Change of plans

Virginia didn't work out, so I am back in Texas.  And while Abilene wasn't my favorite town, I did really love where I worked and the people I worked with.  I'm not on the same floor, but I like where I'm at and have already reconnected with local friends. 

The big benefit is I'm only on nights for a few weeks and will be back to a day shift.  I have learned as I get older I function better working days.  I'm a complete sun addict after my stint in Arizona.  It's been pretty windy so far, more so than normal according to locals.  If that lets up I shouldn't be crazy at the end of this assignment.

The drive down here went well, with a humorous siting of a truck pulling a trailer of tires on the side of the road with a flat tire.  And I truly love driving through Kansas, I think it's beautiful, especially The Flint Hills.  So far in my travels the only place I have not enjoyed driving through is Nebraska!!

Anyway, I'm looking forward to adventures and funny stories while I'm in TX, because I truly believe it's all in your perspective.  Or maybe I'm just blessed with a great sense of humor and knack for being in the right place at the right time (or wrong place at the wrong time....however you see it).

Feel free to go somewhere else, please!

So in a little over a week I have driven over 2500 miles with the briefest of stops at home and Cincinnati.  I'm looking forward to July and being home for a little longer stretch, but I greatly enjoyed the time I was able to spend with friends and family.

I am now in Danville, Virginia.  For supper last night I went to Subway, and I admit by the time I got there I was a little hangry.  The guy in front of me seemed indecisive, and then I realized that he would ask the price of an item, and when told he would say he could go to the sub shop up the road and get it for less.  He did this repeatedly, and I looked at one of the workers and mouthed "So go somewhere else"  and she nodded back at me.

Turns out, he does this all the time.  The poor Subway people have to deal with him frequently.  I do not get it.  The prices aren't going to get cheaper suddenly, and the person making the sandwich isn't the one determining the price.  I call that an exercise in futility.  He finally said he was going to the other sub shop because it was cheaper.  Maybe he owns that shop and was casing the competition? 

Anyway, I figure if that was my first experience in Danville I am in for a real treat of nonstop laughs the next three months!!

Home, sweet home

So I was sent home early my last shift after I discharged 75% of my patients, so I had a two hour head start on my trek home.  It was quite the adventure.  I am home, in one piece and with no go fast awards gained on the way.  We will call it a success!

So that's what Mesa looked like as I left.  It was gorgeous, except that it decided to rain for only the second time since I've been there.  Not really a big deal, but I was driving through  mountains, as it got dark, and I'd never been through there before. 

Once I got passed Payson it decided to fog from the the road up, there were "beware of elk" signs every ten feet and sleet.  As I continued to gain altitude the road became more slushy and my speed dwindled, making a mockery of my two hour head start.

By the time I got to I-40 it was a full out blizzard.  I know I was on the highway, going the right direction, by mostly had no clue what lane I was in as I could see nothing.  Thankfully a semi flew past me and I just followed his taillights and made up some time.

It cleared up once I got passed the Continental Divide, except that's when the crosswinds kicked in.  I decided to keep going because it was too cold to get out of the car.  I made it to Albuquerque, which comes up really sudden.  You know there's a city from the light ahead, but then you crest a hill and boom, there it is!

The picture doesn't do it justice, but it's a pretty cool sight to see at night.  It also meant I was stopping for the night.  It was only 2am local time.  I slept a few hours and got back in the car and decided I was going for broke and making it all the way home.

There were flurries to start out the morning, followed by a dust storm in Texas.  I stopped in Amarillo for coffee and discovered that all Starbucks in Texas towns that start with the letter A absolutely suck.  And I must have passed half the snowbirds from Mesa before Kansas city.  Good news is they don't drive at night, which meant no traffic after 8pm!

This will all be quite the surprise to my mom in the morning as she thinks I'm somewhere in Kansas.  Dad was in the know and Truman was in the basement, so he's already had his big reunion.  Hopefully I can walk in the morning, because after 15 hours in the car I'm a little stiff!