Back On The Street Again

Photo by Little Mountain 5

I have driven from Portland, Oregon to Pomona, California so many times over the past 45 years that I believe I could do it with eyes closed.  I could safely try it along that long boring straight stretch between Sacramento and Stockton but the best stretch is in central California along the California Aqueduct.  I mean, there's just this aqueduct on one side and these rolling hills along the other.  Not that different than driving I-70 through Kansas....  Cornfields on one side and oh! yeah! Cornfields on the other! I think this just might work and could spice up the drive.

One of the joys of driving south along I-5 is seeing the different glacier-topped and snow-capped mountains along the way.  One of the most spectacular views is Mount Shasta.  It simply sits there, waiting to be discovered, waiting for the drivers to have that sudden intake of breath in awe.  It's on the left of the freeway...no it's on the right!  No, you were correct the first time.  It's so close you feel you can reach out and touch it as you drive.

Don't we look gorgeous on our new bed?

The roadtrip is usually uneventful, and this drive was no exception.  All my drama happened before I left. It started with our new bed.  It is a gorgeous glorious new bed.  Because my fella has snoring issues--perhaps sleep apnea--and I have fibromyalgia and neuropathy pain in my feet (no reason, just one of the lucky ones), our sleeping needs are different.  So we decided to get a Tempur-Pedic adjustable bed.  As we switched it out for a water-tube bed, the salesperson said it will take a bit of getting used to.  The first couple of nights we both woke up often and played with the adjustments throughout the night.  In the morning, my right hip was sore from finding the worst possible positions I could find.  By Wednesday, I was having trouble walking.  My chiroguy adjusted me and it seemed to be getting better.  But sometime in the middle of the night on Thursday, I got up and heard this crrrrrraaaccccccccck and suddenly I could hardly breathe, let alone stand or walk.  Emergency chiroguy visit.  I had dislocated my hip.  He put it back in place and told me to use heat.  Yay!

I was leaving the next day--on Saturday--and spending the night in Sacramento, as usual.  That meant an early start Saturday morning.  Most everything was packed and the car itself was ready.  I had found the sweet spot for sleeping on the new bed and, except the pain in the hip, was doing fine.

Meanwhile, I had had a root canal Thursday morning.  No problems at all with pain.  I had an appointment for the permanent filling (it was through a crown) to be placed when I came home in June. As I went to bed Friday night, I noticed the temporary filling was gone.  I just had this hole in the top of my molar.  Yay!  Emergency dental visit Saturday morning.  And since there were no open slots, I simply had to sit in the office and wait for a doctor to slide me in.  Could be hours.  Might not leave Saturday.  But wait! I figured if I was home and ready to leave by noon, I could stay in Redding for the night rather than Sacramento and still get to Los Angeles on Sunday (a much preferable day to drive through the area at rush hour).  And it worked out! New temp filling in place, home in time, finish packing the car and heading south right at noon!  Dog was resigned that she was in the car as she lay in her little car bed.  No puking, just reproach in her glances.

Yeah, the fun just never stops.

About around Grants Pass, I realized I had left all meds at home.  Doug packaged them up and dropped them in a mailbox.  Yay!  I should receive them Tuesday.

Photo by Tom Stienstra, April 2016

I was so happy to find that Lake Shasta is up to nearly normal levels.  Such a blessing after being nearly dry the summer and fall before.  The sight was glorious as I drove around the lake and into Redding. 

Somewhere around Stockton, I realized I had left the charger chords for iPhone, iPad, and NOOK at home.  Doug had them ready to mail but we thought we could just buy new ones down here.

I arrived at my apartment feeling fine.  Went out to dinner with my sister and brother-in-law and then decided I needed some groceries and those charger chords.  I tried...but the pain in my hip made it too hard to think and to walk, so I gave it up and went home.  Besides, all the chords I needed would cost over $40; mailing cost would be maybe $8.  Doug dropped the chords in the mailbox.  And the next day I bought a cane to help me walk.

Mom is doing as fine as she can do.  So happy to see me.  Pushing her around in her wheelchair is like having a big walker for me, so we can still go outside and around for a little walk.

And so life is good.  Except for Zoë, who is afraid of the cane.  I have to hide it behind the couch when we are in the apartment or else she stays under the bed.  

The adventures just keep coming!  Meds and chords won't actually get here until maybe Friday.  Glad we paid for express mailing so they would cost more to arrive later than regular mail...  My bad.  I figured dropping the paid boxes in the local mailbox would be just peachy.  Charging phone in the car when I can.  iPad dead.  Finished the book I was reading before the NOOK died.  Have to actually turn real pages to read the next book.  What sacrifice. 

peace~~~