Coming Home

The roads—and car windows—sure were icy on the way home today. Photo by: Suna

And it sure been a cold, cold winter

And the wind ain’t been blowin’ from the south

—Keith Richards, Mick Jagger

The trip home from Ruidoso took longer than expected. Yesterday, we took the long way to Abilene, where we overnighted in the same hotel as on the trip up. Unfortunately, we ran into a serious cold front just after crossing into Texas.

The night turned the roads to a skating rink, so we waited until almost noon to leave the hotel. The low pressure light was on for the driver’s side steer tire, but we couldn’t do anything about it. All the air pumps we passed were plugged with ice, and I couldn’t get air into the tire until like the fifth one.

The roads were so bad the trip from Abilene to the ranch took six hours. We were being very careful, despite the car being much smarter about driving on ice than me.

Anita was sick for the return trip and slept through most of it.

A Nice, Cold Can of Pepsi One

I’m also grateful that I can drink colas again. Pepsi and Coke both market products made with sucralose. And who am I to argue with Mariah Carey.

Photo source: Hollywood*Rag

I love winter in Central Texas. While other states—even the more northern parts of Texas—fight blizzards and frozen winds, winter is usually much milder here.

We do get the occasional snow flurry or, when it’s really bad, an ice storm. But most of the time, it’s really kinda pleasant.

Winter turns my truck into a refrigerator. I go out at lunch and retrieve a wonderful Pepsi One from a box in my car. I pop the top and get nice, cool tastiness. Not like the summer when the heat sometimes causes the ends of the can to bulge most worrisome. (I have never had one of the cans give way in the heat, but I wouldn’t be that surprised if it happened.)

So for now, I’m grateful for the cooler weather enjoying and the soothing Pepsi.