A weekend in October behind the wheel.

Following a highly unproductive day at work trying to reproduce and solve something sporadic on Friday, I headed west for a weekend of thinking behind the wheel. Just Sandy and I. (FYI Sandy is my Avalanche). First Stop: Tim's mansion in Colleyville Tim, a member of my small group through the Village Church, invited the group and me over for dinner and whatever at his place. Tim is basically house sitting and repairing his parents' old house. They moved to some state that begins with a M, that I obviously forgot the name of. It's pretty empty, but it still had a dining room table and chairs invite us over for a great meal. Many thanks go to my brother in Christ, Tim. 2nd Stop: Grandmother’s – Sipe Springs, TX – Population I arrived at Grandmother’s pretty late Friday night, but not before having a small run-in with the LAW. So, I turn off of Interstate 20 and decided to slow Sandy down to a reasonable speed to save gas and be better able to avoid farm animals, which the totals came to be 4-Dear, 1-Coon, 1-Skunk and 1-Cow. I set the cruise on 60 mph and turned on the brights. Something off in the ditch up ahead… a car… three cars… black and whites lined up next to each other. I pass still going 60 with no idea of the speed limit and the brights still on. Lights Flash! Sirons Scream! Cop says to me you go a license plate light out get it fixed and change your address on your driver’s license, and then I’m back on the road. Thank you God! That makes two lights currently out on Sandy. I’m going to get one of those rows of lights above the windshield like truckers have, and maybe some others somewhere else two. Sandy is gunna be all lit up and perty. I get to grandmother’s around midnight and she and grandpa didn’t wait up for me like I asked them to. Shower, set the alarm for 6 and head to bed. October 8th 8:48am – Good Morning Apparently I didn’t wake up at 6, probably a good thing I didn’t. I say howdy to the folks and hit the road again. 3rd Stop: Paint Horse Show – Sweetwater, TX Thank Texas for road signs, otherwise it probably would have taken me longer to find the fair grounds. So, I head on in with my journal and Lornadoons and take a seat in the bleachers. To my right is the announcer’s table and show secretaries, and to my left a local FFA or 4H group practicing horse judging. I spent most my time in the stands eating Lornadoons, watching the riders and different classes being judged, and thinking through the specifics of my business idea, which is the major purpose for me being in Sweetwater. I soon realized the consumers were not present nor could I attract them, therefore the business would not succeed. So, I began to think further beyond my own adolescent idea, and opened myself up to other options. Lots of thinking, a little roaming around, Lornadoon crumbs, casual glances at the cute country girls staring at the horses and their notebooks. I looked up and Sweetwater was in the rear view mirror, and we were back on the road. 4th Stop: Overpass somewhere west of Abilene gazing off into the horizon I had to stop to snap a shot of the wind mill generators on the horizon. 5th Stop: Flying J Truck Stop on I20 I stopped in to see if they had any of those steering knobs and left with two in hand. Everyone thinks it is strange that I have a knob on Sandy’s steering wheel, but few like it. So, now whomever likes it will be offered there own. Last Stop: Sipe Springs, TX - Again For the rest of the weekend I relaxed at Grandmother’s watching movies and golf, playing poker, loosing change money, drinking Corona’s, eating great food, talking to Fredda, grandmother and grandpa, teaching John (my youngest cousin) how to play soccer better, and sleeping in. It was great to be back on the ranch and even better to be back on the road with only my thoughts hindering me. Thanks for reading this far, it means something to me. God bless.