I am re-reading (listening) "In A Sunburned Country" by Bill Bryson. It is about his tour of Australia in 1998. While the book is 10 years old, it is a great read. He has the best wit for a writer and his observations of his travels are fantastic. I have been laughing constantly for the last three days. He also reminds me of meaningful things. I just finished a chapter where he tells of visiting small towns in the Outback that seemed to be stuck in 1958. He mentioned about driving two lane roads with the windows down (no air conditioning) and following a chicken truck. He could not pass so he kept back from the truck to avoid the smell. He said that this venture caused him to actually take in the surroundings. He compared it with our Interstate Highways where we drive fast and spend our time trying to pass the driver in front and keeping the driver behind at bay, while we miss the world around us!
I was listening to this on the way back from Morris on Tuesday and slowed down. I saw houses and ranches that I had ignored in my previous trips. It was an immediate object lesson.
Note to self: In 2009, slow down. After all I am on Mike's Slow Road. As the song that is playing now says: "Don't Blink".
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