Report from the Road

No Wi-Fi at the Motel 6 last night, so I couldn't report in from our LOVELY accommodations. But, y'all know me...I always have somethin' to say about everyplace I go.

I don't care WHAT the other drivers say, I LIKED drivin' in LA! Shoot, somebody like me, that is to say, someone with lead in their right foot, would like it, too. They drive 75 in the SLOW lane! Plus, I got passed by a pick-up with PINK Browning icons on its back window. Now that is just too cute, y'all!

We stopped in Historic Vicksburg for the night. We went driving down Clay Street trying to find a place to eat. Since Vicksburg is an historic city and our town our town has a historic downtown with lots of neat places to eat...I figured historic downtown Vicksburg might be the same way. After all, it was only 1.7 miles from the motel and it was only 9:30. Nope. Historic Downtown Vicksburg was not only closed, it was DARK and uninviting. We hooked a u-turn and went back the way we came.

The choices on Clay St. were KFC, Pizza hut and McDonald's. We pulled in at KFC. We ordered and went to a table and sat down and being the friendly person that I am I spoke to the lady sittin' at the next table. And we exchanged several pleasantries. The Dearly Beloved stopped me after a bit because he noticed my bizarre talent swinging into action. I can mimic accents if I talk to someone for a bit. It just comes naturally. I start to talk the way they do after we've talked for a while. DB didn't want by me gettin' into trouble because someone thought I was makin' fun of their accent. The employees and other patrons said, "You must be tourists." We said that we were from Texas. That's when it began to dawn on us that we were the only white people there. It didn't bother us. We were being friendly, that's just how we are. We'd come in and studied the menu and waited for out food to get cooked and had to wait an extra 5 minutes on my potato wedges and had started to eat before we realised the racial disparity. But it wasn't until the "tourist" remark, that it dawned on me that maybe it wasn't just our drawls that gave away our tourist status. The Lady who waited on us used an interesting phrase, if any of y'all are from MS maybe you can tell me whether it's a regional thang or not. She said, "Y'all go on over and sit down and when your order comes up ready, I'll bring it to you." DB noticed that turn of phrase and pointed it out and we were just curious.

On the drive back to the motel, I said, as we passed the Shipley Donuts for the 2nd time, I don't care where you go for breakfast...I'm coming to Shipley Donuts. Y'all can have my share of the Krispy Kremes and Dunkin Donuts, give me Shipley!

When we got back to Motel 6, we discovered the couple one room down, not directly next door, THANK You, Baby Jesus! was gettin' their money's worth from the bed. I'm serious y'all, you could her her out in the hall.

A little further down I-20 in MS we stopped at a rest stop that had a SECURITY GUARD!!! How BAD is roadside crime in MS that they need security guards in little booths at the rest stops? And which is gonna make me safer, the sleepy, bored security guard, or the .45 in my purse or at my waist that I practice with regularly?

We stopped in Tuscaloosa for lunch. A couple at the next table was on their way to Atlanta for the SEC playoffs. They advised us to take 459 around Birmingham, but said it was OK to stay on 20 going through Atlanta. Their advice proved golden. We didn't hit any snags.

Pulled into the Best Western in Augusta about 9:20 Thursday night. BTW, did you know my cell phone automatically resets itself to EDT from Central? How freakin' Kewl is THAT?

Oh, this is my FIRST trip to GA! And my first trip EAST of the Mississippi since 1970! Just thought y'all should know.