West Bound

At the beginning of April, 84 year old Mrs. Meadows contacted me. She lives in Cochise County  Arizona. She wanted to let me know she was driving alone (DRIVING!) to Oklahoma to visit her son--actually, I looked on the map, where she was going it is closer to Kansas, and just in case I was planning on coming to Arizona, she wanted to let me know she wouldn't be home. 

And by the way, was I close to where she would be? Maybe I could swing by? Nope, I was about 6 hours from any point that intersected with her drive. 

A week later, she reached out again, she would be heading back home. This time she wanted to make sure she didn't miss me. So, just in case I was heading out to Arizona that week, she wasn't home. 

At this point, negotiations (which she did not know about) to drive* to Phoenix and take Patrick for a couple of weeks were faltering, thanks to my brother's lack of experience in parenting. My sister-in-law and I could simply not convince my 49-year-old brother otherwise. However, arrangements were being made for the entire Phoenix family to come visit the Sunshines over the summer, which was just as wonderful and meant I didn't have to go to Arizona in the heat. 

Plus, I had a trip to Branson MO scheduled for the week after Easter and a trip to Hot Springs scheduled for the last week of April. I did not need another trip right now. 

And then, right after Easter, right after my hand surgery and right after my trip to Branson, Mrs. Meadows reached out again. This time she wanted me to know she was back home from visiting her son. She was busy the third week of May, but had abundant free time the first and second week of the month. Just in case I was planning on heading to Arizona. At that moment, I wasn't planning on going anywhere. 

"I think she wants you to come visit," Marty said. 

"It's hot in Arizona. I'm exhausted from Branson. I'm recovering from my hand surgery. I have a few significant projects on my plate..." I whined, as if any of that would override Mrs. Meadows--because I already knew the answer. 

And then, I checked my e-mail. There was a note from my 9 year old favorite human. "Auntie, I miss you. June is a long time from now. Are you coming sooner? I hope so. I can't wait to see you. Love, Patrick." 

So, as I write this, I am sitting in a hotel in El Paso. Sydney Jean, my 2014 Silver Rav4, broke 80,000 miles somewhere near Pecos Texas yesterday. It was also 100 degrees in Pecos--which is funny because less than 24 hours earlier I was wearing a jacket in Texarkana. I already hate the heat. I barely slept the last two nights--Sunday night because of the thunderstorm which kept the pets cowering on me (that and the suitcase they noticed) and last night because I drank three 5-hour energy drinks yesterday so I could make the 13 hour drive from Texarkana to El Paso on 3 hours of sleep. Fortunately, Mrs. Meadows is only 4 hours away. 

Now then, I am STOKED about visiting her. I think the world of this woman. She lives on 10 acres in the middle of nowhere by herself. And just because I don't want to drive to Arizona in the heat, doesn't mean I don't want to visit with her. I would just have preferred to have done it when it was cooler. 

And for the record, I am excited to see everyone else in Arizona too. Reach out if you haven't heard from me starting the end of the week and you want to get together. But now you know how I got here. 

*Also for the record, flying out of Texarkana is extremely expensive. To drive to Dallas/Fort Worth Airport or Love Field and park for 10 days (and then rent a car) is as expensive as flying out of Texarkana. Filling up Sydney Jean at $2.79 a gallon (Texas/New Mexico) and staying at a hotel is cheaper than flying.