Tom Flanders

Tom Week – Alabama and Beyond

3/12/30 – The Big A (Alabama)

We are in Alabama at the redneckinist RV park ever. It’s another park that’s under construction and is going to be great when finished. The office is much more a bait shop than an RV store.

3/13/20 – Friday the 13th

Only one other RV pulled in today. Is it the day? Is it the virus? Who knows.

Went for a bike ride today and got chased by an adorable dog. He was having the best time running along beside me until he had to stop and poop. Then he trotted back home. When I went back past his house he was asleep on the porch.

3/14/20 – Pi Day

I was so caught up watching the disease news that I almost missed pi day. A weird girl with two different shoes on the internet had to remind me. So I watched the movie PI. A feel-good romp if there ever was one.

Central Alabama is good place to be during the virus days. The people who live here don’t leave town much, and people from outside aren’t much motivated to come here.

3/15/20 – The Ides of March

We are in Toomsuba Mississippi, which is east of Meridian. Don’t worry, I never heard of them before yesterday.

Shopping at Walmart was an adventure. I managed to piss off everyone in the checkout line because I found everything I needed except water. Everyone was asking where I found everything. It’s sad that I am a better shopper than other people.

Oh yeah, the Lowes next door had plenty of water.

And gas is cheap here. $1.75 a gallon.

3/16/20 – Roller Coaster Hills

Did thirteen miles and climbed over 800 feet. Good workout. Got chased by two friendly dogs. Saw one Trump flag, one Biden sign and one Bernie sign.

3/17/20 – Happy St. Patrick’s Day

More hill riding today. No leprechauns spotted, but I made friends with a horse.

When in the south, you must drink Grapico, the Cadillac of grape sodas.

3/18/20 – Still in Toomsuba

We hunkered down to let the mail catch up to us. It’s weird not moving every few days. We’re here till Friday. Fortunately there are many bikeable back roads.

PIX

Tags: Alabama,grapico | Comments (0) | Author: Tom | Published: March 18, 2020

100 Words – Voices

Dr. Spangler thought he had the solution. He removed all sources of noise from Carla’s house. Then he sat with her all night in the silent living room. In the morning she declared that the voices were gone.

A disturbed Dr. Spangler replied, “No, they’re not.” It was just as Carla described. They spoke separately but as one. Chaos and order in weird unity.

Carla sat watching him, relieved that her head was quiet, but guilty that the doctor was now inflicted.

Spengler ran outside. The voices came with him. He wondered why him? They answered, “Because you’re so smart.”

#100words

Tags: chaos,voices | Comments (0) | Author: Tom | Published: March 14, 2020

Tom Week – Winn-Dixie and More

3/5/20 – Storms Missed US

Yesterday the news spoke of thunderstorms and tornadoes. Today we got some rain but nothing else. Sometimes I’m glad the weatherman is wrong.

3/6/20 – Stone’s Throw

We are camped just off a highway on-ramp in a funky redneck town. Our stop at the local Winn-Dixie was an adventure in characters. I can’t begin to imagine what the Piggy Wiggly was like.

3/7/20 – Cold Again

Today in the fifties. Two days from now it will be in the eighties. It would almost be better if it stayed cool for a while. Almost.

Oh yeah, Ted Turner lives in this town in a huge mansion down an unmarked road. OK, I made up the road part, but Ted really does live here.

3/8/20 – Stay N Go

We are in a funky little RV park that’s only three months old. They have a way to go but it’s going to be nice. It’s a short walk to a bunch of restaurants. Very convenient. When we pulled in the couple that runs the park were busy, so they told us to park anywhere and they’d catch us later. Love that laid-back attitude.

3/9/20 – Bike Lane Lottery

Went for a bike ride today. According to Google maps my route was “bike friendly.” It was not. At some points there were some wonderful bike lanes. Then they would go away without warning. For much of the ride I had to share the road with very heavy traffic.

Pat is my hero. The people across the way from us were leaving their dog out all day. Pat emailed the park and after a while a guy came and made them take the dog in.

3/10/20 – We’re Doomed

I thought I had lucked out. A state park with plenty of available spaces right on a lake. Oh what a fool I was. One bar on the cell phones means no WIFI. The TV finds no channels. The radio finds no stations. As the sun set a heavy mist formed over the lake. The clouds are blocking the moon. We are in total darkness. Total isolation.

3/11/20 – Canadians in an Airstream

Our new neighbors are very nice, are from Canada, and have an Airstream trailer. Oh yeah, and a nice big dog.

Took a bike ride through the swampland. You can tell we’re almost out of Florida. There are hills all over the place. I road over to the other side of the lake to take a picture of The Big Yellow Truck but the Airstream was in the way.

PIX

Tags: piggly wiggly,winn-dixie | Comments (0) | Author: Tom | Published: March 12, 2020

100 Words – Staple Fight

When Raul returned to the lab George had escaped from the slab. He was huddled naked in the corner flourishing a stapler. Raul laughed as he marched towards George. Then there was a loud click and a staple tore into Raul’s eye.

“Impossible!” Raul screamed as he lunged towards George. Another click, another staple in the eye. Raul was knocked to ground as George ran past.

Later, when the staples had been removed and he was told his sight would return when the bandages were removed, Raul marveled at his adversary’s amazing skill. And also regretted buying a laser-guided stapler.

#100words

Tags: stapler | Comments (0) | Author: Tom | Published: March 7, 2020

Tom Week – Soft Sand

2/28/20 – Back in Perry

We’ve been stuck in Florida too long. Walking into to the office at the Perry KOA the clerk yells, “Welcome back Mr. Flanders.”

We’ve been stuck here waiting for my doctor appointment, which finally happened. Unfortunately, this doctor is proving as useless as the last. After a long lecture about having to come see him every month so we can control my diabetes, he doesn’t even check my blood. He has no idea what my A1C is.

On top of that I tried to talk to him about my health concerns, which are what is causing the high blood sugar, but he wasn’t listening.

2/29/20 – Fun With Sewage

It was just one of those days that the excess poo building up in the black water pipes can no longer be ignored. We have equipment to minimize the yuckiness, but it’s still yucky.

Too cold and windy to ride the bike today. Also, I’m trying to give up coke, again, so it’s caffeine withdrawal day. Slight headache and no energy.

3/1/20 – Low energy

I am now fully decaffeinated. I need a new source of energy. Maybe protein bars.

3/2/20 – The Starke Reality

We come here because they are closest to our mailing address. They know us well. The reality though is that Starke is kind of a nothing place, unless you really like guns and camouflage.

3/3/20 – Ice Ice Baby

There was just an ad on TV for the Clay County FL fair. The headliner this year is Vanilla Ice. Too bad we’re gonna be gone by then.

3/4/20 – Soft Sand Dead End

We were looking for an RV park today. They weren’t answering their phone so we figured we’d just drive there. Only it wasn’t there. I went to turn around and got stuck in the soft sand road. I used some leveling blocks for traction and got going again, but I lost the leveling blocks.

I don’t knew if they got flung into to woods or just buried in the sand. I dug around a bit without luck. Finally I gave up.

PIX

Comments (0) | Author: Tom | Published: March 4, 2020

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Tom Flanders World

3/12/30 – The Big A (Alabama)

3/13/20 – Friday the 13th

3/14/20 – Pi Day

3/15/20 – The Ides of March

3/16/20 – Roller Coaster Hills

3/17/20 – Happy St. Patrick’s Day

3/18/20 – Still in Toomsuba

PIX

3/5/20 – Storms Missed US

3/6/20 – Stone’s Throw

3/7/20 – Cold Again

3/8/20 – Stay N Go

3/9/20 – Bike Lane Lottery

3/10/20 – We’re Doomed

3/11/20 – Canadians in an Airstream

PIX

2/28/20 – Back in Perry

2/29/20 – Fun With Sewage

3/1/20 – Low energy

3/2/20 – The Starke Reality

3/3/20 – Ice Ice Baby

3/4/20 – Soft Sand Dead End

PIX