Vacation...

Back porch view

I got back a week ago from my trip to tiny village Illinois... where I've been "vacationing" for the past five years.  If all goes as planned, the property will be sold as of this coming Tuesday, making this my last vacation here.  It's bittersweet.  I enjoy going there with my Mom and visiting with our friends there.  It's a place to really disconnect as we don't have TV, internet or anything else really.  We had a stove, a small fridge, and a microwave  in the house and several local little restaurants for when we wanted something a little more grand.  If we needed the internet, we went to McDonald's (which has recently been renovated and is very nice), about seven miles away.  This is where I went to just re-charge my batteries.  The picture here is an interesting tree as viewed from the porch of the house -- the house where my Dad was born and raised.  We figure it's been in the family for about 90 years.  I will miss my yearly visits.

While we had already taken most of the big items that we wanted from the house, there was still a few that we needed to get before it was sold.  They all had to go in the back of my Mom's Escape.  I wasn't sure how it would all go in there, but there wasn't really much in the tiny pile that we wanted to weed out.  I was just going to have to make sure it all got in there. So, I channeled my Dad's packing gene, mapped it out in my head, and lo and behold it all went it there fairly well.  Mission accomplished.  

One of the things I worried about was getting a terrible rental car. I don't like driving big cars, but my last rental, a nice little compact, it felt like my butt was dragging the ground. It's a two hour drive from the airport to tiny village and no one wants a crappy car for a two hour drive. Once again, I lucked out. I wound up with a Chevy Sonic, which I guess is a new model for Chevrolet. I had no idea what it was when the rental agent told me what I was getting. It's a little hatchback and it had quite a bit of pep. It turned out to be a fun drive. We scooted all over in it - from tiny village to various tiny towns. Plus, good gas mileage to boot. Can't beat that. I checked it out online when I got back and found out it's turbo charged; which explains the pep.

I splurged and added a day to this trip (all but wiping out my little bit of vacation), but it was worth it.  After the time off for the move, I sorta thought it was ridiculous to take a vacation. Turns out, it wasn't. Plus, I got to say my good-byes to the house. Not sure where I'll go next year to re-charge my batteries, but I'm sure I'll figure it out.

On getting stuck...

Last week, I attended a conference in Austin, TX.  It was my first time in Austin and I loved it!  I stayed at the conference hotel, which made it easier to get to breakfast (provided by the conference), and go to morning yoga (before breakfast).  Plus, it was within walking distance of a lot of lovely restaurants or in one case, a food truck - The Jalopy.  Had a wonderful hummus sandwich.  Austin has some great food and a lot of it is vegetarian and/or vegan.  I got to try truffle tater tots.  I'm not a total vegetarian, but it was nice to have those options.  However, the picture I've included is not vegetarian.  We had dinner one night at Ranch 616 and I got the fried shrimp tacos.  Yum.  All in all, not a bad food experience in the time I was there.

And, I got an unscheduled extra day to sample food.  Because of the upcoming move to Georgia, I'd decided to come back Wednesday morning, missing the last half day of the conference, but giving me two full days at work my last week.  Yes, this past Friday was my last day of work in my current job.  And, if you haven't guessed, I had to fly back on Thursday rather than Wednesday due to the tornados that hit Dallas.  I was realizing all of this when the American Airlines automated message called to notify me of my new flight at 1:30 AM.  Yes, AM as in the morning.  At first I was all over the place upset.  Then I realized I couldn't do anything about it and decided to just roll with it.  I called and rescheduled the shuttle and called the front desk to make sure I could stay an extra day.  Then, I went back to sleep.  This was about 2:00 in the morning and I was still a bit keyed up.  To add to the excitement, the fire alarms went off not once, but twice, at 4:30 AM.  Followed by a message a little while later that it a false alarm and not to evacuate.  After this, I realized I wouldn't be doing yoga my last day.

I did enjoy the day's sessions and then spent a lovely afternoon walking around Austin with a friend/colleague. We had lunch at the 1886 Cafe and Bakery (some of the best pizza I've ever had) and I got to stop at the lomography camera store I'd seen online.  I knew the store was in Austin, but didn't think I'd get to it on the trip.

While I was upset when I realized I would be staying for an unplanned extra day, it actually turned out to be a great day.  Bumpiest flight in a long time on the way back, but I got back. Made it through my last day at my job (sorta sad) and am now furiously organizing for the movers who will come next Monday to pack.

I leave you with a photo of fried shrimp tacos...

Fried shrimp tacos from Ranch 616

Road trip...

I recently got back from what has become my yearly pilgrimage to a small town in the middle of nowhere Southern Illinois. It's the town my Dad grew up in and we stay in the house he grew up in.

This year I decided to drive. 844 miles. It was a long drive. Absolutely gorgeous. I enjoyed the scenery and honestly the drive wouldn't have been a problem if I had company. As it was, I was meeting my Mom there and I just wanted to be there. I loved taking my car and being able to load up what I would need for a stay in a house not overflowing with amenities. A pillow, baked goodies, some little things for my Mom. So much easier to travel when you can just throw stuff in the car. Also, easier to bring back stuff if you shop or wind up extras from somewhere. However, I'll probably fly and rent a car the next time I make the trip. Shorten the travel time by about six to eight hours.

I have always enjoyed visiting there - the house is just peaceful, especially in the morning. There is a covered porch that gets good breezes in the afternoon. No amenities are near by, i.e. the grocery store is at least seven miles away. Usually, this isn't a problem, except the poor refrigerator decided this trip would probably be it's last. Not only does it make an ungodly noise when it runs (think a motorcycle going through the house), but the refrigerator section pretty much wasn't cooling. We think it was maybe the fan, but we aren't sure. For someone who drinks Diet Coke in the morning rather than coffee and who prefers it cold, very cold, this wasn't really good. We survived though. We were able to cook breakfast there and then generally did lunch or dinner out.

We did visit the antique shops one day and had a blast. We were tempted on a couple of items, but managed to keeps ourselves in check. One morning we went walking along the local lake. The picture above was taken from the hiking/bike trail there.

As much as we enjoy going there, it's becoming harder for us to maintain from a distance. We've come to realize we probably should sell it. We're running into the "old boys network" from the town "managers" and cost wise it's probably just not feasible. It's bittersweet. While most people wouldn't consider this a vacation spot, I've looked forward to my trips there and wonder where I'll go once it's sold.

From almost the middle of nowhere.....

This posting is coming from small town Illinois. My Mom and I have come to finally go through my Dad’s childhood home and decide what goes with us, what goes to charity and what is a decision for another day. It was something my Dad wanted to do before he died, but he was just too ill in the end. So, here we are. So far, so good. My Mom adjusted the “goals” a bit, but that’s okay. My plan was to come, evaluate the furniture, get anything in it out of it, and get it ready for the movers. Basically, that’s what we have done. She, though, also made it a goal to go through some of the other stuff and “clean it out.” Ugh. There were many children in this family and many of them brought things to their Mother. They were stored out in a storage area. It’s strange. Going through the things here is not just going through my Dad’s life, but through almost every brother and sisters and his mother’s. We found an odd fur hat. Excellent condition. Makes me think of a lodge hat, but who knows. We found two Navy hats. Two of the boys were in the Navy. We wonder if they both belonged to one or if there is one per Uncle. We’ll probably never know. We found oodles of blankets, mismatched dishes (some China), an old fur (fake) coat, a couple of down comforters. Lots of little odds and ends. We could spend months here, but we can’t. So, we try and focus and know we’ll probably be back. Most of it is still good, but not really anything we want or need. This afternoon we took eight large trash bags, plus a couple of small boxes to the local Goodwill. It was quite a drive, but it was worth it. Hopefully, someone can make use of what we don’t need. The rest will head out with us.

The house here is pleasant, but not luxurious by any means. However, we have what we need. The biggest pain about coming is doing the bit of clean-up required after any house has been vacant. The worst is getting rid of the spider webs. I hate creepy crawlies, but I’ve gotten good with the vacuum’s wand attachment. Not every nook and cranny has seen me and the vacuum, but most of them have. The others I’m learning to deal with and really, for a three year gap between visits, it’s not that bad.

We hadn’t realized it had been three years. The last time, we left a day early. I think it was just too soon after my Dad’s death to come. Every visit before had, of course, included him. We did not come here without him. This time, we’re doing better. We’re laughing at the poor little refrigerator’s fan, which sounds like a motorcyclist diving through town. The A/C unit outside doesn’t sound much better, but at least it works. Earlier, we discovered we had a bad fuse. The weather’s been pleasant, but the humidity in the house was reaching some high levels. The range is old and if we could put new insulation in the oven we would. As it is, we can use the stove, but not the oven. The microwave could qualify as an antique, but it works and that’s what counts. All in all, believe it or not, it’s been pleasant and relaxing. Small towns are. This is technically a Village. I’m guessing some where between 500 and 1000 residents. It’s literally a bedroom community - all houses, one tavern, and a small post office.

How, you wonder, is this blog posting being done. Before I left for this trip, I got a laptop - a MacBook. I’ve never used a Mac before, but so far, I’m not having any problems. It’s also my first wireless PC. Before coming, I looked for wireless networks. Bless the McDonald’s in a near by town. They offer free wi-fi and that is how this entry is being posted -- Via McDonald’s free wi-fi. Go Mickey D’s.

Moving forward...

A couple of weekends ago, I made a day trip to Texas. The purpose was to see all the repairs that had been made to the house. A few days before, the new driveway had been poured. It was still marked off, but looked great. The outside repairs were done and they even re-sodded in places, though I spotted some dead spots in the yard. I'm not worried about those though as I know the grass will fill it in. The flower beds were looking a little sad, so I told my yard guy to go ahead and mulch the flower beds and around the trees. Finally pulled up the remains of the little peach tree. It had done so well and then just overnight it seemed to die. After all the cracks in the walls and ceilings had been repaired (I believe they had to totally replace the sheet rock in the ceiling in the entry hall) they repainted the whole house. I think they did a better job on the re-paint than they did when it was first built.

I had briefly considered the some what flighty notion of holding on to the house and moving back there. Eventually, I'll need to be closer to my Mom. However, seeing the house confirmed what I had already decided. As much as I liked that house and the area, between it and the job, mostly the job, there are just no really happy memories there. Even if I move back to Texas one day, I don't want to tie myself to that area or that house. So, once all of the little repairs are finally finished (there were one or two items remaining), friend BA will put it on the market for me. It just feels right. Cross your fingers. If I can't sell it, I'll rent it, but I'm really hoping I'll be able to sell it. It looks like brand new on the inside and thanks to the repair work has a life time warranty on the foundation, which in that area should be a selling feature. They were in the process of repairing two other houses and several more standing by in addition to those already repaired. I can't even imagine the bill for the builders.

The trip. The really good part: I got to have a hamburger at one of my favorite hamburger places and visit with friends. I caught an early flight out of BWI and was supposed to leave DFW at 6:25 pm and be back in my apartment by 11:30 pm. Nice plan. Too bad the weather had different ideas. Storms. So, delayed, then delayed, then canceled, then rebooked. I got home at almost 4:00 am on Sunday morning. It took me almost a week to recover. However, it was worth it. Hopefully, I'll repeat the day trip shortly (without storms) to sign papers to sell the house. Wouldn't that be lovely? Then I truly move forward.

Happy New Year!

My Christmas and New Year's have been pleasant and uneventful. I'd thought traveling on Christmas day would be pleasant and it was. The only downside was getting up at three o'clock in the morning and losing an earring during my travels. The plane left MD on time and we boarded on time in Dallas, only to have to wait for maintenance paperwork, to have the crew repeatedly count passengers, and then request two passengers move to the middle of the plane for "balance reasons." We left about 45 minutes late for a flight that only takes about an hour. In the end, we were only about 30 minutes late. Baggage arrived timely and we headed home. It never really felt like Christmas and I'm not sure if that was because I flew on Christmas Day (I've driven home on Christmas day before) or because I just never truly ramped into the Christmas "spirit" this year. Doesn't matter - it was a good day. We had our now annual Christmas seafood dinner; a small affair of just me, my Mom, my brother, and his wife.

No big plans while I was at home. My Mom wanted to show me the cabin she's working on at our farm. It is a nice space in what is an addition to the shop that has been there my whole life and then some. We were bandying about ideas for what space should be where when I asked the big question - where's the bathroom? My Mom and brother both burst out laughing. There isn't one. There's what will be a nice kitchen, smallish dining area, living area, study/office and bedroom, but no bathroom. Plans are in the making for attaching a bath house. I've seen the "compound" idea on a couple of shows on HGTV, but they were located where the weather isn't so fickle. LA has somewhat mild weather but the winters can be crazy with mild one day and downright cold the next. Not to mention thunderstorms and 100 plus degree days during the summer. Mom assures me she has ideas. Guess I'll trust her on this one. Right now it's only a space to spend a couple of days should she want to. I expect one day she may live up there, but hopefully by then the bathroom concept will be worked into the cabin concept.

On Monday, we headed to the DMV to title and tag my very first car in LA, which my Mom still occasionally drives, since registering it in MD just wouldn't be the best idea. LA is a state that also charges sales tax when you register a vehicle. Since we bought the car in LA, we took proof that we had paid sales tax - the receipt for the car. My Dad, you see, created a folder and just about anything associated with that car until I took over is in it, plus some stuff after it headed back to LA. Then the guy at the DMV says there is only eight years worth of records in the system. I'm not surprised as the car is well over eight years old. He also says that the receipt showing sales tax paid isn't good enough, we must show it was registered in the state of LA. The website didn't say this. No mind, we'd taken the folder (I didn't think we'd need to, but my Mom did) and, of course, a copy of the original registration was in it. The DMV guy was in awe. Granted the car is worth so little now that paying tax on it wouldn't have been all that much, but it was the principle of the thing.

I flew back on Tuesday. I enjoyed my visit. BC has grown and it's now even inching it's way back on to my list of possible places to live and work. It would eliminate holiday travel and let me sleep holidays in my very own bed. The flights back were good, but there was a little hitch. The cargo door got off the track in S'port and we left about an hour and half late. I originally had a two hour layover in Dallas, but as I was verifying the gate, the flight status was now boarding. I still had to make it to the next terminal. I caught the train and moved as quickly as I could. I was one of the last people to board. I just knew as I walking down what seemed like miles of jetway by myself that I'd get there and find the door closed, but it wasn't. I wasn't sure my suitcase would make, but it did. So, all was well. It's good to be home.

I hope 2009 is a good year for all.

the Journey...

Most of this weekend has been rainy and gloomy, starting on Friday. Courtesy, I believe, of Hurricane Kyle. It's reminiscent of the drive to Maryland.

You might wonder why this reminds me of the drive. Well, I tried to cover all my bases - got a GPS to help with navigation, made lists of what to bring with me, and got a book to tell me which hotels would be pet friendly. The one thing I forgot to do was check the weather. It had just been so hot and dry in Texas that I just didn't even think about the weather.

The morning after all my stuff was picked up by the moving company, I loaded what I'd set aside, along with Kitty Cat, and headed to LA to pick up Mom. Kitty Cat turned out to be an awesome little traveler. She did well at Grandma's house (in the photo) as well as the hotels. The route mapped out from Louisiana was to take I-20 pretty much all the way. So, early Saturday afternoon, after lunching in LA, we headed out on I-20 and did pretty good. We didn't quite make it as far as we hoped, spending the night in Pearl, MS, which turned out to be a nice little town. We woke up to the weather gifts of Tropical Storm Fay. After checking the weather both on TV and online we realized that if we took the originally mapped out route we would be driving right into more of it. Not really what we wanted to do. Fortunately, from where we stayed, it was less than two miles back to the junction for I-55 which would take us into Memphis, where we could hook up with I-40 and come that way. So, armed with both printed directions and the GPS (which tends to lose connectivity in heavy rain) we set out for Day 2 of the trip. Blessedly, the rain wasn't bad and after we got to Memphis it was clear skies for the rest of the drive. Day 2 saw us making it as far as Farragut, TN. To my amazement, only one hotel around that exit ramp took pets. A Super 8. Not my first choice, but honestly, the mattresses were some of the most comfortable I've had in a hotel and there were food choices around. Considering it was 9:00 pm and we were exhausted, this was it. Very basic, but clean. And, let's face it, we weren't there that long.

We set out fairly early on Day 3 and managed to make it all the way to MD. Spent most of the trip driving through Tennessee I think, but it's a gorgeous state with very nice rest stops. It's actually now on my list for potential retirement spots. In MD we splurged and stayed at the Doubletree. Their chocolate chip cookies are still good and the room was just fun to stay in. Kitty Cat particularly liked the padded luggage rack. The following morning we headed to the apartment complex for me to sign paperwork and pick-up keys. It's now Tuesday and the driver (who picked up our stuff) said that they'd deliver on Friday. Among other things, we found camp chairs so we'd have something to sit on and got laundry detergent so we could do some wash.

All was going well except I was not doing well on the air mattress. I definitely prefer sleeping in a bed. On Wednesday, the moving company called to let me know that my stuff would be delivered on Sunday between 8:00 am and 9:00 am. We were crushed and trying to figure out what we were going to do. My cousin's friend came to our rescue. They were going sailing for 10 days and needed someone to house sit, even if only for a few days, so we could go stay at their house. Talk about blessings. Even Kitty Cat did okay, though I don't think she'd ever been in a house that big before.

The furniture was actually delivered Saturday, so I was able to have Sunday and Monday (Memorial Day) to do some unpacking before work. Mom flew back to LA on Sunday morning, so I left Kitty Cat enconsed at the friend's house and did a bit of unpacking and organizing (with much appreciated help from friend DB) before heading back to get her and bring her home (after a stop at my favorite new place, California Tortilla, for take out for dinner). It did take me a little over a week to get everything done, but all the boxes are gone now and it's just organizing for a smaller space that remains. But for right now, I'm not rushing anything. My goal is to finally organize what I have rather than haphazardly throw it in containers. And, that, I know takes time.

Did a little traveling...

Almost a month ago, I took a short trip to Spokane, WA. I was considering a job there and wanted to look the place over - again. I also got to visit with a friend, DR, that I hadn't seen in just about 10 years. I splurged a bit on the hotel, but it was worth it. I hadn't truly been on a trip, aside from visiting my Mom, in a couple of years. It was nice to go away, even if just for three days.

DR picked me up at the airport and chauffeured me practically everywhere, something for which I am eternally grateful. We also had some very good food. I'm a huge muffin fan and can attest that Perkin's makes really good ones - or at least the Peaches and Cream was really good. One of the places he took me was a drive up in the mountains. We were also seeing how far we could go before we were blocked by snow. He's ready to go camping, but alas, we couldn't get as far as he needs to for the camping. Bonus, though, was I got to see some of Idaho in the process. Shortly after our turn-around spot, I took this picture. So, while I'm tempted to say this is from Washington state it's actually Idaho. Gorgeous drive.

Everything but the kitchen sink....

That's what it's felt like these past three weeks. At the end of June I headed to a conference in Washington, DC. It's been a while since I've been there and I enjoyed being back. Good roommate for the conference, which is always a plus and I got to visit family and friends as well, a huge added bonus. The conference was so-so, which was disappointing, however, with all the walking I did, I didn't have a lot of guilt about not working out. I walked A LOT. And, I did stairs. Steep escalators freak me out, so at the conference center, I used the stairs instead of the escalators. Since the exhibitors were on the lower level, there were a couple of days I did this more than once. Actually, I was pretty proud of myself. They didn't kill me, so maybe I'm not as out of shape as I thought I was.

Got back the Thursday before Fourth of July. I worked that Friday, then took the following Monday and Tuesday off. All told, I was probably in the office one day in a two week period. I'm not feeling guilty. The conference might have started on a Friday, but it went through the weekend to Tuesday. And, no comp time for the weekend conference time. Which is standard and not something I choose to dwell on. It just is. I'm terribly grateful that I get professional time to attend; I have colleagues who aren't supported in attending this conference, so they don't go or they use vacation.

My days off were spent doing a lot of little things. The Monday basically was set aside for all the repair folks to come, starting at 8:00 am. Who does that to themselves on a day off? But, I was desperate to have an A/C unit that didn't sound like it was preparing to take flight or was going to blow up. I now have that. I'm one happy camper. The mechanic showed up bright and early and didn't have to cut the sheet rock. This one actually felt the wall and could feel it hitting the wall. So, outside he went. He gave the pipe a really good yank to pull whatever was vibrating away from the frame and then moved the A/C unit itself a bit more from the house. Ahhh... it now makes the noise it's supposed to make.

The A/C guy was followed by the guy to repair the crack in the sheet rock in my bedroom ceiling. Alas, his English skills left a lot to be desired (read - he didn't have any) and I sent him away the first time because all he could say was "drywall" and for the life of me I was so focused on the A/C repair and the door ding that I forgot about the crack in the ceiling. Fortunately, the builder didn't. He was on his way over to mark the areas (he found more, which I'm not sure is a good thing or a bad thing) and tell the guy what to do. So, that guy was here about 2 hours doing that. The door ding repair guy arrived about 1:00. Thankfully, he spoke English (as did the A/C guy). Then, the painters showed up about 3:30. Well, the texture has to dry for about 12-24 hours. So, I asked if they couldn't come back the next day after 3:00, as I had to take kitty cat to the vet in the morning. They said yes. Of course, their English skills were lacking as well. Sigh.

So, kitty cat got a new scratching post, one of the cardboard ones, which she adored. Had catnip in it and she was all over it. Sounds cute. I got it for her on Friday. She liked it, it's much cheaper than her traditional scratching post (we've now gone through three), so I was happy. I thought it was cute that she rubbed her head and whole body on it and she used it to scratch. This is good, right? Umm... not really. By, Monday night her left eye was looking red and the skin above it was a little raw. By Tuesday morning, she just looked sad.. red eyes, red ears. I took my time getting ready to go as the appointment was at 11:00. No rush. The minute she saw the carrier, she was under bed. It's like 10:50. The vet isn't far, but if you've ever tried to coax a cat out from under a bed you'll know my dilemma. It just isn't done. In addition to said irritation, she was also in desperate need of a pedicure (thanks to a tendonectomy her front claws have issues and I can't always trim them). She's only beaten me once and I couldn't have it this time. So, with great guilt, I resorted to the fly swatter to get her out. She hates it. I did not hit her... just swooshed it a bit near her. She came out and then tried to hide in her favorite dining room chair. I could get her out from there. Yes, she screamed at me the whole drive to the vets. Naturally, as I was leaving for the vet, the painters showed up. I told them I couldn't stay. They said 12:00. I said how about 1:00. They said okay. I'm still waiting. Maybe I should try to improve my Spanish since apparently contractors don't see a need for their employees to communicate with the people they serve.

I did not like the first vet I took her too. I loved this vet. They aren't trying to sell all kinds of products or services. They trimmed her nails and then the vet gave her a good once over. She also looked at the not really healing bald spot on her tummy (yes, the same one from February) and it had little red dots. So, something was definitely bothering kitty cat. This vet did what I think the first one should have done. Gave her a shot of low dose steroids. I swear, by that night she was looking better. I did take up the new scratching post. I'm going to give it a couple of more days for her to recover, then I'm going to dump the majority of the catnip out and see what happens. At first I thought either the cardboard or catnip was causing the irritation, but now I'm wondering if something wasn't already causing a problem and I provided a really good all round scratcher with the new scratching post. At any rate, not only does she look better, but I do believe she's perkier. I thought after the fly swatter incident and the trip the vet, she'd be mad at me for the rest of the day. Bless her little heart, she wasn't.

I'd hoped to do some flowers for the yard and in containers while I was off, but while I was enjoying beautiful weather in DC, it continued to rain here, straight through the Fourth. So, I did stuff in the house. Now it's the middle of the summer and I'm reevaluating what kind of planting I'm going to do. But, I still got a little rest and some things taken care of on my days off. Now, I just have to get the painters back.

Memorial Day 2007

I made my first trip to Louisiana since moving back to Texas over the Memorial Day weekend. Kitty Cat survived... she appreciates me so much more after an evening alone. I didn't get to see my Mom for Mother's Day, so this was a combined trip. And, since I can't use vacation days until I've been at new job for six months, this gave me a day to still get ready for the week and relax a bit.

It was a good visit. Shreveport is growing... crime is up, but the shopping that is coming in is reminiscent of the towns here in TX. And, even though Mom complains a tad about driving "all the way across town" (she doesn't live in Shreveport, but close), I found that with the parkways it's not a bad jaunt at all. They even had a Wild Birds Unlimited store. This has to be one of my absolute favorite stores. I'm even more driven to get the bird feeders set up in the backyard. I'm also going to design a garden in my backyard with the intention of attracting the birds. At first I couldn't envision what I wanted back there, but now I'm starting, too.

The drive up and back though was the interesting thing. I've done this drive for over 10 years and never had a hint of a problem. Going... I was behind a tanker that blew a tire. Fortunately, I was far enough back that there weren't any problems. Good thing since most of his tire stayed in the middle of the road. Then coming back...a truck had been having problems. As he pulled back onto the highway from the shoulder, he lost control. He fishtailed 180 degrees and angled back toward an on-ramp that, naturally, had cars headed for the interstate. I could only watch and know this guy was going to plow into someone. God was watching over everyone. The truck went up on the shoulder (very sloped), flopped onto one side, and then righted back up and stayed up. He missed another truck by inches. Fortunately, most traffic was well behind me and everyone could see the guy losing control (East TX is rather flat) and could slow down. I made sure others got out to help (they did) and continued on. It's scary to watch something like that and know you can't do anything.