Road Trip!

Hubby and I have a rule that is supreme in our marriage: At least once a month we will have date night. No kids, no other couples, just us. The calendar is marked every January for the entire year and we both arrange our schedules by this one night a month. It is sacred and the only thing that ever interferes is sickness or a death in the family.

Last night was Date night. We started the night out with the typical conversation of "Where we goin?" After some discussion we ended up at the Muddy Saloon. We have been to the Muddy several times in the past to have a drink or three but have never ate there. We finally managed to get in there before the kitchen closed last night so we had dinner. If you haven't had the chance to eat there yet, I would put it on your list. Our waitress, Mallory, did a very good job. She was friendly, efficient, and kept my Lime-A-Rita glass full. As Phillip was driving he stuck w/ only one screwdriver. We are responsible like that!  The band hadn't even set up yet, so the atmosphere was nice. Quiet enough we could chat but loud enough that the tables around us couldn't hear all of my comments which, as you can imagine, maybe got more ornery as the night went on.

We get our bill and Hubby tells Mallory to bring us a six pack of Lime-A-Ritas, a straw, a large GO cup w/ ice and a large GO cup of Soda. I must have had a confused look on my face because he says we are going road tripping. Now, I should tell you that my alcohol tolerance isn't what it used to be. I can drink Cherry Jack rum like it's water but if you get me started on the Lime or Strawberry rita's, I get plum goofy! Two of them and I am buzzed, at three or 4 I get the giggles and at 5 I start singing (which is not nearly as funny as you might think because I can't sing for shit!) At 8+ I am pretty useless. Anyway, at hubby's announcement of a road trip I had to giggle because a) I was half buzzed already and that just makes me giggle and b) all day I had been thinking that a road trip would be just the ticket for the night. Wahooo, adventure time!

A few things you should know before the adventure really gets started. Hubby and I know Southern Jasper County fairly well as we live there. We know the North Eastern part of JC because we have good friends that own property and/or live up that way. We don't know jack about Western or North Western Jasper county! This was truly going to be fun because we only knew 2 ways to even get to the Muddy. Another thing you should know is that you will hardly EVER get me turned around on my directions. I am a human compass. Hubby on the other hand gets very easily turned around in JC.

Sooo, we pull out of the parking lot and head west. We learn w/in 5 minutes that "Dead End" or "No Outlet" signs are not used in this part of the world. We are putting along this paved road and all of a sudden its a grass lane. So we do the three point turn and head back the other way. At the first cross road we turn left. We meander up this road for a while and hubby says "is that the Muddy on the right?" As I am on my 3rd 'rita for the night I giggle like a loon and inform him NOOO, that's Wheeler! He doesn't believe me until a half a mile later when we come up on the highway. "Huh" is his response to my continued laughter. We head east on the highway until we hit downtown Wheeler and take a left at the Muddy road and head north.

We drive around up in this area for a long time, just talking, laughing and occasionally listening to the ipod. Up and down, back and forth we travel. We think we are getting close to Gila. As neither one of us has ever actually been there, we decide to look for it. Suffice it to say we didn't find it (that we know of anyway). Although I do think we found the place that our son called "N*gg*r Hill" but I am not sure? Is there a lighted cross up there? At this point we are driving west and hubby says "we should be hitting Apple Shed road soon, shouldn't we?" I know, I am a bitch, but I had to laugh again. Nope...not even close!

About this time, I had to pee. Being prepared as always, I grab my napkins out of the door and hop out. WHOOPSIES! We are in the BIG truck! I totally missed hitting the running board and hit the wet grass. Down on my ass I went! I giggle, snort and stand back up, Hubby is doing the head shake and chuckle he does when I am in full on Suzi Mode. I make my way toward the back of the truck to take care of business. Man, I haven't done this in a while! I undo my shorts and grab the hitch to hang on to. My lord...was that shotgun explosion my knees popping?? It sure seems like a long way down to get into proper peeing position. Business gets taken care of and I stand back up quickly. Uhhh, maybe a bit TOO quickly...my head is spinning! I grab the tailgate to steady myself and look behind me. SHIT...headlights coming...I wobble back to my side of the truck and try to climb in. It woulda been easier if I had remembered to button my shorts again so they wouldn't fall down as I wobbled. Pull the shorts back up and BUTTON them and away we go. By the way, the headlights weren't actually headlights, it was a farm w/ pole lights...LMAO!

By this time my 6th rita is in my Go cup and we are having a blast. We continue our journey and hubby mentions that maybe this isn't the best area to be wondering around in as we don't know it and the water is out just about everywhere. (Remember, he isn't drinking anything but soda so he is, of course, the rational one). I suggest turning on the GPS so that we know where the river is. Hell, I thought it was a good plan! He then gently reminded me that the GPS would only show where the river is SUPPOSED to be, not where the flood waters actually WERE. Hrumph, he got me there, didn't he? It's his turn to laugh at me..which he does in a much nicer way than I do. It's probably a good thing I don't drive when I am drinking!

We make it back up to the highway. Now, while I am a human compass and always know which direction we are traveling, no matter how much I drink, my judgement of distances traveled ain't so hot. I figure we will come up close to the Bagota (sp?) road. Nope, we are still west of Lis. We cross back into "our" part of the county and travel some back roads for a while, ever so slowly going east and south toward home. We come up on buckgrove road and hubby asks me "Just how drunk are you?". I take a moment to contemplate the answer then it dawns on me...he is asking for a reason. You see, hubby knows that there is a very fine line w/ me between just drunk enough and way to drunk to actually participate in any planned activities. He also knows where that line is w/out asking as he has seen it crossed many many times. I think that must have been a gentle reminder of where I was in relation to the "Line". I take another sip or two, just out of oneryness and tell him I "GOOOOOOOOOD" ;-)

We make it home, another successful date night almost in the books. I have to admit, I look forward to our monthly night where we aren't Mom and Dad, co-workers, bosses, employees, or anything but just Hubby and Suzi. We have been married over 22 years now and still can make each other laugh, still find lots of things to talk about, and can still call each other a friend as well as a lover and spouse. While no marriage is perfect and every marriage takes work, I think we do pretty good. We have had our bumps, don't get me wrong. But I will say that once we instituted date night, roughly 7 years ago, our bumps and valleys have been fewer and farther between.

By the way, we were home from our adventure by 10:30 pm.....LOL! Yup, we are old! Happy Sunday folks. Take a moment to enjoy your friend/spouse/significant other for just who they are!