Call me Johnny Appleseed or the Pied Piper
but the word must be out
that I'm takin' in animals.
A kitty at last nights campground
would not leave my side
small but round and very sweet.
"I caught myself thinking what a neat cat,"
and then I had to slap myself and yell
"snap out of it!"
Oddly enough Percy seemed to get along fine with the little fellow
whereas Weesie was havin' a hissy fit --
THAT'S where it comes from!!!!!
Anyway, Kitty jumped in my car over and over
and for a second I thought
"perhaps a trade...."
Oh Daisy, shame on you.

I'm in Ogallala, Nebraska
headin to lunch in Denver, CO
and soon
home sweet home.

Hmmmm, still considering the feline swap
as Weesie continues her campaign against Percy.
And yet
let's give credit, shall we.
they're laying down without incident
less than 4 feet apart.

Let's get down to the business of HUGs.
You still haven't heard about my last deliveries.
3 of them were given to the fellas that worked on my RV
in Covington, Louisiana.

Shoot, I'm forgetting Chris' brothers' name
they both lost their homes
and so did Big Mike who runs the front office.


They were so genuinely tickled,
it was sooooo touching to see Chris
a quiet fellow, ponder his HUG and
watch his face turn pink as he muttered
"this is soooooo nice..., this is really somethin'!"

This is Jan

She lost her home of 50 years
but in a note to MY parents
she wrote
our memories are in our hearts
those were just things.
Still, as she showed me around the small 2 bedroom she and
her husband have moved into
she beamed over the 5 items out of everything they had
that were salvaged.
She's a remarkable lady,
mother of 5 including a new friend in Louisiana
who sent me to HUG her,
but for a tiny little gal,
with a heart of platinum
on the strength of spirit scale
she's an ox!
And YES
I did say
"letter to MY parents."
After delivering her HUG,
(she got one SEND-A-HUG
and forty traditional hugs from me)
she asked for my parents address saying
"I've got to let your parents know what a wonderful girl you are."
My mom couldn't wait to read me the letter
the folks were extremely moved by her letter
having for kids and living in THEIR home now for almost FORTY years
it really hit close to home.
"Although, I already knew you were special," my Dad gushed over the phone.
Oh DAD!!!!

Did ya ever have one of those moments
where ya find yourself declaring
(either aloud or at top volume in your head)
"I WANNA LIVE!"
Yep, me too!
I was driving across the Causeway
(after already surviving a thunderous downpour, including some of the best lightning I've ever seen
the night before.
In fact it was the ONLY thing I could see while driving on the freeway
(probably going too fast at thirty miles an hour)
everyone had their hazards on.
It was crazy and exhilarating and sure
scary.
I was on this route to get to my new friend Jan,
drove two hours outta my way in this weather of all weathers
and just as I was reaching her exit
her husband called to say
that due to the weather
it would be best if I came tomorrow.
Deep breath,
My mouth said no problem
my mind was Linda Blair like
spewing comments like
"your momma eats kitty litter."
Then I caught myself
and sorta laughed
VERY VERY UN-SEND-A-HUG.
Laughed the whole thing off.
I proceeded to spend over an hour the next day
with Jan who's DEFINITELY become family.)
But back to epiphanies.
I took the Causeway to get to Jan's the following day.
At 24 miles long, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana
is the world longest over water highway bridge.
Apparently there's a low rate of cars plummeting into the Lake
but I was grateful for the
procedural runthrough of what to do
should I be one of the lucky few.
Making my way across the bridge
I marveled at the clouds ahead
beginning to feel very much like the hero
in a Sci Fi disaster movie...

Either the world was coming to an end
or certainly I would be beamed up momentarily by a UFO.
A GIANT black cloud completely enveloped the sky
I gave little attention to the white haze in front of me.
Other than to marvel and gaze and take photos
(while driving across the worlds longest over water bridge)
That was no white haze my friends.
At this point in my movie (now a thrilller), the films special effects department unloaded
enough water on me to put out the San Francisco Fires of 1906.
Jesus!!!!!!!!

I slammed on my brakes with no thought to traffic behind me
cause the only thought I was having
was
I wanna live!
And I did.
The end.