Plum Blog

January 2009 Cross Country Adventures . Thursday

January 8th 

This will be our last morning and afternoon of travel. We procrastinated beginning at 5:55am. The last thing either of us wanted to do today was face more hours in the bucket seats that have become our home for the last few days, though we both were looking forward to more perplexing billboards and WalMart sightings. So alas, 7am rolled around and on the road we are. Today we got to start with snow capped mountains made more captivating with the sound of Chingy singing "Right Thurr" for our morning greeting. Better than Chingy, was Amy, the Banning, CA Starbucks drive through attendant. Her chipper voice can hardly be described but Brad pointed out that as happy as we were to see her at 7:03am , her co-workers will want to muzzle her by noon. She wore a horrendously giant fuscia flower in her blonde side bun with matching gloss.... morning! 

Fortunately, this was our last night in the kind of motel one such as me would only inhabit for this kind of miles filled trip. I have only gratitude for the highway lined vacancies but they aren't my favorite places to hang my knitted cap. As we drive on the I10 ramp, the smell of my organic hair products swirl around the car as a way to cover up the faint must of the travel lodge (again with the incense overnight). I showered this morning but, no matter how hard you wash with your b.y.o soap, the no vacancy seems to linger. 

As we cruise through the new world I will now call my home, I can't help but wonder if Brad and I have arrived in Ireland. Rolling green hills with cows roaming freely. Eating, grazing... kind of sounds like what I will be up to through the end of January. We've passed a Six Flags located in the middle of mountains (FUN) and 3 trucks with open topped cages filled with lemons, and In'N'Out Burger every now and again. Mostly, we are in open lands filled with nothing but earth. Being exposed to so much space makes all of the "Targets" (or WalMarts) of the world seem a little less intrusive. My least favorite thing that we have come across is what I named a Cow Concentration Camp. We have passed two today and the second was saddening; especially after seeing such freedom on the rolling hills of "Ireland." The cows were crammed into rotten earthed cages and they just sat grimly, waiting for their fate and living a worse fate during the waiting. Do they know a different life? Were they ever free to roam like their buddies 100 miles away? Damn that In'N'Out Burger joint. 

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I've arrived! The finality of our drive came with a sunny trek over the Bay Bridge, the first time for both Brad and me. We pulled up and Chad was eagerly standing in the window... but only for a moment because by the time I was stepping out of the car, he was there. All three of us came up but Brad stayed outside while I shut the door behind me. I made him knock so that Chad and I could properly greet our first guest. Then of course, the tour. Should any of you come for a visit, you will have the same experience as B, though you won't be accosted by boxes of my things. They'll all be neatly put away (I hope) by then.

So, here we sit, eating Chinese take-out (they have brown rice in SF) and watching a movie while sitting on our new sofa. No more behind the Plum curtain living for me! I am home, my best bud and driving companion to my left and my love to my right. We've also ventured out to Haight Ashbury to thrift and my new polyester coat and Snoopy embroidered button-up should make a fine addition to my California closet. I hear an uh-oh coming from the shopping portion of my budget! 

I am so happy to be sharing this fun adventure with all of you have been a part of my life in Atlanta and before. Wish me luck with the boxes. Let the nesting begin. 

Love, Danica

January 2009 Cross Country Adventures . Tuesday and Wednesday

It's sunrise in New Mexico. Brad and I found a great couple of fluffy filled beds to rest in last night and we woke up smiling at the thought of our truly Southwestern day ahead. To celebrate, Brad is wearing a du-rag and cowboy hat. Yesterday, we spent about 12 hours driving through the great state of Texas, and I do mean GREAT! That word has lots of meaning, one is big. It took us from 10 in the morning until midnight to leave the state. It was agreed that getting out of Texas would feel like an accomplishment so we drove the night into Las Cruces, NM and arrived at our Comfort Inn punchy as peanuts. It worked in our favor, I charmed the front desk man into half off the fare of our room. It was the middle of the night after all.  The other great thing about Texas is that it is as sexy as the movies portray it. We had the bright southern sun illuminating the dry ground we were covering and the old, rickety buildings and antique cars appeared through the dust every now and again. Plus, cows... cows everywhere waving and smiling as we loudly drove by with our free impersonation concerts (JT, Diana Ross, and my fav, Celine Dion). 

 

Right now, we are in a prison area and have been cautioned to avoid hitchhikers. It sure would make the adventure more interesting though, wouldn't it? We get to drive up the mountains in Bisbee, AZ to see close family this morning and then on to Santa Monica to rest with friends tonight. We are going to wake up at sunrise to drive the Pacific Coast highway to my new home. A shutter of fear and excitement at all this change (cows) just flew about my system! 

 

I'll be home soon. Love Love, Danica

 

PS - US Border Patrol just asked us to verify that we were US Citizens. Brad's response, "Si."

 

PSS - If you did not receive my first cross country adventure report, see below (at the bottom). Heart

 

 

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So... after declaring that Wednesday would be the day for Brad to eat healthy and ONLY healthy, he was seduced by the Hot To Go cabinet at the Truckers Savoy Stop and Restaurant. The smell of a down home southern Sausage Biscuit is clinging to the dashboard and crumbs are lining his drivers side seat. I love how much Brad loves his home cookin'. He did get an orange. I, of course, have dug out my organic tea and was happy to find the only living thing besides the girls behind the counter. I have never loved an orange more. It's been noted by my driver that he is a Porkafile. He loves all things made from a pig including, but not limited to, Pork Skins and Sausage. 

 

As we walked into the Savoy, we were greeted by little Native American dollies and ceramic boots. It seemed like any ordinary stop, housing nik-naks that would make special mementos for any home, motor oil, and toiletries, along with tasty treats for only one kind of eater, really. But, a hidden gem in the back of the seemingly normal station, a truck stop Restaurant. I peeked my head into the arch shaped entrance and lining the walls were booths that had a picture of 8 truckers having their 3 egg specials, all sitting alone, all sitting together. Flannel shirts and hats alike among the drivers, I think the two clowns in the doorway were misplaced. To the right of us was the kitchen, two women and a man were cooking away in the diner and one of the woman had probably listed the special on the blackboard at around 5 this morning. As I took in the scene, my sweet giggling friend pulled me back and pointed to the sign that said "Shirt and Shoes Required - Bra and Panties Optional." I thought about taking off my undergarments right then but it just didn't feel like me. On our way out, I also discovered a jewels case selling jewelry. These places really do have everything!

 

Across the countries gas station stops, I can't help but wonder about the lives managing and working inside the filling stations. Where do they live? How much money do they make? Are they happy? Are they fulfilled? I ask each one of them how their day is and everyone always comes back with a "Fine" or a "Good." Some of them are truly genuine and some of them are simply politely responding. All of this reminds me to reflect on being grateful for all the opportunities I have to meet so many different people and that I lead a life that is truly adventurous and full of love and humor. I hope the same for these fine people who are helping me along the way. I hope I am doing the same for them as I bring my business and high-fives to hotel workers and station attendants across America. I am also reminded that my life is not the only kind of life to live and to appreciate all things different. 

 

Spend the day noticing all things different and respecting it. By the end of the day, I bet you will love yourself more than when you started. 

 

Love Love

January 2009 Cross Country Adventures . Monday

Monday

Hello curious friends, 

Here I sit, a passenger, a friend driving me on a cross country journey to a love waiting at the end. Blazing by are wickedly funny and off kilter billboards, a lot of Waffle Houses as we roll through the South, we've passed only 3 WalMarts in 4 states and surprisingly, only 1 hearse. So far, my funniest moment was discovering that "Telapoosa" has the word "poo" right smack in the middle of it. It feels inappropriate and I"m glad that I don't live there because I can only imagine that life might be somewhat shitty. We were crossed by a filthy white Tahoe that had a message fingered across the back reading "I wish my wife was this dirty." Yay. There is a place called Eutaw, Alabama and we crossed the Chunky River in Chunky, Mississippi. We also had a moment in Cuba. Who knew? Last night, Brad and I masked the faint smell of dog and cigarettes with Nag Champa and slept to the meditative sounds of a single car coming and going to the infiltrating party above. We agreed that the car was some sort of delivery vehicle regular for  the Monroe, AL Motel 6. My favorite hotel moment from last night was when Brad announced that they must be kidding with the toilet. The seat was clean, isn't that the most important part? It wasn't our classiest home away from home experience but we woke refreshed and excited all the same. 

So back on the road, me with a Whole Foods snack and organic green tea and Brad with his fresh, hot sausage biscuit... open road here we ride. Celine Dion, we love you. 

I promise you, we just drove into Texas and Brad suggested a Country Music Station. 101.5 KMUE, here we are. "Sellin' collards off a pickup truck... crunchin' pork rinds..." It goes on from there. Does anyone recognize this song? It's new for me. 

"Thank God for good directions and turnip greens..." That's the end of the aforementioned song. If I were the writer, it might go something like "Thank God for GPS and steamed kale." 

Happy travels to us all. Enjoy the journey and grab hold of the adventure my friends. It's oh so much fun! 

Love, Danica 

PS - "You might think I'm trashy but I'm just a red-neck girl... hell yeah!"

Only in San Francisco

It's a sunny afternoon and I have the day for exploring commingled with errands. Walking around in a new city with a list of to-do's is usually full of new adventure because familiarity and a daily routine have yet to take root in a newbie. So, first I head into Pharmaca, a natural remedies haven for the homeopathic seekers. I am in the market for feel good herbs (um... legal, of course) and vegan omegas. It turns out, they have a reflexologist on staff from 4-6 p.m. daily and my watch reads 4:06! It's only $1 per minute and in my effort to relax and heal my inner self of its recent upheaval, I request twenty. My efforts are paying off as my reflexologist works on cleansing my organs of toxicity while I phlegmatically recline and sip water and have an enlightened foot massage. She ends by saying "Would you like me to cleanse your aura, there is no extra charge?" My response: "Of course I would!" I might have even paid $2 per minute for that!

This next part of my day is what I like to think of as the more embarrassing part of my task oriented afternoon. It's still sunny and the gifted extension of daylight savings seems to be agreeing with everyone. All of the passersby seem to be wearing their jolly as brightly as mine. Little do I know how one minor inconvenience is about to change my jolly into more of a drippy.  Along with my herbal concoctions, vegan pick me ups and cleansed aura, I have a deposit in hand and am headed up the hill to the B of A kiosk, located conveniently two blocks from home, that will happily accept my wages...

Do you think anyone has ever made a deposit and forgotten it? Doesn't the bank wish it could go ahead and keep it after a certain amount of time? Years later, a descendent comes in seeking his (or her) recently deceased grandfather's long overlooked mini-fortune and the snide bank official simply says, "Hey Sir, you snooze you lose." I once forgot to make a $900 deposit for several months, having to be reminded by the person that wrote me the check. I felt like a snob... "oh yeah, that $900. I forgot about that. Whoops..." 

Anyway, back to the unavoidable reality that is my afternoon; so, as I was leaving Pharmaca with my freshly pampered, toxin free organs, I felt like I had to use the ladies room. Being in a big city, there are not many public restrooms and I was only heading up the hill so I thought that couple of blocks would be no biggie... I begin my deposit (that will not go forgotten) and rapidly begin to realize my bladder has had enough of my afternoon shenanigans and is ready for its turn. Ready for its turn right now... right NOW. Of course, we begin a very heated discussion as I futilely try to convince it to please give me just a few more minu... uh-oh... now I am hunched over pleading... to no avail. There is officially pee dribbling down my leg. I am actually holding a very inappropriate area of my body for public and more importantly for onlookers going about their normal business. Meanwhile, the kiosk is screaming at me to deposit the next check. "I can't dammit!!!" But unless I slide in the small piece of paper, it will keep screaming or eat my ATM card! I slide in my final check deposit while begging the rude conversationalist in my abdomen for mercy. I'm like, "certainly that little dribble is enough to hold you over for that short stint home" and the bladder's says, "nice try but the time is now." I'm frantically looking around for a covered area as I reconcile with the fact that this is going to have to happen at a time and in a place I don't want it to. The best I can do is a semi-secluded grassy nook with sparsely leafed trees and an onlooking office building. The alternative is to just go. Yup, that's my alternative. So, I rip my card from the barking electronic money eating spit machine, replace my hand in its very impolite position (unless you are three years old) and  awkwardly run the painful, and somewhat wet 10 feet, shove my pants to my ankles and... squat. Squat and hope that no-one, "please God! No-one!" pulls in to the parking deck for the kiosk. Please don't let anyone look out their office window! And then I remember the expression that Chad's friend talked of on our double date - "Only in San Francisco!" Thank God for that expression because that is what 9-5'ers above are certainly saying in this very moment.

So, I gather myself together, as best I can and hope that my pants are concealing the disgrace of my ill-fated transaction beneath. I get down the hill and remember that I had taken my keys out in the hopes I could hurry home while I was being brutally attacked by my insides at the bank. My hands are now empty (especially since there is no need to hold anything in anymore). I can only start laughing when the dawning of more parading my embarrassment back up the hill, and then down again, set in. In my haste, I must have thrown the keys in the bush neighboring my grassy "bathroom." So, I walked back up the hill, sticky and wet with humiliation, to fetch what was the key to the door that lead to my cleanliness.

"Hey, look at that girl! She peed her pants and she is laughing out loud! Only in San Francisco!"