I woke up many times during the night, as usual, but ended up sleeping until my alarm went off at 6:15. I got up and got ready to leave. I was out the door by about 7:15am. I waved bye to Deanna and Jet.
I stopped in Monett for breakfast. I chose Braums and had biscuits and gravy with oj. I asked the server if the best way to the interstate was still highway H. It had been a few years since I drove up this way and I didn’t want to get to the interstate and find out that the little highway was not connected anymore. I was soon on my way.
Mid-morning I stopped for a bathroom break at McDonalds and got a large mocha. Then it was back on the road again. I was listening to radio stations as much as I could and was happy that I could find Christian stations as well as some nice country stations playing Christmas music. I was singing loudly (not always on key) and enjoying being in the car by myself.
I stopped for a yummy Subway sandwich and bathroom break. The weather has been cool and a little windy, but overcast (in a pretty way), so it’s been pretty good driving weather.
When I got close to St Louis about 12:30pm, I called my friends Molly & Buddy Dyer to see if they were going home (from the hospital), staying in St Louis another night or two, or what. They were waiting on the shuttle to take them from the hotel back to the hospital for more testing during the afternoon. I was going to stop and visit them a while if they weren’t busy or gone. I would then spend the night in St Louis. But they would be tied up all afternoon, so we decided that I would drive on. I was sorry not to get to spend time with them, but with the bad weather coming along behind me, I was also glad to keep driving.
I had planned to stop for gas and a bathroom break after I got into Illinois. There are not many places to stop, however, and I got in a little bit of a pickle. I finally had to pull off of the interstate at a random exit and find a tiny little town. I was very empty, so I stopped at a little white frame Post Office and asked directions to the nearest gas station. It happened to be in the next little town about 4 miles away. I was soooo glad to see that station and their bathroom! Note to self, get gas in MO when travelling east!
As the sun was going down, it was starting to get windy again. I stopped at the exit for Santa Claus IN for a quick dinner at Wendy’s. I was wanting some hot chocolate to warm my mocha back up. I had to run across the road to McDonald’s drive-thru and get my drink. Then I was back on the road again.
I didn’t enjoy driving in the dark much with the wind, but it wasn’t too bad. I thought I would have to stop one more time before getting to my sister’s house, but I made it through and arrived about 7:30pm local time (6:30 AR time). It had taken a little more than 12 hours, so that wasn’t so bad. I tend to stop more often when I drive by myself.
It was nice to get here to Sandy’s. I was a little tired of driving, but not too tired physically. I am way more exhausted when traveling by plane. Door to door, I got here in about the same amount of time as if I would have flown. Plus, no one had to drive me to and from the airports. I’m so thankful to my friends, Michael and Vickie Brown, for loaning me their car for the trip. What a blessing!!! It’s about 650 miles and pretty easy (if you go around St Luis instead of straight through the city).
I’m thankful for the time by myself, the safe trip, the good weather, the light traffic and the chance to spend Christmas with my family for the first time in 22 years. It’s a different experience for sure!
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