NEVER...EVER...GIVE UP HOPE : Who Should Care About Texting and Driving?

If you have ever canned vegetables, I am sure you can appreciate both the hard work and the excitement you feel when you look at the finished product. You are excited that you actually FINISHED the endless job but elated that you have a year or two worth of homemade salsa.

In the past I usually had a friend work with me but this year that was not an option and I feared taking on the task by myself. But I was determined to can both salsa and stewed tomatoes. After buying 150 pounds of tomatoes, it was a commitment. I hate the taste of store bought canned food!

But wait --

It was Labor Day weekend which gave me an extra day to get the job done. When I woke up Sunday morning, my hubby informed me that he was able to help. I was thrilled. He had been plagued with a migraine for a couple weeks so I wasn't counting on his assistance.

We worked nine hours the first day. Chopping, chopping, chopping. He had some great ideas to make the process more streamlined which was a thrill! We never took a break until the job was done. The finished product was beautiful and just the right amount of heat!

We decided to leave canning the stewed tomatoes until the following day. My friend suggested that we blanch and freeze them rather than can them which cut our time by several hours. Done! Happy! Thrilled, in fact!

I was scheduled to do a speaking tour in the Yakima Valley in Eastern Washington but had not realized it would be such a long drive. I left home on Sunday afternoon without realizing there was a five and a half hour ferry line-up. It was pouring rain outside and there are no shops or food outlets at the terminal. It was a LONG wait.

I spent the night at a friends and set out for the Cascade Mountains the next morning. What should have been a five hour trip turned into a twelve hour one.

Rather than plug my destination into my GPS I followed the directions of the woman who was chairing one of the meetings. She directed me from Highway I 5 by mistake. She forgot to tell me to turn onto I 90.

Although the rain was a welcome site after being in a drought, it was difficult to drive. At one point the usual 70 mph that people drove changed to 10 mph. The downpour was so heavy you could not see the road. Many cars were pulling over. I took the first exit to find a bathroom and in a matter of seconds was drenched head to toe when I stepped out of the car. I didn't want to lose my way after pulling off the highway so I put the address into my GPS and realized I was going the wrong way. Fortunately, I only lost about 50 miles; and by the time I got to the mountain range, the rain had subsided.

If.....texting while driving is illegal then........

I was in the far left lane and a little blue beetle in front of me was driving 64 mph. Hoping she would speed up I realized she was swaying all over her lane and crossing the line. I pulled next to her and saw her using BOTH hands to text.

I got behind her and dialed 911 (hands free of course.) The officer appreciated the call and they would send a patrol car. I told them where I was and the speed we were driving. After 15 minutes, nothing. I called again. They said they were 'on it.' Once again I gave them my location. Another 20 minutes - nothing. Should I call again? I did. This time they were not so nice. They asked me if I was trying to play 'police' person or was I actually headed in that direction. I apologized reluctantly after assuring them that she had almost caused three accidents.

Then it happened. Please realize that she had been texting all this time -- for many miles -- in heavy traffic covering five lanes. As she approached a semi-truck she veered into the next lane, causing the truck driver to quickly move to the right lane and he ended up swerving on half his tires but was able to gain control. At the next exit she left the highway. What will happen the next time? Even if the cops were busy....

Last year a girl texting alongside my car pushed me off the highway when she hit a cement wall. I survived....and here is that amazing story.

I don't get it

Last month my daughter was pulling into a parking lot with her credit card in her left hand. A cop mistook it to be her cell phone. She showed the cop that her phone was in her center console, tucked away. She showed him the card she had in her hand which was about 1/3 the size of her phone. He didn't believe her and gave her a $367 ticket. Justice?

Have you been to the Cascade Mountains?

My time in Southern Washington was one of the best tours I have done. I was booked into small towns that rarely get inspirational speakers. Consequently, the whole town shows up and almost everyone bought my book. They were so appreciative that I came so far and I loved meeting and connecting with so many great people.

I passed miles of hops fields. I am not a beer drinker and you could smell them -- Yuk!

The vineyards were beautiful - dozens of them. The mountains were as far as you could see and I loved the scenery....... until I hit a hail storm that hit without warning as I went around a curve. I almost flew off the mountain highway. Shook me up for a few minutes.

It is always great to be home and I am blessed with a hubby who keeps the house neat and orderly whenever I am on the road. Anyone relate with me on that?

No Fly on the Wall post would be complete without pics of the grands this month.