Mom, What's That Smell?

Eight hours or so into our road trip, as the temperatures dipped, my daughter and I both decided it was time for a little heat in the car.  Shortly after that, we noticed a smell.  Not an engine smell, thank goodness.

But it was unpleasant.  I commented that it smelled like a dead animal.  Being a Florida girl, my daughter commented that it smelled like dead lizard.  Sadly, we know what this smells like.  Small lizards are everywhere in Florida, and we have cats.  

That seemed ridiculous, and we kept driving.  

Early in the morning, we stopped at a rest area to freshen up and change into warmer clothes.  In order to do this, I had to kick off my sneakers.  My left sock had a horrid brown wet stain by my big toe.  That's when I remembered thinking my sock was wadded up by my toe, as it felt snug.

I reached into my shoe, thinking I'd find some disgusting piece of food that had been stuck to my sock - you know - like a dried up grape or something.  But no...

It was the shrunken remains of a lizard!!

IN MY SHOE!!

ALL DEADANDEVERYTHING!!!

And now I have a perfectly good running shoe that smells like the tomb of the unknown lizard.  It smells horrid.  I don't think even Heloise has any helpful hints on how to get rid of this smell and remaining residue, but if you've got any ideas, I'm all ears.

Over the River and Through the Woods...

As the weekend approaches, we are checking off the last of the items on our to do lists.  Mountains of laundry are almost finished, and my car hasn't looked or run so well in years.

ROAD TRIP!!

My last born - the incredibly cool chick giving you the thumbs up - and I are heading north on Saturday.  She and I are on a road trip adventure to New York.  After two days in my Hyundai, she might not be looking so positive anymore, but we'll see.

Our main goal is to take a tour of a college my sweet child plans to attend next fall.  But for the other 3 and a half days we'll be home, it will be family, food, and fun in some form or another.  And while Grandmother's house is no longer that far north, there is Great Aunt's house, Cousin's house, and Aunt's house.  So we will get in our car and head over rivers, past woods, through mountains, into tunnels along Interstates to be with our loved ones for Thanksgiving.  

I am thankful for that.

Are We Forgetting?

This has been a trying year for many people.  Aside from the usual life traumas, people have been dealing with a lot of stress.  How long will my job hold out?  When will I get a job?  Are we going to lose the house?

So it's understandable that many people are focused on the day to day responsibilities of taking care of their families and keeping a roof over their heads.  

But let's not forget the men and women who have served our country in peace time and at war. 

Unlike rock stars or sports figures, they make little money, rarely become famous, and love our country more than their personal gain.  

We are quick to make heroes of young men and women who can carry a tune in a revealing outfit or throw a steady pass to make a touchdown.  

Let's remember our quiet heroes who have put on a uniform with an American flag and gone off to protect us - those who came back and those who didn't.

Thank you, Dad.

Thank you, Wilbur.

Thank you, Rick.

Thank you, Uncle Paul.

Thank you, son.

Thank you all.

*Graphic courtesy of Graphicsgarden.com