highway 41...Day 3...hot shots

Well, apparently I wasn't kidding when I said I was searching for pre-disney Florida. Long about Nashville, not only was I getting hot shots on my road cam, but it was getting a little hot as well, so I flipped on the air, only to find out that the Vic said if it's pre-disney you want...pre-disney...a.k.a no air conditioning you get! After several calls to "OnStar Mechanic Mike, how may I help you?" brother, I was unsuccessful at my first attempt to charge the air myself. However, I think it was due to a faulty product...not me, of course. Spent the day going south down 41 with a few side trips on places on the map that had names and memories I couldn't resist visiting. Then raced across the state to get to Orlando to meet up with my hosts for the night. Here are the highlights and hot shots (and I do mean hot as in heat hot, hot) !!
Favorite hot motel sign of the day

Favorite hot motel of the day, complete with the classic Florida blue tiled pool. I met the owner of this motel and thanked her for keeping it "original" and making it look so retro-ly fabulous. She said "you're welcome." She also wanted me to know that it is the only "american" owned and operated motel in Silver Springs. She also said that someone at disney is interested in kicking some money in to help Silver Springs keep going...I say, 'bout time, Mr. Disney.
Favorite pre-disney Florida attraction of the day.

Ah, the memory of blue tile, white sheets and Alanis singing on the tv.

I need a sunburn.



Back home again!


This is all that's left of Romeo.
Just like in art and history, the map atlas imitates life, as Juliette who used to be up the road from her Romeo, is now off the map and no where to be found. Sigh.

Looking back on the past...as I roll into Orlando and CCC's headquarters to meet my friends for the night.
Friends I really love...and love to spend time with...Tim and Peggi Bontekoe, from old Paragon days..









Tim and Peggi now work for the main man at Crusade, well not THE main man, but the main man, as in CCC's new president. Here they and Heidi Hodges (another blast from the past) are on the studio set of the main man's office.




Here I am pretending to be the main man, "people, it's harvest time." But as you see, square peg, round hole as ever!


Spent the rest of the evening at the Bontekoes with good food and good friends.

Flashback Friday

The orginal Florida road-trippers who taught me to "look out the window."

highway 41...Day 2...the sunny state part

Made it to the land of sunshine!













Bobble dog, me and bobble me crossed the state line and made it to Lake City before running out of sunshine.


Wanted to stay at this motel just because they had christmas lights...vintage christmas lights, people! But needed to keep driving as long as the sun was up.

Florida is all kitsch and all color. As in all colors on one block.And home for the night!

Hywy 41...Day Two...the peachy part

My address as of Tuesday Night.

So after bypassing half of Georgia at night, I started out in Forsyth and hit 41.

Dear reader, get yourself a Walker Evans book or go on line to look at his pictures from the south in the 40's.
I was sure that this Georgia, like many other parts of America had disappeared.

But God Bless Georgia.

Much to my surprise, much of back road Mid-South Georgia...STILL looks like a Walker Evans photo, only in color. The bad news is, it seems that much of it looks like this because the poverty rate must be very high it's not worth the developers money to tear the down the old and build the strip mall here.









The good news for me, at least, is it means much roadside accidental beauty for me and my camera.

I loved Georgia and it's thick history hanging in the air. I loved the laid backness of it's people on the streets and sitting on porches and when they were talking in the shops...i thought just keep talking so I can hear that drawl turn that 2 syllable word into a 3 and 4.























Directions to here:

"I can always hear a frieght train, Baby, if i listen real hard" (the counting crows)

Hywy 41...Day One

After a false start on Tuesday....(left and returned to Indy...don't ask)...Bobble and I took of Wednesday morning. Loaded with road songs, road food and road cam, we booked it down to Nashville using the Interstate (I already had done 41 to mid-Kentucky last year). Here's a shot of the new addition to the car. Bobble was a little jealous at first but I explained that this big bobble simply "has our back."

Stopped along to way to say hello to some old friends...the wigwams in Cave City, Kentucky.

Jumped on 41 north of Nashville and followed it till the sun went down right before Georgia. Speaking of sun, it was 77 degrees in Nashville and time for air conditioning..."wait, what..." wasn't all I said when nothing happened when i flipped the switch! It was the 57 system after that 55 + 2 windows down...or 62 or 65 or 37 or 72...depending on what was ahead on the road! Had to jump on the Interstate in order to make it to friends in Orlando on time. Drove 600+ miles ! and stopped in Forsyth, Georgia for the night.













Favorite shots of the day











Directions to here:

Life is a highway, I'm gonna ride it all night long.

Highway 41...Birthday drive..take 2

Bobble and I are off for a roadtrip down highway 41...(the birthday drive...i started and never finished)...in search of country music, georgia peaches, mermaids and anything pre-disney florida-esc kitsch. The memory card is clear...so will fill it up and you can ride along and see what's out our window...as long as there is free wi-fi to be had!

Flashback Friday

Vintage St. Patty's Birthday Girls!

Jamie SueMichele Lee (Shelley)

Levi says peace out!

The littlest Vandercar, Baby Levi, and all the Vandercar family sends you, dear reader, big thanks and a peace out sign for keeping him in your thoughts and prayers! He is still in the hospital, but he's getting stronger everyday and will hopefully make it home soon.
Levi, I can't wait to meet cha!
Here he is spooning with the "mommy doll" a ball and cloth that Tammy puts close to her and then passes it on to the baby so he can bond with mommy's presence.Levi says, look ma, no oxygen needed!

Flashback Friday

This moment in time chosen to honor this weeks birthday boy:
Darold Lyn Moore
Happy Belated Birthday, Darold!!

Wednesday's Wonder

Boozin' Wonder

(guess who)

The New Kid on the Vandercar Block

Welcome to the family:

Levi Robert Vandercar

Luke and Tammy had a baby boy!
That makes me a great aunt 8 times over.
If you are a praying person, please pray for this little guy.
He's got some health concerns that the doctors are trying to figure out.

Welcome to the world, Levi...we've been waiting for you!

(picture stolen from nana verna's blog)

Flashback Friday

Introducing Flashback Fridays = family kodachrome

The Vandercar Family
(circa 1970)
this second frozen in time at Range Line Church
(probably for the directory)

feel free to leave your comment or memory !

Wednesday's Wonder

Wonder Brother
(a.k.a. The Boy Wonder)

Oscar and Ellen on Main Street

You're invited!

What: The Academy Awards
When: Sunday, Feb. 25...anytime after 7pm
Where: The Main Street Apartments
Who: Me and you, Ellen and Oscar

I'm going to be gone most of the weekend, so it's no big production,
but rsvp by email if you get a chance.
I will have coke and cocktails and some snacks.
If you want something else to drink, bring it...and a snack if you want.
Ballots are not an option so be prepared to fill it out even if you guess at every one!
See you then!

Searching for Bobbie....Gentry

Forget searching for Bobby Fischer...I want to know where Bobbie Gentry is!
Thanks to my good friends Tim and Peggi, I have a very nice turntable. Couple that with working at a store that buys and sells vintage vinyl and I'm getting to relive my adolescence and buy all the records I couldn't afford when I was 14. I also have my own personal crusade to keep old vinyl alive in the world and have been known to save many a record from certain death by pulling it out of the store dumpster.
This gem being one such record, saved from the dumpster and thrown on to an ever growing stack of records to listen to, which I did the other night and Oh, My God, I Love Bobbie Gentry! You probably know her big hit...Ode to Billy Joe...and may even remember the movie starring Robbie Benson...and if that song wasn't groovy enough...this album is full of blues/swamp/delta/country/hip to the back in the day groove of a songwriter that was WAY ahead of her time.
So wanting to know more about Bobbie Gentry and what became of her, I asked our friend the Internet for information and apparently she made a couple more albums, toured with Glen Campbell, married Mr. Harrah of "Harrah's casino fame", divorced him and then left show business and has apparently fallen of the radar of the entire world. There are a few clips on youtube of funky variety show performances...and she's been given credit as a studio muscian on a few albums in the last 10 years, but not even the internet knows where she is, She has lots of people from the south who claim to be her cousin...but no one knows her whereabouts for sure. Most agree it is most likely somewhere in southern California...which means you, my California friends, could be standing next to her in line at Vons...buying your groceries!
So, if you see her tell her for me, or Bobbie if you're reading this, the world is waiting! Drop the musical world another ode...if you have it in you...I'm waiting and listening!

Biggest Loser...Diet Book of the Week

Working at a bookstore...I see them all...100's of diet books a week. When I looked across the counter and saw this on display on our current arrivals, I couldn't resist. The photo was already composed and developed in my head!

Biggest Loser contest continues...tho I must say it is much more laid back (money wise) than last year. I have lost 4 pounds and 2.1 % of body fat...bringing me down to 7705.50 Hebrew Shekels for those of you who are keeping track.

Valentines Love to you!

Happy Valentine's Day!

May you have hugs, kisses, chocolates, flowers, poems, warm feelings and most of all LOVE on this here day we call Valentines.
Bobble head dog wishes you love too, but he's currently in the car buried under this:


more than a foot of snow!
I'm suppose to be leaving for Columbus Ohio today to help open a new store.
Don't know if that will happen!

Happy Anniversary Jeff and Patty!

February ninth

That Tuesday...again.

February has become such a haunted month.

I know it's coming as soon as Christmas is over.
I can feel the chill coming, even if it's unseasonably warm out.
I remember what it feels like to have all the air leave the room.
And the unanswered questions that I normally skate around to save sanity,
spring up unannounced as I see the dates on the calendar pass by,
the questions lurk and haunt.

The why's.
The if only's.
The endless what if's.

But there's a blessing too, because I let myself feel more.
Remember more.
Cry, Laugh, Smile more.
And listen to heaven more.

It's a sad time...cause I miss her so much...and wish I could just once again, see her smiling and laughing with us.
But it's also a good thing...
cause I see how blessed we all are because of the gifts she's left behind and how they are woven into the fabric of our family's character.

Our Family is A circle of Strength and Love.
And she would be very proud of that.
Of us.

So as much as I would sometimes like to skip from January to March,
I'll take february too, one day at a time, just like she taught us to do.



Directions to here:

"Life ain't always beautiful:
Some days, I miss your smile.
I get tired of walkin' all, These lonely miles.

And I wish for just one minute, I could see your pretty face.
Guess I can dream, But life don't work that way.

But the struggles make me stronger,
And the changes make me wise.
And happiness has it's own way, Of takin' it's sweet time.

No, life ain't always beautiful.
But I know I'll be fine.
Hey, life ain't always beautiful,
But it's a beautiful ride.
What a beautiful ride."

(from Gary Allan's "Life Ain't Always Beautiful)"

copy/paste and listen to it here:
http://countrymusic.about.com/library/blga-laab.htm

o2.o4.o7...Clean Sweep Day #4...Get me outta here!

Well, as you can see, what probably started as fun and games...ended with a baby in tears. If you look closely behind the A-B-C- on the crib, you can see me crying and probably screaming.
And I'm about in the same state after my clean sweep attempt. I'm screaming..."get me outta here"...and I'm escaping to go north to watch the superbowl! Go Bears!

o2.o3.o7...Clean Sweep Day #3...I'm in here somewhere

Okay, I'm still in there (under the hat)...I'm just now covered up by the stuff...and I'm guessing Baby Nancy was thinking...this is not funny anymore.
And Adult Nancy is currently thinking the same. Overwhelmed by how much time I've spent and still don't have the furniture where I want it. I have made some dents, but I'm realizing the goals I set for these 4 days...are more likely 4 week goals.

o2.o2.o7...Clean Sweep Day #2..."Oh, my..."

So, it seems I caught on that I better get out of this crib or I might get buried by all the stuff surrounding me.
I'm having a similar reaction today in this apartment...hand over mouth...saying "oh my." If I still lived in California, I could get buried by this stuff if there was an earthquake. Where did all this stuff come from?

o2.o1.o7....Clean Sweep Day #1

I don't really know the story behind this picture, but that's me...in my crib, with a lot of stuff surrounding me. I imagine my sisters were "watching" me and me being their very own live baby doll, well...you see the rest of the story.

Fast forward 41 years.
I'm still sitting in my "crib" surrounded by a lot of stuff.
Okay, that's an understatement. So much stuff that my bedrooms that used to look like bedrooms now look like warehouses or what you see when you open a u-lock storage space. All I want to do is get rid of some furniture in the bedrooms and move some furniture from the bedrooms into the living room. But it's all trapped by the stuff. So, I'm taking the next four days to clean sweep. NO, (Sandy), I'm not putting all I own out in the parking lot, but I am sorting thru stuff and "restacking"....in hopes to get the furniture I don't want out...and the furniture I do want in.
I could be taking a road trip. I could be photographing neon motel signs. I could be shopping for more cool stuff. That sounds like such a better way to use a rebate holiday, 2 days off and 1 vacation day. But I'll be good. I'll face the stuff and clean up the "crib"

Directions to here:
It used to be a closet...the front closet...whenever I got something I didn't know what to do with, I'd throw it in the front closet. I'd go to Earl's auction every tuesday night, and pretty much furnished the apartment on dollar couches and tables. After Heidi left, I decided no roommate could ever take her place, so I decided to live alone...giving me more space. Then
depression set in...then mom passed away leading to more mind-numbing, body paralyzing depression. Then I left Keynote which made more stuff at home that used to live at the office. Then I started working at a bookstore...that has a huge discount and a huge dumpster of free books, cds, movies that get thrown away everyday (like an alcoholic working in a bar, as Rhonda said). Then I started making videos and never got pictures put back one show after another. Then we cleaned out mom and dad's house...and well, we all know how that went...wagon loads of stuff to bring home. Then, well then...127 mile yard sale, Kane county flea market, niles michigan, Indy flea market and all that with money in my pocket. Which leads to the present day furniture trapped in the bedrooms state of the crib.

The future Mr. and Mrs.

Going to the chapel and they're gonna get married !!

Congratulations to Jeremy and Kelly!