Getting lost in the Bootheel is my new normal

So.  Driving around on my own in the Bootheel is not my favorite thing. I've said it before and I will probably keep on saying it but . . . it is so darn flat out here.  Between two Highways with almost the same set of numbers (I-55 and I-155), no one gets turned around faster than I do.  If I didn't feel comfortable with in-town driving, I'd probably get lost going around the block and, yes, that has happened but not recently.

The first time my GPS failed me I was driving over to Rev. Courtney Sanders' Church of God in Christ in Hayti to meet up with my friend Jessica for a ladies' tea at her church. It was a fun afternoon but my GPS completely failed me.  Had I just taken the freeway overpass and continued on to Hayti Heights, I would have arrived several minutes sooner.  But, no.  My GPS obliged me by first sending me south to I-155 N.  Then I took the Caruthersville/Hayti exit and crossed the overpass and then was instructed by the GPS to turn left and go South on I-155 (are you kidding me???) and then take the Hwy 412 exit.  Completely lost and now in heretofore unexplored territory, I was directed to turn right on Mallory Street so of course, I turned one block too soon.  One U-turn, a right, and then another right later, I finally arrived.  I now know the front entrance and the back entrance to Mallory Street. I'll take the front entrance next time AND go down Truman Boulevard and drive through Hayti to get there.

I should have had this circular route in mind when I drove out to Colemama's Restaurant to pick up my Thanksgiving pies.  Question. Did I go down South Ward or did I take Highway U to find Highway D?  Solution.  Check my GPS.  And, I did.  My first clue that this was not going to end well was when I crossed over I-155 and found myself looking at homes on my left.  When I passed Beverly Tipton's house, I knew I had been snookered by my GPS.

Now, at this point, any rational person would do a 180 and return to Steven's Corner and take Highway U.  However, it was daylight and rational was not behind the wheel.  How bad could this get?  Surely there was a cross-connecting road to Highway D, my ultimate destination.  Well, there was no such thing and I was about to learn a new meaning for the word bad.

Bad is when it is raining.  Bad is when it is raining and clearly your GPS is leading you on a merry chase.  Bad is when you end up on a gravel road.  BAD is when you realize you are now down at the bottom of the levee and tire traction is not happening.  Mud, gravel, potholes, and wet spots had me sliding all over the place.  I had a levee to my left and a really deep ditch to my right. Telling myself to "get a grip" didn't go too well for me.  I had no idea where I was, and sorry locals, but I was hearing banjos.

Finally, the GPS tells me to turn right in 1,000 feet.  I would now be on County Rd. 452.  Yeah, right.  I missed it.  There was so much mud and gravel that by the time I actually saw it, County Rd. 452 was behind me.    At this point, any rational person would notice that there were no vehicles behind her.  Nor had there been any vehicles behind her since this little adventure started.  And on I went.  My next instruction was to turn left at the next turn.  Left?  Isn't that the levee on my left?  Isn't water behind the levee? Like a river of water?  I turned left and stopped.  My now traitorous GPS instructed me to keep going up the hill and turn left at the next left.  I looked up and thought, no way.  Rationality kicked in.  There was no way I was going to drive on the top of the levee. I backed up.

Backing up is a little bit nerve-wracking when you don't know where the ditches are and you don't have a fancy little gizmo on the dash that shows you what is behind you and exactly where it is behind you.  My 3-point turn was accomplished in 6 and finally, pointed in the right direction, levee now on my right, I continued forward.   GP freaking S took a moment to speak again.  I ignored it and turned left at my former right turn even though it was now chirping a different set of numbers at me.  Hah.  That will show you.  And, you know, I actually did get to Highway D, just a little below Colemama's.

But the story doesn't end here, my friends.  Gina's grand-daughters brought my pies and gave me a coke.  Gina was hustling my take out for dinner.  I told the girls my story and they thought I was pretty hilarious and laughed at me as only middle schoolers can do.  Then they dropped the other shoe.  Highway D, on the other end, was closed.  I heard something about a new culvert being put in as I fell into a deep, dark place.  No. Freaking. Way.  I was not going on those gravel roads again.  My acquaintance with the levee was done.

 I called Jane Medlin.  Turns out the culvert work was being done right in front of her house but the workers were gone for the day.  She invited me to stop in but at that point, the only thing I wanted was my nice warm, dry house.  I was on the second day of a miserable cold and I was exhausted.  Depleted, in fact. I waved as I drove by and she called me and told me I was now clear all the way.  Today I found my detailed county map.  It's staying in my glove box.

Today at Mistletoe Mart

I set a booth up at Mistletoe Mart today and learned a lesson on how to target the right event.  I DID sell four books but, over a five hour period, this probably wasn't the best choice for showcasing my book.  Mistletoe Mart is all about Christmas and women who attend are on a mission.  The best-sellers are food and Christmas decorations.    A bookseller is an extra so just for future reference, a seasonal theme event might not be the best idea.  But, this idea was a good one, in any case.  Negative data is as valuable as a successful event.  Perhaps it is actually more valuable because while a few books did sell, it was the knowledge of best use of my time that really matters.  So, for now, I'll stick with libraries and bookstores and be thankful for the small sales and the big lesson.  Speaking of libraries, I plan to call the libraries in Steele and in Hayti on Monday. And as it happened, I met a member of the library board in Hayti at this event.  You never know where these small connections can lead you.

We have lift-off!!

October 24th was an exciting night for me.  "A California Girl Meets the Bootheel" was officially launched and the evening was a great success.  I really had no expectations but typically, I'm the person who throws a party (Tupperware, 31, etc.) and maybe two people show up.  But tonight was different and about 20 people appeared throughout the evening.  I'm so grateful to Teresa Tidwell, our librarian, for making the evening so easily achieved.  And many thanks to Morgan Treece and her to die for cookies.  You made my table shine.  There are not enough words to express my gratitude for the people who were able to be present.  Your presence gave me so much confidence and made my next steps easier as I continue on this road of promoting my book.

Check here for updates at my website:  annejeffries.com
God bless you all.

Things are happening

It's October 14th and my book is selling.  I have a website at annejeffries.com.  Press releases are going out. There will be an article in the paper this week.  I was at Blytheville Book Company in Arkansas this past Friday and I'll be part of a Meet the Authors event and some future date.  Now if they will just carry my book. I have some questions about that and I'll pursue that tomorrow.  It feels like this is all I'm thinking about these days and it is for the most part.  But, I also have a couple of ideas on my plate; two more books very different from this one and from each other.  The juices are flowing.

My Book is OUT

Last week I teased that I had some big news coming.  Well, the news has now arrived.  The cat, so to speak, is out of the bag.  My book is out.  A California Girl Meets the Bootheel has arrived at Westbow Press and on Amazon.  The eBook will be up in the next few days.  I'm over the moon with happiness.  My book launch is scheduled for an author signing appearance on October 24th at the Caruthersville Public Library.  My website is in progress HERE. It is very basic and more will appear as I figure out the art of building a website.   Please stop by and visit soon.

Big News

Something big is happening.  A California Girl Meets the Bootheel is going into print.  Westbow Press is publishing my early adventures in the Bootheel and I'm so excited.  Publishing day is in October.  I'm not sure of the date yet, so stay tuned.

The River Report

I did a ride-along with Mayor Sue Grantham and her husband, Jim, this morning.  The initial purpose was to see the other side of the flood wall and yes, the gates will be opened up again very soon.  Clean up had progressed to the point that I wouldn't be surprised if we could again start visiting our beloved river, fish on its shoreline, and enjoy the barges traffic as it moved up and down the river.

But the rest of the morning was an add-on surprise and far more sobering than exhilarating.  We have a small sinkhole on our street, in front of our house and eventually, it will be repaired.  Fixing depends on the river and its ups and downs.  The sinkhole is a mild inconvenience but like all things that won't be ignored, you simply get used to its presence.  However, there are sinkholes and then there are SINKHOLES.  Ours is the sinkhole variety, thank you, God.  This morning I was introduced to SINKHOLES.  Meet Sinkhole #1, the one that made it clear, "Caruthersville, we have a problem".

But before I go too much further, let me give all y'all a little background.

Flooding has hurt Missouri Bootheel towns like Caruthersville, Hayti, and New Madrid.  Caruthersville, alone, has suffered millions of dollars in damage and since the seep water gets into the sewer system, it creates all sorts of additional problems.  A recent news report gives residents important information on what is actually happening here.  

For Newspaper readers, also here:  https://www.kfvs12.com/2019/06/07/swolen-river-causes-sinkholes-caruthersville-mo/

Driving around with Sue and Jim, this morning, this is some of what I saw.

And there you are.

There is hope in sight, however.  Caruthersville has qualified for State and Federal emergency funds to help with the millions of dollars in repairs we face.  It will take a while, but with luck and God's mercy, we will be better at the end of this hard time than we were before the river flooded and then . . . Just. Wouldn't. Stop.

July 4th

I'm a little late with the July 4th post but I'm not very attached to timelines and deadline these days.  Anyway, here we go.

Fort D in Cape Girardeau is the only surviving fort in a series of forts designated as A, B, C, and D, all located in Cape Girardeau.  Fort D was constructed in 1861 and served as a union garrison for Illinois, Missouri troops and others from the Midwestern states.   It also as a training fort.  The area is surrounded by earthwork walls that were restored in 1936.   The stone blockhouse that stands on the site today was built in 1936 as well, by the WPA and has since then served a variety of purposed.

On the day of our visit, a small group of Union troop re-enactors was present giving historical demonstrations and talks.  All of the re-enactors were local people and all were descendants of Fort D troops.  The youngest two were in their teens.  It was gratifying to see the gauntlet of history being handed down to the next generation.