnet, she had a big bun of braided hair. She wore no make-up and spoke very properly. Our television was on and I wondered if we should have turned it off out of courtesy. Bubba’s brother’s girlfriend calls some of the younger ones ‘closet folks.’ One of the young Mennonites bought a Nintendo game from Bubba’s brother’s yard sale. This means ownership of a television set! I imagine that they must have some kind of concealed family room inside their house!

I have been reflecting on our trip so far and recall a series of scenarios I never got around to blogging about such as the elderly, retired couple we encountered at the entrance of the Petrified Forest in Arizona. Their home is their RV. The husband even forgot where their original state of residence was, “Wyoming or Montana?,” the husband asked his wife.
-Thrilled to have stumbled upon a tapioca drink place in Vietnam-town (a plaza of shops and a few restaurants) in Oklahoma, I remarked impolitely to the shop owner that where I come from the drink is much better.
-On our drive through Illinois toward Indiana, we passed through a town named Effingham and laughed non-stop. Kat replaced lyrics to the song, Paint Me A Birmingham with Effingham.
I theorized that if we stopped at their town hall, they may throw us a curveball and say instead, “Welcome to ‘E'-ffingham.”
-Introduced to the game of corn-hole by Bubba’s sister, Dina, my competitive edge kicked in. I remember Dina’s unrestrained laughter at my look of ‘deep concentration’ and the ‘hop’ I'd make just before tossing the bean bag, aiming for the corn-hole. After my injury, I still played with one foot.
-In Nashville, we were talked into visiting a timeshare workshop. We shocked the sales team by telling them we needed extensive lodgings because we were on a permanent vacation. Now I’m researching the possibility of owning a timeshare that will allow us to stay in different resort homes 365 days a year…all over the world. (Timeshares are designed for the regular vacationer who gets 2-weeks off a year.)
-When Bubba took me to the Tuscarora Indian Nation in upstate New York to shop at their trading post, I acted like a kid in a candy store impressed by the turquoise jewelry and dream catchers…imagining the natives at work with their hands. I was rudely awakened by the dangling tags stating: “Made in China.” I sadly discovered that these things were not pure but mass produced. No matter how self-sufficient...in order to get ahead...it seems everyone eventually succumbs to market economics.