The Honeymoon is Definitely Over!!!

Missed a week while on vacation!  We are all entitled to time off right?!

I seriously labored over the title of this story.  I believe I have written before about our Honeymoon.  We almost got divorced after one week of marriage and traveling in a car together unsupervised.  Well, 38 years later and almost NEVER during those years, we decided to drive to Florida to visit Calvin, P3 and the babies.  In all honesty, it was more my choice because I REALLY hate to fly and besides, what could go wrong with us spending 13 hours in a car together?  Apparently I thought we had grown up in 38 years.  Well, maybe not!

Simple things like temperature were no problem.  Today's vehicles provide individual controls, which I honestly do not understand because we are sitting in open air approximately two feet apart.  Music, not a problem either.  We like most of the same music with very few exceptions.  Food?  Well we just didn't bother to eat or drink the whole way there and back.  He is a little fussy about garbage in his vehicle.  In fact, I actually think he is the only person I have ever met with a tiny garbage can in the back seat.  And of course the vehicle had to be vacuumed while we were visiting.

We did grown up when it comes to directions, sort of...   My husband does not do well in new areas when it is dark.  And of course we don't slow down as we are almost on top of the street we need to turn on until the last second.  We also don't pay attention and drive right past the turn and/or exit.  In this instance I cannot criticize myself, although I am far from perfect.  Doc would not let me drive his truck even once!  I must have moved the seat or left a candy wrapper in the past!

We do differ greatly in driving style!  I now understand why all vehicles have handles surrounding the passenger.  You have to have SOMETHING to grip on these fast turns and occasional sudden stops.  I have also discovered that they do not relieve stress even when you pour all of your anxiety into the handles and center console.  They do however provide an excellent means for isometric exercise. As I gripped the center console and handles, clenched the muscles of my rear end and forcefully pressed my right leg into the floor I noticed that my muscles were getting a little sore.  Doing that for one to two hours as your husband drives around the city of Atlanta provides plenty of opportunity! I actually think my arms developed some tone.

Driving too close to the car in front of you, repeated lane changes, "flooring" it, braking suddenly can wear on your nerves.  Good news though!  Vehicles are made to be quite sturdy.  All handles and the console remain intact.  Truthfully, in his agitated state not even my request for life and not death impacted him.  I felt a little like Nathan Hale when he said "Give me liberty or give me death!"  NASCAR would have been in awe of this man's driving skill, at least from their standpoint.  

Multiple gasps later, hands and legs and backside sore from muscle contractions, blood pressure returned to a more normal state and with exhaustion set in, we did arrive home safely.  Prayer took on a new meaning for me.  I also read a LOT of religious material.  Thank you God!  My suggestion to all, before you take on such a trip practice meditation,  deep breathing and prayer.  Maybe one day we can get car companies to put a brake pedal on the passenger side.  Not a real one like the old driver's ed vehicles but a fake one so that you at least think you are accomplishing something.  God is good but I think I will wait a bit before we try this again.  Here's to another 38 years!