The Vacation

Day 1
Quite interesting having a talking GPS unit guide you to your destination! I kinda liked it. and she didn't mind what i called her, she just kept on directing us. We stopped in Springfield for lunch, at Panera Bread, favorite hotspot with free WiFi.
Got online, found a hotel in Hannibal, MO and booked it. Oh, and the Salmon topped salad was excellent! We even found time to stop at the local JoAnn Fabrics there...(go figure) just across the parking lot from Panera... I got to use my FIRST Flyer coupon! YAY!!!... then on our way we went... We found the hotel perfectly, with "Chickie's" help and checked in. After throwing our stuff in the room, we went to try out the restaurant on the corner for dinner, Fiddlestix, it was Great! The oddest thing on the menu was a side dish of "melted white cheese". The waitress says people use it for dipping in with chips or whatever. We didnt try it. Back to the room... Upon entering the room we found it freezing. So I went to turn down the A/C and on the way i cracked my ankle on the bedframe, it hurt like nothing has hurt beore... lots of ice went on it and left it there for hours. In fact i fell asleep with it on.

Day 2
We went to downtown Hannibal today, walked thru a bunch of stores, took a trolley ride.. which really upset my stomach, then found the quilt shop and all was right with the world!... I just cant get used to the stores here not allowing the public use of their store restrooms. One lady did and I was so grateful, but the next one directed me to a public restroom building a block away! Yes, they were clean, Very clean, but they were a BLOCK away!!! Anyway, enough for one afternoon, we headed back to the hotel for a rejuvenation period. YES, a NAP. Well, "he napped" and I posted to my blog. Ok? Later we're going to the hot tub! and dinner. Then we'll see what tomorrow brings. Oh, we did find one Geo Cache, full of stuff, so we left something, and took something, and logged it in the book. Yay... I think that's #18 (thanks Derrick)

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Harry Potter

We saw the new Harry Potter movie last nite. (Order of the Phoenix) It was really good! I had heard some rumblings about this one being "darker than the others" which I find utter nonsense. Of course there IS dark... the dark side... but that represents evil... and the entire plot is that of Good vs. evil. How can you represent that without showing a Dark side? Duh. At any rate, it was well done, and the hubster said it was amazingly close to the book. (I haven't read the book so I couldn't say) - My Vote... Go See it.

The bain of my existence - Traffic!

Even down in my part of the country, where there really isn't any "traffic" as I knew it in Chicago, the drivers here think they make the rules.

I have recently, due to gas prices, found that driving the speed limit is actually a GOOD thing to do. I've spent alot of my life... yes.. speeding. But more recently I talked with a neighbor and he mentioned he had increased his gas mileage by keeping his tachometer at 2000 - or as close as possible. "It makes me a little slow off the line," he says, "but I eventually get up to speed and get there just the same, and using less gas." So I decided to try it. I try to stay near the 2000 mark on the tach, which is harder to do than you think, and I also try to keep my speed at the speed limit. (Novel idea, eh?) I have increased my gas mileage from 21 mpg to 25 mpg just doing that! I like it! At $3.00+/ gallon, you BET I like it.

But there's another group of people that don't like it, those are the ones that feel they just have to go around me. Now, passing me doesn't bother me but they also give me glaring, dirty looks on the way around! >>> WHAT'S UP WITH THAT???? Don't they look at their speedometers and notice THEY are the ones breaking the law??

If you want to pass someone going slower than you that's one thing, but if they are doing the Legal Limit, it is NOT OK to give them dirty looks!! Hello!!?? In what universe is that ok with you?

Thanks for letting me vent. If anyone feels the same, feel free to post a comment,.. or if you are one of the ones glaring at me... Please Explain WHY this makes sense to you?

Thanks!