Summer Happenings

Even though I still have a little less than a month until summer is over I'm entitling this summer happening because the rest of the summer will most likely be uneventful. I realize this will most likely be the last summer I have so I have taken it easy and relaxin'. A usual day consist of get up, go to work at the lab for a couple of hours and then come home and find something to pacify the time until I go to bed again. Yes I do realize most people that will be reading this haven't been able to do this and probably lead busy lives and don't want to hear this but I have the attitude I won't be able to do this later in life after I graduate. I will say "Hi My name is Beverly Martin and I am a lazy bum."
Anyway having said that the big events this summer have been going out to visit my grandparents and relatives in Idaho. My parents and I began our trip in their red Impala at 5:30 in the morning headed north on Highway 43 (later different highways and interstates) toward Magnolia IL and Magnolia MN. The first day we talked about where all the oil in the world comes from. Mind you this is 5:30 in the morning. Somewhere in the conversation a mountain ended up falling on all of the dinosaurs heading north out of Wyoming and killing them, making the big strip of oil they have in Wyoming. Somewhere after that conversation I took a nap and when I woke up we were in Selmer, TN. I was still laughing about the oil conversation when we happened upon what looked like a local of the Selmer area's business. No joking, the restaurant is called Smack Ya'self BBQ. It was all over, I laughed all the way to Jackson, TN and at times still laugh hysterically .
The second day, Saturday, we arrived in Magnolia, IL around 6:00pm. It's a little bigger than Magnolia, AL (which probably every little town is bigger than Magnolia, AL). It seemed to carry on the theme of the Midwest in that corn is everywhere. If looked upon in a helicopter there would be corn, corn, corn, and even more corn, little town of Magnolia surrounded by corn, corn, then more corn. There was, no kidding, corn. In this little town or village as the guy told Dad the only business in a pub. Across from the pub is the volunteer fire dept., of which Dad had walked over in front of the pub to take a picture of and not noticing the, bless his little heart, wasted guy sitting in a car. He commented to dad that there wasn't very much to take a picture of and Dad, being really excited to have a local to talk to and tell him the history of Magnolia, IL proceeded to talk to him. Mom and I had stayed in the car parked by the vol. fire dept. see dad talking to the guy and the we hear the guy shout MAGNOLIA, ALABAMA. Apparently Dad had told him where he is from. Dad and this guy talk a little bit more and then the guy's drinking buddy comes out of the pub. The guy tells his friend where this guy taking a picture is from and that Dad wants to take a picture of them (cause dad did ask if he could) and the friend opens the door of the pub and yells, "Hey this guys want to take a picture of us." and gets two women to come out. Dad sees these women that are dressed in their lets just say afternoon drinking not much there outfits and instantly smiles. He smiles while taking the picture and then smiles some more when walking to the car and getting in. While Dad was talking to the guys mom and I notice a smaller size SUV come up with what looked like blue lights flashing stop a policewomen gets out, says by to her passenger, whom just looked like she was dropping of at the vol. fire dept. which looked like a wedding reception is taking place. The friend of the guy waves and says hi to the local women authority whom proceeds to not pay any attention to this greeting gets back in her small size SUV and drive of quickly. (I realize now that some of my rambling may not make sense and hard to follow if so just ask in the comment section and I will translate.)
The third day wasn't as eventful as the first two. We arrive in Magnolia, MN and took some pictures there and realized we need gas, but Magnolia being the same as Magnolia AL has no commercial business at all. We proceed to a nearby neighboring town which is at least 17 miles up the road in hopes mom and I won't have to push the car to a gas station while dad steers. Thankful for everything that is right with the world we were able to find a gas station and fill up without mom and I having to push while dad steers. Later that night we were able to make it to Cody, WY. The plans for the evening were to eat and go to the famous Cody, WY Rodeo, but not for me. While going through the wonderful and beautiful mountains of WY my body decides it doesn't like the back and forth motion of going up the passes in the mountains so it decides to yell at me and give me crap about it. Hence...motion sickness. Every time I tried to sit up and enjoy the wonderful and beautiful mountains of WY my body would scream, "Do you want to see your lunch, if not, lay back down." Which sucked. Needless to say I stayed the night in the hotel room trying to convince myself that I needed to eat the soup mom had gotten me at the restaurant. Around nine I was able thankfully to convince myself.
The next day we arrived at grandma and grandpa's house and had a very enjoyable and relaxing time for the next week. The trip back consisted of me taking a lot of naps because there was nothing else to do and all of us wishing we were back at home and not driving across the country.