Pet Peeves on the Highway

Do things along your drive just irritate you?  In the last few weeks, a few things have happened that really frustrate me.

Entering the highway:
In my opinion, entering the highway is a privilege and not a right. Some states/highways have lights that tell drivers when they can enter the highway, but most that I drive do not.  Yes, drivers in the right lane should move over, when possible, to allow cars/trucks to enter the highway, but many times that cannot happen. Cars, and especially 18 wheelers or large trucks, need to enter the highway cautiously and ready to stop if needed.

Twice in two weeks, once as a passenger and once as the driver, I have been traveling down the highway, in the right lane and not able to get over, and had large trucks just barrel their way onto the highway. They gained speed while on the ramp and never slowed down.  As the passenger, the driver did all she could to get out of the way with a car next to her, but I was afraid I was going to be crushed as the truck just kept barreling toward us.  No brake lights!  As the driver, I was scared to death, and thank goodness, I could get into the left lane at the absolute last minute. Both of these situations could have ended terribly, but I know God was protecting me.  Had the truck drivers been more cautious, slowed down, and yielded to highway traffic, neither of these situations would have happened.

Note--My grandfather, uncle, and brother have all driven 18 wheelers, so they hold a special place in my heart, and I respect what they have to deal with on the highway, so I try to drive cautiously around them.

Construction:
I live near a river, and there are no service roads over the river.  If there is an accident or there is construction, then traffic gets really bad. I am all for getting to your destination as fast as you can, etc., but it angers me when people get on the service roads to bypass the traffic on the highway and then expect those on the highway to just let them on.  Really?  We have been sitting on the highway far longer than those cars have been on the service road.  Again, it is a right to get on the highway, and when these cars just push their way on with no regard to others, it angers me.

It would also be nice if the construction workers/company thought about the entrance ramps in the construction zone, even if it is the last one before the service roads end.  In my opinion, if that entrance ramp had been closed, it would have helped move traffic along on the highway so much faster.  Yes, there would be confusion and traffic on the service road (and in this location, it really wouldn't be that big a deal), but instead of 3 lanes going into 1, there would only be 2 going into 1.

Also, there should be an app or site to go to to see all construction zones, delays, accidents, etc.  (There might be one, but I don't know about it.)  Accidents and traffic are hardly ever announced in my area.  By the time I get on the highway and get to the backup, it is too late to get off, go around, or there are no service roads.  If we know early enough, there are no less than 3 other ways for me to get home.  I just have to know in advance!


Do you have pet peeves involving the highway or driving?

A Little More About Me

Do you hear or read something and think it would make a great topic about which to blog?  I have been able to watch The Talk this summer, and there have been several topics that I have opinions about, but when I get to my computer, I completely forget what I wanted to say.  So . . . I found a website that lists the Top 10 Challenge.  At the moment, I don't want to spend a day on each topic and list 10 things for each.  Instead, I will list one thing for each topic.  I'll come back to it every now and again to share a little more.

Fact about yourself: I earned my Doctorate in Education with a focus on Supervision, Curriculum, & Instruction.  Also, I'm an "it depends" kind of person.  When making decisions or having to make choices, I normally say, "It depends," because depending on all the details, my answer my vary.

Favorite . . . 

movie: Sweet Home, Alabama came to mind first, but I know there must be something else

TV show: Army Wives (right now with all the reruns of other series)

baby name for boys: Zane

baby name for girls: Jayne (middle name)

food: spaghetti and meat sauce with mushrooms and meatballs

drink: sweet tea (since it is summertime)

dessert: chocolate shake with hot fudge and Oreos

book series: The Shadow Children series by Margaret Peterson Haddix

novel: I need to keep thinking on this one.

actor: I don't watch shows/movies for a particular person, & no one is coming to mind today.

actress: See the "actor" answer.

band or singer: Reba

fictional character: I'm not sure about this one.

song at the moment: We Are Young

sport or hobby: being crafty

game: Bejeweled Blitz on my iPad (individual) or anything my niece & nephew want to play (multiple players)

Thing you . . .

wanted to be when you “grew up”: a teacher

can’t leave the house without: Other than keys?  cell phone

do when you’re bored: email friends

love about yourself: that I'm a life-long learner

wish you could change about yourself: my weight/unattractiveness

Other . . .

Thing on your bucket list: Take my niece & nephew on a European vacation when they are old enough to enjoy it.

Celebrity crush: no one

Website you visit often: Facebook

Physical characteristic you look for in a partner: 

Personality trait you look for in a partner: honesty & compassion (right behind Christian)

Regret: Not having a family of my own; I regret my kids not knowing my mother & grandmother.

Wish: I could find "Mr. Right."

Place you want to visit: the northeast with my niece & nephew

Cleveland, Georgia

We headed to Cleveland, Georgia to visit Babyland General where Cabbage Patch Kids are born.  My niece was so excited about this part of our trip, and it was quite an experience. The nursery was set-up with many adorable babies waiting to be adopted. A sweet nurse was on hand to encourage us to hold the babies, talk to them, etc. Across the hall was the playroom for the kids or toddlers. They were having a lot of fun while waiting for new adoptive families.  The final room was a large room with Cabbage Patch Kids of all shapes, sizes, colors, and themes.  There was plenty to buy and lots of babies and toddlers to adopt.

 

Every 30 minutes, a new baby is born in the cabbage patch.  The nurses are called to help and the doctor keeps everyone apprised of what is happening while helping to deliver the baby.  Everyone waiting is encouraged to help with breathing and in naming the baby.  Yep, there is a new boy in the nursery named for my nephew.  The whole experience was quite sweet.

My mom and grandmother were part of the craze back in the 80s when Cabbage Patch Kids were "the thing" for Christmas.  I was blessed with two kids, Jacob and a little girl, whose name I just can't remember (It starts with an R, and her middle name was Joan.), and one baby, Skipper, that year. My niece had a bald baby named Ash she carried around as a toddler, so being a part of the hospital experience with my mom and niece was very special.

We left the hospital with a new baby, Beezus Ramona, and a toddler/kid named Amelia Hart.  The adoption process is so cute with the completion of paperwork and raising of the right hand to promise to love and take care of the babies.

Atlanta, Georgia

After spending 3 days in Savannah, we went to Atlanta.  The traffic at 1 or 2 in the afternoon was unbelievable.  Everywhere you looked, there were automobiles.

In order to save a little money and see some great places, we bought the City Pass.  With it, we got admission to The World of Coca-Cola, the Georgia Aquarium, tour of the CNN studios, Zoo Atlanta, and the Fernbank Museum of Natural History.  We could have chosen an art museum and historical tour rather than the zoo and Fernbank.

We went to the World of Coca-Cola our first afternoon in town.  It is full of history and memorabilia. My niece's favorite was seeing the vault where the secret recipe is kept.  My nephew and I loved the Tasting Room.  There were stations set up for each continent.  At each station, there were 6-12 different drinks that are sold/made by Coca-Cola on that respective continent.  Many involved fruit, and there were some interesting tastes.  My favorites came from right here in North America.  There was also a whole station of just Coca-Cola.  Along the wall, there were stations where you could choose the overall drink and then look at sub-samples where various flavorings are added.  We had so much fun tasting and tasting and tasting some more.  Before we left, we received a free bottle of Coca-Cola produced right there in the museum.  We also had to visit their store.

On day 2, we went to Zoo Atlanta.  It was a nice little zoo, not too big, not too small.

While looking for a Welcome Center to get a map of Atlanta, we found the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site.  It was a great experience walking through the museum and then driving through the neighborhood.

We ate lunch at The Varsity, a famous burger and hot dog restaurant. It is a neat experience.

On day 3, we went to the Georgia Aquarium.  They have several touch tanks and have really designed it with kids in mind. Dolphin Tales, the 4D experience, and frog exhibit were great.  I enjoyed seeing the whale sharks, penguins, and so much more. It spouts itself as the world's largest aquarium.  Again, we ate at The Varsity.  They have one room without tables and chairs. Instead, it is full of school desks, all facing one direction, toward the television on one end.  My niece found that room quite interesting, and she had to eat her lunch while sitting in a desk.

On day 4, we went to the Fernbank Museum of Natural History.  Their traveling exhibit is The Scoop on Poop.  There were signs that said: "It's the #1 exhibit about #2."  The kids thought that was hysterical. The building is beautiful, quiet, and a nice change from the crowds at the zoo and aquarium. 

We enjoyed lunch at The Varsity again before heading to CNN Center for a tour of the studios. The tour is a 50 or 55 minute walking tour.  You go up the tallest and longest free-standing escalator and walk down 8 flights of stairs throughout the tour.  I am not much of a CNN or HLN watcher, but it was very interesting, and I have found myself checking out those stations more and more since.

Atlanta was a great experience with plenty for families to do.

Savannah, Georgia Day 3--More Island Hopping

We began our fun at Old Fort Jackson, Georgia's oldest brick fortification. When we arrived, a Junior or Cadette troop was participating in a Girl Scout Militia Program.  We sat on the edge listening and learning.  The soldier (aka presenter) had a lot of great information to tie Girl Scouts, Juliette Gordon Low, and her family to the Civil War.  We also learned how to shoot a cannon along with the troop.

We drove over to Oatland Island and visited the Oatland Island Wildlife Center.  This involves a two mile walk, which is 98% shaded, to see birds, turtles, cougars, foxes, alligators, barn animals, deer, American Bison, wolves, and more.  It didn't even feel like 2 miles, and with all the shade, it didn't feel like near 100 degree weather either.

All of our walking and learning built up a mighty appetite, so we went to The Pirates' House for a late lunch. It has been welcoming visitors since 1753. The Southern Buffet was delicious, and we loved looking around at the historical building, learning the history, imaging what it was like back in the 1700s, and looking for ghosts.

After a nap and a swim, we went back to River Street to walk along the shops and river.  We had to check out Savannah's Candy Kitchen and get something sweet.