December 2017 will go down as the month I got to live out a life goal. I spent this past month helping Santa deliver cards, letters and packages between Dallas and Lubbock. So, I guess I can check this off my bucket list.
As of the writing of this post I still have a week to go, but since I can’t think of anything else to write I’ll give you a glimpse of what I experienced.
Since every drive has been done during daylight hours, 90% of the time anyway, I think I’m getting back into a normal sleep pattern. That means I’m becoming normal again.
I remember telling folks when I was a teenager that I never wanted to be considered normal. Now it feels good to be able to say I’m getting back there.
Anybody who knows me will be glad to hear I don’t expect to stay anywhere close to normal for long. I’ll be Wade again before you know it.
It took half a month to get my budget caught up to the comfortable level, but it’s there. Now let’s see how long it stays there.
It does feel good to be able to give some money to an orphanage in Uganda and pay for a family’s lunch after church yesterday.
I truly do enjoy being generous. I don’t know why God won’t keep me at a level where I can maintain this giving lifestyle.
As far as wildlife goes I’ve seen starlings, grackles, crows, ravens, black vultures, turkey vultures and turkey turkeys…an ascending size for black birds.
One of the tom turkeys was even strutting to get the attention of one of his hen friends. I guess he wanted his friend with a benefit or something.
White tail deer are out this time of year. The bucks are still sporting their antlers. There was one nice 8 point buck with a harem of does. I think he thinks he’s a elk or something. He definitely had things going his way that day.
Some critters bring a song to my mind, not always a song I want stuck in my mind either.
Prairie dogs always make me think of the movie Caddy Shack. “I’m all right” pops into my mind when I see them out eating whatever they eat.
Road runners have the same effect on me. You can tell how old I am when that theme song starts running through my mind when I spot one of them.
Meadow larks are in abundance along my route. No, the Globetrotter song doesn’t pop into my mind when I see them. I guess Meadowlark Lemon wasn’t as much of an influence on me as a cartoon bird.
I saw a covey of quail one day. Unfortunately two of them got too far out into the road as I spooked them up. I hope the one survived. The one that hit between my side mirror and driver’s door got the crap scared out of him in the least. That’s the smudge that was left on the window as a reminder of our encounter.
I’ll never forget the horses I saw running one day. There’s a ranch that raises them. As I drove by last Wednesday there was a field of them running somewhere. That was a glorious sight to behold. I wished I had my phone/camera/video thingy running to record that event, but, alas. I only have that recollection in my noggin.
Just think of dozens of horses running just for the joy of running. What brings God’s joy to you?
Taking the northern route to Lubbock brings me through some fabulous canyons. My favorite rest stop has a red dirt canyon on both sides of the road. I feel like I landed on Mars when I stop there, which I do as often as possible.
The spot is called the narrows because the canyon on the north side of the road eventually empties into the Mississippi River. The canyon on the south side of the road drains into the Gulf of Mexico. That’s what the plaque at the rest stop says.
Indians have been using the same trail for centuries before TX-114 was built.
I fully expected to experience some bad winter weather this month. So far the roads have been dry.
There was an ice storm scare for the second week. Fortunately it stayed south of my route. I hope the last three trips are as event free.
The window company needs me the two weeks after Christmas and New Years Day. After that I’m back to waiting for the phone to ring for my next job assignment.
I know God knows what’s in store for me then.
He hasn’t let me down yet. I’m sure He won’t start now.
Stay safe out there my friend.
Keep smiling. Wade
