I’m home from a road-trip to Utah.  A road-trip tells so much more than a fly-over. 

I feel spunky and ready to go.  So many mornings a woke up with things I want to write about:  blog-posts, a quality article for ASQ, improvements to my novel, and yes, maybe I’ll even be a speaker at a conference.

I’m primed.

So, besides my get-up-and-go, here’s what’s on my gratitude list this Monday:

Waffle makers in hotels:  Such a warm way to start the day.  Marry that to a boiled egg and some cranberry juice, plop it down beside a hot cup of coffee and I’m ready to greet the day.

Indoor swimming pools:  Another great way to say good morning.  I love getting a little exercise in before hitting the road again.  1500 miles one-way, makes it hard for me to get in my 10000 steps a-day.  Swimming is a great way to stretch those muscles and get the heart beating.  I believe  swimming is a great way to exercise the sit-up-straight muscles.

Beautiful people:  Three women, approaching 40, or maybe just past, sat sipping coffee as I got my cup of cocoa.  They discussed their joint efforts to keep fit, lamenting their saggy arms.  “You are beautiful,” I said.  They smiled.  I smiled.

Interesting people:  Two men in particular, make that three.  One is looking for his sweet-heart from thirty years ago.  Another, a former roustabout, was blankety-blank-blanking about his boss, who stood over him naked, in the middle of the night, wanting to fight.  Of course, the third, is the boss, who showed up for waffles and coffee, fully clothed, but looking quite sheepish.

Wi-fi:  So common now.  Love that I can use my i Pad almost everywhere without having a data package.  For those other places?  My phone works almost as well.

Adventures with RoadTripper:  2/3 of the time, the suggestion was right on target.  The other 1/3?  We had a silly adventure to laugh about:  an eagle’s nest in the middle of a suburb with no trees; the world’s oldest cabin on the right road, in the wrong state.  But we did find the crane sanctuary, the world’s best ice cream, Herbert Hoover’s Library, some great restaurants, and a beautiful memorial garden.

 

Midwestern Fall Colors:  The west is full of yellows and a few golds.  Bland compared to the crimson, burnished gold, bright yellows, two-toned orange-red, burgundy and browns of the Midwest.

Knitting left undone:  I packed it up, searching the bag’s hidden pockets to make sure I had everything.  I found the battery charger to my Sony Cyber-shot.  I thought I had to break down and buy a new camera.  I had searched everywhere, tried to buy a new one (twice,) and resigned myself to never seeing it again.  Now, where can I look for my lost black sweater?  In the refrigerator perhaps.

McDonald’s calorie counts:  Wow!  Who knew a Quarter pounder with cheese is 200 calories less than a Happy Meal?  Both were free thanks to Monopoly and BlogHer.  He, who hates long drives, liked this trip so much, he’s ready to take on my longed-for Route 66 trip.

NPR:  I found NPR in every single state.  My old friend found me listening almost everywhere.

Home:  I’m so glad to be back in my own bed, bothered by a persistent Sasha.  Even Misha curled up on top of the recliner to say hello.  And, of course, Duckie had many stories to tell.  I think she enjoyed her alone time with her hubby, too.

Want more gratitude lists?  Hop on over to Alphabet Salad and follow the links.