Driving down memory lane...

There comes a time in most adult's lives when you are flipping through radio stations and you finally find a song that you know all the words to because it's from "the good ol' days" or "back in the day" and then you hear the D.J. say, "Your classic rock station..." As your eyes pop out you think, "When the heck did I become classic rock?" Well, today, I drove down that memory lane. I took a chance with feeling well and drove to Norfolk for work. For those of you who don't know, this is about a 2.5 hour drive. What I didn't expect was for it to be so theraputic.

I left Lincoln around 6:20am. I headed out of town on Hwy 34, through Seward. I turned right on Hwy 15. I drove past Kim Scheel's house. My mind went back to the late 80's, early 90's. I almost expected "When I see you smile" by Bad English to come on the radio. See, I would pick Kim up for band practice around 7ish. (I had a school permit at age 14 since I lived in the country). As I continued down Hwy 15, I drove past the High School, the field where we practiced marching band. For a moment, I heard the band playing "Happy Trails." A little more down the hwy I came upon the turnoff for Ulysses. This is where my mom grew up and I spent many days playing at my grandparents farm. I hated thier chickens b/c they pecked my knees. A few miles later, David City. I won't go into that. Then Rising City. My cousins lived there for a while and they had a go cart that we drove around, having so much fun.

The morning was beautiful (other than the 18 degree weather) and it was warm in the car. Since I was the only one in it, I had the heat on the whole drive. It was toasty as the sun came up and the little bit of snow on the shoulders of the hwy shined. I felt like getting out and walking the parameters of my grandparents farm, climb into the corn crib where I played house with my cousins. I remember one Christmas at the farm when I was a little girl and we heard bells and we were told by the adults that Santa was coming. We all ran outside to look in the sky. When we came back inside, there were presents. I got the Oak Ridge Boys record. (you know you want to sing Elvira right now). As I continued to drive, about a half hour later, the Dukes of Hazard Theme song came on the radio...I loved that show!!! Oh yeah, I sang along!

I trained until 5pm, put gas in the car (freezing cold weather)and headed back toward Lincoln. I looked around for deer so that I wouldn't be caught off guard. I learned this when I was younger. As I turned on to Hwy 92, Unchained Melody came on the radio...oh yeah baby, sang it at the top of my lungs!!! Then, even better, "I hate myself for loving you." I couldn't believe I still had a voice to sing this song even louder!!! I felt good. I felt like there wasn't a care in the world. It was dark. I passed the David City exit, then the Ulysses Exit. I was driving into Seward, past the high school, when I turned right to go a block out of my way to drive past Belinda's house. Oddly, it looked different. I drove by slowly and imagined the Halloween party when I was the old man and no one knew who I was, or the slumber parties, or her dad blaming me for the smoking in her car (when it was actually Belinda and I covered for her for YEARS!)

I got back on the main street and flipped through radio stations. It was my lucky day.."Pour Some Sugar On Me" started to play. Yep, cranked the radio! On the left was Amigo's. What the hell I thought, and stopped. I had to go to the bathroom anyway. As I parked the car, I remember a brief situation I found myself in about 16 years ago, in which I had an altercation with a girl (egged on by a few friends) and had to leave quickly when the cops were called. Geez I had a big mouth.

I walked into Amigo's and turned left to use the bathroom. When I came out, I decided to order a cheesy burrito for old times sake. Then (teenage years) I would have been getting a cheesy to help prevent a hangover the next day, pulling out a pocket of loose cash and change to pay and getting a Mountain Dew. Tonight however, I paid with a card and worried about indigestion as I got a Dt. Dr. Pepper. I laughed on the inside. There was a pimple faced teen boy working. (Hey, I'm just describing the situation, nothing against his acne) And I remember my teen friends working, waiting for them to get off work. Amigo's was a huge social gathering place. I got my food to go and walked out. People looked at me like I had a familiar face. I got into the car and pulled out.

At the intersection, I saw a house which is now a home, but then was a daycare I worked at called The Stone House. What an odd name. We called it the Stoner House (what was wrong with us). I then looked right for traffic. Back then, I would have turned right to hit the gravel road and hurry and make it home before (or shortly after) curfew. My dad would be waiting up for me (or us, my sis was usually with me). The man had more patience than I can even explain. Tonight, I turned left. I took Hwy 34 instead of the interstate. I drove past the movie theatre. At this theatre, I saw E.T., Dead Poet's Society, and The Addams Family. Probably more, but what teen actually pays attention. On the left was Doreen's Hair place. Doreen cut my hair when I was a Senior. I had long, long thick hair and one night, I decided to cut it off. I don't think I told anyone I was going to do it. The next day at school, kids talked. I don't think most liked it.

I kept driving down the highway, past the Jr. High where we had to sit outside and wait for the doors to open in the morning. We took tons of pictures. You know you had a 110 camera!!! Then, if fait would have it, "Hold On" by Wilson Phillips came on the radio. Yep, turned it up and sang as loud as I could. Back in the day, I was in a hurry to get home to beat curfew, now, I just wanted to get home to my husband.

A few miles down the road was the Milford exit. All I have to say is that I learned to play some ridiculous beer games with those SCC guys. I usually went with Tracy. Tonight I kept driving. AC/DC came on, but because I was thinking about Tracy, I thought of the Metallica concert we went to in '92. Wild. And one time she and I went to Lincoln and I drove. I had just turned 16 and went the wrong way down P street. I pulled off right away but a cop was right behind me. He might have let me off since I had just turned 16 and was from out of town but Tracy and I were laughing so hard, he gave me a ticket. That was a fun one to tell my parents. If that '84 Monte Carlo could talk. One time I let this guy (Tracy liked his friend) drive my car and he wrecked it. That didn't make my dad too happy.

By this point, I had already passed the Garland exit and was getting closer to Lincoln. What a great day this had been. I couldn't wait to write all this in the blog to provide laughs for those who completely understand! You know who you are!

I talked with Daryl on the phone, then my dad. After that, I put the bass on high in the car, turned it to a rap song that I didn't know any of the words to and thought, "what do these kids listen to these days." Oh yeah, I was jamming in my seat, shakin' my thang sista!

I hope you enjoyed this trip as much as I did. Living for today is one thing but remembering how I got here is priceless.

Thanks to Joan Jett for making some kick butt songs that will never go out. Also Wilson Phillips for singing a song with so much meaning no matter the time of your life!

Goodnight.