Life is strange at my age or maybe at any age. In one day, I can be happy or sad, anxious or calm, excited or dreading something, tired or wide awake. You never know what you will get. I think I spend so much time in my own head I'm not sure either. Today I was all of the above. Many of you know that my parents had a tradition of decorating the cemeteries. They would go in the spring around Memorial Day and then pick up the baskets by October 1. It was very important to them. When they died, I felt it was my duty as the oldest child to do the same. Sometimes unspoken guilt runs deep, and I am not even Catholic.
Today was one of those days filled with many emotions. I was happy to wake up feeling good but sad I had to drive 2 hours and 15 minutes each way to cemeteries of all places . I wish I had a travel partner or driver many times in my life but especially today. Today everyone was busy and it is almost October 1 so I had to go alone. Next it was foggy so I had to make a decision to stay home or do I go. I was anxious because of the fog, but calm when it lifted about an hour after leaving. I was excited to get out of the house and see some nice scenery but dreading the drive. Sirius radio plays the same songs over and over and I didn't have a book to listen to. I wasn't tired and was pretty wide awake so that wasn't an issue. You see what I mean about being up and down with my feelings or emotions, but I put on my big girl panties and just did it.
As I made the drive, I saw so many photo opportunities. I saw an eagle eating a carcass, I saw a hundred birds sitting on a wire, I saw turkeys and hawks, I saw an eagle in a tree with a juvenile eagle, I saw a long train and a beautiful trestle, I saw sandhill cranes in flight and many other things. I was driving and not able to pull off for any of them. That isn't exactly true. I stopped on a country road and took some photos of the trees. The colors are getting gorgeous in Central Wisconsin. The Tamarack trees are still green but the other trees are brilliant. I also got an out of focus picture of the juvenile eagle. I was trying to take the photo quickly and a man in a pick up truck came along slowly staring me down. I'm sure he was thinking "she ain't from around here". I left quickly. An out of focus photo is better than none at all.
AND so with everything in life, nothing is as bad as it seems. The trip was fun and easy. I bought a big Coke and a breakfast sandwich like I was on vacation. Except for the fog, everything went perfectly. The baskets were in good shape so I am glad I salvaged them. If I hadn't retrieved them the cemetery would have thrown them away. I didn't talk to a soul (except my parents and grandparents in the cemetery). Oh I did say thank you to the check out person at Kwik Trip. Right now I am happy, calm, not dreading anything and wide awake. Cokes will do that for you. This was going to be a downer type day that turned out pretty darn good.
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