“Say a prayer for me”

Life as a Grimes….

    As we drove to the outer banks of North Carolina We were intrigued by the many abandoned cabins and old homes. I would have loved to have explored them but after Jimmies brother Jeff told me the many stories of poisonous reptiles and the abundance of blood sucking insects I was not about to step foot into them.  North Carolina is a very green, beautiful place. People are friendly and warm.

  As we were driving we passed a flume of smoke. Jimmie said “that is a fire!” I said “well i think its a burn pile. They do that here.”  “NO! I saw a house on fire.. “ I was sure it was a burn pile and I assumed if a house was on fire right beside a crowded highway someone would have called by now but Jimmie was dead set on turning around to investigate. He dialed 911, no one had reported a fire. It sounded very serious. He was sure he saw a house burning but I was in the back ground saying “ I think its a burn pile.”  Soon Fire and Ambulance arrived on the seen but a few homes away so Jimmie assumed the role of traffic director and was in the middle of the highway pointing “HERE! HERE!” … The fireman sauntered slowly out of the truck, meanwhile the traffic at this point was backed up for miles. I could tell by the way the firemen moved they were not that concerned.  Jimmie ran across the highway back to our van. I said “lets get out of here quick before they try to charge us for the 911 call” 

 It is true if you see smoke in  California especially these last few years you better call for help and run. I bet you those fireman had a good laugh or were annoyed, I am not sure which one by the Californians who caused such a ruckus over a burn pile. 

   Another thing about Jimmie is although he is very generous he is also very cheap. We stayed at a campground with Jeffs family that had a vacuum so we decided to clean up the van. He pulled out two quarters. Instantly I was like,  has he not paid to vacuum a car in that long?   I gently tried to tell him more quarters were needed, He was rather annoyed that the machine didn’t tell him exactly how much he had to put in and he was very concerned he had put in two quarters already and the fear was building in him that perhaps this machine would steal two quarters or… oh my god.. the whole two dollars. Apprehensively he put in the whole two dollars and no surprise to me the vacuum turned on. It was hysterical to watch him move so fast. He bounced around that van like a ninja. Heaven forbid we have to put in more quarters. 

  When we traveled through Europe for two months one of the biggest fights we had was over liquid soap. We stayed in  campgrounds for two months that had little mobile trailer homes to sleep in. I had to clean it every time we left and the bar soap made a big slimy mess, so I made the executive choice to invest in liquid soap. He protested, claiming the bar soap was so much more economical. I argued if we can afford to travel with three kids through Europe for two months we certainly can afford three euros for liquid soap. I won that fight. 

  Actually we don’t really fight anymore. We had one day that was a little rough on this trip, but we quickly worked it out. Not bad for living together in such small quarters. We are five weeks in and I am still amazed how good we do together. We both have our things we get annoyed at, but in thirty years we have learned to work through. It has taken time, but praying really works. For instance when I want to choke him or push him out of the van I pray fervently and I am sure he does the same. We have learned to love each other through our strengths and weaknesses. 

  At one point I went along on one of his adventures and he looked at me and said “ you will follow me anywhere wont you?”  “Yep” was my answer. 

  Another thing I find funny about Jimmie is he is a bit socially unaware at restaurants. He often doesn’t read the menu then asks the waiter fifty questions about what’s on the menu. He is so friendly and makes friends, always and wherever he goes but he doesn’t really realize waiters also have to visit and take care of other people. One night at dinner he looked at me and announced “ I think I would be a good waiter and it would be so fun”.  I had to laugh. “ You most certainly would be the worst waiter ever”. “ Why ?” He asked. “because you would get so carried away conversing with whatever friendly or interesting guest caught your attention your other customers would starve to death waiting for you!” He laughed and had to agree. There is almost nothing that I would say Jimmie is incapable of.  Waiting tables is about the only thing. After having that conversation, we paid the bill and were leaving, when we passed another table and our new friend the waiter was there,  taking orders. Jimmie interrupted to give him a proper high five and thank him for the fifth time for the great service and friendly conversation. The stuffy people sitting at the table looked confused by this friendly interruption. I giggled to myself, totally in love with this friendly husband of mine. 

  The beaches on the outer banks were wonderful. Miles and miles of white sand. The weather was perfect and the water was clear warm and gentle enough for even me to play in it. We are having a great time with Jeff and his family. They have two kids. Six year old Gunner is a genius child who has the vocabulary of a professor. He talks non stop and asks questions constantly because he is always thinking and learning. Yesterday at the beach he was playing with some other kids but when they started ripping the heads off the fish. Gunner came unglued and rightfully so. He tried saving the fish but got shooed away. He cried hysterically shocked by the unnecessary slaughter of the helpless fish. I was impressed. Not only is this little boy extremely smart, more importantly he is kind.  Thora the little girl is barely two and she is the happiest most pleasant baby. She keeps her parents busy because she is a fearless explorer and constantly on the move. It has been so nice spending time with them. 

   I was told I need to report this story to give a more rounded view of my perceptions. Jimmie often accuses me of exaggerating or embellishing stories. We were in the ocean, which is a place I never play. I’m afraid of the waves. Growing up on the Oregon coast sneaker waves often attack people and pull them into the sea, never to be seen again. Now again this is the story I have always told him which may be, in his mind exaggerated in my mind its my perception. The Oregon coast can be very treacherous. The beaches in North Carolina were so perfect. Even the water was perfect for me. I could actually play in the waves. As I was bragging about the calmness of the ocean here Jimmie decided to convince me these waves were no bigger than the waves the last time I attempted to surf. I disagreed. No those were ten foot waves you had me in!! “They most certainly were not!” he argued. My evidence was the fact that these waves were not knocking me over. Just as I went to say that a big wave came behind me. While the words were still coming out of my mouth “ these waves are definitely smaller because they can’t knock me…..o…v…e…r…!”  BAM just like that I was knocked off my feet and toppling around in the surf like a drowning rat. He won that argument. 

   Another annoying thing is Jimmie has developed an annoying tick of spitting. He spits so much he doesn’t even realize he’s doing it. I have noticed this disturbing habit always kicks up when he perceives he has been exposed to something gross. For instance he always goes into a spitting fit after emptying the septic tank. I appreciate that he handles that job. If he walks by and someone is coughing, he starts spitting. If he smells something bad he starts spitting. I find it very annoying and I try to get him to stop. After swimming in the ocean we went hand in hand for a walk on the beach. How romantic! But then the spitting started. I said “Jim STOP!” He said he saw chicken bones in the ocean near him, and it was stuck in his head that those bones came from someone’s mouth and floated near him potentially contaminating the inside of his mouth and the only thing his brain could do was spit it out. I had to laugh. I overthink all of the time too but that’s a whole other story. 

   Off today for more beach exploring!! Hoping to find some surf for Jimmie. We have officially driven coast to coast now!!    Charleston South Carolina here we come.