3-28-08: Even The Ducks Are Smiling

Easy living in the burbs. Mowed my beard and head then the lawn. Washed, polished, and waxed the vehicle to perfection. Did a large portion of my income tax prep.

My sister Peg and I went downtown for spectacular Thai at the Lemongrass. Oh, ahh! Stuffed and fulfilled for $25 bucks plus tip. Easy aesthetic living. We walked around the very nice downtown area before and after dinner. The city and corporations have built a very livable scene and the people use it. Even the ducks are smiling.

It’s kind of the other side of the thought process I started in Mexico wondering what was missing and why they didn’t get the idea of delivering what people want and why I cared. It’s something to do with image and something to do with putting one’s mind to things beyond personality but I’m really not sure at all what I’m talking about. I’m quite certain that the important things will never be in words.

3-27-08: Where Next? Uh, dunno.

A nice day playing catch-up on the computer doing some actual work and then a quite strenuous walk in nearby Paris Mountain State park. I took this photo of a Canada goose on Lake Placid there.

This evening I went to an NA meeting where there were some newcomers that inspired the old timers to wax eloquent about the program and reiterate the tools very well and forcefully. What a great resource!

3-26-08: Like Home

Packed up and dawdled out of the hills. I took this picture on the ridge top of a blooming tree against the bare but budding forest. Can someone identify it? (In case you didn't know, the photo will enlarge if you click it.)

Driving and driving. Out of Alabama, through Georgia with a quick stop in Atlanta. I was pretty tired by the time I got to my sister’s place in South Carolina. Strangely it feels like home in some way. I've relaxed. It also feels as if I've come to a new intent to be more grown up. I am so tired of myself acting victimized and blaming the government, the humans, the weather, et al. I'm going to try hard to just accept and do what I can to help.

3-25-08: PetSmart Inc.

Got up, showered, took photos of mist on the lake, dried out the gear and headed for South Carolina with a quick stop outside the local library to send off some words and pictures to the Internet.

You don’t realize how big these corporations are until you cruise the country and see the same name brands again and again. Big stores like Lowes or Home Depot in town after town after town. I saw one today called PetSmart and started thinking about all the misplaced parentalism along with the infantile narcissism that humans are fermenting. Thinking about the little dog bite I got yesterday and whether dogs know what I think of the whole pet doggy scam. Thinking about whether the pet is smart or the pet owner dumb. Just then here comes a collie mix weaving back and forth across the center line in the middle of the Interstate against the 70 mile an hour traffic. Cars and semis are swerving and braking. I think I saw it dodge off the road and up the embankment in the rear view mirror.

Interstate highways taking me north and east and into the land of no leaves on the trees. When I got a little more than halfway to my next target destination I looked on the map for a park and found one. Cheaha State Park. The highest point in Alabama at 2400 feet. I know, not that high. Still, it’s going to be cold tonight.

I took some photos of the sunset from a tower and chatted with other people who came and went. Home to my “Semi Primitive” camp site and wrote this and picked a couple photos. Cold already but happy no less.

3-24-08: Dogwood Heaven

Up and enjoying the hot shower—the campground is almost empty. All the weekenders gone and just two tent campers left including me. I found the dogwood to photograph. I’ve been wanting to do that for days. They are either too tall to get close ups of the blossoms or in someone’s yard or along an Interstate, or something. Cut oats for breakfast on the propane stove. The computer charging nicely off the auxiliary battery through my new 2000 watt inverter. The gear is being refined and becoming more satisfying. Life is good. I look out over the lake and compare this to the previous night’s motel. This is better. And they gave me a senior discount off the usual $7 fee. Heh.

I took a nice walk and found more dogwoods. I suppose the fact that it is almost the only thing flowering—that and my sweat shirt, jacket, and gloves should tell me that I’m too far north but I’ll push on toward South Carolina tomorrow anyway and hope that spring will catch up to me.

3-23-08: Mississippi

On the road out of the motel and looking for an eleven o’clock meeting in Baton Rouge. It wasn’t there. So, back into the Easter morning Interstate traffic past the overflowing church parking lots, past, and over, lots of bayous, rivers, creeks, bottoms, swamps, sloughs, and lakes. Lots of water. The trees leafing out in light bright yellow-green among the dark pines. Dogwood blooms. And thus into Mississippi where the destructive power of hurricane Katrina is still evidenced even this far from the coast and this much later in time. Broken trees, trashed forests, and the occasional missing roof.

The Little Black Creek campground was waiting for me. I staked out a site and went into town for some errands. I was able to connect to the Internet by lurking behind the closed library in Hattiesburg. Dinner at Shoney’s where my youngest daughter used to work. “American Food.” And plenty of it. Addicts, even recovering addicts like me, probably should avoid all-you-can-eat places. Especially all-you-all-can-eat places. I found a nice NA meeting at 6 PM and got my fellowship fix.

Arrangements to visit the oldest daughter tomorrow afternoon. So back to the campsite to stand by the lakeside and watch in the starlight some swimming animal making a small wake on the glassy surface. Then to sleep. As I drifted off I thought how much I really love living outdoors. I appreciate the solitude, quiet, nature sounds, and most of all, the delicious air.