Spring 2014 March 21 Friday

46 degrees this morning.

Thank goodness I can finally write "Spring 2014"!  This has to be the worst, longest Winter since we moved to Lakeland.  I was going to write last night after it officially became "Spring", but other priorities (such as Kali and Katherine, eating and March Madness) got in the way.

We did a "tuit" yesterday, after 12 years, we visited Oxford, Mississippi and "the Square".  It was actually everything we expected and more, a lot of fun.  Kali and Katherine enjoyed it, with Katherine stating she "wanted to live there!".  We walked around the Square and ate at the "City Grocery", probably the closet to the concept of Southern Manners and elegance in dining that we will experience, at least for lunch.  We also saw the famous "Square Books" along Square Jr. (children) and "Off Square Books".  

I almost always take off my hat when I eat, more as a matter of my own preference, since other men rarely do.  The City Grocery hostess asked me to remove mine, which is rather embarrassing , but she was correct.  (I usually remove it when I sit down and she reminded me before I sat dow).  They do have a sign asking everyone to quiet their cell phones and "Gentlemen remove your hats".  We throughly enjoyed eating there.  They didn't have a lot of the vegan in our group, but other than that the food was excellent and I said the heck with carbs and at the candied sweet potatoes.  They also had their own specially blended coffee, which was excellent.  

Our next Tuit is to go to the Shiloh Civil War Battlefield.  I have lived probably about 40 miles from it for 12 years and have never gone.  We did go by the Parker Crossing battlefield one time (at Tennessee exit 108 on I-40) which was interesting.  

My cousin, Ken, provided me with a perfect solution to my dilemna of "too much stuff", especially things related to memories.  He suggested I take a digital picture, which is the perfect solution.  Sometimes the solution to a problem is right there!  When he suggested this, I had an "ah ha" moment of "why didn't I think of that!".  (I can even take pictures of my clothing I have grown attached to also, inc addition to the event t-shirts etc.  But, not the Hot Wheels.  They are staying!

The trip to Oxford was by back roads (which is about the only way to get there unless you go way out of your way, at least from Lakeland). That trip, combined with the detours to avoid I-40 constructed in Arkansas reminded me of my "Elk Mountain Rendezvous".  The Wichita Mountains are wonderful part of southwest Oklahoma.  One day a friend and I decided to visit the Wichita Mountains and hike.  We visited Medicine Park (don't miss this former resort town), saw "Mount Scott"  (I believe about 6,000 feet height, it looks like a thumb rising out of the ground), then on to the trails

We hiked up Elk Mountain.  On the way up, a buffalo was blocking the trail.  For some reason I proceeded on the trail.  The buffalo raised its "(MASSIVE) head and looked at me.  I said "Good Morning Mr. Buffalo".  The next thing I remember was thinking "I'm wrestling a buffalo, why am I wrestling a buffalo? The buffalo had charged me, or at least ran towards me.  When something like this happens, it seems to happen in a slow time frame.  I remember my thoughts, and I remember looking behind me and seeing the shocked look on the faces of my friend and two other hikers who had just rounded the corner.  

I don't think it hit me until later how dangerous it could have been.  It made a good story for speeches!  I hiked the Elk Mountain one more time, but I stayed away from the buffalo.  

That's it for now.

Winter 2014 March 8 Saturday

37 degrees this morning.  Miserable day yesterday, hopefully will be better today.  Good to be home, although we did have a very enjoyable conference and visit with friends.  Daylight Savings Time usually means Spring is coming, but this is one of those Winters when you wonder if it will be one of those Summers that never really arrive.  On the other hand, this Winter could mean a very hot Summer.  I am ready to see my first crocus, which to me is a sign of Spring.

Indulged in some over-eating, will get back in the groove.  Eating right while traveling is so difficult, at least for me.  Perhaps a matter of allowing an excuse for not eating right!  I have also been drinking Gatorade (which seems to be almost pure sugar) hopping to forestall a cold, although it could just be allergies or a reaction to traveling to a different climate.  I hate getting a cold and realizing I have 7 days (or more) of misery.

Aliene and her friend have been friends for over 40 years.  Started in Oklahoma City and continued though the life changes, moves to different states and other major life changes.  They don't get to visit personally a lot, so it is important when they do get a chance.

I have always known about the "familiarly trap", where you don't go see so meeting because you live so close that you can always visit when you "get a round tuit".  The Memphis area has a number of sites we see only when we have friends or family visit, and fortunately, we have seen most of this places in Memphis we would want to see (that we know of anyway!), although we probably need to do more "day trips".  For example, I never tire of the Mississippi.  It rouses my interest and actual excitement whenever I look at it.  It is truly the "nightly Mississippi".  I could actually enjoy living by the Mississippi and just sitting outside and watching it go by.  While we have lived in Lakeland, we have seen the Mississippi at way below average and in flood stage, and it is always interesting.  I can only imagine going down the Mississippi in a raft.  I will probably do the second best thing and bicycle down along the Mississippi.  

Two things we haven't done, which we will do this Spring, is visit Shiloh and Oxford, Mississippi.  I can't believe I have lived within an hours drive (more of less) of both and never gone.  Something I will definitely take care of this Spring.   I don't believe in "bucket lists", but if I did, those two items would definitely be on it.  I'm sure there are other sites or places we would enjoy, maybe we will do some exploring.  One of the more unusual places in Memphis (to me anyway) is the "Metal Museum" which includes actual artisans who create metal art.

Just checked my spam folder on my gmail account, over 1,000 e-mails!  Once I found one that shouldn't have been on there, had to scan them one by one before I deleted them.  I check this morning and there were 68 more!  I really hate the way Gmail is set up, to separate what Google feels is "social media" and "promotional e-mails".  Google isn't any better than Amazon at determining what I want to see or read.  I wish they would just stop trying, it is really irritating. 

Good to be home for awhile.