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Joan Stommen's avatar

HA… what a great comment…badass! 😀 Thank you! I think we were, given the challenges we faced. Overly confident as we started out, clueless and ditsy as the trip when in 😂 Thank you for such kind words about my writing, Sally! I’m trying to do better with humor and dialog. AI is on my laptop.. when I want to add a photo, it pops up ‘generate.’ Trick is to word it right… details but not too long! We are still friends and I’m delighted she moved just 30 some minutes from me! Thanks for this delightful comment… much love to you for reading and caring, dear friend! 😍🤗🫶

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Paul McCutchen's avatar

I have been on a few challenging road trips so reading your post brought back fond memories of a different time and a younger me.

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Joan Stommen's avatar

Thanks for reading, Paul! I’m glad it brought back memories for you. Friendship’s matter more and more as we grow along! Appreciate you caring, being here! 🫶🙌 ☺️

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Thomas D’Arcy O’Donnell's avatar

‘fond times ? ?

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Paul McCutchen's avatar

definitely!!

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Liz Flaherty's avatar

Even with all that happened, there's still nothing like a girlfriends trip!

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Joan Stommen's avatar

Yes! We annoyed each other at times… but we handle it all! Thanks for reading, Liz… appreciate you taking time… it’s so long! 😄 Hugs and much love, my friend! 🥰

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Ilona Goanos's avatar

The older I get, the more I like to be driven. Glad you enjoyed your road trip and the opportunity to see a bit of our country.

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Joan Stommen's avatar

I’m grateful I can still drive and see well. I’ve become accostomed to being solo…so thus trip with a passenger, co-pilot was unnerving at first. We decided not to talk and ramble on as the road and weather needed our full attention. Thanks for reading me…always appreciate your comments, Ilona! Hugs! 🤗💕🥰

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Diane BF78's avatar

I love this story, Joan💕

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Joan Stommen's avatar

Thank you as always Diane… you’re my biggest cheerleader and I love hearing you’ve read me again! Much love, sweet friend! ❤️🫶🥰

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Diane BF78's avatar

Thanks, Joan💕! We need some good writing like yours to get us away from politics! We are grateful to you!

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Susan Baker's avatar

My dear friend helped me move my daughter from Maryland back to Ohio. We drove a rental truck and experienced a similar trip to yours although some rough looking fellas applauded us as we parked the truck at a rest stop midway in West Va. Each time we stopped we hobbled the first few steps and probably waddled like barnyard geese! A girls trip to remember!!

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Joan Stommen's avatar

HA! That was/is us nowadays too! Have to stand a few seconds till legs get the message to loosen up and move! 😄 Love those guys approved and applauded you parking the truck… not easy! I hope you experienced the beauty of WV…so much rain we couldn’t enjoy much at all. Thanks for reading and sharing your tale… girlfriends have the best fun, best stories! 🥰🙌🎉 Love and hugs, dear Susan. ❤️

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Charlotte Pendragon's avatar

What a fun time to spend with a friend! I have done hundreds and hundreds of road trips, but not one with just a good friend! Thank you for sharing moments from your delightful journey! 🥰🥰🥰

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Joan Stommen's avatar

Thanks for reading and sharing Charlotte! I’ve gotten used to driving solo, but this friend needed support and we get on pretty well. Wasn’t fun at the time, but we laugh now how we handled things as nothing went according to plan. 😃

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Charlotte Pendragon's avatar

Comedy of errors 🙈😄

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My Heart Writes's avatar

Fantastic read. Thanks for writing it. I'm inspired to write about a trip to Nebraska I took with my grown daughter. We took a "short cut". Can you hear the banjos? lol

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Cherie Lee's avatar

Wow - what a adventure, Joan! Glad you made it safely and had several laughs along the way. And now, your friend lives only 30 minutes away?

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Joan Stommen's avatar

Yes…about 30-40 mins on Highway depending on traffic. We will visit each other, spend the night, gossip about our other pals! 😅 Thank you so much for reading, dear Cherie! I always appreciate your comments and caring! Much love and wishing you a good week ahead! 🥰❤️🤗

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Jonel Carswell's avatar

I enjoyed your story! I am unable to participate due to my worsening dementia. It is awful. I am glad I am living in a safe place. They have many activities here but I am gradually cutting back on them. I can still read but cannot remember people’s names and other information. I feel very useless but have some very nice friends here. Thank you for staying in touch with me. I can see why Allan thought you were so special. I do a lot of reading, but am starting to withdraw from social events. You are the only one in your family who has kept in touch with me except for your cousin Lori. I hear from her at Christmas time. I miss Allan so much - he was such a wonderful husband and everyone in my family loved him too. I hope that I get to see him again when I die.

I thoughly enjoy hearing from you! Thank you so much for staying in contact with me! You are a gem!

Love, Jonel

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Joan Stommen's avatar

Dear Jonel… I’m am so impressed you’ve commented here…so articulate and full of love and feeling! Bravo, girl …you are not useless! You are self aware and will hopefully do the activities you love when you’re up to it! So sorry our family hasn’t kept in touch…that is not right! 🤨 I loved visiting you and Allan and how you got him out of his shell…active and traveling. I remember holding hands with you at his service… I had just become a widow too. Do you remember that day? We celebrated a great man that day! I miss him too; calling me princess.☺️ I hope your kids are close by. Give them my contact info if ever you can’t connect… I will be here. I hope you read this. I will copy and send by email just in case! This is a beautiful comment and means so much coming from you! You are amazing! Love you bunches. I will stay in touch and let my sister and brother know to check in with you! May God Bless you with that same determination you’ve always had! Hugs 🤗🤗❤️❤️❤️

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Sally French Wessely's avatar

You are such a bad a$$! I laughed out loud at parts of this because I could relate all too well to some of the antics my hubby and I had when we were in North Carolina along that same route and finally made it to where we were going. Road trips for seniors are not for the faint of heart, and definitely not for those of us with AFib! (I keep extra pills in my purse just in case.) You write delightfully, and I am so impressed with how you used AI to generated images to go with your story. 😮 Driving in that rain must have been terrifying. I hate driving in rain. It’s worse than driving in the snow. This was such a fun read. So happy to know you both made it and that you are still friends.

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Weissler Sandra's avatar

You did it again—great work!!! I laughed, wanted to cry and worried while the rain poured down. So glad you were together and made it home safely! Love you both! Your Vega Sister, Sandy

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Joan Stommen's avatar

Oh Sandy…thank you! You know us both so well… I can guess when you laughed the most! Looking forward to a trip with you next year…no driving involved! 😉Love you right back… we are family, we are sisters! love and hugs my cheerful, caring friend! 😍🤗❤️

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Beth L. Gainer's avatar

Joan, what an adventure! First of all, I just love your friendship with your pal. Yes, lots of mishaps, but you'll remember this road trip for sure! I've taken some harrowing road trips myself, and yes, there were times the rain was so strong, I couldn't see anything. Thank you for this post!

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Joan Stommen's avatar

Thanks Beth! Your comments always mean so much… love that you picked up on friendship! Thank you for that! Not sure I could have done it with others. Annoyed or frightened, encouraging or calling each other out… we could handle it all. We’ve always clicked that way…she’s the one that can slap me upside the head when needed. 😅Much love and appreciation for reading, being one of my favorite friends! 🤗😍❤️👏

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Beth L. Gainer's avatar

Yes, true friendship is a blessing!

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Simone Senisin's avatar

Nothing like a girl’s trip … l am off on one in a week or so, over the ditch to NZ. Thanks for the entertaining read, hope l bring back a story or …. 5 😂👏🙏

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Joan Stommen's avatar

Over the ditch from Oz… love it! Of course you will have a story or two… be brave but not too careful! LOL And may you find random men, kind strangers and if you lose your way, wing it! 😉👍Thanks for reading, Simone… can’t wait to hear your trip details! Have great fun!🥰👏👏

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Simone Senisin's avatar

Thanks Joan, Great advice 🤣👍

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Monica P.'s avatar

Woohoo. Sounds like so much fun. My girlfriend and I use the “Thelma and Louise” moniker too. Girlfriends are the best.

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Joan Stommen's avatar

We first thought of it when she asked if I’d do it… be fun she said… like Thelma and Louise! But never mentioned on the trip… I just chose it to make fun…a couple of oldies thinking we’re still cool! LOL Thanks for reading, glad it was fun and funny for you, dear friend. Someone suggested I read it out loud… then I could really add some tone, mood, frustration etc. Love you for caring, for being here, Monica! 🥰🫶💕🤗

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Thomas D’Arcy O’Donnell's avatar

.. haha FABULOUS ! A Must Read - But Do Not Attempt !

Obviously Professional StuntWomen ! 🦎🏴‍☠️🧨

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Joan Stommen's avatar

😅Do not attempt if you’re 80 and can’t see well after dark! We were fine together…not so brave if on our own. Thanks for your fun observations, Thomas… you know I always love them! 😄🥰🫶

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