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Big Mama Ryder
Oct. 14th, 2001 12:05 amSure, i don't have an 18 wheeler or a CB, but can i have a temporary trucker handle?
I'm in WV now with Dan and Jody. Marc stopped by and the four of us went out to dinner-- it was the most frenzied buffet i'd ever seen! People grabbed food with a sense of almost comical urgency, myself included. Buffet fever: catch it!
Later we had some coffee and Jody raised ethical questions that made my head hurt. It's good to think and talk, but most of the time when i open my mouth about the Middle East my inner voice says "what the fuck do you know about any of this?" Plus the conversation went round and round until i got the feeling it was argument for argument's sake so i stepped outside for a walk. Dan joined me a minute later. (He needed some air too.) As we headed for the car about 10-15 college age women wearing various shades of black (i thought they were sorority girls; Dan thinks they were Barbie ninjas) were approached by a couple of guys in a pickup. All they had to say was "you need a lift?" and they all piled into the flatbed as tight as they could squeeze. Much giggling and Hooyeahs! by the guys were heard-- while my maternal instincts kicked in (What on EARTH are you thinking!?! They didn't even give you any candy! What WILL your Mothers think of this?), Dan's lawyer instincts kicked in and he desperately wished he had some business cards to give to everyone in the truck. ;-D
Sofie did much better on this trip than she did coming up from VA to MD. After all the comments and tips on how to tranport the kitties (thank you very very much for all of them, they were very helpful...well, maybe not Shamroq's but it's the thought that counts ;-D), i decided to buy some Rescue Remedy and let her out of the carrier after we got settled onto a flat stretch of road. I don't know if the Rescue Remedy helped; poor thing did the wide eyed panicked stare out of the bars and kept her mouth sort of open in a wee silent scream for minutes at a time.
Finally i decided she'd had enough on the Baltimore beltway and i let her roam free, mostly because i was scared that if i left her in the carrier for much longer she'd have an accident and then i wouldn't be able to let her out at all. Then it was my turn to panic when she hopped into my lap then to place her front paws on the window ledge to stare at the passing cars and yell for help, then off to the passenger window to do the same thing. I'd checked to make sure the doors were secured before we took off, still i had horrible visions of the doors springing open of their own accord and all that. She even wanted to steer for a little while, oh lordy. At least she didn't get under the pedals!
She eventually settled down and caught little naps here and there. She was actually quite well-behaved the whole trip- it was a much better experience then last time. She likes Jim Dale's voice too- it calmed her right out like aural kitty tranks.
Tomorrow i'm hanging out with Jody & the gang, then WOW-- i'm off to the Midwest!
Fun! Excitement! Green bean casserole with potato chips! (for texture)
I'm really excited and nervous. I feel good, i feel loved. Sometimes i'm scared though-- what if Vali realizes what a loser dweeb i am? No, wait, she's known that for ages and still feels like sharing a bed. Bliss!
Has it really been six years since i joined? YES, it HAS! Jesus, time seemed to stand still most days, esp in AIT. I read whole books in formation that i stashed in my cargo pockets just waiting for the drill sgts to arrive. but it's still weird though-- i can't be a bum anymore and will have to earn my living like a normal person after a six year interlude. I'll relax a great deal if i get this job i'm interviewing for on Thursday.
Thanks to everyone that's written in while i'm hopping from state to state-- i haven't written back at all lately, but i promise to be more social once isteal Vali's computer away from her get moved and settled in. Thanks Maggie for the tapes! I got them yesterday. Outstanding roadtrip stuff!
In other news, the heaviest Ryder truck in MD is currently parked on WV's steepest incline. That is if the emergency brake holds up, she says knocking on wood furiously. 30 mph on inclines and i keep wondering if i secured the straps to my car tires properly. every so often i'll wonder if my car has rolled off the ramp and into oncoming traffic, but then i realize that the drivers behind me will honk at the very least to know what's what. On the whole, i'll be extremely glad not to be driving this monster anymore-- it's pretty stressful.
I'm in WV now with Dan and Jody. Marc stopped by and the four of us went out to dinner-- it was the most frenzied buffet i'd ever seen! People grabbed food with a sense of almost comical urgency, myself included. Buffet fever: catch it!
Later we had some coffee and Jody raised ethical questions that made my head hurt. It's good to think and talk, but most of the time when i open my mouth about the Middle East my inner voice says "what the fuck do you know about any of this?" Plus the conversation went round and round until i got the feeling it was argument for argument's sake so i stepped outside for a walk. Dan joined me a minute later. (He needed some air too.) As we headed for the car about 10-15 college age women wearing various shades of black (i thought they were sorority girls; Dan thinks they were Barbie ninjas) were approached by a couple of guys in a pickup. All they had to say was "you need a lift?" and they all piled into the flatbed as tight as they could squeeze. Much giggling and Hooyeahs! by the guys were heard-- while my maternal instincts kicked in (What on EARTH are you thinking!?! They didn't even give you any candy! What WILL your Mothers think of this?), Dan's lawyer instincts kicked in and he desperately wished he had some business cards to give to everyone in the truck. ;-D
Sofie did much better on this trip than she did coming up from VA to MD. After all the comments and tips on how to tranport the kitties (thank you very very much for all of them, they were very helpful...well, maybe not Shamroq's but it's the thought that counts ;-D), i decided to buy some Rescue Remedy and let her out of the carrier after we got settled onto a flat stretch of road. I don't know if the Rescue Remedy helped; poor thing did the wide eyed panicked stare out of the bars and kept her mouth sort of open in a wee silent scream for minutes at a time.
Finally i decided she'd had enough on the Baltimore beltway and i let her roam free, mostly because i was scared that if i left her in the carrier for much longer she'd have an accident and then i wouldn't be able to let her out at all. Then it was my turn to panic when she hopped into my lap then to place her front paws on the window ledge to stare at the passing cars and yell for help, then off to the passenger window to do the same thing. I'd checked to make sure the doors were secured before we took off, still i had horrible visions of the doors springing open of their own accord and all that. She even wanted to steer for a little while, oh lordy. At least she didn't get under the pedals!
She eventually settled down and caught little naps here and there. She was actually quite well-behaved the whole trip- it was a much better experience then last time. She likes Jim Dale's voice too- it calmed her right out like aural kitty tranks.
Tomorrow i'm hanging out with Jody & the gang, then WOW-- i'm off to the Midwest!
Fun! Excitement! Green bean casserole with potato chips! (for texture)
I'm really excited and nervous. I feel good, i feel loved. Sometimes i'm scared though-- what if Vali realizes what a loser dweeb i am? No, wait, she's known that for ages and still feels like sharing a bed. Bliss!
Has it really been six years since i joined? YES, it HAS! Jesus, time seemed to stand still most days, esp in AIT. I read whole books in formation that i stashed in my cargo pockets just waiting for the drill sgts to arrive. but it's still weird though-- i can't be a bum anymore and will have to earn my living like a normal person after a six year interlude. I'll relax a great deal if i get this job i'm interviewing for on Thursday.
Thanks to everyone that's written in while i'm hopping from state to state-- i haven't written back at all lately, but i promise to be more social once i
In other news, the heaviest Ryder truck in MD is currently parked on WV's steepest incline. That is if the emergency brake holds up, she says knocking on wood furiously. 30 mph on inclines and i keep wondering if i secured the straps to my car tires properly. every so often i'll wonder if my car has rolled off the ramp and into oncoming traffic, but then i realize that the drivers behind me will honk at the very least to know what's what. On the whole, i'll be extremely glad not to be driving this monster anymore-- it's pretty stressful.
