It's been a bit since I updated the old blog but at least this time I have an excuse: we went to Texas! Yep, movement is possible in the good old USA these days. The thing is that our daughter moved to the Austin, Texas area and we wanted to check out the house she has been renovating and the area in general. We did visit Austin a few years back but we were more interested in the Presidential Libraries and stuff than the town itself. Besides, she doesn't live in the city but out a bit. The other thing we wanted to learn about was taking our 'new' dog for a long journey.
Ollie, the dog, is a rescue; probably 8-10 years old. He has trouble moving and has had more than his share of bad treatment by humans. Even the rescue shelter managed to shave his fur off so closely that the hair folicles were damaged and some places may never grow back! Anyway, we wanted to know what his reactions would be to traveling all day in the back seat of the truck. Also, how would he deal with motel living? And what about stopping in rest areas? I can lift him in and out but neither of us likes it much and my wife cannot. Therefore because he has trouble moving, I built a little stair for him to use to get into and out of the truck. He had used it once or twice but a trip would give it a real workout.
So off we went. It turns out Ollie did very well. We had his dog bed and he slept on it every night. He had some trouble with the stair but by the return side of the trip he was just fine with it. He loved our daughter's back yard which is fenced and has grass which our's does not. She has a swimming pool and I was thinking he might fall in because he was so interested in the water but he managed to not do that. He even managed rest areas and such well.
The trip was actually very good. The 'Really fast lane' I refered to in the title is the fact that the speed limits on the highways were usually 75 or 80mph(120-130kph). I haven't driven that fast in a while! Weather was great. We did get to drive through a rain storm that was heavier than anything I've seen in a long time. We also got to drive some of the Texas Hill Country which was very pretty. Then on the way home we went north from I-10 to I-40 via the Salt River Canyon and Show Low, AZ. The canyon was spectacular. I took a few photos but nothing that really reflects the place. I've always wanted to go see Show Low; no real reason just that it has a neat name! It seemed like a nice enough town and they have real trees! We don't get a lot of real trees here in the desert.
Anyway we had a great trip and are now primed for staying home a bit. The California fires are still covering us with smoke usually at a high enough level that you don't really smell it. This morning we can smell it; it isn't pleasant at all. I feel for all those folks who are losing their homes and livelyhoods and sometimes even lives.
Of course this morning I get to read about Mr. Trump telling the folks in Minnesota that they have 'good genes'; meaning basically that they are white. What an a$$! How the devil people can vote for that idiot is beyond me. Especially, black, Hispanic, Asian and female people: what the hell can he be doing to earn their votes? It just doesn't make sense to me but he's doing something right or this election would be a shoo-in for Biden. Don't get me wrong; I'm not really crazed about Biden but at least he's not a closet Nazi.
Gotta go. Have a good one and thanks for stopping by.
