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On The Bricks

July 1, 2019

June was wonderful. A two – week vacation got me relaxed, had time to visit with some old friends and some family, and then as I drove those last miles home feeling thankful to be back. Then on Monday morning I woke up wanting to come to work and be productive. June made July looks so good … and so fun.

During the two weeks I drove to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. That’s a long way. Lots of road time to listen to my music and sing to it when I wanted, and time to have quiet when I wanted to rest my mind. The first day I drove across Oklahoma. The second day I drove across Arkansas. The third day I drove across Tennessee, which I had been looking forward to because I’ve never explored Tennessee.

That whole exploring Tennessee still wasn’t marked off my bucket list when I crossed the state line into North Carolina. Interstate 40 is not conducive to exploring. And there’s no looking at the scenery because there are so many blamed trees that you can’t see the scenery. But I had a drive back to remedy this poor performance, so just mark it up to experience rather than adventure.

Going through North Carolina and arriving in South Carolina, I had the absolute pleasure of spending my best friends 60th birthday with her. We’ve been best friends (there are four of us) since first grade and all of us attended Panhandle State together. Having some time with Nancy was worth every single mile.

The next day after a few more hours on the road, I picked up my daughter Lisa and her friend Lisa (we call her GoGo) in Charleston. There we had our first meal of the anticipated seafood diet at a wonderful restaurant in the middle of downtown Charleston. And we stayed in a boutique inn there a few blocks away. Oh, my, it was fabulous. Our room was two – story and had two bathrooms and three TVs. I could go on, but just say it was a good call to stay there.

Then we drove to Myrtle Beach, SC, where we watched son – in – law Keith’s last baseball game and they won big time. The coast had cooled down because it was cloud covered and the humidity was unbelievable. GoGo and Lisa went to the beach and I stayed in the hotel enjoying my quiet time. And then we enjoyed all three days there.

After dropping Keith and the Lisa’s off at the Charleston airport, my road trip west began. This time I traveled the smaller roads and I seemed to weave from South Carolina into Tennessee and Mississippi and back and forth between the last two. I might have even been in Alabama for a moment, or not far from it. My roads were slow and gorgeous. I drove through where the Civil War Battle of Shiloh took place and through the Appalachian Mountains. At one point there was a mower going in front of my lane of traffic and since we couldn’t pass, it was at times stand still on the road. Nobody seemed to be nervous or cranky. We could see a beautiful and big river flowing below over the rocks and we were in the shade of the mountain. So, I rolled down my window and had that cool breeze and listened to the river. It was a highlight.

Eventually I arrived in Chattanooga and then on into Fayetteville, fulfilling my Tennessee adventure. In Memphis, the evening was great because I had supper with another old friend. It wasn’t his birthday, but we celebrated anyway. Lots of laughing and another highlight in Tennessee.

Soon I was traveling across Arkansas again and into Oklahoma, where the trees thinned out and the are thinned out. I could see better and breathe better. My heart (and lungs) were happy when I finally got home on Friday night.

Saturday was great because I could get the car cleaned out, the laundry done, sleep in my own bed. And on Sunday at church and for lunch was with Mama, supper with my daughter Missy and her family. Still need to catch up with work, with Papa, and with Justin … but there is time.

They’re all doing well, and life is good.

Hoping that your June was filled with highlights, too.

Now it’s time to make some Main Street Guymon highlights … like the Farmers Market on Saturday! I love the Farmers Market!

See you on the bricks!