Tag Archives: traffic

The Penske Chronicles, Day 1

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Posted by on in Assistance, impediments, Inspiration, Personal goals, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

December 26, 2025, Tucumcari- I admit it, driving a large vehicle, with limited and convex mirrors, through a busy Metropolitan area kind of frightens me. Nonetheless, my present task, for the next seven days, involves driving this Penske moving van from Plano to Prescott and back. I was taught to face my fears and find a way to get difficult things done. I credit both my father and my Army drill instructors for this.

After Aram dropped me at the rental office, this morning, I spent an hour with the flustered agency clerk, working through the AI-generated snap price increase-which was reversed by calling the main office. The clerk was more than a bit irritated by the increase, and felt vindicated when the area director restored the price than he and I had agreed on, over the phone.

So, I set out onto a busy US Highway 75, holding still for three vehicles to my left, who were trying to exit the highway, then merging onto the thoroughfare and letting my phone’s GPS guide me through the rest of the Metroplex portion of the journey-about 50 miles. There was no further hassle.

First stop was for lunch, at a Pilot Truckstop, in the small village of Justin, best known for its cowboy boots outlet. I have no need for such boots, so after lunch and fueling the truck, I headed up the Northwest Passage. Another fuel stop in Childress was followed by dinner and picking up a few items at the Buccee’s, in Amarillo.

It was still light out, so I enjoyed the sunset and headed onward to the Mesalands. Almara Inn proved a perfect stop for the night, with a spacious area for the Penske to rest the night as well. Best of all, it’s right next to Del’s Diner, where I had dinner the last time here, and plan to enjoy breakfast there tomorrow. I might very well get all the way to Prescott by tomorrow night, adding an extra day for boxing up remaining items and loading the truck, ahead of Tuesday’s furniture pick-up and deep cleaning by a hired crew.

It has always paid to face my fears.

Extended Stay

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Posted by on in Assistance, Community, Family, impediments, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

June 27, 2024, Bedford, MA- Looking at Mom’s stalwart face told me there was only one thing to be done-so I called the airline, the car rental and a hotel closer to Lynnfield, and made the necessary changes. I will be in the Boston area until the early morning of July 6. That could change, and I may have to adjust with it, but for now this is the plan.

The day began with a switch of rooms here at Bedford Motel, necessitated by the booking agency’s lack of an editing option for reservations, the other night. Software can be as much of a hindrance as it is a help. Simply put, I entered today as my arrival date, and thus needed to backtrack, in order to get a room for last night. That meant a separate reservation, as Booking.com has not provision for editing a confirmed reservation-except canceling and starting over. So, here we are, and no harm done.

Things proceeded smoothly, after that. Traffic was “uphill both ways”, but that is Boston, on the cusp of a major holiday. The slowdown wasn’t too bad. I joined my siblings, got brother over to tend to a personal errand and rejoined everyone at the room, about an hour later. Mom is holding on, resting and I am sure she is getting some strength for her journey, from the love that is being showered on her.

My messages and reflections, for the next week or so, are bound to be short and (bitter)sweet. Hang in there, outside world.

Moving Right Along

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, distraction issues, impediments, Inner Struggles, Personal Values, Social, Striving

May 11, 2020-  

I have observed, as life progresses, some things re-open and others maintain their COVID19 restrictions, that there is some fraying taking place.  Yesterday, on a Mother’s Day visit downtown, I stopped at a frozen yogurt establishment.  I took my place in line, behind a gentleman who was wearing a mask.  A mother with two boys in tow ignored the line and went to the ordering table.  There, she was immediately served, by the teenaged clerk. The mother looked up at the man glaring at her, from the head of the line, and offered a lame excuse  for having jumped ahead-something about being pre-occupied with the menu.  This further incensed the man, who asked to speak to the manager/owner. After registering his complaint, he called to the women who were with him and they left, sans treats.  I got my order in, and was actually served before the mother and sons.

Things are happening, as businesses re-open, in random order.  I went to my haircutting place, which re-opened today, and made an appointment for tomorrow afternoon.  I got my car washed, this afternoon, and was surprised to see that the lady who used to work at the dry cleaners, where I had been taking my winter coats, was now the attendant at the car wash.  Turns out, the dry cleaning shop had closed, due to a rent increase. So, my cleaning goes to another shop, on the north side of town.

Traffic has picked up, and with it, the presence of those who are not comfortable in traffic, and have to pass as many people as they can, as quickly as possible.  This will, of course, continue for quite a while.  Line jumping may happen, though here in Prescott, it is the exception, rather than the rule. There were 20 of us in line last night, for picking up take out orders.  A man who had a little boy in tow was allowed ahead of us, to use the establishment’s restroom, but all others took their places, without any fuss.  Then, there are those, at pick-up stations like the Farmers’ Market, last Saturday. who scoured the line of cars and served their friends first, leaving the rest of us to appeal to the market director.  There will be several such anomalies, as we move forward.  I pray that patience wins out.

Sixty-Six for Sixty Six, Part IX: Relativity

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Posted by on in distraction issues, Social, Striving

February 22, 2017, Prescott- 

In honour of George Washington and my paternal grandmother, (who would have been 118 today), this day was devoted to keeping my nose to the grindstone and making certain that the disparate, discordant and mutually-dissociated elements that come together, to make up my work day, were harmonized enough so that all were safe.

Lead teacher’s concerns are not the same as those of our students.  I have to listen to and answer her, while insisting to the children that they may NOT kill or maim one another-even if that means getting between them and restraining the wiry, determined revenge-seeker.

At bus time, our kids all got onto their buses, in short order- a welcome change of affairs. My other charges, the rest of the school’s bus riders, experienced a different scenario. There was unusually heavy traffic, parent-wise, today and for the first time this year, there were not one, but two, backlogs of cars.  I kept things going relatively smoothly, nonetheless.

General Washington barely knew a moment’s peace, until he retired to Mount Vernon.  My Nana only knew tranquility after her youngest son was married, and she was able to hold court on Sunday mornings, with us regular visitors in attendance.  I know peace and quiet, from 3:30 on, so by comparison, my days are sweet.

Two-Hour Delay

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Posted by on in children, Education, Poetry

January 24, 2017, Prescott-

School started at 10,

instead of 8.

Ice clogged the streets,

many pick-up drivers feared being late.

So, as I drove carefully along,

there were several who swung around me.

Arriving safely at work,

I was glad to, rid of traffic, be.

Shortened schedules bother our students,

a lack of mid-morning breakfast,

also an unwelcome surprise-

how imprudent.

We made it safely through, with no bumps and bruises.

A fair amount of learning,

even a short day infuses.