Hey Kids,

Yesterday I woke at 7.

Did the day: ate breakfast, watched the parade, packed up the car, watered the flowers on Annette’s mom’s grave, grabbed my last Texas BBQ sandwich, and then drove 21 straight hours with two one-hour meal breaks.

Before I go to sleep tonight, I do have a few thoughts from the drive.

I expected to rent a Toyota. They gave me a KIA Optima. I worried. Was this just another Yugo? Were the knobs going to start falling off? How fresh were the hamsters? The car was fantastic, hope I get the occasion to drive another. Really.

Didn’t pay over $2/gallon for gas once I left Utah. I didn’t pay it again until I got back to Utah. Why? I still think buck-eighty gas is still too much to pay but it reminds me of back when we were free to travel without dipping into the grocery money. I love the environment and I hope and pray that a free, renewable energy replaces fossil fuels, but until then, what good is it to have a beautiful environment if most can’t afford to go and enjoy it.

That being said, get out to where you can. Seeing new parts of this great country makes one realize how blessed we are to be here. Never thought I would enjoy Texas as much as I did this past week until I went there. Wouldn’t have ever known without seeing and experiencing it for myself.

Love, love, love the higher speed limits! 55MPH sucked, sucks, and will always suck. (Sorry, I’m still bitter)

Time to get some sleep.

Day 237