Since We're Talking About Vacations

Two times we went on vacations. Once, to a wax museum and once, to Lincoln's Birthplace. Mom, where was that?

Daddy isn't much of a travelor. He comes to visit me about twice a year. The whole time he's here he... 1.) eats toast and
2.) paces. He's just more comfortable in his native land.

These are the thoughts I think run through Daddy's mind concerning leaving Kentucky to visit me...
"What if a Publishers Clearinghouse entry comes in the mail?"
"Who will answer the phone?"
"What if we get a water leak?"
"Who will be here to count how many times the furnace comes on in an hour?"
"Who will vaccuum the green carpet?"

This was the year, my awesome Dad bit the bullet in 1980 and drove his girls to the Wax Museum. And to a hotel. Pure heaven. I still remember jumping into the hotel pool. I was wearing a pink leopard print bathing suit that we had purchased at Sears Outlet. Loved that swimsuit. Don't really remember the wax museum. I do remember the gift shop. It's ALWAYS about the shopping with me.

Another memory I have from that trip was the diner we stopped at on the way. Our table had one of those individual style jukeboxes. For a nickel, you could pick your song. Feeling generous, Daddy gave me some change, I picked... "Eye of the Tiger".

Rising up, straight to the top... took my time, took my chances. Went the distance now I'm back on my feet, just a man and his will to survive

Yeah, every word. I was a skinny, scrawny, over-protected little girl. I knew every song in our church hymnal as well as EYE OF THE TIGER. I think Mom and Dad were surprised about that.

See Daddy. Why'd you make me ride that school bus all those years? Two hours a day for 12 years. I learned a lot of stuff on that bus. Including the lyrics to Eye of the Tiger and every single Deaf Leopard song on Belinda's cassette tape.