11 hours and 34 dead Armadillos...POP

I missed Becky's birthday today, but she was swamped with family things (and to swamp myself in the same way I spent the day with my Aunt Sis (Harleen) and her daughter, Mary Jo.
Actually, most of the day was spent in the car with my aunt. We drove from Farmington, MO to Springfield, MO to get Mary Jo settled into her dorm room for her first year at college. Exciting Stuff, huh?

I decided to go along for the trip to get in some quality time with my aunt who has always seemed to look out for me and to play the role of the big sister Mary Jo never wanted. I may have overplayed the role of big sister and overprotective parent a little...or maybe, a lot. I don't think my aunt was able to speak two words with me spouting out wisdom like I've experienced life unlike no other she'll cross paths with.

I doubt Mary Jo was listening to half of what I said, but even if she caught one little bit, she will experience one less trial and, with that, not have to learn any more lessons than needed the hard way.

We've all been there. Those first days, months, years on our own where we are terrible at laundry, dishes, money, boys (oh man, boys) etc. And after we survive, we try to share our experiences with our siblings and/or children, but they don't want to hear it, What do WE know anyways, we're old now. I laugh when an 18 year old thinks I'm old. I'm twenty-nine freaking years old! I'm not dead in the box yet, give me a break.

In my head, it was only yesterday when my parents and I were fighting over packing boxes to move my skinny butt out and off to college (Boy, that didn't last long). I did pretty good with the money aspect and even with keeping the boys in check (minus a toga party or two), after those two, my track record goes downhill quickly. I may not have been the worst, but I definitely could've done better. I'm either a perfectionist or far from perfection. I am not good with middle of the road average.

I think I ran out of clean dishes somewhere around the middle of Sept. '95. I don't think I saw them clean again until my Mom came to visit at the end of October and decided to wash and replace everything with paper products.

The other thing I was awful about was going to class, unless they could promise me something of interest I rather stay in bed. Osmosis and sleep are way better than showering, dressing and lecture hall, just make sure you are there on test days.

Speaking of showering...Oh my, Mary Jo doesn't know how lucky she is to be in a suite with just 6 girls in her "gross" bathroom. I had a shared one for the whole floor and it seemed like it was 100 years old. Icky and slimey were understatements. The only good time to shower was after midnight or no later than 6am, if you wanted hot water and water pressure at the same time. Being that I have long thick hair and can't stand cold showers, 6am it was, because listening to girls heave while you are trying to bath at midnight is not such a cleansing feeling. Are those chunks coming under the stall?

Survival of the fittest? Freshman 10, 15, 20??? The other thing I reminded Mary Jo of was loneliness and food does not cure it. I hooked her up with all sorts of snacks, but warned her that they were there to get her thru when she didn't have time to eat or needed a late night nutritional burst, not to get through a rough day in the dorm, fights with roommates or failing that first test because this isn't high school anymore.

I'm pretty sure she'll do great. She is a tough cookie, like myself. Her weaknesses will be that she will try to be too strong and proud at times. One of my hardest lessons learned was letting people in: to know I was sad, lonely, or just needed help. The next ten years will be some of the best and worst of times for her. Luckily the bad times, just make the good times that much better. She is beginning and I'm at the opposite end of those ten years trying to put myself together for the rest of my life. I kinda feel like we are in the same place, I just have a few more of the hard knocks under my belt. Maybe that is why I feel so strongly of trying to relate sooooo many lessons to her. I love her as much as my own sister (which she is) and want her to succeed. We all deserve it.

Now I'm guessing you wonder why I titled this 11 hours and 34 dead armadillos. Well, I spent 11 hours on the road Sunday from StL to Farmington to Springfield to Farmington to StL and counted 34 dead armadillos on the road. My aunt and I didn't hit any of the little guys, but from what we understand when they get scared they pop straight up as a defense mechanism. Then, SPLAT, right into the grill or bumper of your car. I only found one on hwy 67. Most of the little guys were in multiple degrees of decapitation along hwy 44 headed EASTBOUND. I guess they've had enough of ol' georgie and texas too. Can't blame them, I would just advise more caution hiking up the highways though ;)