WHERE IN THE WORLD IS BETH?

On the last day of June Beth unplugged for a month of family, hubs and Beth time. She told us she was off on a two week road trip without the laptop and wasn't looking back.  We all said, "Good for you!" We said, "We'll miss you!" Some said, "Jealous, wish I could make myself disconnect, but I'm addicted." On and on the comments came fast and furious.

Well, it's a reality now. Bethie has been apart from us for 11 days and I miss her. I see very few posts on GBE2. Is it because she isn't here? Is it because I changed her topic? Is it because no one can think of a good fictitious tale about where she might be? Or no one wants to do that? I don't know, but I sure wish there were more to read.

That being said, I am adding my second possible explanation of Where Beth Really Went.

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"Well, I did it, Carl. I unplugged. I turned off. I put the laptop in its case and I am not going to make a move toward it until August 1 at 12:01 a.m." She smiled at her hubs and walked out of the room. Not sure why she felt so arrogant, but knowing she did. Actually the feeling was more of self-righteousness. He didn't think she would really do it, she knew that, and she knew she needed to. She also knew she would do it because she desperately needed to get control of her life and that darned computer just kept pulling her away from all the more important and more pressing things in her life. Her upcoming move, her husband, her children and the grands. Oh, those precious grands needed more Granny time and by cracky, they were gonna get it.  As soon as the road trip was history, she would be spending some majorly quality time playing with those little blessings.

"Beth!" Carl called to her from the kitchen. "Wanna load the car tonight?  We can just get up and head out in the morning if we get that done." Alone time with her would be so good. He always felt like he just got a sliver of the woman he adored. She was so busy and so occupied a great deal of the time and for the next 2 weeks, she would be his. He would have jumped in the car at that moment if she would agree. She wouldn't because she hadn't gotten those last hugs and smooches yet. Nor had he.

"Sure, I'll bring my stuff down in a minute. Might as well get a head start, eh?"  She smiled at the thought of being with this guy for 2 weeks with no real distractions. She loved talking with him, cuddling with him and basically being with him. He was her forever man and he was also her best friend. So off they would go on an adventure together for the first time in a very long time.

The trip began at 5 a.m. when Carl woke Beth to get her moving. He had made her coffee in a travel mug and was sipping his own when she entered the kitchen. He smiled and stood to make his way to the car which was loaded and waiting. She said nothing and quietly looked around to make sure all was loaded and all would be well until their return. This kids, of course, would be taking care of things while they traveled.

Day one was under way with some good old fashioned flipping of a coin. Heads, north, tails south. Second flip, heads east, tails west. Third and final flip, the two winners. First flip, south, second flip east. Third flip south. South wins and the car heads to the one and only highway they would be using to get them out of Illinois. Once they crossed the state line, all rural roads would be taken. That was the rule. Through Indiana, through Kentucky, through Tennessee.

Day one ends in south Tennessee. Oh, what a long day on the road and what fantastic country side they had seen. While cuddling after dinner they decide they are now ready to go east. Cutting across this state to the mountains is in order.  Oh, how she loves the mountains.  The sunrises on the east, the sunsets on the west. Hard to choose her favorite, hard to choose anything in this frame of mind, but off to the east they would go.

Day two was not quite as smooth as day one, which basically ate up miles and got them south. No sightseeing, no stopping at weird sounding things. But cutting across Tennessee west to east there are just way too many 'interesting' places to pull over and just SEE. Shops with really cool stuff you just don't see up north. Cafes and bars with unique decors and some crazy rules, like they don't sell liquor, but you can bring in your own! Really!

As they made their way across they stopped 20 or 30 times; so many they lost count. Every little town had something fun or silly or really beautiful to see. It was a day of real road tripping.  Driving a little and stopping a lot. They both loved the experience and bought a few little things to bring back for laughs, mostly. Nothing of any value except the time they were sharing and photos of this beautiful country.

The days went on and each one brought its own little gem or passel of gems. Each day brought them a little close to knowing. Each day told them something new about this part of the country and each day found them discussing the good and the not so good of each area. They never stayed in the same hotel two nights. They moved around a little east, a little north, a little south no a little west every day looking for THE spot. THE town or rural area to possibly make their home. The move was coming and the exact spot might be found on this trip. Or it might not.

The one thing about this wonderful 2 week rural road adventure was that it was just the two of them and all the people they met along the way. The many things they saw that made them think of someone back home. The many times one of them would start to speak and stop only to hear the other one say exactly what they were thinking. The thought that wherever they live, they will be happy because happy is inside and inside, these two people were happy.

Whether one word of this is true or not, I know that the last paragraph is. I know this month will enhance Beth as a person and if she felt the need, she will benefit from doing the total disconnect thing. I am not interested in doing that, but I don't have the busy life she has and I don't have the responsibilities she has so it doesn't interfere with my real life, it makes my real life better. I also know she misses us and will be so happy to jump back in and send hugs, ♥, : 0, and lots of word nerd speaks wisdom all over us when she gets home to us again on August 1 at 12:01 a.m.

It's only 20 more days.........*sigh*

Jo