MORE ABOUT KUDZU

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I wasn't kidding when I mentioned in another post that kudzu is taking over the south. Here are some pictures from the web that replicate what we saw on our trip out west. Kudzu will cover houses, trees, whatever. It's the most amazing natural thing I've ever seen. The strange thing is that it's a pretty sight, but it's a parasite and therefore is quite destructive. Don't let your jaw drop from these pictures.

(sigh)

VACATION LOG

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Driving almost 4,000 miles in a short period of time is, well, interesting. One learns things about another that were unknown pre-journey -- some good, some frustrating. View my vacation log.

Tues., Aug. 14th

Bill and I had a plan to leave Fredericksburg at 6 a.m. I was up, dressed, ready to go at 5:15 a.m., much to his dismay. By 7 a.m., HE was finally ready. I like to travel light, take as little as possible to minimize clutter and maximize space. HE likes to travel with half of everything he owns. I didn't really think we needed the pepper spray, but what the hell. I didn't realize how much liquid this man consumes; consequently, we spent a great deal of travel time searching out restrooms, which of course, precipitated a mini shopping spree in the truck stops for him. I had iced coffee from McDonald's.

We had hoped to get to Nashville that first day, which we did, but I was exhausted (I had gotten up at 4:30 a.m. in order to be ready by 6.) It was a long day.

Wed., Aug. 15th

Bill and I had a plan to leave Nashville at 6 a.m. I was up, dressed, ready to go at 5:15 a.m., AGAIN much to his dismay. By 7:30 a.m., HE was finally ready. We had added to our luggage every free publication Nashville puts out, every complimentary shampoo and conditioner the motel chain provides. I didn't really think we needed the real estate freebie on properties in Nashville since I don't believe we're looking to purchase anything there, but what the hell. No McDonald's in Tennessee serves iced coffee. We had hoped to get to Oklahoma City that second day, but we didn't make it. We veered off the beaten path to Muskogee, Oklahoma, had the best meal of the trip at Miss Addie's and stayed in the best room of the trip at a local chain there. Go figure.

Thurs., Aug. 16th

Bill and I had a plan to leave Muskogee at 6 a.m. I was up, dressed, ready to go at 5:15 a.m. By 7:45 a.m., HE was finally ready. (Do you see an evolving pattern here?) By now our suitcases were crammed and we had resorted to plastic bags to hold all the free reading materials, shampoo samples, etc. Since I hate to shop but Bill loves it, we had also acquired any number of baseball hats, T shirts, and other regional memorabilia. The McDonald's in Oklahoma serve iced coffee. We had hoped to get to Albuquerque that third day, but we didn't make it. We spent a restless night in Amarillo.

Friday, Aug. 17th

Bill and I had a plan to leave Amarillo mid morning. We got away on time. The remainder of the trip to Albuquerque was pleasant enough, and we arrived there mid afternoon. He had some business to take care of, and we spent two hours in a FedEx Kinko's. Welcome to New Mexico. Incompetence is everywhere, it seems. New Mexico McDonald's serve iced coffee though, so I was happy.

We spent four nights with friends, spent time with their daughter and grandchildren, ate some really good meals in the local restaurants, saw most of the city and surrounding area. It's beautiful there and I love it more every time I visit. It was hot though -- 100 + degrees, but "it's a dry heat." That's true, but 100 is 100 regardless.

Tuesday, Aug. 21st

We spent another couple of days traveling around New Mexico after leaving our friends.

The architecture is very appealing, the art and cultural amenities abound. Albuquerque is diverse with its mountains, valleys, mesas. There's a good bit of urban sprawl, but it keeps a large city from seeming cramped.

Thurs., Aug. 23rd

Bill and I had a plan to leave New Mexico at 6 a.m. I was up, dressed and ready to go at 5:15 a.m. We left at 6:30 but then had to get gasoline and iced coffee, so it was nearly 7 a.m. before we headed east. We made it to Oklahoma City that night, despite NUMEROUS stops to find restrooms and replenish the water and iced coffee.

Fri., Aug. 24th

Bill and I had a plan to leave Oklahoma City at 6 a.m. I was up, dressed and ready to go at 5:15. We left at 7. My tolerance level for alarm clocks was ebbing low. By now I've had so much iced coffee that my stomach is rebelling and cups with the golden arches are starting to make me queasy. We DID pass through Memphis and a flitting thought passed through my mind that we should stop and light a candle at Graceland to commemorate the thirty years since Elvis' demise. Why that occurred to me, I don't know since I never cared for him.

Sat., Aug. 25th

Bill and I had a plan to leave Nashville at 6 a.m.

I slept in, too.

We left at 7:15 a.m, got home that night at 7:30 p.m. Took til 10 p.m. to unload all the newspapers, magazines, brochures, relics from the trip.

I unpacked my things in ten minutes.

All in all it was a wonderful trip. The windmills in the southwest are amazing; we met lots of nice folks; saw some beautiful scenery; drank some good wine. But the thing that struck me the most was this:

KUDZU HAS TAKEN OVER THE SOUTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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VISION

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He caught my eye.......

And then threw it back.

(LOL)

GAY PRIDE?????????

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The other day when watching the news there was a segment on a Gay Pride parade in San Diego. I have never been so disgusted. I thought I was looking at New Orleans during Mardi Gras. In my opinion, these parades as they're put on now should be considered hazardous to our health and banned out right. Never have I seen such screwball, common, indecent specimens of humanity.

On one float was a young male gyrating sexually wearing just briefs and a pair of wings. On another float of elaborately coifed and made-up transvestites, they pantomimed risque sexual acts. Still another float of lesbians danced provacatively wearing nothing but strap-ons and pasties. This was the most nauseating display of crap I've ever witnessed.

I have nothing against an individual's right to pursue whatever sexual orientation they have, but if STRAIGHT people engaged in a similar type of public display of decadence, the outcry would be heard around the world. Why can't gays reserve their "flamboyance" for private get-togethers rather than flaunt this stuff so openly? I think most of the heterosexual world would respect their right to be who they are if only they would refrain from this type of in-your-face "ebulliance."

I remember seeing a snippet of one of the first Gay Pride parades in New York many years ago, and at the time it was orderly and low-key...just a group of gay folks who wanted to be able to announce their sexual orientation without fear of retribution. These parades have since evolved into circuses with sexual antics being acted out for all the world to see. Yes, I'm offended, as I think most people are, but for some reason we're afraid we'll be categorized as politically incorrect if we state our opinion. Well, I'm stating mine. I would be offended by this type of stuff being done in public (and televised!) whether by straights or gays, and we need to legally restrict this type of behavior from public view. Just because California (or Oregon or Vermont) are okay with this stuff doesn't mean the rest of us are. And, unfortunately, the rest of the country is slapped with this stuff via the news media.

Enough's enough.

(sigh)

EAVESDROPPING ON THE RICH

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A couple of evenings ago Bill and I drove to St. Michaels, Maryland, a quaint little place off Maryland's Eastern Shore. St. Michaels bills itself as "the heart and soul of the Chesapeake Bay," encourages "sail-in" trips and visits to the town's artsy boutiques and galleries.

It's quaint, all right.

We dined at the Bistro St. Michaels, an upscale white-tablecloth restaurant where even the bus boys look like they just stepped out of GQ. At the table to our left sat Biff and Buffy -- he with the starched denim shirt and loosely permed hair cut expertly, I'm sure, to the tune of about $150. She wore a diamond tennis bracelet and two-carat chunk of ice on her ring finger. To our right was the entertainment.....a family whose dinner conversation kept us in stitches throughout.

If you had not heard these conversational gems and been privy to their easy-going, non-affected tone, you'd have thought it was a "Saturday Night Live" skit. But these folks are evidently old money and have lived this type of life FOREVER; therefore, their banter was genuine. The family seated beside us consisted of several mature adults and several young adults. The girls had that "Rory Gilmore" look -- stylish and understated chic. The younger men were attired in the brightly-colored look of casual preppy and are heading to law school. The adults discussed the possibility of a daughter's wedding on the "farm" and offered up hundred-dollar bills to the young men as they excused themelves from dinner for a night on the town. Dinner chatter among them covered an upcoming, much-anticipated cruise down the Nile; yet another trip to Dubai and Qatar (why Qatar, for God's sake???); the new riding and shooting facilities; Italian bocce balls; recent golf outings and handicaps. A waitress remarked to the matriarch how much she loved her accent, to which the woman replied, "Oh, honey, it only took me three weeks to get it." I found it terribly hard to contain myself and found myself actually chuckling out loud

(elegantly, of course!).

We were so pleased to know they're with us in the trenches, however, when Sir mentioned that they should retire to his pool for a cocktail and swim, to which the woman offered up that she was too fat to put on her swimsuit (she'd weigh in at about 110 pounds). He then asked, "Why wear a swimsuit?"

Thank heaven for REAL people!

The ambiance was graceful, the seafood exquisite, the waitstaff effusive. But the next-table conversation was what made this such a kick.

Money, money, money.

(LOL)