Really on the Road with Maya and Back to Odessa

Our last night 'On the Road with Maya' in Enid, Oklahoma
(at least until next spring)

Just driving is not much fun.  But that is pretty much what we have been doing.  Normally a big drive day is 300 miles and we really like them to be less than 200.  For the past month we had been staying in one place for two to five days and then maybe moving down the road 50 or 100 miles tops.  It is a lot more than that now.  We have been feeling like truckers lately.  Maya is a great traveler but she does get worn out with the road and thinks more than 6 hours a day isn’t fun.  We concur.  However we have had a couple of fun stops along the way. 

 

Back to the flat lands and searing heat
We are missing Minnesota...

 

We spent two nights in St. Louis, Missouri and got to visit with one of my long-time friends.  Brenda and I met when we were both brand new teachers, I won’t say how many years ago.  We both taught photography at the same high school and fast became best friends.  Our lives have kept us living in the same towns several times.  We both started out in Odessa then several years later we were both living in the DFW area.  Then both of our husbands were transferred to St. Louis.  She has remained there and I have moved without her several times since then.  But we’ve stayed good friends.  It was really great to see her!

 

And back to the land of oil
Our campground in Enid, Oklahoma

 

Then we spent a night in Enid, Oklahoma and visited David’s cousin, Donna and her husband Larry in Drummond.  They took us out to a local Mexican Food Café and we had a great meal.  We visited for hours while their dachshund, Charlie Brown and Maya had a great time playing.  (Maya definitely had the advantage.)  Donna made us ‘coffee cup cake,’ which was exactly that, a cake cooked in a coffee cup.  It was delicious and topped with good vanilla ice cream, how could it be anything else?

 

Larry, David and Cousin Donna

 

While we were in Wisconsin we received a call from my mom that my dad had gone to the hospital and was getting a pacemaker.  My brother was with my parents and no complications were anticipated so the plan was for us to stay on our driving schedule and be home in about 5 days.  All went well and my dad was moved from Intensive Care to a regular room so he could go home the next day.  But as all too often happens in hospitals, my dad had a fall that night and broke three ribs and hurt his hand and injured his elbow and shoulder making him unable to do much more than raise his head without help.  Another call from mom came just as we were leaving St. Louis.

 

People no longer mow lawns in Odessa, they vacuum them
Fake green lawn 'carpet' is installed if you want a green lawn

 

So we really started driving at this point and made it back to Odessa as fast as we could.  Dad is still in the hospital but he is in the therapy wing now.  He is doing pretty well although I can see first-hand that broken ribs are very, very painful.  Dad is in a world of hurt and there isn’t too much that can be done for that.  The hospital food isn’t making him very happy either.  We are trying to keep him cheerful while he goes through all this and sneaking him in something good to eat every so often.

 

Visiting Dad in the hospital
My mom with my cousins Byron and Dale, wife Cathy
and the kids Reed, Brailyn, Taite and dad's foot

 

Our plans are still to be in Nacogdoches by August 31 and dad is coming along so that should happen.  I’ll keep you posted…

 

David’s Stats:

Hours of Boring Driving:  40+ hours

Days Hiking Hospital Floors:  8 and counting

Days near or over 100 degrees: every day south of Madison, WI

Times we’ve said it’s too ****ing hot:  Beyond count