“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved

body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!”
— Hunter S. Thompson

I’m sitting on a leather couch in Russell, KS. This is the first stop on our 3-day journey back home. Above me, a sign states, “May your Journey always lead you home.” A timely message for our little family. This Air B and B are two bedrooms, a large living room, and a nice kitchen. It’s hidden away downtown in an old building, but it’s recently been remodeled. It’s a very bohemian space.

There is a 1970’s television stand with a nice 55-inch flat-screen. The floors are shellacked wood; the walls have been freshly painted grey, the furniture looks to be from 1970. It’s all in good taste, the person that furnished this has a sense of style. There is a tall bar-type table in front of the television. There are two bedrooms, each with a Queen bed; the kitchen is significant, a small table occupies the room’s right, and the bathroom is tucked away back in the corner.

We arrived at about 6:00 Central Time, 5:00 Moutain Time, and 7:00 Eastern Time; it’s essential to know the time zone when you travel. So at 7:00 a.m. Central time, 6:00 Mountain Time, my alarm went off, and I would have sworn it was maybe 3:00 a.m. So we got another fantastic night of sleep, 9 hours or so, the bed was beautiful.

We got here and took PVHT for a walk around town. We found a lovely little eatery around the corner called The Bar; we took Parker back to the Air B and B and then walked over to sit and have a bite to eat. We ordered a little flatbread; it was serviceable, my wife had club soda, I opted for a diet soda. We returned home, watched “Mom’s” Netflix account, we caught a campy movie and then a television show before returning to bed.

I read another 30 minutes and finished my book, which means I’ll download another before leaving this morning. I’ve just finished a Mark Haddon collection of short stories; I think I might go back to his well and buy another one of his works; I like his style.

Russell Kansas is a quaint small town; it reminds me of Winchester, Indiana. A similar size, look and feel. Today we will travel east; we have another Air B and B in St. Louis, a cabin that looks pretty cool. We will drive about 7 hours today, making stops for our pup, getting a little road food, and we should arrive at our destination about 6:00.

We downloaded an audible book to help us pass the time. I opted for a Stephen King title called Billy Summers; I’m a King fan; the first book of substance I ever read was Pet Cementary; after that, I was hooked. There are not too many titles he’s written that I have not read and some more than once.

I’m sitting here typing, my dog is to my right, sprawled out like this is her home, and my wife is at the other end of the couch scrolling through her phone. A clock is ticking, it shows 8:42 a.m., but my computer set to another time zone shows 7:42; time zones are interesting to me. You can be 100 yards from a person, and it could be an hour earlier or later, depending on your zone.

I’m getting my second cup of coffee; there is a Keurig here, not a fan of the one cup joe; I’m a coffee maker man, the simpler, the better. I like my coffee makers to have one button, no more, no less; making coffee is not rocket science. I go simple with most of my purchases; the more buttons, the more extensive the problems that can occur; my mantra is the simpler, the better.

We will work here until 10:00 a.m. and then hit the road; we will arrive at our destination around 6:30, with stops included. We will unpack, take PVHT for a walk, find a local diner, eat, come home, watch a movie and then head back home tomorrow. This three-day journey is much more enjoyable than a masked flight; trust me, this is our way of enjoying the journey. I’m no longer a fan of flying.

This is my eleventh day of sobriety; 19 more; I’m enjoying this journey. It’s interesting to see how much time we have to do other things sans drinking. We walk more; I read more, this is not a bad life; I do this to regain balance in my life. Every year it’s the same pattern, we do Sober October, I reset my consumption patterns, we reset for the holidays, and then as summer rolls back in, we seem to imbibe more.

There is a significant issue going on in the airline industry. It seems that air traffic controllers are not going to get their vaccination, and they walked out of Orlando, Airport shutting air traffic down. This morning Southwest canceled over 100 flights out of Denver; get ready folks, the shit is starting to hit the fan. Look for another fallout from this current administration’s failed policies. The cost to fill our tank is now $70.00; I am looking for Billy Beer and peanuts.

Well, there you have it, my travel blog if you will; My sights and sounds of all things Kansas, our trip, a dog update, and the journey’s of a couple on the move. We will be back in Indiana for seven days before flying (damn it!) back to Denver for an event. Then, we will stay for a few days before returning home for the winter. Finally, we will winter in Indiana, attend our daughter’s wedding, hang out with our families and enjoy the Hoosier hospitality.

I hope these words find you well; I hope you are thriving, diving, and arriving. Life is meant to be enjoyed and lived with reckless abandon. I was in a meeting last week when someone quoted Uncle Hunter; I think it appropriate to share the quote; yet again, this is how I live my life.

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!”
— Hunter S. Thompson

Word Soup

Russell, Kansas, Time Zones, A B-Ho Air B and…