Looking at a Road Trip

I am not at home. Yes you read that right. I have flown the coop so to speak. I joined saintvi on a road trip to the deep south. I am currently on my way to Arkansas. I will be returning to Indiana on Saturday March 14th. Although I took my computer with me I’m planning on being much too busy to read and respond to your blog posts and any comments… Well, that’s the plan. Sort of. You see traveling with saintvi is an adventure, in a “flying by the seat of your pants” way. Now I have to admit that it seems to work well for her. But my OCD requires a tad bit more, um, organization. I tend to pack the suitcase in a very specific way. First I examine the weather forecast and make a list by day and high/low temps and chance of precipitation. Then I list what I plan to wear each day. All the clothes are staged and packed so that they are placed into the suitcase in order that they will be worn with the last things on the bottom. I also made a list of the shoes I plan to wear with each outfit in an effort to minimize the number of pairs to take. So as you can see, this is not a toss it in and zip it up process. It requires planning and at least 3 to 4 days. I made several lists, checked them off as things went into the bags. And still I forgot some things. *sigh* I attribute my having left a couple of things to having food poisoning on Monday night and all day Tuesday. It was brutal. I can only blame it on the pizza that Sparky brought for me. It was Hawaiian pizza and I should have just said no. He was contrite but I think deep down he hoped I’d back out of the trip. Anyway I’m having fun and will be doing some geocaching and visiting the source of all things LuLaRoe especially leggings. Not to worry – I won’t buy them at full price ($25) when I can get them for $2.50 at Goodwill!

Anyway I’m a pretty chill traveling companion for the most part. It might take me a little time to figure out the dirty clothes packing options. But other than a very strong need to have a tidy and organized suitcase I have learned to go with the flow… That’s my mantra this coming week – “go with the flow”!

Looking for the Catch

You can never be too careful I thought as I scanned the letter.
“Congratulations! We are pleased to inform you that you have been randomly selected to receive Two (2) Round-trip Airline Tickets, and a Three (3) day, Two (2) Night Weekday or Weekend Getaway at a Marriott Resort Hotel of your choice. Your Getaway will be booked through Expedia and Air Advisor. As a BONUS Call within 48 hours and you will also receive a $50 Outback Steakhouse gift card. Call toll free 1-(555)-555-5555”

Nowhere does it say the getaway is free. Hmmm. I’ve been fooled before. This is definitely a scam. Yes, I’m pretty sure. Sparky called. The first thing they wanted to know was when and where he wanted to go and then they started with the booking of a flight and hotel reservations. He stopped them and asked how much it was going to cost. Then he hung up. Yeah. Not free. Not even reduced prices.

Then there was the “contest” I didn’t even know I had entered! Seems a local window/door replacement company got my phone number. Could my computer have notified them about my warped front door?? Are they reading my blog?! Anyway they wanted to confirm my registration in the drawing for a free door replacement. I was very wary. But they already had all my info and just wanted me to let them know if I wanted an estimate for new windows as well… I declined the estimate and told them I’d take a new front door if I won but without winning I would hold off for awhile.

Then there was the email to let me know my social security card had been “compromised” and my benefits were in danger of being frozen. Good grief! They never give up. Then there was the phone call telling me that a warrant had been issued for my arrest and to avoid jail I needed to pay up. Not likely. I’m so law abiding that this one made me laugh out loud. I’ve never even gotten a speeding ticket! The latest one was a phone call telling me that my computer had a virus and my personal information was in jeopardy of being stolen – along with all my financial transaction records. All I needed to do was grant them remote access to my computer and pony up some cash and I’d be safe. Oy! I had to break it to them that didn’t own a computer so it was impossible that I was in danger from a computer virus (they lied so I lied back). They hung up quickly!

The last one was the hearing aid advertisement. Now to be clear I can hear pretty well. Sparky not so much… But there have been half a dozen letters sent to me trying to entice me to purchase their specific hearing aids. Each letter has had greater and greater incentives. First it was the free hearing exam. Then they upped the ante with free batteries for 6 months. The letter following touted the free monthly cleaning and adjustment/programming for the hearing aid. By the last letter they were saying that they would increase the warranty from 12 months to 24 months and a 8 week money-back guarantee if I didn’t like them.

I’m guessing that if I dropped off the grid the junk mail, scams and shady operators would still be able to find me. Speaking of which, the gift Sparky bought me for Christmas that hadn’t arrived by the 25th of December, which he then intended to give me for my birthday which didn’t show up in time for that, and had been promised for St. Valentine’s Day but was still MIA, has arrived. He had been in contact several times and they kept promising delivery in 5 weeks more and then he was told it would be another couple of weeks. After the latest conversation to the effect “they are on their way please be patient.”, we were getting the feeling that we’d been ripped-off and the company was a scam. So Sparky called the credit card company and contested the charges. What an ordeal! Anyway 3 days later the gift arrives! I suppose it is like washing the car and that induces a rain shower…

Looking Fabulous

Calmkate posted on her Fun Friday a call for what I find fabulous. Fabulous is a word derived from the Latin fabulosus meaning celebrated in fable. Through permutations in French and finally English we end up with the modern definition of the word: resembling or suggesting a fable a: of an incredible, astonishing, or exaggerated nature b: wonderful, marvelous or lastly c: told in or based on fable. So that said, most of the time my life is truly fabulous. I will admit to a charmed existence. I have a rich inner dialogue and an over active imagination. I think my mental story line is a fable where I am the heroine. I have super powers. I can do magic. I dream in color. To that end I wear fabulous hats.
My latest fabulous hat makes me look like a Russian autocrat’s wife.
 
The first is how it is worn when it isn’t all that cold or windy. The 2nd photo is what you do when it is really frigid!
It is completely delicious (oops I mean fabulous)! The crown is real leather and from the suppleness it might be lamb or kid. The fur embellishment is dyed rabbit fur. Of course a really expensive version would have sable or fox fur. Wearing this hat I can ride in a sleigh pulled by caribou or reindeer. I can imagine walking and hearing the snow squeak under foot as it does when the temperature drops into negative numbers without feeling the cold. But you be the judge…