Dear everybody,
I am so sorry that it has been such a while since mums last update. It has been a combination of my first year exams/ revision.. im sure youll be happy to know that there were minimal tears… plus end of exams celebrations — I’m sure you’ll be happy to know there were no tears and lots of laughs… Also mum has found it difficult to find wifi in order to email me. But she managed to yesterday so i thought i would forward on her email.
There shouldnt be any more lengthy gaps between updates because i am now home for the summer, with no revision, written work or stress of any sort (i do hope im not making anybody jealous!?) so basically just carefree fun with Dad and Tom, this said, this “being mum” job does have its unsightly aspects.. such as the fact that i just had to unfluff the clothes dryer thing, euuurgh!
Anyway here is mum’s email:
Hi Y’all,
Sorry for infrequent communication but its difficult getting internet access in the middle of nowhere parked on the side of a road and too hot and tired to stop in the middle of the day in a city. Anyway made it to Oklahoma City today despite it being 93 degrees ! I’m going to have to get used to it and put on suncream at least 5-7 x a day. I look like a sweaty ghost!!
Animals. The birds are amazing and I don’t know what any of them are .Beautiful BRIGHT little blue ones and yellow ones and red ones, so pretty.There are medium scruffy birds of prey ? buzzards all over the place and elegant pure white herons .Even the brown birds are interesting. I love armadillos but haven’t seen a live one yet ! Them and turtles and terrapins are hedgehog equivalents and are squished on the road all over the place..The armadillos look like sweet fatty reptiles who need to be motorised to survive!. Still no live snakes seen and I’m happy about that, loads of roadkill. I’m not going to mention the ‘tick’ episodes, thankfully not on me.. I mustn’t forget Sally a really friendly dog who just wouldn’t leave me and kept running in the road. We had to ring her vet’s number to sort out where she came from and return her..
Places. So many and they are a bit muddled.The Chain of Rocks Bridge over The Great Mississippi is probably my best moment tho I loved little down at heel Galena in Kansas and kept expecting to see Dorothy and pals come around the corner. I tried clicking my trainers heels together and saying ‘there’s no place like home’ but I’m still here…There are loads of little Route 66 specials like the Largest Rocking chair in the world. Bulls coming out of roves etc. The Union Pacific railroad accompanying me in the early hours of the morning is so comforting with the drivers waving at me and blowing their horns.There’s loads more and I’ll try to clarify it in my brain for another day.
People. Ryan a graduating welder and a drummer. The beer drinking Montana cowboy with his (beer drinking) horse tied up at the launderette. The son of ‘Blue Whale’ man. Larry Goodman a very kind guy. The police have been fine. The Route 66 drugs policeman was a bit severe to start with checking our I.D. and searching the van but when he saw loads of pairs of smelly trainers and not much else he was ok. Lots of kindly people in garages buying a coke and letting me use their restroom..
Dom and Kev have been very patient in looking after me and the route and fed me really well. They have to do my smelly washing ! and do lots of maintenance of the van ( called Gladys ) changing water etc.I think was all a lot more than they bargained for but they have got to see capitol building in Springfield Illinois by the security guards! And also Jesse James Hideout and many more things including guns and knives and shooting a bow which resulted in Dom getting an ‘ arm whipping ‘ yet another of his many injuries , skateboarding ones mostly..
It’s been a rollercoaster for me saved by my family who have been brilliant from thousands of miles away keeping up my spirits and helping each other…
It’s actually Memorial Day in the U.S. and though I’ve thought of people who’ve given their lives for their country I think I’ve mostly just been remembering things, lots of people and things, the people who I’m here to represent who put up with such a lot and don’t complain …….they know who they are and I say their names out loud. I’ve thought of the poor people in The earthquake a lot and stop feeling sorry for myself.
Mostly I think of my family and love them more than they will ever know.
Bedtime now………
So there you have it, we are speaking to mum every evening and she is enjoying herself a lot, but i think we should all pray that the heat calms down a bit!
Thankyou all for your concern and support
Love Jess xx
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