If you've been reading this blog for awhile, or, if you go back to the very beginning of my posts, you'll remember that one of the things I really enjoy doing is travelling. (You might also know that Haime does not travel very well. He is very content to stay in his rut, following his very regimented routines and stay put. So, the dreams of travelling in our retirement just don't usually involve more than our annual trip to the coast...bummer!) Well, I hit the road again last week. This time, there were only three of us "road warriors..." my mom, one of her friends, Doris, (they graduated from high school together) and me. Together, we were "The Old Lady Tour." I toyed with the idea of writing this blog while we were "on the road" but decided that I'd rather wait to write until we got back. I thought perhaps I'd be able to put some events into "perspective" after some days had passed and I'd had time to remember certain events and gage them against others. So, here goes...the first installment, or "Day ONE."
Unlike most of my long-distance treks, we did not start the day before dawn. In fact, we didn't leave until nearly 8:00 AM. Given the fact that I normally start these trips at 4:00 AM, I'd say I showed remarkable restraint and consideration for my fellow road-warriors. Of course, mom wasn't so sure. This would be a great time to tell you more about me and my mom. As I've written before, I have 4 sisters. We all have some physical traits in common, as well as, (and perhaps more importantly) some shared personality traits. One of the most obvious trait is that we are all "night owls." My mother gave us that particular characteristic. The only time I can really overcome this natural tendency is on these road-(or any other)-trips. I enjoy getting to my destination so I can see and do as much as there is to see and do given the amount (or lack thereof) time available. When we were growing up, my father, an unapologetic "morning person", used to wake us all up by singing "M-I-C, see, its time to get up...K-E-Y...why? because it's morning and you have to go to school...M-O-U-S-E." Cute, right...NOT! Morning people should just go about their business and stop picking on those of us who enjoy our sleep-induced-oblivion. OOPS, I've digressed again...Anyway, mom, was not overly impressed by our early morning departure but once she'd had her coffee, she was a trooper!
So, we started toward Tyler, TX. For those of you who are familiar with many of the beautiful cities and sights of our great state, you know Tyler is known for their beautiful roses. Apparently, they are also known for their GORGEOUS azaleas. However, unless you are from the I-20 corridor region of the state, you may not know that Tyler is very hard to get to. There are just no fast, easy ways to get there, particularly from South-Central Texas. Now, for those of you who may not have reached a certain age, or have not had "intimate conversations with people of a certain age about the jokes the body plays on one as one ages..." let me just say, if you intend to travel with people "of a certain age," plan to make LOTS of stops. Another thing my trips are noted for, in addition to the normally early starts, is the number of miles travelled. My philosophy is that you should see and do as much as you can because you don't know when (if) you'll get a second chance. Even though we did stop a time or two, the normal travel time to Tyler is about 5ish hours and we took at least that long.
In doing a bit of research about our planned route, I came across an interesting sounding restaurant in Tyler. The Potpourri House advertised great food and a very unique setting. Knowing that we were going to need a break to walk around while we were in Tyler, I got directions to the restaurant. Like Tyler, it is not particularly easy to get to but it is definitely worth the hunt. We enjoyed good food at a good price and a great atmosphere. OK, I also did some shopping, (and buying) in the retail part of their business.
The main attraction for us in Tyler, however, were the GORGEOUS azaleas. Honestly, the photos below do not do them justice. These things are amazing! My friend Laura asked whether the police were called about a slow-moving car of old ladies driving through the neighborhood, taking pictures...I'm not sure. We heard sirens but didn't stick around long enough to see who they were coming for.
In doing a bit of research about our planned route, I came across an interesting sounding restaurant in Tyler. The Potpourri House advertised great food and a very unique setting. Knowing that we were going to need a break to walk around while we were in Tyler, I got directions to the restaurant. Like Tyler, it is not particularly easy to get to but it is definitely worth the hunt. We enjoyed good food at a good price and a great atmosphere. OK, I also did some shopping, (and buying) in the retail part of their business. 
The main attraction for us in Tyler, however, were the GORGEOUS azaleas. Honestly, the photos below do not do them justice. These things are amazing! My friend Laura asked whether the police were called about a slow-moving car of old ladies driving through the neighborhood, taking pictures...I'm not sure. We heard sirens but didn't stick around long enough to see who they were coming for. 
We left Tyler and made our way to the I-20 East. Our planned stop for the day/night was Vicksburg, MS. We arrived in Vicksburg after dark and checked into our hotel, ate dinner--at every travellers "go-to" restaurant....you know the one...it has rockers outside...;and called it a night.
So, more tomorrow for Day 2.
TTFN,
Lois
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