Alexandria after sunbathing poolside at the Legends Inn in Junction, TX
Devlin's "Picture of the Day" entitled "Walrus Island"We left the Texas panhandle today and drove through the Hill Country. If someone told me we couldn't go home, I'd be ok with that, as long as Anais and Tim could still get here on Friday. It's a beautiful place. We spent most of the driving time in the car and didn't get any good photos of the scenery, but suffice it to say, it is gorgeous. We saw prickly pear, mesquite trees, what we think are live oaks, and yucca. It's definitely Texas.
We also left the interstate behind for awhile on our way here before continuing toward the Gulf Coast, where we expect to arrive tomorrow. The big highlight today was the fact that our drive time was pretty easy on the driver (Terry), we're staying in a great little mom and pop hotel, and we had a classic Texas-style diner dinner of catfish, chicken fried steak, deep fried vegetables (squash and onions) and mashed potatoes. Good stuff. And our waitress was blonde, buxom, and she called us, "Y'all."
Spending so many days together in the car makes for lots of conversations. We've talked about the upcoming wedding, family, restaurants, food, work, each other, and everything else under the sun. We've also spent a lot of time just being silly--playing made-up car games, counting things, teasing, and reminiscing. We've also worked our way through several bags of baby carrots, grape tomatoes, some salad, lots of sandwiches, a full bag of Tim's Salt and Vinegar chips, a bag of snack mix, quite a few sodas, and a bag of grapes.
Spending so much time in the car also makes for much introspection. I can't help when I go anyplace new but to try on the idea of , "What if we moved here?" I've learned in the past year or so that I don't need to embrace this idea too deeply--that kind of restlessness can, in fact, be dangerous and distracting. But as I said a few days ago, I am intrigued by how people make their way in the world in places that seem alien to me. Beyond the beautiful scenery and dramatic landscapes all across the globe, I think, are people whose lives have very little to do with what they see around them every day, yet they are rich lives, full of beauty and meaning, even in the most forbidding of places. I'm not suggesting that other people who live elsewhere don't think about their surroundings--far from it. But no matter where we are in the world physically or mentally, we are paying a price every minute with our time, our patience, our bodies, or sadly for some, our freedom. I hope that the people who read this and know me know that I'm not thinking about an American concept of "freedom" that involves flag-waving, blind patriotism, racism, or imperialistic policies--I'm thinking about people who are truly enslaved by their circumstances. Driving across Texas, thinking about the little bit I remember about its history, both past and present, gives me a lot to chew on in my imagination in terms of how people construct an identity and what it might mean to be "free", or "equal." I don't have any answers, but I look at the people who seem to call this planet home, and I'm ever more convinced that the only place a person can ever count on finding freedom, equality, or even an identity is by looking into one's own heart.
I'm hoping to see blue bonnets and the Gulf Coast tomorrow. And I'm hoping to get a chance to feel the landscape up close instead of just seeing it from the other side of a car window. I can't wait to smell the salt air and the heat and humidity of the Gulf. I'm hoping to get some good photos of the family tomorrow, and I'm hoping that we all get a decent night of sleep tonight to see what adventures we might wake up to. As always, missing you all much. xoxo
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