Leaving good weather, headed into bad . . . of course

Sunny weather in Washington state today, just as we are leaving for our drive to Ohio. And The Weather Channel says there is bad weather up ahead of us, especially in southern Wyoming -- same place where I met up with Old Man Winter three weeks ago. I'm thinking that from now on we let Dick Cheney have the place (except for Yellowstone, the Tetons and the Wind River area).

We did get farther down the road with two of us along for the trip. It helps to share the driving, and we made it to Boise. Got ourselves on the east side of town, hoping to be outgoing when most of the traffic will be incoming in the morning.

Picnic in the park

Only stops today were once for gas (20.2 MPG average today -- so much better than the old truck) and for a short picnic at a park in Zillah, WA, where we unsuccessfully looked for a Mexican restaurant/store where we used to stop. Didn't find it and couldn't remember the name to ask. The memories slip away.

But that is not my worst fear about getting older.

My worst fear is that I will starve to death because I will no longer be able to open any food containers. Spent most of my picnic time today trying to open the package of ham before attacking it with a knife.

Stabbed her with my knife

Packaging should be tested. I did a story once on the bear-proof containers made for hikers to carry so that bears would not get a good sniff of food being carried by the hiker, come and tear open tents to eat the food and hiker. One of the companies I wrote about had a video of the way they tested their product. They fill the container with some delectable bear food, close it and then give it to a bear, which proceeded to bang, prod, jump on and throw the container without opening it.

My test would be to have food containers thrown into the middle of a dining room at an assisted- living facility filled with people ages 80 and up with no knives, forks, paper clips or other utensils that could be used to open the packages. If after biting, gumming, stomping, throwing and tearing at the packages, the enraged mature adults had not opened them, the companies would be required to go back to their design staff for something a human could open without resorting to explosives.

My idea for the day.

More where that came from.