PAVEing a Blog

I have had many questions about what the fiscal cliff is, so I have this link that helped explain it to me…

Fiscal Cliff

I think I am most upset that an agreement has not been reached and that it seems individuals are too stubborn to put what is best for the country first.  I have questions though:  Is this a result of a bipartisan group in the Congress?   What affect will this have on school loans, credit cards, banking, and credit cards/lending in the U.S.?  Will this push other countries ahead of the U.S. in the economy?  What will this do for education, industry, and the value of the dollar?  Will an agreement be the ONLY thing that will save this from being worsened?  Any comments/questions you have, I would love to see/hear them here to help clarify this.  🙂    Thanks!

Here are some pics from the road on the way from Mexico to Delaware, sure, there are a few pics missing however, I have to save some room for some cool pics on the way back  🙂  This is he view out of Mexico, about 4 hours out of Mexico City – noticing the line of trucks an buses coming INTO the interstate, I was on the way in the other direction – WHEW   🙂

Then I felt this view, about 20 minutes outside of Nuevo Laredo, close to the border by about 1 hour,  was a breath taker, and wow – a picture worth a thousand words?  I just could stare and admire the mountains…

This next photo was before Neuvo Laredo – but I just admired the solitude, isolation, and just raw geography of Mexico as you see this – making driving through this country a peaceful, almost meditating experience, which adds personality to the idea of cross country driving.

The next photo, emerging from Mexico into the states, from Bridge #1, at Laredo – not a great, clear picture, but just the same, amazed I was here at 7:00 PM the first day out, happy to be entering the states! (Referring to the night picture below)    I was also afraid of taking photos at the border so I laid off trying to clear the picture as I waited to come into the states.

Next, we see the morning of the second day, a morning heading out of Victoria, Texas, (with the tree shadow picture) with an awesome sunrise.  (There were sheep in front of me, but it is difficult to

see those!)  However, my first morning after I started out, I began to get excited knowing I was getting out of the southern U.S. and making my way north.  Fuel, gas, wow.  Truck stops, I never paid more than the nether regions of 2.89 – 2.99 per gallons, so I was upset seeing 2.33 per gallon with the exception of far out places…loved the price and mileage I obtained between truck stops…below is $3.03 which still was in the mentality of being high after hitting a run of 2.89 area costs per gallon, but overall, I knew these were the places to fuel up as frequently as possible.

Love this pricing, yessss….

a little higher, I still liked the pricing on the interstate – so hope this will be the case as I look for these areas on the way back…:)

I couldn’t get a good pic of this while I was driving, so looking into my rearview window – I snapped the profile of Houston as I bypassed it and went towards Louisiana,

and this was the view from  inside the Mountaineer, my directions propped in the middle, and me killing off the chocolate kisses given to me by my students at ASF, yes, this was the third box of kisses, I believe I knocked them off in one day – my lapse from eating chocolate being broken in by gifts and adding some extra benefit, I did see one in a store in Mexico,

but maybe the Yoo Hoo just tasted better because I bought it in the states, ohmygosh – Yoo Hoo is awesome!

Moving on, we begin through Mississippi, I can feel the direction of Delaware slowly…:)

Then as you see below the Mississippi pic, the second morning on the road pic showed the road in front of you…second morning/day I found myself trying to get out of Tennessee and into Virginia, out of VA the third day to get to DE  :)…

and seeing that sign of Welcome to Maryland, VERY, VERY excited – VERY to be out of Virginia, honestly, it seemed like this took FOREVER, longer than Texas  🙂   When I was able to see the Bay Bridge, wow,

I knew I had made it finally on the third day!

One thing that I realized, I loved making the trip, it allowed me to take in how many scenes I had forgotten to see and the changes from Mexico to Delaware  were beautiful, so yes, three days does not measure a plane trip that can get me to DE the same day, yet the experiences along the way were better than the convenience of speed, and helped me to anticipate the arrival with family even more 🙂

As we prepare to return to DE, and before New Year’s even hits, I as almost everyone realizes, that family  is the most important facet of a New Year’s resolution, and one

that seems to matter most.

In looking at our pictures here you see delicious food,  and circles of family that can’t remember that last time we were all together in these numbers.    This becomes the most valuable item and gift over the holidays.  You can roam anywhere, discover far away places, and feel confident in doing so when you know you have family tucked inside somewhere.  🙂    

Don’t hesitate to check out the What and where Should I read section of this blog, as new texts and reviews are being added every day.  The Goodreads widget you see on the bottom right is perfect, as you can see a snapshot of the new books we churn through each day – 🙂

Onto Delaware and then we will see where out adventures will turn next 🙂

Whoa, D.C. has a ton of things not seen, and I tried to focus on taking pictures of them before I headed back to Delaware.  On a windy, yet unsnowy Friday, I headed out with a list of items I needed to see – the Martin Luther King Memorial, Arlington Cemetery, the American Art Museum, and seeing what Georgetown was like – and along the way, I snapped moments at the Vietnam Memorial , the the wall for Vietnam Veterans  , as well as the Lincoln Memorial , as well as the American Art Museum to drop off an autographed version of Natalie Merhcant’s book to Adrienne Gayoso – who helped present with me in Las Vegas yet was sick the whole time leading up to that. I felt she so deserved that instead of me, definitely!

I was home by 2:45 PM so not bad at all!  🙂

Don’t forget to check out the book review part of my page to see the latest books that are coming out to be published, (I am working on the stack of 50+ that are being edited and ready to be published soon – getting there!)

Currently, Almost Home is awesome while Skinny and Burning Blue did not disappoint at ALL!  🙂   

Cheers as we roll into a new year, I hope to add 4-5 new books to my list of have read!  Looks like we are preparing for a storm, so get ready and be safe.

…which make the holiday AWESOME!!!    The day before Christmas I was able to get my Delaware’s license, (which has been stolen in Mexico), my truck registered,  and YOU WILL LOVE THIS…I am withholding the name, BUT, I was asked if Mexico City was separate from Mexico, and if Mexico itself was outside of the United States, – I am saying no more about this as there could be much to say   🙂

During this day, I was able to see Alison and laugh, smile, and crack up, see the Betts, saw Mrs Vaughn  and family, visited my brother, then with family in Takoma Park, and overall, realized how rich I was with the friends I have made and how lucky I am and how easy it is to take that for granted.  It is 8:33, and I am ready to head over to the Christmas gift extravaganza at my Aunt and Uncles, wonderful day!  Sent out cards to a bunch of people and may more needing to go out later, so bit by bit!  😉 Merry Christmas!

Way cool phrase, and it was on an AWESOME gift a student gave me today.  I will post the picture here later – thanks Alice, I LOVE IT….:)