Monday, August 16, 2010

The Sacred Cow Makes It's Return to Florida!


A little worse for the wear,


But your skin would be cracked and brittle too if you had ridden back and forth across the country on an antenna.

We made it back too.


A kind lady at the welcome center took this picture for us, so we didn't have to use our trusty tripod and it's reasonably straight.

Things I learned during this drive home:

1.  This country is huge. And beautiful. And so diverse.

2.  I will never be a long distance truck driver.  I don't know how they do it!

3.  Bring more than three books on CD just in case you don't like one of them.

4.  My daughter is a really great person, but I already knew that.  She tolerates her crazy mom very well.

5.  Not sure I will ever own one of these myself.  If I never have to hear that flat instructional voice again, I will be very happy.  We call her Betty:


6.  Turning Betty's voice into what we thought would be a more soothing British version who we called Bernadette was a mistake.  Bernadette was much more judgemental and less forgiving when we made a wrong turn.  Bernadette only lasted a day.

7.  Maps are not obsolete.  I have this discussion on every trip with my husband.  I like to see the big picture and maps provide it.  Besides when Betty stubbornly keeps telling you to "turn left, turn left" and you are looking at a cow pasture, a map is helpful.  (Let's remember The Office episode when Michael drove into a pond at his GPS' request people).

8.  The Pontiac Vibe is quite the little car.  Not one problem either way.  I have one too.  They will last forever and too bad the company didn't.

9.  McDonald's has sugar-free vanilla lattes! Enough said. And please don't ruin my pleasure and tell me they are full of calories anyway.  Are they?  Even with skim milk?

10.  Jason Dottley has a sense of humor and seems like a nice guy - see previous post and subsequent comments here.


11.  There's no place like home.  And home is where you make it.  In LA home is The Writer and Sammy's and Stanley's place.  Here it is on Nealwood.  Sometimes its at the beach for a week.  I'm glad to be back in my Orlando home.

The Maven drove us away from Nealwood in May, 6:30am:


It was only fitting that she drive the last leg back and up into the driveway at Nealwood in August at 4:00pm:


Ok, now shhhhhhhh, I've got three weeks worth of Mad Men to catch up on with Mr. Tennis...

9 comments:

jason dottley said...

so jealous of your road trip.. my mom lives in Florida and I toured for 4 months last year... i love travelling... thanks for posting about my response. I'm sorry that my first post didn't capture the humor I intended... safe travels!!!!

Unknown said...

Home again Home again jiggaty jig! That's probably not how you spell it but I don't care. You know what I mean. Glad your back safely and your right I love a map on my lap.
Take a rest and then call me!
SueBee

Mr. Connor said...

He wrote back again ! Pretty nice.Well I would certainly want a map in hand for a trip. Glad the three of you made it back safe . Now to get caught up on the rest of things !

Orlando Grandma said...

Glad you are back home safe and sane.
What an experience I commend both of you girls for your strenth, patience when it was needed and all the other virtudes that take to travel a long way like that.To Ann, THANK YOU for sharing the experience with us in such a great way, Wendy thanks for being supportive of your Mom, it takes someone special to hang in there at all times. And the jason segment,that is "something else".
May I sign up in the list for fans who are waiting to see you, I think "age before beauty should count in this case. GET SOME REST

Sue said...

Welcome home! I so enjoyed your road trip. You know living through others. And it was SO nice to get to meet you and your lovely family!

Take care, Sue

Sammy said...

So glad you are back safely! We sure miss you all...Stanley really misses his Aunt Wendy! I love the pictures at the end of Wendy leaving and then returning :] I love those sugar-free lattes!!!

Mr. Tennis said...

It's great to have my ladies back home. You can only converse with the animals for so long before they haul you away.

Decor To Adore said...

Oh Mad Men! Hurry and catch up because I need to vent to someone about how much I hate Betty and how bad I feel for poor Peggy!

Mr. Decor was in hot water last week as he deleted episode 2 before I could watch it. :)

Wendy Weissmueller said...

woo home at last home at last! i couldn't have picked a better person to do a road trip with. It was fun and something I will never forget. I don't know what we would have done without those books on tape. I guesss sung ourselved silly! Great trip cant wait to do it again!