Saturday, April 28, 2007

Lost


Lost
Originally uploaded by linfrye.
How is it that I can get lost even with a GPS installed in my car SPECIFICALLY to avoid this common problem of mine???

Yesterday was a very very long day. I left my home just after 6 am and a 2 1/2 hour drive for a conference and graduation ceremony for the leadershipship training I've been attending since last year. I reached my destination -- just fine -- found the school, found the room, found my colleagues.

After 6 hours of ceremony, meetings and lunch, I began the long journey home --- and when I say LONG -- I mean LOOOONNNNGGGG!

I was following the GPS in my car -- when I say I get lost easily -- I am NOT joking! and so this equipment was to be my 'saving grace' ... well, maybe not.

At any rate, I was busily watching the map, obeying the voice commands, and somehow or another, missed my turn and wound up winding my way not northwest ... but southeast --- and probably would have wound up in Florida if I hadn't come across a road I knew from WORK -- clearly -- two hours in the opposite direction of my home!

So when I finally GOT home, I took the manual inside to READ IT AGAIN ... and of course, it's written in computer-Greek language ... and I hope my dear husband will be able to interpret the instructions and what I did wrong --- and not laugh too much at my 'Lucille Ball' antics of geographically challenged events!

I'm quite sore today from over twelve hours of sitting. The grands come this afternoon and I"m sure they'll re-kink my bones and muscles in different ways .... all I can say is I"m glad I'm HOME ...and grateful to have found my way ... LONG that it was!

The silver lining to this saga was I did wind up driving some lovely country roads that I may never find again, and wound up in Raleigh. I spent a bit of time at Jerry's Artarama trying to walk my legs back into some feeling ... and I bought myself my first Kolinsky sable brush ... thank heavens it was on sale!! It was my 'reward' I suppose for finding anything familiar! LOL

11 comments:

Nita Van Zandt said...

I get lost like that too. I have come to realize that when I'm sure I'm going the right direction, it's always 180 degrees off.

And I never get to buy a Kolinsky brush at the end of my deadends!

My daughter loves her Prius navigation system, but it takes training to use. I've been lost using it, too!

caseytoussaint said...

I got lost in Ireland with a gps system that seemed to be playing tricks on us just for fun- I do sympathize. How do you like your Prius? I'm about to buy one, and I'm soooo excited!

Robyn Sinclair said...

Oh Lin, my heart goes out to you. I had a challenging day yesterday too. Not with a GPS computer - the only time I used one I was out of control laughing at hysteria in the female voice because we didn't take the A1 when told to. She was shouting at us - 'You are going the wrong way! Turn around at the first opportunity!' LOL. My day ended well with a new watercolour brush too. Enjoy yours.

Terri said...

Sounds like you need a nice long relax this weekend!! :o)

Jana Bouc said...

Lin, I can so relate to your story. I too have absolutely no sense of direction and have had similar experiences. Once I was driving across country with a boyfriend and since we were to be on an interstate for a long stretch he let me drive while he took a nap. Somehow I got lost and he woke up to find that I was driving on a dirt road approaching a dead end!

Anonymous said...

Oh I get lost so easily but I thought if I had one of those contraptions my problems would be solved but I always did think that it would be hard to drive and watch/listen to the directions too!!

A just reward,on sale or not. Enjoy it for a long long time. You earned it!!!

Nice sketch too!
Hugs,
Lorraine

Linda said...

Well, even though I'm one of those people who just kind of know where I am, I sympathize. (Having said that I'll probably get lost tomorrow on the way to work or something...) My daughter has a GPS in her car and it is just a hoot -- we love to play with intentionally taking wrong turns and hearing it get all cranky about it! :-D
Of course, now there you have raised some suspicion that you may have just pretended to get lost so you could go shopping for art supplies, but we won't spread that around too much...

Felicity Grace said...

Lin, I sympathise wholeheartedly - I'm one of those with no sense of direction too. I used to drive DH to work every morning when we first moved to Kuwait and got lost every morning coming home for weeks! I'd arrive home in tears, so angry with myself. Amazing I didn't end up in Iraq! Have lots of fun with your new brush!!

Africantapestry and Myfrenchkitchen said...

Well, the weekend has passed and I hope you had a good one..got lost on the couch, in napping, in gardening, in eating...
Ronell

Lindsay said...

DArn fangle, new technologies. My husband firmly believes we should all retain our map reading skills to avoid becoming stranded when GPS goes on strike or something ;-)
I lvoe your flower series. They are really beautiful!!!

PS. I get lost on my way to the bathroom. GRRRR very agraivating

platitudinal said...

I'm sorry you got lost. But, I can't help giggling when I read your post --- got lost with the help of a GPS. :D