Category Archives: Life

It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity

Rain or drought, heat or cold, the weather is always a popular topic of conversation. Feeling awkward in a social situation? Discuss the weather! Once summertime – or at least summer temperatures – roll around, the humidity becomes the primary topic of discussion among us native southerners. It’s hard to think of anything else when the humidity slaps you in the face before attempting to suffocate you every time you step out your door.

After the traveling we’ve done over the past few years, I’m here to tell y’all that it really is the humidity. Once of the first times this was really brought to our attention was when we visited Devil’s Tower National Monument, Wyoming in 2019. The park rangers were all very apologetic that the humidity was so high during our visit; it was 25%. I told one of the rangers that, while I appreciated her concern, I’m from Georgia and 25% humidity doesn’t even register with me. As a matter of fact, it felt wonderful. (Just as a point of reference, the current level of humidity is 68% and that’s not particularly high for July.)

Image courtesy of depositphotoscom

However, it took out trip out west last year to fully bring home the difference between heat with low humidity and heat with high humidity. All of the parks we visited had signs stating that visitors shouldn’t hike when the temperature is above 90℉ and recommending the amount of water that should be carried per person per hike. We were blown away by the whole idea of not hiking when the temp is over ninety. Around here, that would knock out hikes any time between April and October. It took a few days before it dawned on me that the lack of humidity is exactly the reason why it would be so much easier to get dehydrated. (Apparently I can be a little slow sometimes.) When the humidity is low, your sweat evaporates (as it should) without you ever realizing how much liquid you are actually losing. Around here, when you sweat, it literally runs down your skin and soaks into your clothes because it doesn’t evaporate. When your clothes are soaking wet, it’s easy to realize that you need to increase your liquid intake.

I’ve never dealt well with the summer heat and humidity and it seems to be getting worse as I age. I work two days a week and most of my tasks are outside. I’m going in a little earlier and looking for indoor tasks these days because I just can’t stay out in the heat after around 2:30pm. I’ve already had one day where I got too hot and don’t want to have a repeat performance anytime soon. Fortunately, September is coming. We only have to get through August first and August sucks.

Do you prefer hot weather or cold weather? Do you live in a high or low humidity area?

Well, that takes the cake.

Cooking and baking are not my forte. I didn’t learn how to cook as I was growing up. I used to watch my grandmother cook, but somehow, as a child, it never dawned on me that cooking was a life skill I needed to grasp. None of the adults in my life ever said “Hey, this is something you need to learn.” As a matter of fact, by the time I reached my teens my mother had announced that she wasn’t going to cook anymore… and she didn’t. Fortunately, my father stepped up to the plate and kept us from starving, LOL.

I did most of the cooking the first few years of our marriage and then Kenn took over. Between the two of us, we kept our family fed. However, I am a much better cook now than I was prior to retirement and it’s mostly due to Hello Fresh. We subscribed to Hello Fresh shortly after I retired. We get two meal kits each week which mean that there are two fewer meals to plan. (Yay!) The kits have also given me a chance to try things I otherwise wouldn’t have. I have learned that I enjoy the prep process or mise en place if you will; I find the chopping, slicing, and dicing relaxing. I have learned that roasted vegetables are easy to make and delicious to eat. I can also now successfully cook rice. Kenn has learned that sweet potatoes aren’t so bad. I can even “wing it” now. Need to cook pork chops without a meal kit or a recipe? No problem. I can whip up a glaze or just use one of the many gourmet (flavored) salts Kenn has gifted me.

Baking is another story. I’ve never done a lot of baking. Baking is far more scientific than regular cooking; you can’t just substitute an ingredient on the fly without possibly ruining the whole recipe. Kenn finds it amusing that even though I don’t bake, baking shows are favorite shows to watch. However, there was one item I baked regularly: a poppy seed cake. I got the recipe from a co-worker probably twenty-five years ago and it became a staple in our household. However, starting several years ago, every attempt to bake a poppy seed cake failed spectacularly. I bought a thermometer to make sure the oven was cooking at the correct temperature; it was. I bought a couple of different pans; neither helped. I wondered if the ingredients of the cake mix had changed somehow so I tried a few other brands; no change. I finally just gave up. Until yesterday.

I didn’t manage to center the round cake on the square plate.

The display on our range failed which meant we had no way to control the oven so we had a technician come out to give us a quote on repairing the faulty item; between the $109 diagnostic fee and parts and labor, it was going to cost over $700 to repair our existing range of unknown age. We decided to purchase a new range and to splurge on one with an air fry feature. An unexpected bonus is that the new range can function as a convection oven. I decided I’d try my beloved poppy seed cake recipe one more time using the convection oven. It worked! True, the cake isn’t as brown as what I’m used to, but it tastes amazing, so I’m calling it a win. I am so happy to be able to add this cake back to my repertoire for family gatherings, potlucks, and so forth.

How do you feel about cooking and baking? How did you learn?

What’s on your phone?

This is one of those weeks where every idea I’ve had for possible posts went… somewhere. So, in a bit of a throwaway post, today’s topic of conversation is cell phones and how they can be personalized. I’ve probably got phones on my mind because Kenn’s phone began malfunctioning a week ago and much drama has ensued. (Even though he denies it, the drama gene is strong in Kenn’s family.) Fortunately, after a trip to the Verizon store, we were able to order a replacement under warranty. Now that the new phone has arrived and is configured, our drama levels have returned to normal.

I’m big on personalizing my stuff, phones included. Kenn has had an impact on my personalizations. Kenn’s home and lock screen have always been family photos whereas mine have been video game themed. I guess you could say that I started feeling a little guilty. Kenn always has a picture of me on his screen. Why did I not have one of him? So, a year or so ago, I changed things up. My lock screen is still video game themed, but my home screen now features Kenn. For a while it was a picture of both of us taken at a wedding, now it’s Kenn and Bear. So, here’s a peek into my world.

The Mass Effect video games are my comfort games; these are the games I go to when my heart hurts, or when I’m missing my virtual friends. (I played a lot of Mass Effect during the eighteen month period in which we lost our remaining three parents.) In Mass Effect, you play as Commander Shepard. I play as a female Shepard, whom I have named Sascha. Sascha’s chosen love interest is Garrus Vakarian. (Garrus is one of the best video game characters ever created in my opinion.) So, my phone’s lock screen is a screen shot of Sascha and Garrus.

The photo on my home screen was taken Christmas day 2024 after our celebrations ended and the kids and grandkids had moved onto other locations. Bear is a fairly social cat and had spent most of the day mingling. I couldn’t help but laugh at him though. Once everyone left, Bear climbed into the chair with Kenn, wedged himself in the corner, and went to sleep. Poor baby Bear was exhausted. Peopling is hard!

Of course, my ringtones are personalized. My default ringtone is my favorite happy, feel-good song: Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go by Wham! Kenn, however, gets his own ringtone: Still the One by Orleans. Text messages go back to a video game theme. Incoming texts are announced by Kelly Chambers from Mass Effect 2 saying “You have unread messages at your private terminal.”

How do you personalize your phone? Do you use family photos, pet photos, or something else? How about your ringtones? Do you choose one of the ones that comes with the phone or something a little more personal to you?

Seeing Red

Crape myrtles are ubiquitous in the South. Honestly, I’m not much of a plant person, but I do like crape myrtles; they produce beautiful blooms and are extremely low maintenance. Since the blooms are available in a variety of colors, there’s something for everyone. That said, it has taken decades for me to get the red blooming crape myrtles that I’ve always wanted.

Kenn is the plant person in this relationship. When we moved into our last house, one of the first things we did was get rid of the scraggly bushes in the narrow strip of land separating our driveway from our neighbor’s driveway. Kenn said he wanted to plant crape myrtles, which was fine with me. My only request was that we get trees with red blooms instead of the pink ones that are everywhere. Kenn bought the trees, planted them, babied them, and, in turn, they presented us with fushia (aka pink) blooms. Kenn seemed surprised to learn that pink is not red.🙄

When we moved into The Cabin, another (short lived) chance for red blooming crape myrtles presented itself. The previous owners had planted a couple of white blooming crape myrtles of the Black Diamond variety. Black Diamond crape myrtles have dark purplish foliage instead of the traditional green. At that time, what we couldn’t find was a Black Diamond variety with red blooms. So, when we decided to buy additional trees, I sighed, and gave up on my dreams of red flowers and we purchased more of the white blooming Black Diamond variety. What a mistake. Neither of us was pleased with the pre-existing trees or the new ones; they just didn’t grow or bloom.

A couple of years ago, we decided to dig up the Black Diamond trees and replace them. This time, I insisted that we get a red blooming variety. We even drove around the local area while I pointed out to Kenn all of the colors that are not red. You know, things like white, pink, and lavendar. Sometimes I wonder if the man is color blind. We did some research and found the perfect red in a relatively new variety. Meet Miss Frances!

The bright red blooms with the yellow centers are exactly what I have been looking for! I smile every time I see them. Oh, and the Black Diamond trees we replaced? I would have tossed them in the gully and let them decompose. Kenn, however, moved them to another area where they basically get ignored – and they’re doing great, LOL.

Do crape myrtles grow in your area? Have you used them in your landscaping? If so, what color blooms do you prefer?

Anti-Hermit Mode Engaged

Kenn and I are both introverts, so it’s easy for us to spend time alone or with just each other. I have to admit that I occasionally worry about us becoming hermits. In an effort to combat my hermit-like tendencies, I decided to push myself outside of my comfort zone by joining some sort of group. Of course, joining a random group just to join the group is a recipe for disaster. As I was trying to decide where I might best find people with similar interests, a friend invited me to join a book club. Boom! A book club is a perfect fit for me.

I’m an avid reader and have been as long as I can remember. I also have to admit that I have actively avoided book clubs in the past. Why? Because I’m not very good at being told what to do, including what to read. However, I decided to give the group a try; if it’s not a good fit, I can always leave. Easy-peasy.

Image from depositphotos.com

So far, the book club and I seem to be a good fit. I’ve been a member for three months now, but only made it to my first in-person meeting in May. Even though there are seventy or so people in the Facebook group for the club, there were only seven of us at the meeting I attended. Based on comments by the other attendees, that seems to be the standard turnout. Walking into a roomful of people I don’t know is hard for me, but I’ve gotten better at it over the years. I enjoyed getting to know the other attendees and even enjoyed the discussion of the book. (Of the three books I’ve read since joining, the May book was my least favorite.) The books we have read since I have joined are:

  • The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston; I liked this one a lot.
  • The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon; Much to my surprise, I really enjoyed this one even though historical fiction isn’t usually my thing.
  • One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid; This one was just “okay” to me.

In addition to getting me out of the house and helping me meet new people, the club is introducing me to books I probably wouldn’t have otherwise read. It’s easy for me to get stuck in my sci-fi/paranormal/urban fantasy worlds and not venture out into others. So, I’m glad I’ve pushed myself to step outside of my admittedly very small comfort zone.

Are you a reader? If so, are you in a book club? Are you an introvert or an extrovert? If you’re an introvert how do you avoid the hermit tendencies?

Meet Daisy

In January 2021 we became a two truck family with the purchase of Ruby, The Big Red Truck. While Ruby is awesome (and red!), I told Kenn sometime last year that I wasn’t going to want to drive a huge truck as my primary vehicle forever. While Ruby is comfortable and drives well, she has some big blind spots. I’ve had a couple of close calls because of not being able to see through the truck itself. Parking can also be problematic. When I go to the optometrist I try to remember to drive Kenn’s smaller truck; the parking lot at the optometrist’s office just isn’t designed for larger vehicles.

My off-hand comment about wanting a change at some nebulous point in the future resulted in many conversations about what sort of vehicle I would like. I wanted a smaller SUV-type vehicle. Kenn and I are both tall and prefer vehicles with higher seats, especially as we age. A vehicle such as a Mini Cooper that I would have to crawl in and out of wasn’t even on my radar. Kenn kept encouraging me to test drive various vehicles, but I had no interest in doing so until we were ready to actually make a purchase. Well, that time arrived a couple of weeks ago.

Knowing that this day was coming, I had already narrowed my top contenders to a Toyota RAV4 or a Subaru, probably a Forester since the Outbacks I had previously driven had been uncomfortable. We have owned Toyotas for almost twenty years and know how reliable they are. Subaru also has a reputation for reliability. I have always wanted a Subaru; I’m a fan of what the company stands for and their commitment to making the world a better place. Knowing that this is probably one of the last “new” cars we will buy, we both had a few things we were looking for: Kenn wanted all-wheel drive, and I wanted bells and whistles. I don’t need all the bells and whistles, but I don’t want bare-bones either. So, the test-driving began.

We test drove a hybrid RAV4 and I liked it fine. It drove well and I would expect it to provide us many years of problem-free use. We then went to the only Subaru dealership in the area and test drove a Forester. The Forester was just okay. I preferred the RAV4 over the Forester. I had been reluctant to test drive another Outback but, I finally decided to give one a try since the last one I drove was a 2018 and there may have been improvements since then. Before we left the dealership, we test drove an Outback Wilderness and I had to admit that it was nice. After we left the dealership, I decided that we needed to look into Outbacks a little more so I went to the dealership’s website and found another one to look at. We made another trip to the dealership for yet another test drive… and bought a car. Everyone, meet Daisy.

Daisy and her Cinnamon Brown Pearl exterior
Not the best picture, but I love the Java interior

Daisy is a 2022 Outback Touring. I love everything about her. All Subarus are all-wheel drive, so that checked off Kenn’s one requirement. As a Touring edition, Daisy has all the bells and whistles. I always thought heated seats were a stupid idea until we purchased Ruby, at which point I discovered that they are AWESOME. Daisy has heated and cooled seats. I’m still not sold on the whole cooled seat idea, but leather seats in a Georgia summer may well change my mind, LOL. Also, after test driving Daisy, I uttered words that I have never before said about a car – Daisy is fun to drive. Kenn enjoys driving, but for me it has always just been a way to get from Point A to Point B. And yes, some vehicles drive better than others, but I have never before considered driving fun. Daisy has changed my mind.

I’m already excited about the dual heating and cooling zones in the front of the vehicle. Finally, one of us doesn’t have to freeze just because the other is running hot. I also like the fact that I can set the temperature for my side and Daisy will automatically choose heat or air conditioning based on the temperature outside. And, for the directionally challenged such as myself, having a compass in the corner of the rear-view mirror is a big bonus. Now, I just hope that Daisy will be as reliable as the Toyotas (Bonnie the Highlander, Paco the Tacoma, and Ruby the Tundra) that have come before her. She has big shoes, I meany tires, to fill.

So, is driving fun for you?

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: The Deodorant Edition

About four years ago, I made the decision to switch to aluminum and paraben free deodorant and chose to give Native brand deodorant a try. I’m so glad I did! I’ve heard the phrase, “I don’t sweat, I glisten.” Well, it may be TMI, but I’m here to tell you that I sweat. And, working outside in the Georgia summer heat and humidity will put any deodorant through its paces. Native has passed with flying colors.

Many strong scents give me a headache, including those of scented body products, including some deodorants. Fortunately, not only does Native work well, but the scents are subtle. The only exception has been when I purchased the limited edition Tie-Dye Vanilla Cupcake fragrance. The product worked well as always, and the scent was wonderful, but it was also strong enough that I wouldn’t have been surprised to hear someone ask, “Does anyone smell cupcakes?”😂

My switch to Native brand coincided with the beginning of the pandemic, everything going into lockdown, and supply chain issues. When I began running low, I decided ordering online was the way to go. I was excited to find that Native also offers a plastic-free version. I’m always looking for a way to reduce my plastic consumption, so sign me up! The plastic-free version has gone through a couple of iterations. The first was round with a push-pop type action. This was problematic due to the length of the tube. I have long fingers but still wasn’t able to push the product up far enough to be able to use it all. I had to resort to using the handle of my toothbrush, LOL. Fortunately, by the time I placed my next order, they had changed the plastic-free container design to match that of the plastic version; it works perfectly with no need for additional tools. (Note: The plastic version of Native deodorant is available in many stores. I have only found the plastic-free version online.)

Do you have any plastic-free products to recommend?

We Won The Battle, But Lost The War

At the end of November 2023, I noticed that our Old Man Cat, Desmond (Dez for short) was having problems eating. He would join the other cats for their morning treats, but after a couple of bites he would hiss and run away. A trip to the vet later, he was diagnosed with feline stomatitis. The vet warned us that there would be no curing the stomatitis, we would just be working to manage his symptoms and keep him eating and pain-free as long as possible. Treatment consisted of a steroid injection and an antibiotic injection. So, with two shots onboard, we began a six month long journey.

Dez responded well to his first shots and I began supplementing his dry food with wet food designed for senior cats. By early January 2024, he was showing new signs of avoiding food. We went back to the vet for a new round of shots and he responded marvelously. We made it to the end of February before he had another flare-up. This flare-up was by far the worst and it took two weeks for his shots to make a difference. In the meantime, I was still supplementing his dry food with wet, sometimes reverting to all wet food. This process sort of took on a life of its own. Not only did I have to feed Dez, but I had to keep the rest of the cats away while he ate. Sometimes I felt like I was a goalie at some sort of weird cat hockey game.

Old Man Dez

In early April, I saw small signs that a flare-up was beginning so we got more shots in the hopes of heading it off before it got too bad. This was especially important as we were due to go out of town and I was the only one Dez would allow to give him his canned food. (He wouldn’t even let Kenn feed him so there was no way the pet sitter would be able to do so.) Fortunately, Dez was able to eat dry food until we returned from our trip, but quickly lost the ability to do so after our return home. The vet had recommended that we try giving Dez oral steroids instead of injections, but that was a no-go. I might have been able to get one pill down him but he would’ve then been so traumatized that we wouldn’t have seen him again.

With each shot being a little less effective than the one before, I knew we were living on borrowed time. Over the past couple of weeks, Dez began struggling to eat his wet food. I started mixing it with water to thin it out and hopefully help him hydrate. (He was dehydrated when we went in for his April shots.) We went to the doctor on Monday and discussed our options. The only remaining course of action – and the vet wasn’t a fan of this choice – was to remove all of his teeth except his canines. This is a lengthy surgery and recovery, but it provides the best chance of long-term relief. However, due to his age (15), Kenn and I were unwilling to put Dez through so much trauma. The vet offered us a dose of a topical opiod that should help relieve his pain. I agreed to try it in the hopes that he could have a few pain-free, or at least less painful, days. It was a disaster. We expected Dez to be a little stoned, and he was. I fed him as soon as we got home, but as the medication kicked in, he kind of freaked out. Poor guy started trying to hide, and worst of all, the other cats started going after him. Tuesday morning, he was still in hiding and still freaked out. He also refused to eat. Every time the poor guy tried to come out of hiding, one of the others would chase him back. It was at this point that Kenn helped me realize that the time to let him go had arrived. I knew it was coming, but I had been fighting so hard for so many months that it was kind of hard to admit that the time was finally here. Sadly, our last attempt to make his life better actually made it worse. So, Tuesday morning, we went back to the vet, had Dez euthanized, and then took his body to the pet funeral home to have him cremated. His ashes will join the ashes of all of our other cats that have passed before.

Right now, I am mentally and emotionally drained and am in need of a really good cry. And ice cream. I desperately need ice cream. I try to end each post with a question, but today, I got nothin’. Instead, please do me favor and give your furbabies extra hugs and pets from me today.

Well, That Was Easier Than I Expected

Y’all know I’m a cat lady. Kenn and I have always had a mixture of both indoor and outdoor cats. There were always a lot of un-neutered feral cats in our old neighborhood. Since we always had food out for any critter (cats, dogs, possums, whatever) that needed it, it wasn’t unusual for mama cats to bring their kittens to us to show them a food source. Over the years we socialized and spayed/neutered countless mamas and kittens. Any that wanted to make their home with us were welcome, but they had to remain outside with occasional forays inside for some.

When we moved to The Cabin several years ago, we brought three outdoor cats with us: Nellie, Marvin, and Roscoe. We “inherited” an additional one since Stumpie was already hanging around when we moved in. However, being an outdoor cat comes with any number of hazards. We lost Roscoe to a systemic infection due to an injury; he was so aloof, we didn’t even know there was a problem until it was too late. We lost both Stumpie and Marvin last summer which left Nellie as our only official outdoor cat. Over the past few months, all of the extra cats that had started hanging around have moved on with the exception of Ghost, who is getting a little braver. However, having Nellie outdoors by herself has been killing me. Girlfriend is now thirteen years old and I couldn’t help but feel that she was a little lonely without Stumpie and Marvin.

Outdoor Nellie

Our previous attempts to move Nellie indoors hadn’t gone well, so I was a little leery of trying again even though I knew the move was in her best interest. However, things came to a head last Saturday. I was petting Nellie when I noticed an issue with with her right eye; it was cloudy and slightly enlarged. A closer inspection revealed damage to the cornea so, moving her inside became paramount. After a brief discussion, Kenn positioned one of our larger pet carriers under the carport so it would be there when an opportunity presented itself. I went out and spent fifteen minutes or so petting Nellie and then picked her up. She was never thrilled about being held, but much to my surprise, she allowed it. Even more surprising, I was able to walk her over to the carrier, place her inside, and shut the door without her freaking out. As far as I am concerned, it was a miracle!

Indoor Nellie

Nellie is now sharing my office with Molly, who is both my mewse and another senior citizen. (Molly is fifteen.) Things were a little tense the first couple of days, but are going better now. Nellie went to the vet on Monday and is now receiving an antibiotic ointment on her eye twice a day. We go back to the vet next Monday to find out how we proceed. More antibiotics? Surgery? Either way, she is now indoors and safe from marauding dogs, cars, etc.

On another note, are you familiar with the Nat Geo Wild show Critter Fixers: Country Vets? Those are our vets! Dr. Hodges and Dr. Ferguson are both great, as are the other vets and techs on their team. I guess using their veterinary services is one of my brief brushes with fame. Tell me about your brushes with fame!

I Missed the Memo

Okay, y’all. What the fox is going on with gas station etiquette? Apparently a memo went out seven or eight months ago – I can’t be more specific about the time frame since I didn’t get a copy – and states that it is now socially acceptable to leave your vehicle unattended at the gas pumps while you wander inside the associated store for a shopping spree or meal. As what seems to be the lone dissenting voice crying in the wilderness, I beg you, for the love of all that’s polite… please don’t do this!

After months of frustration with getting trapped at pumps, an eye-opening conversation with our son and daughter-in-law may have shed some light on the thinking behind this “trend.” We were at dinner with the kids and venting our frustration at, once again, getting trapped behind a vehicle. The kids glanced at each other and then admitted “We do that too.” They then hurried to add, “But, only if other pumps are available.” I have to admit, I temporarily lost my power of speech, which was probably a good thing – it meant I couldn’t yell, LOL. Once I was able to form words, I explained that it’s not a matter of if any other pumps are available, it’s whether anyone can get to those pumps around you, and more importantly, can anyone behind you get out?

Image from depositphotos.com

Winding your way between vehicles “abandoned” at random gas pumps may be easy when you drive a small car; when you drive a Toyota Tundra, not so much. When said Tundra is pulling a travel trailer, even less so. Those of us driving RVs or towing travel trailers don’t have the luxury of backing up from a pump at a busy travel center, at least not without risking serious problems and possible (probable) accidents.

The worst incident was at a small travel center (I think it was a Pilot) the morning of the last leg of our trip home on our 2023 road trip. We pulled up to a pump, and there was a car at the pump ahead of us. We didn’t immediately notice that no one was pumping gas, and when we did, we just assumed they had run inside to get a receipt or something. After a few minutes, two teenagers came out of the convenience store and climbed into the back seat. Grandma then got out of the passenger seat and headed inside. Now, it takes a few minutes to fill up a thirty-eight gallon gas tank, but even after that amount of time, no driver appeared. I got out and took a picture of the license plate, intending to go inside and have the driver paged. While I was doing that, Kenn handled it with a phone call. In a few minutes, an annoyed lady walked by carrying a bag and drink from the fast food store inside the store. She seemed to be embarrassed about having been paged, but I felt no sympathy; at this point, we had been finished and unable to leave for somewhere between ten and fifteen minutes. Did Embarrassed Woman move into one of the six or more parking spaces easily available from her location? She did not. Kenn went and knocked on her window and asked her to please move as we would like to leave and had been trapped behind her car for some time. What was she doing? SHE WAS EATING HER SANDWICH. WHILE STILL SITTING AT THE 🤬 PUMP! She got huffy, but she moved.

We had a similar incident a few days ago at a small Love’s travel center. We pulled in behind a car, which I initially thought was empty, but then saw someone in the driver’s seat. We filled up and were ready to leave only to be unable to do so. Why? Rude Dude was just sitting there scrolling on his phone while there were several easily available parking spaces in front of him. Fortunately, other vehicles left the pumps next to us so we were able to do some jockeying and get around him – without hitting him with our travel trailer – but, geez. Just move your car, people!

Even though I’ve only highlighted a couple of incidents we’ve had several over the last few months. Maybe I’m too Southern for my own good, but I can’t figure out why so many (including my kids, apparently) suddenly think this behavior is okay.

Have you gotten trapped at a gas pump?