Writer's Workshop: Motorcycles and Us

This weeks prompts are:
1.) It was a bad burn.
2.) Write a poem for your furry friend.
3.) Describe a memorable camping trip.
4.) It happened on a motorcycle.
5.) Post a vlog that shows you playing with your kids.

I choose #4.

For me the question ought to be..What didn't happen on a motorcycle? LOL! BUT instead of pinpointing something that happened on a motorcycle, I'm just going to talk about our motorcycle history.

Hubby and I only had a Honda Goldwing motorcycle for transportation for nearly a year. Every where we went was on a motorcycle. Hubby road it to work every day, through the rain, sleet, snow, icy roads and every bug invasion you can think off. We took it to do the laundry. Hubby had an large army bag that we stuffed to the top and he would drape it across the back seat. We even did the grocery shopping with it. Fortunately it had a trunk and two saddle bags, but it still limited us to shopping by the week.
Hubby loved that bike and wasn't scared to show off on it.


There were times when I didn't like not having any way to get anywhere. With hubby taking the only bike to work, I was stuck at home all day. The only time I left the house was on sunday to go do all of our chores for the week (funny how we have come full circle, only this time we only have one truck and I am down to doing our errands on sunday again). Soo hubby came across a great deal and got this other Honda, he was thinking it would be great for me to go to the store with or to a friends house. Only problem with that idea was that I am inept at learning to drive a motorcycle without hubby trying to pull his hair out. I really liked his hair, so it turned into his little show piece.

He loved this bike even more than his Goldwing and even had the nerve to bring it in the house. I protested but lost. I won, when he tried to kill us by starting it in the house and letting it idle. The house was little and the exhaust built up pretty quickly.

I did love to ride, there truly isn't any other thrill like it.

It also had it's drawbacks. First of all check out that hair. Going down the road, little wisps of his hair would come loose or even his braids all together would sting or slap me in the face.

There was the laying the bike over in the sand and me landing on my feet (very lucky).
Helmets clashing, cause I was trying to use his neck as a warming device.
Numb tush.
Aching back.
Sunburned/windblown cheeks and forehead, the long term effect..Leather face.
Hair in a constant state of tangles.
AND THEN...
Losing control and wiping out; breaking his collarbone, getting road rash, busting the windshield, tearing off a saddle bag, having skin missing from his arm and a long recovery.
Turns the happy biker into an unhappy camper.

BUT before that happened...
There were plenty of great trips and bike runs. Meeting up with other bikers and hitting the road was awesome. The freedom of it all is very addicting.
We toured the hill country, went to Canyon Lake. Hung out with some of the greatest people and some we wish we could forget. We went on a bike run to Luckenbach Texas and camped out for the weekend. We also went to the Dinosaur Tracks for the day.

Plus many many more great places and with great friends. Friends we still have today, even though we have all scattered to the winds.
I must say this little post has made me very nostalgic and makes me miss all the crazy adventure we had. We were quite wild back in the day!

Now for more Writer's Workshop post, click on the button and head on over to Mama Kats place.

Reflection After My Mishap, Plus Many Pics...

I would like to thank all of you for your well wishes, finger wagging and even some yelling. They are all very much appreciated. I am sorry for not getting to replying back to comments. I truly have been zapped of all my energy. I normally take an hour nap most everyday, but since this mishap I have been lucky to be awake for more than an hour at a time. I didn't even get my chore (out in the yard) done yesterday, which means I had better get it done today.

About the comments:

1) I did take water with me..I'm not a total mesh head! BUT this is the bottle I took, not the wisest decision and now I know it.

The is a aluminum (thanks spell check) container and it was fine for the ride into town, but it quickly got hot and the water was too hot to drink. I will never make that mistake again.

2) I said I was old...well at the time I said it..I felt old! I mean what ever happened to the days when I could go outside and lay all day and never nearly die from the heat. Every summer my family used to ride our bikes to the lake 5 miles and swim and play all day and still ride the 5 miles back. I sure could use some of that energy!

3) I really should be concious of the heat, but I tend to put that in the back of my mind. I do what I want and suffer for it later. Bad way to go about things, but this old lady never does seem to learn much.

4) My friendly, talkative nieghbor and now gardian angel (who I can't for the life of me remember her name)...well, as soon as I get my strength back, I am going to walk down to her house and deliver a basket of muffins.
Hopefully if she is not to busy (I remember her telling me how busy her life is) I will get a chance to visit with her for awhile. I can't even express how much she NOW means to me, her kindness has deeply affected me!


Now on to the pics I put my life in jeopardy for..











Anyone need a fork?

Stupid Old Woman On A Bike...

This is how yesterday went from nice to crappy...

A nice and beautifully cloudy day, temps not too high and with a slight breeze. Oh what a perfect day to take my camera outside and hopefully get some great shots. I debated just walking around the usual neighborhood, but really I am starting to find it difficult to get some new material. Oh, occasionally I do get some lucky shots..like the lighting being different or just the lucky butterfly just happens my way. Soo feeling that I had pretty much exhausted my resources, I decided to take myself on a bike ride. You know to venture out in areas I normally can't get to just by walking.

I left the house right about 11 am, after stopping numerous times to catch that pic I just glimpsed and even at times backing up for it. I managed to make it into town by 12:30 (noonish). The sun was starting to really take its toll on me, fairly quickly. Yes it was a gorgeous day, with clouds. The sun for some unknown reason decided I needed a sunburn and heat exhaustion, cause it refused to find one of those lovely clouds to hide behind.

I soon realized I had gone too far into town and of course there is still the ride home to look forward to. I decided to camp out under a tree at one the schools, there are like four schools in that one area. I sat there for a good while, trying to cool down and also hoping to catch my luck with the sun going behind a cloud. It took about 30 minutes, but it eventually happened. In the meantime (while waiting) I called my mom, telling her...I am lost in the wilderness and can't get back home!!

I set off for home and within minutes there is that blasted sun again. I hide under a tree for a few more minutes and my sister calls. She knows it and I know it, once she and I get on the phone..time slips away from all the talking, laughing and cutting up. Throw in her hubby to the mix and it is nonstop fun. After many minutes I figure I would try to walk the bike while still on the phone, needless to say I had some choice words about the sun!

Finally after getting far enough to where my ride would be down hill for awhile, I hung up with sis and wiped off my sweat on the phone (again) and proceeded on. I got to the bottom of the hill with great speed and actually made it up the other side more than halfway, BUT by time I got there I was breathing hard, dizzy and felt incredibly nauseous.

Once again I am on the side of the road trying to recoop. The recooperation wasn't happening, the breeze was no longer there and the sun was just getting hotter. I walked it, peddled it and took many breaks in the shade. I was just about 3/4 of a mile from the house and that was it!

I slumped off my bike (I did manage to get my stand down) and collapsed an the side of the road. Couldn't breathe, couldn't see and weak as a cooked noodle. I don't know how long I was there, but thankfully a truck stopped. The lady comes over to me and asks if I am okay, I couldn't answer her. I then heard her say..You don't look soo good. She grabs my arm and gets me to my feet, she puts my bike in the back of her truck and takes me home. She knew where I lived, was all I could think.

I get in the house and the living room floor was as far as I got. I woke up almost an hour later. Flooded myself with soo much water my eyeballs were probably floating, crawled into the shower and then into bed. Hubby woke me up when he got home and when I relayed to him what happened, I most definitely got chewed out and asked if I learned anything. Yes I learned that I am old and that the sun is all powerful!

I lived!

How did that lady know where I lived? Considering I have not made any friends since we moved here. Well remember this post, yeah that was her! I now owe her my life and my friendship! Don't cha think?

My death defying pics, will post soon.

Spin Cycle: First Time

The very first time I was allowed behind the wheel of a car (with the engine on), I was 16 and staying with my Aunt. Growing up and watching other kids learn to get their driver's license, drove me crazy. My father would try to throw his logic on the situation, by telling me there was no reason for me to have one till I was 18 and no longer living with them. At the time the issue just flared up the usual "I hate you" or "that is not fair" or even "you are just being mean to me" or old faithful "you're ruining my life". My dad waited till he was 40 to get his, sister still doesn't have hers and brother just got his. So I guess it could have been worse!

Soo where was I..
Aunty and I were going down a dirt road from Lancaster, Ca to the next town Rosamond, Ca where she lived. She suddenly stopped right in the middle of the road, she turned and looked at me and said "get over here". We switched places. My first time driving, just the thought of it was thrilling. I slide in under the wheel and I am all smiles. Little did my aunt know that I was smiling cause that is also something I do when I am nervous. I was excited, but scared crazy too!

She drilled me on the things to do, it was an automatic; so that made it a little (I guess) easier. I proceeded to take off and boy did we ever! I hit the gas with a gusto (how was I to know you were supposed to go gently), I slammed on the brakes (as soon as I found them). We were off again but this time I was crawling, scared to give too much gas. Now in all of this, I was trying extremely hard to keep it on the little dirt road. There was ditches on both sides that aunty was screaming about. To tell you the truth I can't remember all that aunty screamed about in that short ten minutes (that might be a stretch of the time).

Lets just say it was over almost as soon as it started. I do recall another car coming at us and aunty was yelling something and I panicked. We switched places super fast and we lived to see another day! I scared aunty and myself, so bad that we were shaking all the way home. Honestly I don't think aunty ever did stop shaking! I bet every time she recalls it, she was nightmares for a week (or more)!

I didn't get behind the wheel of a car for at least another year, I was traumatized!! I eventually did get my license nearly two years later. I bet aunty would have never imagined in that moment, that I was going to end up a truck driver!

Love you, Aunty!!


For more spins, go visit Sprite's Keeper

Cassie's Journey Begins

I thought yall might like to read a little of the next piece of Cassie's story. The first piece was here.
To be warned...This post is not suitable for children.



Cassie knew her only hope of really getting away was to leave town, instead of going to a friends or boyfriends house. Cassie ran as far and as fast as she could. The fear was extreme! She kept looking over her shoulder, afraid her mother was going to come around the corner any minute or worse yet her mother had called the cops on her. When Cassie got to the last grocery store close to the town limits, she finally slowed down and relaxed a little.

Cassie had taken some of the food stamps and was grateful for it now; she was going to need them for food. She stopped in the grocery store and bought four apples. She suddenly realized she hadn't eaten anything all day. She devoured her first apple before she had even gotten out of the grocery store parking lot.

Once back on the main road out of town, she was quickly offered a ride by an elderly couple. They took her as far as Dallas, under the promise that she truly had relatives in the area. Well it wasn't a total lie; her mother's aunt lived in Ft. Worth. She waved them away and waited till they were out of sight.

Cassie made her way to the interstate and started walking. She hadn't walked no more than five minutes and her next ride came along. He was a delivery driver and talked so much she didn't have to say very much and for that she was grateful. He took her to the end of the street that her mother's aunt lived on. She walked to their door and knocked. The delivery driver was still there waiting. She turned in his direction and waved the cue that they were there and all was okay. He left. They really weren’t there, but he made her feel funny and she wanted to be rid of him.

Cassie wasn't sure where she was going to go now. At this point, this idea had been her only one. She sat on their front porch thinking. She had been to her aunt's house in California just last summer; surely her aunt would take her in. California was a long way from Texas, she wasn't sure she could go that far. She mulled over other possible ideas, but in the end, California was her only option. So she headed for the interstate again.

This time she walked for a good hour before someone stopped to give her a ride. This ride took her as far as Oklahoma City. The sun was just starting to go down and she was in another state, a good 200 miles away from home and completely lost.

She was still very angry with life at home and her mother, but she was starting to think this wasn’t such a good idea. She was scared, cold and tired. The sun had now passed the horizon and it was getting colder, she didn’t think to pack socks and a jacket.

The cars were whizzing by and it felt like she was invisible, she wanted to be invisible at home but now wasn’t the time for nobody to care. She walked and walked, not sure what direction she was going. Just following the interstate, that was the plan.

Finally a man in a pick up stopped to give her a ride, she was very uncertain of this man, but she was very tired and hopped in. She knew she was in trouble when he touched her leg. She tried to move closer to the door, but he refused to move his hand. She was scared but didn’t panic; she had been with her boyfriend, so she knew what he wanted. She reluctantly went to the hotel with him. She thought that if she did what he wanted then she could get a shower and possibly a bed to sleep in, maybe even some food.

He was vile and cruel and all she wanted was to run. Cassie knew that if she didn’t get away from him she was going to be in more trouble than she had ever been in her life. She waited for him to finally pass out.

When she snuck out of the hotel room, she ran like her life depended on it. The tears just wouldn’t stop; she was on the verge of hysterical. She thought about calling the police, but she couldn’t, they would just take her back home. She just couldn’t let her parents think she was unable to handle herself, but after what just happened, she wasn’t so sure if maybe they weren’t right after all. She ran to the nearest McDonalds and instead of asking to call the police, she asked how to get to the interstate and in which direction was California.


(This is my story of when I was 15 and what all happened at that time. Cassie is the name I started using as an alias, so no one would be able to know who I was and send me back to my parents. This story doesn't end till I am back with my parents.)

Writer's Workshop: Our wedding song

Hubby and I had our wedding in the park, a low budget affair with not a whole lot of bells and whistles, more like a Sunday bbq where everyone is dressed up.

My mother was the ring leader and I was the 2nd in command. I’m sure your thinking it should have been the other way around, but I really needed someone else to be in control. I did get all things approved by me first and mom was great as long as I kept her in check or she would have went crazy and had me wear a tiara or some other crazy thing like that.

In the plans for the wedding in the park, my mother was to bring a music cd that she had of some real soft classical music. I was supposed to go through the cd to determine which song was going to be used. This was supposed to have happened earlier in the day while everything was getting set up.

As you all know preparing for a wedding is brain frying work and the bride has enough on her plate as is, these little things tend to get lost or forgotten in the frenzy.

Needless to say I never saw the cd or listened to it. As I sit here now, I have no clue what happened to it. I had made arrangements with my BIL to bring his Cher cd for some lively music afterwards, you know while everyone was eating. The main song on that cd that I was most interested in was “It’s in his kiss”, it was one of the songs that was playing on the oldies channel on the radio (well the older version of course), that day hubby and I went for that ride together, the day we meet. In case you missed that post, you can read it here. Although we hadn’t kissed yet, the song lingered in the air that night. Leaving that song with special meaning for me.

Dad and I were all ready to walk down between the chairs to the canopy my mother had pain stakinly labored over. The music was que’d and the boom box was started. I was expecting some unknown soft song that mom had rushed to make a decision on.

Yup you guessed it! Dad and I walked down the isle to the bebop song of “It’s in his kiss”! The small group of family and friends, grinned, laughed and looked puzzling to each other.

I could see mom jump out of her seat to correct the matter, but the mystery cd was not right there and well it was too late now. Dad was up and out of his wheelchair and already walking. She sat back down almost as quickly as she had gotten up; she was mouthing “Sorry” to me.

I could have cared less cause I was already laughing and could see hubby was too!!



For more Writer's Workshop post, click on the button and head on over to Mama Kats place.

Twenty Questions

Twenty Questions

I got this from Joanie @ Joanie's Random Ramblings It looked like fun, so I thought I'd do it too!



1) Dressing up or casual?
Casual all the way!!


2) Most original Halloween costume?
When I was 8, I dressed up as a Victorian lady complete with a lace parasol. Won third place!


3) What would your talent be if you were participating in a beauty pageant?
The talent of losing my voice and looking like a deer caught in headlights.


4) What do the words retro boutique design mean to you?
Hippie style..fringed jackets, super bells, long flowing skirts and leather beaded headbands..ect...


5) What do you see as your greatest achievement?
Sobriety!


6) What household chore pacifies you?
Watering the plants.


7) Favorite type of weather?
Cloudy days with cooler temps with the threat of rain. The skies are fabulous at those times.


8) Do you sleep with the sheets tucked in or out?
Out! I hate to feel pinned down.


9) Do you have freckles?
Yes, I do. Even my lips have freckles.


10) Favorite kind of sandwich?
Chicken breast, with sharp cheddar and olive mayo.


11) Can you hold your breath without holding your nose?
Yes, I could but definitely not for long.


12) What’s your name spelt backwards?
rehtaeh


13) What message is on your voicemail machine?
Voicemail not activated. Answering machine..You have reached the Welch Residence, please leave your name and number and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
(all said with a very southern drawl)


14) What was the name of your first pet?
First one I remember was Jeremiah, a orange tabby.


15) Do you believe in karma?
Oh yes! Karma has gotten me a time or two.


16) Do you believe in luck?
Sometimes I think I do.


17) Do you have a nickname?
nope


18) Are you a shopping addict?
Never can afford that luxury.


19) Favorite superhero?
Wonder woman with her invisible plane.


20) Chocolate or vanilla?
vanilla.

Rocks

So last post I mentioned hubby bringing me some rocks for the yard design I had in mind.
Here is a pic of my yard kinda bare and difficult to mow. I dreamed up a design that might look good and elevate the mowing issue, but first I had to get my hands on some rocks.

Hubby offered to bring me some rocks from work, but I had to unload them. Two hours of shoveling them out from the back of his pickup and lots of pain later, this is what I got done.

It was six in the evening by time I finished and since there was still some sunlight left, hubby thought it was a good idea to go get some more. Which was kinda cool cause yall know how much I LOVE to get out of the house, any excuse will do!

Just gotta love the look of a man driving a large piece of machinery!

I just had to share all my hard work with yall, even though as you can tell it is not finished.


I did manage to hurt myself as usual, my left shoulder feels like I pulled something and my left wrist still hurts but is getting better.

I am currently having an affair with Ben, but don't worry he is Gay. He sure does know how to treat my shoulder right. Sorry, bad joke, I know..but bf and I laugh our butts off cause we are on such intimate terms with Ben. Our hubbies should be jealous!
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When I told hubby I was going to post about rocks, he insisted that I show yall his fabulous pics from work. A strange and natural phenomenon that happened after moving truck loads of rock from this pile. The more that was hauled away, the top rocks would fall and left this face in the side of it. Hubby was at first creeped out at it, but that quickly turned into WOW!

Funnies

Hubby comes home with a joke to tell me:

An older couple is driving along and they hit a rabbit. The old man gets out and grabs a spray can out of the bed of the pick up. Walks over to the rabbit and picks it up by its ears. He sprays the whole can on the rabbit, tosses it in the truck and grabs another can. He uses up that whole can and releases the rabbit. The rabbit gets up and goes ten hops and turns and waves, another ten hops and again turns and waves. The rabbit continued to do this till he was out of sight. The old man tells this wife, I gotta know what was in those cans. He reaches in the back and brings them to the light....

Hair restoration and permanent wave!
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I have told hubby of my plans for the yard and that I will be needing some small rocks.
Yesterday he came home and said..I'll load if you unload. I'm like, HUH?? The rocks you want, I will get them from work and load them in the back of my truck, but you have to unload them. Deal? Deal.
Later...
I really ought to go out there and unload my junk from the bed of the truck so there will be more room for your rocks. I nodded and said yes.
Since your going to be out there can you bring me a small starter planter. He looks at me with a frown, I said.. I OUGHT to go out there! What part of OUGHT to didn't you get. LOL!!!
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I had been trying to get hold of my dad all day and was getting frustrated.
I called my sister to see if she knew where dad was. Nobody was home, so I left a message.
Later that evening...
Boo calls me and says...Aunt Heather you need to watch your language! There are kids here you know! (She is the only kid and she is 12!)
What?! I was watching my language!
No you didn't, you said bad words!
My message contained...

Where the heck is everybody? Daaang!

Apparently, I said two bad words!

Seriously?????

The kid cracks me up!

Writer's Workshop: Socks

Soo I have noticed a few of the folks I follow doing this thing called Writer's Workshop. It wasn't till recently I noticed this meme gives you several topics to choose from, so I thought I would check it out and see how it goes.

This week's assignments are:

1.) Choose a headline from The Today Show website and write up an opinion post based on the story you chose. I have reviewed the headlines for the last two days and either they get me agitated(or down right mad) or I really don't have an opinion worth writing about.

2.) Write a poem about the last thing that made you mad. Poems are Suzicate's forte. I do good to read them!

3.) Write about a joke that did not go over well. All my jokes end badly cause I forget parts or nearly all of them.

4.) Write a funny story involving socks. I do believe I can do this one, just don't know how funny it will be.

5.) It happened on Facebook...write about a funny or awkward conversation you saw unfold on Facebook. I am sooooooooo NOT going there!!


Socks..

Oh sure I could write about the sock that always seems to lose its mate, but we all know how that ends...The sock monster that lives in the dryer took it!


Okay so on to my little story...
As most of you know (especially the poor or just plain old), the entertainment of children was once something that had to come from your imagination. In our house the Sock puppet was all the rage! Now I'm not talking about a store bought fancy one or even the some-what fancy ones that you decorate.
Like this one:

Even this one is better than what we had:


No, we had just a sock, a magic marker, a piece of furniture to hide behind and lots of imagination. The sock of course had to be one of dad's socks, they were the only ones that would cover your whole arm. We would draw faces, you know...just eyes, nose and mouth. We never could get very imaginative with the socks cause dad had to have them back for wearing. He only had a few pairs and we couldn't afford for him to spare any just for play.

Soo, as you can imagine...Dad walked around with sock puppets on his feet!

Sunday morning standing outside the church yapping with another family, dad had a pebble in his shoe and proceeded to take off his shoe. The other man just happened to look down and saw the puppet. Dad slipped his shoe back on, in embarrassment.
It was too late, all of us had seen it. Thankfully dad was reprieved from his embarrassment, by the thunderous laugh of this other man. They both got a real good chuckle out of it. Me, I was giggling!

Dad bought new socks the next month and gave us the old puppets!

Now go see Mama Kat and check out the other Writer's Workshop posts for this week.