The Challenge of Eating Right While Traveling

My daughter was “winged” yesterday. She is officially a naval aviator! I drove to Pensacola, Florida, for the ceremony. I am retired from the enlisted Navy, and my daughter is a Navy officer. I got to pin her wings at the ceremony. My family and I are very proud of her.

My son is working on his master’s degree, focusing on Homeland Security and terrorism. He seems to thrive in this subject matter, and he hopes to work for the Department of Defense someday.

Since this is Labor Day weekend, I will drive to Texas later this morning to see my dad and other family members. As always, the challenge will be to stay on my diet. I don’t think I’m prepared, but I will try to make do with what I find available. The drive down from South Carolina wasn’t so bad. I didn’t have the choicest food available but found what I needed. My hotel here in SC was right down the street from Sonny’s BBQ. So I ate there the night I arrived. It’s okay BBQ, and they have lots of meats to choose from.

I will head back to South Carolina on Monday night. The drive gets longer every time I do it, and I’m not looking forward to it. I will make the drive at least once more this year, probably for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Sometimes, I feel it would have been better to move back to Texas. However, I would be in the same situation, driving hundreds of miles trying to participate in my kids’ lives. I know. Why don’t you fly? Well, I don’t have wings, so no!

Sigh. There are times when I am tired of this existence and times when I actually look forward to my conclusion on Earth. My body is tired. I’m tired of my body. I took an extra-long ride on my motorcycle on Sunday and have been paying for it ever since. My neck and upper back have been tied up in knots. The pain seems relentless. I have been popping Extra-strength Tylenol twice a day, and it doesn’t help. If I’m lucky, the long hours of driving will not further exacerbate things. It’s already feeling better.

I said I am not prepared for this trip, but I AM mentally ready to do my thing. I will find what I need and stay the course.