Eat To Live! : Trippin' Around- 1

I am finally back from my first vacation of June! I am ~~slightly~~ extremely tired, but it was so worth it! Where did I go you ask? I made the ten hour trip out to Louisiana to visit one of my best friends. You've heard about them before...we call him John Boy! We've been friends for years and he recently bought a house on the lake, so it worked out perfectly to go see the new house and get away for a while.

I debated on posting about this because people are cruel and love to run with some good ole' gossip. Problem with that is people are most always wrong. In true Cori fashion let me set all the records straight...I have a few friends in my life. They all mean everything to me. Some of them are males and some are females. I love them each and would travel anywhere to see them...John Boy is one of those people.

The trip rituals started Wednesday, I printed all my maps and knew the route pretty well. Mainly because my mother panics and I knew my daddy would tell me exactly how to get there, so I needed to be able to keep up. Even though I take a GPS daddy likes to tell me the roads I will be taking. I like making him feel special, so it's no big deal to take a few extra minutes to get the run down.

After Bible Study, I headed over to the parents house for our "see you later ritual". No matter where we are going we always make a point to swing by and speak to each other before we head out. You never know what could happen. Mom starts her "stressing" and dad starts the "she is grown and can handle this".

Mom begs me to take my brother along; I tell her ONE last time that I'm fine and that will not be happening. Ten hours locked in a car with him...no thank you! I cap out at the 4 hour trip to Gulf Shores twice a year with "the brother".

Mom and I hug it out...which is a big deal...my sister and I are very much the "no touching" type of people. We love you, but we aren't overly touchy/emotional. Dad is covered in dust so we skip the hug. He's covered in dust because you know the normal thing to do at 9 pm on a Wednesday is tend to some trees....only in our house. They both watch me drive off like I'm moving to Europe for a year....they are getting way too emotional the older they get. ; ) Love you guys....

Thursday rolls around...

I head out after working and a days worth of errands on my way to Mississippi. I decided to make the trip a little longer and have a day of shopping! I get in the car and put in the CD another friend made...of course it's 20 songs that all mean something to us...so as I'm riding down the road dancing to "Ride that donkey" I realize this is going to be so relaxing! SO I think....

On my way to take care of my last errand the deputy patrolling the area I was traveling felt the strong urge to meet me. He pulls me over as I have nine minutes to get to my meeting....YAY ME!

He gives me a warning and sends me on my way. I forgot to mention how cool of a deputy he was. Thanks for the warning...I'm going slower now! ;)

I finally start the journey and realize when I said

"Hey, stop and get gas now so I don't have to when I leave", I really meant "Hey, keep going I like living on the edge...let's see how far I can go on E".

As I start the car to leave this is what I see...

0 Miles to empty....YAY ME AGAIN!

I eventually get on the road and make it to the Mississippi state line around nine...

Now if you know me you realize I am a lady from the south! I wave at everyone I see, flash them a smile, and say "Hey, how ya' doin'". As I walked into the rest area I did just that to the sweet security guard standing outside. When I walked back out to my car he was waiting for me. He had to be in his late 60's-70's. I spent the next 20 minutes listening to all of his adventures at the Alabama/Mississippi rest area. He handed me a souvenir and told me to come back and gab with him again...he is now part of my routine when I head back to LA. He reminded me so much of my late PaPa that I just stood and smiled while he talked the night away.

Of course this didn't go over too well when mom called to see where I was..."Don't talk to anyone else, Cori!" I have enough of my father in me that is probably not something that will be happening, but I agreed so she would stay calm.

I made it to Gulfport safely! Mom made me move a CHAIR in front of my hotel room door after she verified that I locked ever lock the hotel had made available to me....It took me three minutes to get the door open the next day! HAHA!

After some shopping I hit the road again....I made it into Louisiana quickly.

Louisiana is a very beautiful place where you see all kinds of things!

Along the interstate I saw a woman in a Hoveround picking up trash, an abandoned hurse, and some random people with their trucks backed into the woods.... I'm not asking questions!

There is also about 29 different types of bridges there....I went over all 29! I have pictures of each, but I decided to save you the boredom of staring at all of them.

There was a point when this was how I was feeling....OVER IT! Like, really, how many more interstates do I have to take! About that time my other friend that works in LA called, Chris! We haven't had much time to catch up lately; we are both so busy with life. Just to hear his voice for a few minutes was just what I needed. With a big smile on my face I moved forward!

I rolled into the redheads little town and realized we aren't in Alabama anymore! I was a little out of place with my Honda...Everyone there drives big, jacked up trucks....which is totally cool by me!

John Boy first became my friend because of his truck...ok not really, but I do love his truck, minus the fact that I have to go to the garage, dig out the ladder, set it beside the passenger door, and then climb up to the top step...just to get into the thing!

As I rounded curve after curve the GPS took me around the lake and right to John Boy's door...which by the way, is in the middle of NO WHERE!

I was so glad to see my long lost friend! We talk every day, but haven't seen each other since my birthday.

As soon as I got there John Boy took me on a house tour and to the boat house we went! There I met two of his very sweet neighbors. One of them has ducks....tid bit of info about me and birds....we don't fly well together...as in I am petrified of them!

After I grasped the idea of birds walking that close to me, we jumped on the boat. We took off so he could show me the lake

...MISTAKE NUMBER ONE!

"You might get a little wet".....that statement should have been...."You are about to get drenched" When we pulled back up to the boat house I looked like I fell in the lake....true story!

Odd thing, John Boy was barely wet at all....I'm pretty sure he planned that one. haha!

After changing we made a trip to town to get the items for "some Cajun stuff"...I'll have to get the name of it again. On the way we decided to play "who can get the better gas mileage", as always, I lost!

The Cajun stuff looks like this....very yummy!

John Boy can throw down in the kitchen...he definitely can give me a run for my money!

We spent the next few days on the lake or fishing and catching up on life! John Boy is a bit of a workaholic so when we weren't on the water he was working on his house while I caught up on my reading. It was so nice not to have to deal with work, school, Troy Buy Sell Trade, family, friends, etc. I don't mind any of those things, but I was a bit tired and worn down!

I didn't catch a thing all weekend!

I guess I got in some good practice though!

On the day I left we decided to go out on the lake since the water was calmer....as in I wasn't suppose to come back looking like I walked through a thunderstorm. It was a Monday so there weren't many people out at all. It was so peaceful! I was suppose to leave early that morning, but it turned into me leaving at 4 pm. I decided it was definitely worth it, so I was in no rush to leave.

John Boy took me over to Texas and then back to a beach in LA.

I sunned while he drove....

The lake is 112 miles of pure greatness! I can't gripe about him living so far away now...I totally see why he decided to make that his home. He will just have to deal with his Alabama buddies making road trips to come visit and float!

I packed my bags feeling a little red, but also very relaxed. I headed home knowing I was going to be up all night, but didn't mind at all.

Before I got out of LA I saw this....

.....that's a new way to show your respect I suppose.

I got home at 1:48 with All or nothing playing...that felt very appropriate.

I needed this trip to get my sanity back. I won't lie, I have had quite a lot going on the last few months. Some of those things have broke me down a bit...now I feel so rejuvenated and back to my old self. I am burnt, but being sunkissed isn't so bad when you are happy and relaxed!

To my dear John Boy, thank you so so much for an amazing trip! You are a great host and an even better friend! You have me hooked...I will be back to LA soon, maybe Irvin and Daniels will also come along for the ride!