I took a long car ride with my husband today. We haven’t
done that in a long time. Well, we did drive from Florida to upstate New York a
few weeks ago, but I don’t count that since that was more of a car endurance
marathon than a car “ride.” This afternoon we drove an hour away to have lunch
and enjoy the Adirondack scenery, stopping at a local lake to check out the
houses and admire the views while we were at it. So fun.
We used to do things like that long ago. You remember those
creative dates when money is more scarce? You take a long ride and get an ice
cream cone, or drive out to some scenic spot to hike a trail or have a picnic. Simple
pleasures.
I remember an uncle who took my cousin and I on long car
trips around an Adirondack lake when we were girls. We used to really look
forward to the outing, only to realize midway through the lake was HUGE and we
were clearly never getting home. But now, I understand the concept of Sunday
driving more. The point isn’t to set a land-speed record. It’s to see something
new and enjoy a place from the comfort of your own car while your favorite
music plays.
Today, I rediscovered the joy of tooling around on a sunny
day for a good joy ride. We stopped for lunch, walked around a little lake,
chatted with local shopkeepers, priced homes we’ll never buy because we like
looking at houses, and ran our fingers over a fast moving stream to see how
cold the water from the mountains can be. (Answer: very!!)
It was fun and I highly recommend It for your next cheap
date. Make sure you have good tunes too, because old songs always remind you of
something from the past that will be fun to share. This summer, I’m committed
to enjoying the slow spin of the days rather than hurtling headlong through the
season. Sunday driving is a good start.
***Do you ever hop in the car “just because” or do you get
fidgety if you don’t have a destination in mind? How about as a teen? Did you
head out with your friends just for the freedom of it? Chat with me today on
the boards and I’ll give one random poster a copy of my latest release, SECRET BABY SCANDAL.
