decisions, decisions, decisions oh and Miracle Max

People. They’re practically everywhere. In constant motion, crawling along the planet’s surface. And unless you choose to become something of a hermit and move to a place virtually uninhabited like the Sahara or Antarctica (neither of which, however, do I recommend due to the fact that each is a highly inconvenient place to start a community by yourself) they’re inescapable.

It’s interesting to think about the way people think, if you think about it. Why people make the decisions they make, and what effects they have, and what would have happened had they made a different choice. And why they didn’t take that path in the first place.For instance, why the figurative fellow in the car next to me chose to wear such an ugly shade of eye shadow, or why the person next to him chose to buy a Mt. Dew in a plastic bottle when, obviously, it tastes much more refreshing out of a glass bottle. Or why they’re even in the car at all. I almost want to dress en costume as Miracle Max, knock on their windshield and cry out 

"Hey! Hello in there. Hey! What's so important? What you got here that's worth living for?"

Maybe not those exact words, but you get the idea.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, unbeknown to me, the man in the eggplant-colored eye shadow is on his way to a volunteer educational play about Hidden Valley. The person beside him bought the plastic bottle beverage out of the convenience of having lid; and had I knocked on the windshield, the sight of me dressed up as Miracle Max would’ve given him such a fright that, had he not had said convenient cap, he would’ve thrown his Mt. Dew up in the air, sloshing our eggplant friend and creating a landslide of runny eye shadow. Thus, making him late for his play, and all the little kiddos would have to go home disappointed.

But what really induced them to make such decisions I’ll probably never know. And we’re only three out of billions of humans out there, making choices that could change the face of history or life as we know it. But thankfully, we’re not alone in this big universe. God’s got our past, present, and future all in the palm of his hand. Each of our billions of either brilliant or incredibly stupid choices happening at the same time; he sees them all. We don’t have to worry about the future, because he’s got it all. Thanks God :)

Have fun storming the castle :)

wigs and mountain tops

Moths flutter noiselessly around the lights attached to the roof of the wooden wrap-around porch while the sound of the cricket’s and cicada’s raspy overture floats along the chilly evening breeze. Lights twinkle cheerily through the trees. But best of all, the smooth roll of Blue Ridge is unfolding before me in glorious spectrum. The massive mounds of earth slice into the fading sky, making it seem as if it’s just us, our rented log cabin, and the mosquitoes. In the middle of nowhere.

Montagnes. Mountains. The word would have the same meaning in any language.  It means winding roads, steep cliffs, beautiful glades, and views that take your breath away, tearing it from you, twisting it around, and carrying it off into the sunshine like crisp autumn leaves, or a certain wig that a strange neighbor that you don’t particularly like gave to you as a birthday present. 

 

Grandfather Mountain was, in a word, incredible. After strutting across the swinging, mile-high bridge, we scrambled along the top of the craggy cliff top. To the left and below, the winding road curled around like a lock of light blonde hair with highlights down the mountain. To the right, the ledge jutted out and disappeared in the grey, foggy, nothingness. 

Mile-high bridge

 

After walking down the trail to the parking lot while mom and dad drove with the little ones, and having an incredible encounter with a certain white tale doe and her fawn, we endeavored to undertake the Black Rock trail. I must say, it was quite a feat to behold, taking a hike with two three-year-olds, but it was worth it. There were viewpoints along the trail where you had to cling to the cable like a monkey and pull yourself along a ginormous boulder. To the panorama no words or pictures could do justice. But I will say that Marianne’s words for Sense and Sensibility came to mind:

“Is there any felicity in the world superior to this?”

Blowing rock was, although fun, a bit mediocre. I think the legend-person who jumped off like a million years ago died…there was not enough gust to support a very light feather- let alone a full-grown warrior…but that’s just a matter of opinion. The town of blowing rock was pleasant. So different from back home. Shops and cute cafés line Main Street. Residents congregate in the park and content customers loiter on cast iron benches as they happily slurp their pastel ice cream cones. 

For some reason, we always seem to gravitate towards mountains as our get-away. For some people, it’s the coast they turn to as refuge from life’s craziness, for others it’s the hustle and bustle of big cities they enjoy. But for us as a family (I mean, I think I’d enjoy anything), and I’m sure for many other people, we seem to feel closer and more at home when we’re in danger of slipping and plummeting off a cliff, or when we’re lying on our stomachs on a precipice, holding our faces out over the edge to feel the exhilarating breeze. Or when we’re standing a mile high at the top of a mountain; shut out from the rest of the world in a foggy cloud.

But good dreams eventually come to an end, and we begin descending the winding roads. Let the cow counting begin.

Clown shoes and carousels

Adventures can take you anywhere. They are enticing occasions that can take you from the sultry cabin of a coal-guzzling locomotive, to a hard, jutting peak in the Himalayas slicing the sky, to the gut of an aircraft, plucking conveniently salty peanuts out of their crinkly gold packaging while scribbling furiously in a deliciously old and rumpled notebook. Which is where you find me, yet again. On my way back home sweet home. 

Ah, Florida. It was grand to see it again. Although, I’ll admit, I thought flying was a bit strange. You see, I’m used to driving the whole long fourteen hour journey south in our good ol’ blue club wagon with the rest of the clan, where changes along the road come gradually. But flying, oh no, you land and, whoa, there’s palm trees, like, EVERYWHERE. But that’s just culture shocked little ol’ me.  ^_^
                Anyway. I decided I’m not going to record my adventure play-by-play, but I’ll just give a description, in case you’re interested 

Twice, we went to the beach, where the clear emerald surf crashed its white foamy mass over the sandy coast. The shells shone like time-worn pebbles on the grainy bottom. Pelicans soared overhead. It was gorgeous. The sunburn? Not so much.

                At the Brunswick harbor lanes we pulled on those funny clown shoes, tugging at the greasy laces. Then we bowled a good five games or so. Phil creamed me in like every game. But it’s all good. 

Don't they look like clown shoes?

                Driving down US 1, we visited some relatives and swam in their pool (FAIL of the day…stepped on my sunglasses and cracked them…oh well), and then strolled down to the fish and gator-infested river.  (Well, I’m not so sure about the gators, but you never know …) 

River :)

Grandma :)

                Ah. And we went to the chocolaty cocoa beach, where the crowds surf, swim, play volleyball, or just stroll along the shore. Oh, and we went to Ron Jon Surf Shop. That place is incredible! It’s like a beach version of Dick’s Sporting Goods. No joke. It’s an extraordinary place with a medley of souvies and hard-core surfing equipment, from key chains to wetsuits.

Need i say more?

Ron Jon Surf Shop ♥

Welcome to Cocoa

But most of all, we had opportunities to visit family, which is most important in my book.

One day we had dinner with my uncle, or, my dad’s “older brother’s little brother.” As they like to put it.  And then Tuesday we drove two hours across to Lakeland and had lunch at steak and shake (I think it was my first time) with cousins, whom, I might add, we hadn’t seen in AGES.

"He makes this really funny face when he bites into a lemon.."

Me and Sierra :)

___________

So even though Florida was marvelous I can’t wait to touch back down, hug the fam, stand in line at the carousel and wait for my overstuffed suitcase to come around the corner. Question. Why do they call it a carousel? 

That’s a carousel.

That’s a baggage-goes-around-in-a-circle-so-people-can-watch-it-and-find-their-bags-after-they-go-around-a-million-times-thingamajig. 
 Why do they call it a carousel just because it goes around in a circle?

anyway.

I know I was only gone a week and a half, but it felt great to step into the terminal in our tiny little airport (the one in Orlando is like a mall) and power walk down the familiar mermaid-adorned carpet and see family at the end of the long corridor. Thanks for reading.

-yours etc.

Peculiar places: airports

I'm writing this to you in a notebook while reclining in the belly of a SouthWest Airliner. Below, me, the fluffy avalanche of Toy Story clouds spill across the face of the earth, like someone had gone crazy with the shaving cream or something. Beside me, the sun glints off the tip of the blue and red wing. The little girl in front of me peaks between the seats at my scribbling, but turns away when i glance up. Above, the sapphire sky canopies safely all around. The flight attendants hand out complimentary snacks, and soon the scent of salty peanuts spreads like butter through the cycled air. Airports are peculiar places. Most of us have entered them at one time or another. Either for the arrival or departure of a loved one, or for our own means of travel. I think they're peculiar because they're pretty much the only place where people come together at one time from all the corners of the world and congregate in one place. each with their individual stories. And it's the start of something big. Something that 200 years ago was said to be impossible. That's why it's peculiar. Strange. Unusual. As we said goodbye, scanned our boarding passes and walked down the terminal, I felt a mixture of excitement and fear swirling around me. we put our bags in the overhead bins and grab a pair of seats. And this is where you find me. So i'll just munch my over-salted peanuts and anticipate our landing in Orlando.