Day: June 26, 2013

Really Wanting a Roadtrip

Published on by Sandie D2 Comments

ImageRoad-trips, aren’t they great? I love a good road-trip even if it is just for the day or a few hours.

When I go on a road-trip it doesn’t have to be across the country. It could be a short little jaunt to Zion or one of the lakes around my little town in the canyons. There are so many wonderful destinations that would take two hours or less. I don’t know many other places that have the beauty like St. George does. Here are some of the wonderful places around me that can be seen and enjoyed.

  • Zion National Park- 1 hour away
  • Pine Valley- 45 minutes
  • Snow Canyon- 15 minutes
  • Gunlock State Park- 20 minutes
  • Grafton Ghost Town- 30 minutes
  • Cedar City- less than an hour
  • Grand Canyon – 2 hour drive
  • Las Vegas, NV- 2 hours
  • Valley of Fire- Less than 2 hours

These are just a few of the great places that would make for a short road trip. Not always do I like to stick around town. I have yet to go to Valley of Fire. For me when I go on a road trip whether it is close to home or out of town, it is a time to get some me time.

Anymore due to my health problems, I have to take someone with if it is going to be too much of a drive. Which kinda defeats me wanting to get some me time. I’m pretty much at the mercy of others and since it is their time, I can’t always go where I want. There are times I have no idea where I want to go, I just go. OK, so off that pity party now, lol.

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This is a picture of the Supermoon that I took here in St. George, Utah on June 23rd, 2013

Since I got my new camera I have found that I love taking pictures of nature. Photography has opened my world up to new possibilities. I didn’t know I was fully interested in photography, but it has. From the time I got my camera, I have seen wonders and miracles that God created. The very first time I tried to shoot pictures of the moon, I was hooked. I had no idea my camera could shoot the whole moon and see the craters on the moon. I impressed myself and I am still amazed.

My intention with getting a better camera was to take pictures of my grand-kids, video them too. I do websites and thought it would be cool to take my own pictures and not worry about copy writes. It has turned into a pretty serious hobby and it is awesome that others are letting me know how good my pictures are.

So now I’m thinking on this road trip and wanting to go to someplace or anyplace that I haven’t been to. Even though I’m not a morning person, I think it would be awesome to take some sunrise pictures. My brain has been thinking on the Valley of Fire lately. Right now though Valley of Fire will be majorly hot. But it would be nice to just take time and take pictures of some place new. I know it isn’t feasible to do that right now. It isn’t like others would like to just take off and go with me on an adventure that may lead to an adventure in photography.

I did tell Chuck that I want to go to Vegas and look at some of the attractions that we normally don’t go to. We aren’t gamblers, but there are some interesting sites in Vegas. And not all things that happen in Vegas stays in Vegas. When we go, it is to go to a Dr’s appointment or drive through at 5 am to get out of the traffic as we head to Phoenix. There are many places that we haven’t explored. If we can get a good deal on a couple nights and he can get a night off we plan on doing that.

I have been hankering for a road-trip though. And as time goes on, it is getting stronger. I have talked to my daughter about going. I don’t think she likes it though when I pull off somewhere and I can spend hours taking pictures and waiting for that special moment or the right opportunity to get the perfect shot. Jessica would go and for the things close to home, she has been great about taking me or going with me. So I do appreciate ya Jessica in case you read this.

Eventually I will make it to Indiana. I really want to go back there and visit long lost relatives that I haven’t seen in almost 40 yrs. My husband wants to go with and I can’t go myself since I’m on home health and have to do IV meds, oxygen and such. Since he didn’t get his vacation time this year and pay, that is pretty much out of the question for him to go on any kind of vacation or road trip. This is really crappy considering it has been years since we have been able to take a real vacation. I’m guessing because of that me going to Indiana is going to be out of the question again this year.

My immediate goal is to go on a short road trip, with a fully charged battery for my camera. I want to crank up the music in my car and just go. I don’t want others to tell me where I can go and when to come back. Even though It can only be an overnight-er at best.

For me the best way for me to clear my mind and life is to just drive or go somewhere. I do hope I get to do this. I don’t know how reasonable it is though since someone would have to go with and as I said before, it isn’t like people have that same desire, objective, time and money to do this.

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This is the cross located at Point Loma Nazarene University in California… Simply beautiful

On my agenda when it cools off and Chuck can get some time off or some vacation pay, I want to go to Point Loma. It is by  San Diego California. They have the most beautiful college that over looks the ocean. There is navel yards, light houses, the ocean, and the Veterans Cemetery. Also while we are there, I would really like to go to the Holocaust Museum. I believe we need to remember what happened and the millions murdered by pure evil. This museum is in LA. I know someone with a time share there, so that would help. The only way this is going to happen though is if Chuck gets some time to do it and gets his paid vacations. I won’t even go into that whole mess, it ticks me off.

So, I’m going to sign off now and think about how I can go road tripping and who can go with me on it. If I don’t sign off on this, it will turn into a vent over vacation pay and no time off to do anything.

Firestorm for Paula Deen

Published on by Sandie D2 Comments

ImageYep! I guess I will join with the many others that are on the Paula Deen bandwagon. If ya all haven’t heard this she has said something in her past that is coming back to haunt her. She said the “N” word and some other things. Now, I really like Paula Deen and I really feel for her right now. She has apologized and was asked point-blank if she has ever used the “N” Word…

My personal feelings are that nobody should use the “N” word, the “F” word or so on. I think it is  terrible and just shows the mentality of the person using it.  I guess this is kinda personal for me because growing up we used the “N” word when we would go to the store to ask for Brazil Nuts. I never realized till many years later that they weren’t called “N” toes. Also growing up it was very common to hear others around me call fixing things with baling wire and string a way of “N” rigging. As I got older, I realized that it was wrong and hurtful to those around me and I made sure to correct myself.

Then there is the”F” word. The reason I bring this up is that in my past, I never seen anything wrong with using the “F” word or whatever else that would be considered cursing. My husband was in the Army and I worked at a truck stop and it was common to talk like a sailor and never thought anything of it. That was until I was in a restaurant and nobody else was talking like I was and God decided I needed to hear how bad it sounded. I made a decision at that point to not swear because it wasn’t the right thing to do.

I bring these things up because these are things from my past. And thankfully my past is my past. These things aren’t a part of my life now and haven’t been for almost 19 years. If I were to be judged on these times that I used this language, then I would be on the cross with Jesus Christ. I knew I was guilty and was in the wrong at some point. Now I did make sure to correct my way of talking and haven’t gone back to using this language. I find that I get pretty angry when people only know how to use the “F” bomb or other colorful language. Maybe that is because I know how wrong it is and how bad it sounds. At least for me it does.

Now, back to Paula Deen. She has asked for forgiveness and knew what she said was wrong. Should we condemn her or should we forgive her. I have chosen to forgive her. I have no room to judge her because I have made my own set of mistakes. The time Paula Deen was asked about using the “N” word was from the 1980’s. That was a long time ago and her shows came on much later than that. People do change and grow from the lessons they have learned. I know I have and Paula is a human who says things that shouldn’t be said and admitted to them.

One thing I never understood though is why is it OK for blacks to use the “N” word and not whites. I don’t mean this in a disrespectful way, but it does make me wonder why there is a difference. I do feel many times the race card comes out when it isn’t about race. Sometimes it is upbringing, peers, not knowing the difference or so on. I know there have been times I have said things and didn’t understand what I was saying. Of course I was much younger and have gotten better at knowing what to say and not say. I do still have my stupid moments though, lol

Then I wonder how many of us would have a job or friends if we were judged on every single thing we said in the past.

I guess I will end this post with this thought and hopefully half the world doesn’t try to condemn me like they have Paula. My final thought is that it is better to forgive then to hate. You can get further with forgiveness than being hateful.  I think awareness is very important, but is there really a need to have a lynch mob go after Paula Deen? I say NO!