Weekend Trip

We had an unexpected trip to make to Alabama because my son's father-in-law passed away suddenly last week with a heart attack.  It is a long trip.....8 hours non-stop.  The traffic was bad going and coming back home, but we had a nice time with the family.

We left here at around 2:30 p.m. on Thursday and arrived there around 10:00 p.m. and we lose an hour while traveling there, so it was actually 11 p.m. our time.  So, even with the traffic delays, stopping for gas, potty and food, we still made pretty good time!  Michael and Jessica are ready for bed by 9, so they were up later than usual waiting on us!  We were tired, so we unloaded the car, talked for just a few minutes, and then we all hit the sack!

Friday we went to Cracker Barrel for brunch.  Supper was supplied at Jessica's sister, Christina's home.  I was still full from brunch, so I did not eat.  We went to bed fairly early again.

Saturday we went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast with some of the good friends who came in for the funeral.  We got back with just enough time to get ready to leave for the funeral.  After the funeral we went back to Christina's house for supper.

I was up until almost 12:30, but everyone else went to bed fairly early.

We left Michael and Jessica’s from the church.  We left their house at about 8:45 and went through the McDonald’s drive through for a breakfast sandwich.  We finished eating in the church parking lot before going in for the early service at 9:00.  So, we were on the road a little after 10…..11 our time.

We stopped for gas before we got to I-24 where the traffic started.  It rained off and on for the first half an hour or so, but as we reach the 2-hour mark, it looks like we are going into some more rain on I-75.  Yes, heavy rain, too, at 1:20 our time……which lasted all of 2 minutes!

We stopped around 1:45 for gas, potty and lunch at Hardees, which was drive-through only, in Sweetwater, TN.

We hit a delay right before the NC border due to an accident at about 3:28.  Crossed into NC at 3:30.  Finally, at 3:48 we began moving again…..after seeing that the accident was on the other side of the road, for Pete’s sake!!!  Why was our lane delayed?  Rubbernecks!  It was a bad accident that had the traffic backed up for miles!  I just pray no one was hurt!

Ten minutes later, we are still seeing traffic at a standstill on the other side!

We stopped at a rest stop for the potty and Mark ate his sandwich.  Ten minutes later, the backup was caught up.  But there were more cars coming up the hill.

Another tie up past Statesville, so we took 64 in the back way to the house.  We stopped at Taco Bell for supper for Mark and went to his daughter’s house, Jenifer, to take care of the animals before going home.  We arrived home around 7:30 p.m. 

It was a good trip, even if it was not for good reasons.  Please pray for the Stewart family as they deal with their grief.  Please pray for my son, Michael, too, an unspoken prayer request.  Thank you so much!