Greetings, all. It is currently 12:35 AM in Springdale, Arkansas. We're Central Standard US Time, or GMT-6. GMT means Greenwich Mean Time, and consequently, you can now deduce that it is 6:35 AM in London, Great Britain; 1:35 in Perth, Western Australia; and 8:35 in Athens, Greece. Perhaps I should install some sort of International Atomic Clock on this critter...
In 12 hours, I'll be a few miles above Memphis, Tennessee, which is also one of the main time trial check points for most of my East-bound US road trips. I'm packed. Overpacked, as per usual. I'm lugging gifts that will be distributed in the next few weeks to the various folks I'll be staying with, so my load will lessen with time, but I'm a might nervous about ye olde baggage check when I get to XNA (Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport) in the morning. My last Arkansan destination will be my Grandmother Sharp's house, up on top of the hill, where I'll have a breakfast sendoff. My best friend Brandon and I started this tradition years ago, where we always have our last meal together before either of us embarks on a trip of any size. Our black reasoning is that travel is, after all, hazardous, and Who knows if we'll ever eat another meal together on this planet. On the lighter side of the rationale, my grandmother's one dang good cook, and it gives Brandon an excuse to not work tomorrow morning.
Today's been the typical, pre-trip, harried fiasco... Actually, no, everything's gone quite smooth (which means I've forgotten something HUGE), and I'm pretty well ready to go. I took my friend Tim's advice and packed my Ipod, so I've been updating it. I paid all of my insurance for the next 6 months, paid off my credit card debt, watched Monday Night Football with my Grandparents Brown, finalised some rendezvous points upon arrival in Europe, and stocked up on some medication. I've been vaguely sick for about 2 weeks-- everything from sinuses and allergies to fevers, coughs, and a bubbly, rumbly, causing trouble down inside me tummy. I've 'bout got her whooped, though, and might ride out allright if she don't jump...
Anyrate, anyone with access to Australian movies, I highly recommend "The Castle" and "Crackerjack;" newly arrived, and watched, today from my great friend Beau of Western Australia. The musical recommendation at my time of departure is the London Philharmonic Orchestra doing Led Zeppelin, the book is, as always "The Wind in the Willows," and as long as I'm telling you my opinions for great products I'll be doing without for 3 months, Welch's White Grape Juice, or Sam's Choice Cranberry Apple are where it's at.
Props to those of you who came out of the woodwork rattling your pitchforks and torches in defense of my elongated emails. I'll probably stick to posting the novellas here on ye olde weblogge, but I will be keeping up with email if you want to get more personal.
Anyrate, those of you of the praying sort, keep me and my gypsy ways in mind...
Cheers for now, and remember: Life is enjoyed most when you're laughing. Laugh hard, laugh often, and think of me!
JEFFRO
3 comments:
Have a wonderful trip, Jeff!
I used some of that cran-apple juice in place of wine when I made spaghetti sauce the other day and it turned out pretty good.
Also, have fun and don't text too many guys!
We will be praying for you. Safety, fun, guidance... all the good stuff.
On a side note, in the blues scale (thats a music joke(well i just came up with it(so it may not be funny))), Next time you see me jeff I will be a harmonica player. That is one of my goals for the next few months. If you get bored you should try it. Get you a harmonica in the key of A- you can play cross-harp with a guitar in the key of E. Good old blues.
For those of you who are wondering what I am talking about, don't worry I don't know what it means yet either. Wait till jeff comes back.
Shine on,
Tim
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