First of all, thank you for your well wishes about my daughter being home. It has been great! We lived in the D.C. area years ago and are looking forward to visiting her and revisiting many of our favorite places.

Second >>> I have read all of the comments you all have written, and encourage all of you to read them. (Here’s yesterday’s entry: Oh No! Not Another Rant and Rave! followed by the comments). Some of them are absolutely incredible! I just don’t get how so many people think they’re exempt from following the rules when they’re behind the wheels of what I refer to as “killer cars”! Clearly, they have an “I’m special.” attitude. And it’s like a lot of you stated, they’re not just endangering themselves, but every other person on the road. I really don’t get it!

I am shocked by some of the things you all have witnessed! Are people really so hungry that they’re willing to drive their killer cars while eating spaghetti? Is their personal hygiene such an issue that they have the need to brush their teeth, shave, dry their hair, or apply makeup while driving? The only time they can find for polishing their nails is while driving? Are they really that busy they need to use their steering wheel to prop up a plate, book, map, mail, or papers? They can’t check an audio book from their local libraries because they prefer actually reading the books while driving? And how about the two instances of women brushing their hair >>> one with both hands, and the other while flipping her head down below the console so she could brush it from the roots? And how about the woman who was searching for something that had rolled on the floor of her passenger side, with her head under the console?

Really? YES! Really!!!

As for the texting and holding phones while driving >>> don’t even get me started on this one! We have a no holding-of-phones or texting law here in San Antonio, but that doesn’t stop lots of people from brazenly holding their phones while driving.

I’ve decided that I would write this follow-up entry instead of responding to each of your comments. Thank you so much for your absolutely incredible stories about crazy drivers. I only wish we were all just sitting around, trying to write a skit for a “you-won’t-believe-it TV show” rather than talking about true things we have seen on the roads!

Here’s yesterday’s entry: Oh No! Not Another Rant and Rave!

Well, this is sort of a Rant and a Rave all rolled up into one, which is better than when I just rant >>> with no rave!

My Rave part is that our daughter has come home for a three week vacation between her jobs. She just finished up in New Orleans, and is headed for Washington, D.C. in two weeks. (She’s been home a little over a week.) She’s going to her first permanent job (after three one-year-long clerkships) and I am already sorry about her moving way out to the east coast.

We were so lucky to have her close to us these past three years. A nine-hour drive to New Orleans from San Antonio will sure beat the drive out to D.C.! (My husband used to fly a lot for his job, and thinks flying has become a total pain to do these days. As for me, I’ve never been that crazy about flying.)

Anyway we are totally enjoying having her here!

Now on to my Rant! While driving to our favorite Chicago Style hotdog place, we were driving on a very, very busy six lane highway and the lady to our left, kept weaving back and forth. She would drive normally, then veer to one side, and then jerk back into her lane. I thought maybe she had been drinking, which ticked me off a whole lot. However, since I became totally fixated by her car so that I could (again!) “supervise” my husband’s driving, I was able to see into her car. You cannot believe how doggone ticked off I became when I saw that she was actually putting on mascara! This, while we’re on a busy 65 mile an hour road, which to some San Antonians means 70 miles an hour!

Good grief! (And I can’t stress that Good Grief enough!) I know people have busy lives, and need to rush from one place to the other, but REALLY? I have to admit that I have been known to “adjust” my makeup while stopped at a red light (peripherally checking out the other cars moving for when the light turns green). But, I just can’t fathom putting on makeup while driving on a busy expressway. And, as my husband pointed out, just imagine what that makeup looks like when she is done!

Please leave a comment and let us know if you have ever seen or (if you have the nerve to admit it!!!) done anything like this.

Here’s a follow-up I wrote about all of your comments, which are great!

Your Examples Are Even Worse!

I have been complaining to my husband that I can’t seem to finish the Cozy Mystery I have been reading this past week. He reminded me (rather too quickly!) that I have recently been doing other things with my free time. (Good grief! What is it with husbands always pointing out the obvious?)

Let me come clean…

I have been sort of immersing myself in puzzles! I wish I could admit to doing a lot of baking, cooking, or cleaning >>> but that’s not the case. I set up a puzzle-making table in our family room >>> and have been going rather crazy.  Actually, I multi-task: I watch the old, black and white movies that I tape while I make my puzzles, something I used to do while cross-stitching. I have several favorite puzzle-makers, Charles Wysocki is my favorite artist, followed by other artists like Jane Wooster.

A friend of mine came over last week, took a look at my puzzle table, and remarked that I probably enjoyed puzzles because they are so relaxing. Hmm… I don’t think of my life as stressful in any way but I guess the puzzles are relaxing, however not when I am searching around on the floor for pieces I have lost.

Getting back to my friend >>> She works at a school here in town and finds the job somewhat stressful. She told me that she has taken up coloring, which helps her unwind after particularly difficult days. I thought she meant that she has found more difficult children’s coloring books for herself. Nope, she told me they actually make coloring books intended for adults now. Hmm… I found that interesting.

I remember really enjoying coloring with my children years ago, so of course as soon as I got home from lunch I went online to look at adult coloring books. Wow! There sure must be a lot of people with a whole lot of stress out there! It looks like they have adult coloring books for every reason (dogs, cats, flowers, etc.) and season (Christmas, Halloween, etc.)!

This got me thinking: Are there any non-reading activities that keep you from reading your favorite Cozy Mystery books during your fun time? I know we recently talked about the types of non-mystery books we find ourselves reading, but this time I’d like to find out about other activities you do for relaxation/fun >>> and I don’t mean household chores! Please post a comment if you do. Thank you!