The Median Sib

Today I spent several hours driving around looking at houses and land for sale near my home. Around lunchtime I decided to drive further south and try to meet up with some friends who were camping at Tims Ford State Park. Looking at the map, I figured it would be about an hour’s drive, and I could do some hiking once I got to the park. With the map beside me, I was set to go. I didn’t take into consideration that Tennessee backroads are not marked very well. A road that has a number on the map would be identified as simply “Cayce Hollow” on the road signs. And I couldn’t just find my way to the next town that my map showed because the typical signs showing the mileage to the next town were few and far between — and often absent altogether. My map was mostly useless on this adventure. My one hour drive ended up taking about three and a half hours. If there was a wrong turn to make, I made it. I passed through some beautiful Tennessee countryside, and I saw many properties that I wished were closer to Nashville. And even though I knew I was zigzagging all over the place, it didn’t bother me. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining, my favorite song was playing over and over on the CD player, and the top was down on the convertible (for awhile). I was in no hurry. Well, no hurry for the first couple hours. Then it got a little tedious and I wondered if I’d ever find the place. I did finally find the park and my friends, but it was almost four o’clock when I got there. I chatted with my friends for awhile, and we took a leisurely stroll (no hiking) around the campground, they shared their dinner with me (hoppin’ john with Italian sausage - a first for me, but it was delicious! They also had fresh-baked bread they’d bought at a Mennonite store earlier today). By then it was after six o’clock and darkness was approaching. I wanted to get to familiar territory before dark since my circuitous route earlier had left me having no clue about how to get home. The direction-impaired bug was not finished with me for the day. Once again I made a wrong turn on the way home and drove about ten miles out of the way before I realized I was on Hwy 41 south - I was heading away from Nashville. I had to turn around and retrace my route and eventually saw the signs to I-24West — a most comforting sight after a day of uncertain driving.

I wonder about days like today. I spent hours in the car, went through half a tank of gas, and didn’t accomplish anything other than a couple hours visit with friends. Was there a purpose in all that driving around that I did?

Actually now that I think about it, maybe there was a purpose…not in the driving around - at least not a purpose I can think of - but in going to Tims Ford State Park. As I sat there in the camp chair chatting with my friends, I told them about the camping trips that my family went on when I was a kid. I remember it was so much fun. The campfires, meals cooked on that old Coleman stove - still can smell the bacon cooking in the morning, hiking to the bathhouse to go to the bathroom or take a shower, and listening to the sounds of nature as we drifted off to sleep. I felt a strong yearning to go camping again. Maybe get a small tent and give it a try. I think it would be a fairly safe thing for someone to do alone. So perhaps that will be my next adventure.

I was eating my cereal with milk awhile ago and clicking through TV channels, and I saw a few minutes of “Sewing With Nancy.” The show was about making mosaic quilts based on a photograph. I wish I could find a photograph online to illustrate what the quilts on the show looked like. There was a close-up of a baby’s face — quilted out of calico. Nothing in particular to write about it. I just thought it was amazing. I didn’t see the whole show, but I’m guessing that one would enlarge the photograph on the computer until you would see the individual pixel sections. Then you get 24 progressive shades of fabric, cut the squares, and sew them together based on the pixel shades. I didn’t see the part that explained how to do it, but I believe I could figure it out. It makes me want to try it - but I have no idea where I’d find the time to do that! I still have a blue and green quilt I started for Mother back in the ’80’s that isn’t finished yet. And I never crocheted an afgan for Sophie like I did for Lily. So I have a couple projects to finish before starting a new one.