Category: Susie’s musings

I opened the windows and it is cool outside. We have at least 4 Purple Martin families in our house that would house 12 families, 3 across the top on my side and at least one on the top on Kathie’s side. They chirp and twitter early in the morning and then they go out to fly around all day. They come all the way from Brazil to have babies in our Martin house! They are very happy birds. We see an increase in dragon flies which the martins feast on. Nature is amazing! We only see this phenomena of dragon flies/martins in the early spring. I am sure everyone has their nesting birds, just need to open the windows, listen and enjoy!!! Today, Saturday, is calm, cool and bright blue sky. All is well. I seem to be improving cough and cold wise, now if I could stop "worrying" about the cardiology part of this!!!" I know I am in God’s hands. Mom said, "When I die, the Blessed Mother will meet me, give me a big hug, and take me to Jesus." A beautiful hope and I hope that happened for it is a grand and beautiful hope. God bless us. Have a wonderful weekend! Go to church! Love, Susie.

After 11 hours of sleep, I sit in my easy chair and I check for Martins in the Martin house; I look out over the lake at palm trees; Chuck brings me coffee in a little cup and saucer that says "pray," and daily Mass will come on EWTN at 8am. All is well for healing. Yesterday I got two appointments with cardiologist on Monday morning (I was on waitlist and there was a cancellation!) and a pulmonologist on Tuesday so I will be well handled by good doctors whom I have seen before. Now all I have to do is unpack suitcases and put clothes away, go through the mail I kept … try to file a claim for doctor’s visits on ship (about $800 but we had trip insurance), and little things to do to get back into shape here in Miami. Good news! The big house on Big Pine Key closed before we left on the trip and we deposited the closing check yesterday so we have one house left (Aunt Trudy’s house) with wonderful renters. They really love it there, and indeed the Keys are beautiful. Have a wonderful day and please pray for our sick friends George, Miriam and Laura surgery. Peace and healing. God bless us.

Boy oh boy dear readers! Chuck is my hero. I left the hospital for hotel room in Kingman Az on March 18. Stayed in hotel one day, I think and left Kingman March 20. Home yesterday March 26. Dined on chicken and my left over penne with broccoli and garlic. YUM. Today the bones will simmer for chicken soup. We watched on demand TV (Madam Secretary and God Friended Me) and I was out cold in my little bed by 930!!! That’s my life for a little while. Watching Martins in the martin house, looking out at the lake, oh and sitting by the lake later today. I called both cardiologist (for the aortic aneurism) and the pulmonologist (for the pneumonia that seems to have settled in upper chest and head)… am waiting for call backs for appointments. I will take care of self. promise!!!! Remember Dorothy! There’s no place like home! God bless us dear gentle readers. Thank you for prayers. I now send my angels on to George my first brother in law, and to Miriam friend at St Timothy who had a heart attack and by pass, resting at home, and to cousin Laura who will have shoulder repair. My goodness busy angels. Thank God!

Monday morning we left Montgomery a little earlier than normal (the turtles moved quickly) due to weather (hail storm) coming in… Ray Charles crooned "Georgia on my mind" as we headed out south and I said, "Georgia, we are blowing past you with Florida on my mind!" Dean Martin took over and I remember what a voice he had as he sang in Italian, "That’s amore," and I made a grocery list to Dean Martin crooning "Hurry Home" "chicken, milk, mushrooms, sweet potatoes," that’s amore… With all the coughing and congestion, I haven’t lost my appetirte. Before I went into the hospital I absolutely wasn’t hungry so I have a feeling that all the antibiotics kicked in lately … So now, "come on body and fight the bug whatever it is!" I rejoice at the sight of rows of pine trees and farms offering fresh produce from stands along route 231 south. The lady in the gas station sneezed and advised, "we have no spring flowers, but we have pollin!" "Quick Chuck, head south, let’s go south!" 1138am we cross into Florida! I sing and dance and drink Florida orange juice at the Welcome Center. We added the rental car to the Sunpass and headed off towards I-10. We found a lovely hotel in Ocala on I-75; this shortens the ride tomorrow and we hope to get home ahead of rush hour traffic. I sunk onto the bed a huddled mass of sleepy, runny nose, coughing and I said to Chuck, "I would like a cold beer." He said, "let’s go,"…. I spritzed my nose with nasal spray from the Kingman hospital, and put on shoes and we enjoyed a beautiful Italian meal with chianti! I think I feel better. Wow! Let’s hope I’m really getting better. My dears. Keep praying for us one more day as we travel the Florida turnpike to home. God bless you!

We left Forrest City at 940am. Forrest City is a nice little stop before you enter the populated Memphis… Has an Old Sawmill restaurant and a Cajun restaurant right near the Quality Inn. Chuck foraged soups, chicken, sweet potato, fried oysters… and we dined in our room. It was fun to picnic. Today, Sunday dawned sunny. I was tired and wanted to lag, but home is close… I’m coughing not as deeply and hurtfully as 10 days ago, but still… a bronchial cough now. And the tiredness is amazing! Breakfast usually accompanied by coffee with chocolate in it gets me going! I sit in a corner and cough into a napkin… We headed out to drive thru Memphis and get out on the other side headed for Tupulo. Not that easy. I got caught in the loop. If I had the GPS on she would have guided us. We drove a little on the "ring road" and finally headed south towards Birmingham and Montgomery Alabama. We have been to Memphis and Tupulo to visit Elvis homes so "been there done that." I think everyone needs to do it once, and eat barbeque and listen to music in downtown Memphis. Yep, done that! Alabama and Mississippi are not my favorite places to even drive through due to their clear known racial history of discrimination. As we drive I pray for peace in our own hearts. Birmingham reminds me of Martin Luther King and his fight and death. We must never forget King’s "Letter from Birmingham Jail." Never forget and try to change our hearts. Today we selected 50s music on Sirius radio (50s on 5). and we swoozed. There was an hour of Pat Boone presents Elvis Pressley and Pat Boone played other singers doing Elvis’ songs. Elvis did all of them better. (Pat Boone is 84 and still working!!!). The south is blooming in pink and purple trees! Pink tulips and pansies decorated a tiny gas station. We glided out of Tennessee into Alabama; "Sweet Home Alabama" greeted us, and the radio crooned "The name of the place is: I like it like that." OH! We crossed the Mississippi River at Memphis and it is swollen. There were signs of exits closed due to flooding: "Do not attempt to drive on exit!" The reason I say it looked swollen is what is normally wetlands near the Interstate the trees seemed to be half way under water… Pray for folks affected by flooding in Missouri and Iowa; flooding is coming down river. We arrived at our Quality Inn just south of Montgomery, at the entrance to our next road that will take us down to I-10. Should take 2 days to get home! Thank God. Thank you angels. When I get home I have to dispatch my angels to cousin Laura having shoulder surgery; brother in law George very sick; and friend Miriam from St Timothy having heart artery surgery. God bless my sick friends. Thank God.

Saturday March 23, at 10:07 we leave Oklahoma City headed for Memphis and route 55 south… The radio crooned "The Okie from Muskogee, The Red Headed Stranger, Who’s gonna fill their shoes?" As we drove east leaving cowboy country behind, putting Oklahoma behind us, I wondered does anyone love the red headed stranger like I do… Been to the Grand Ole Oprey…? Remember George Jones? For some reason, I’ve always loved country music! And the music of the 60s too which will play tomorrow. Daffodils and pansies (I think they are pansies) greet us at the Arkansas welcome center. There were 2 rocking chairs in front of a log fire. Very inviting… If the road didn’t call, I’d still be there, rocking… Spring is springing in Arkansas. Green trees interspersed with "white trees" I’m sure they are fruit trees in bud. I remember one year when I worked for Eastern Air Lines, I traveled from airport to airport, southern cities to northern cities, following spring! I was lucky enough to work my way north as part of my job. In Pittsburgh, while visiting my mother and Aunt, I grabbed mom’s arm and said, "what is that yellow bush?" "Forsythia," Mom said! She loved daffodils and called them daffs or jonquils. I had never seen them, not forsythia, daffodils, iris. Amazing. If you grew up in Miami like I did you might be so spring starved as I was. On a trip to Hartford that spring, cousin Kenneth took Chuck and me to a field of "golden daffodils". We have photos of me out in that field!!! Makes me feel at peace. At the Arkansas welcome center, I measured out where Memphis was and it was 4 1/2 hours…. I looked at the Choice app and hotels were $30 less expensive about 25 miles back so I chose the tiny town of Forrest City. Next to our hotel is the Old Sawmill Cafe with country cookin! Our end of the day is at the Quality Inn at 430 pm. exit 241A. I’m watching EWTN. Mass at 6pm. Then Chuck will bring dinner! God bless you.

My navigator Mike from Miami, and directions on Google Maps told me there is an accident with about a 7 min delay on I 40 in Oklahoma City so we started looking for Comfort Inns. Bingo. About 1/2 way through Oklahoma City we spotted a Comfort Inn and a Panera Bread. Good Soup for Susie’s dinner!!!! This morning, Out on the road, we left Amarillo, Tx with Willie Nelson singing, "Angel Flying too Close to the Ground." "Come on angel," I invited, "lets go home!" We saw our first green field east of Amarillo. "Bring your sweet lovin’; bring it on home to me." Ah! Home! I am making a doctor’s appointment because I have to be sure I get cleared from lung and sinus infection and I have to follow up on an aortic aneurism about 4.4cm. Doctor in ER in Kingman said this will be the baseline CT. I got lucky as most people don’t know they have aneurisms until they burst. Follow up in Miami. Thank you Jesus for the CT scan pneumonia. Enjoying the sheer beauty of the American road; breezing along with country music, a big Cross appeared on the horizon and Chuck came to a stop and pulled over. I didn’t move. Head on pillow; feet propped up. I look really sick. This was our first stop this trip and it was a young Texas Highway Patrol Trooper. OOPs. Fortunately Chuck had seen him and was able to slow a little. but not enough. I gave him my best coughing fit and with a sad face, Chuck told him I have pneumonia and we are heading home to Miami having scrapped our Western adventure. Chuck gave him his best Miami, Florida Trooper face and story… and he gave us a warning for something over 75mph… We drove by the big white Cross and I said "Thank You Jesus. We will slow down a little." Indeed we slowed down all the rest of Texas. "St Patrick’s welcomes you to Shamrock Texas!" and we left Texas into Oklahoma. Chisholm Trail crossing reminded me again of the patriarchs who road mules, horses, walked this great land. Thanks cowboys! We drove 257 miles in 5 hours (that’s with several stops.) Nap time! God bless us!

We jumped into the car at 945am, in Gallup New Mexico. The time is awkward for New Mexico time is different whether you are on an Indian Reservation… I had 945 on cell phone so I took it. Really, what does an hour matter? We turned on Sirius radio and chose "Willie’s Road House" and immediately Willie, Waylon and Johnny Cash came on. OK! I thought, "Sing Chuck home, guys." Exit 47 on I40 is the Continental Divide. It makes me remember the movie with John Beluchi. He was a sweet talent, wild and living the fast life which killed him. He died due to his living the fast life. I watch scenery go by, mesa, table tops, and Pueblos. The wild majesty of this part of the West is sering and beautiful. We would stop and explore if I wasn’t sick; and tired…. all I can think of is being in bed and sleeping. You young ones get out here!!! I asked Chuck for a potty stop… and there was one tiny gas station… Painted on their windows were a Cross, "Love", "Hope", "Give", Christian paintings. I said to myself, "I need to buy something here." On a shelf under a counter, in the back, was a hand made indian painted angel! I didn’t care how much. So I told Chuck , "I want that"…. Of course! She is now riding home with us in the car! We will drive 2501 miles using paper maps! I have 3 maps open and all folded to where we are on my lap. For today I had New Mexico, the Texas border up in the panhandle, and the USA map. I trace our way to a border so we can get state information for hotel deals, and I need to figure the best route to the Mississippi River. I read earlier in the week about flooding, but flooding seems to be holding in the north. Mike has researched for us, and he said our crossing in the south ought to be fine, that Interstate crossings are not affected. Around Cuervo, in New Mexico, east of Albuquerque, rocks start to get some red on them! It got down into the low 40s as a front moved through, but we ended the day in the high 60s. Traffic pulled to a stop and a single line for a while and then we passed a terrible accident on the west bound side. Debris was everywhere and a helicopter rescue was ensuing. I can’t believe how people get all balled up. The road is wide and only if we’re careful and not aggressive can we avoid these awful crashes. We drove by and I offered a prayer for the victim (s). We crossed the border into Texas and I looked at my Choice app and found a Comfort hotel west of Amarillo in Deaf Smith County! I wonder if Deaf Smith settled here and named the county!!! I’m still croaking and whispering so if I use a hand signal, I frighten Chuck who thinks I see something he doesn’t see so it’s a little wierd. ""Exit 64" I whisper… "what??????" he intones. It’s amazing we get places. Texas is crowded with windfarms. Good for Texas for developing natural energy! We saw no windfarms in New Mexico. Hotel is 2 miles east of Cadillac Ranch, an out door art exhibit of cadillacss buried nose down in a piece of farm land! painted with spray paint. To bed to sleep, snack on yogurt and apples. I’m up now for a brief time. Back to bed! God bless you!

We left our hotel in Kingman at 955am. Bought a small pillow for Susie and some gas for the car and headed east on I40. America is Beautiful!!! Rocky mountains with flat tops. We listened to Sirius radio channel 58 Prime Country. We have 2501 miles to go… Put my feet up, pillow behind my head, head east young Chuck. Whenever we do one of our road trips, I’m always overwhelmed by thoughts of the early travelers, walking, riding mules, in wagons, having babies, and dying. Coming west. For land, for jobs, for freedom. Thank you brave travelers! Colors: stark, sepia, brown, dusty green, and straw. dusty. Elevations up to 7335 at the Arizona divide. I could feel the pressure in my head and chest. I’m very congested with the pneumonia and sinus congestion. My sinus were struggling today and I am trying to breathe deeply as my oxygen absorption was low withough oxygen in hospital! Devil Dog Road approaching Williams and the Grand Canyon entrance. We pass it by… Snow on the ground and tops of mountains on this first day of spring! Meteor Crater a National Landmark. Formed by meteor that hit earth out here 60,000 years ago! Astronauts practiced wearing moon suits and picking up rocks here in the moon scape near Flagstaff. Petrified forest but no trees!!! Dead River. I still can’t talk so to say "40 miles to the state line (New Mexico) get a hotel book at the welcome center" is an effort for me to say and a real effort for Chuck to understand. We found a beautiful hotel in the book. A Comfort Inn in Gallup. Checked into hotel in Gallup at 245pm and time for a short nap. Take out dinner from Cracker Barrel across the parking lot. All is well. Angels are with us. God bless us!

Dear gentle readers. I slept all night and woke up to turn on TV (EWTN Mass) but TV cable isn’t working. Room smells bad… hotel is having "a problem" with sewer…. "OK! I’m out of here" I announced to Chuck who is gamely packing ALL OUR STUFF. This was supposed to be a month on the road so we have cold weather gear, shoes for hiking, etc etc. I packed my small suitcase "for the road" with undies, capris, tee shirts, socks and my bag of medicine. And I’m ready to go. East. USA Today reports awful flooding in mid west. Iowa and Missouri flooding "looks like an ocean … so we have to plan this eastward trek to be able to ford the Mississippi river. So sad for the nation. Whole towns inundated. Pray today for our mid west breathern. Pray for Susie… I’m holding my own against the diarreah caused by antibiotics. Eating beautiful yogurts and my align. Let me get home angels… I’ll let you know where we are as we travel!!! We will take it easy as we don’t want blood clots from sitting in the car. What an adventure. God bless us. Leaving Kingman, Arizona. Angels: Come!