Curves and endless forests with the Black Wiggle

Yes, the black wiggle. They are our most famous export here and I, dressed in my black gear represent the dark side of what has up til now been a benign force in the world of children's entertainment. I might start by disillusioning children very early so that they can get that decade of despondency out of the way before they get to high school. Walt Disney extended childhood for us all (providing America's first secular religion?) and I intend, as the Anti-Wiggle to truncate it to a raw, bleeding stump. This is a job for the Wiggles.

Sorry. Felt like writing that for some reason.

I am on my way to Paris, Texas. If you don't know why, please do not ask, as it will just be embarrassing for all unconcerned.

I've ridden through some fantastic winding, hilly country in the Quachita National Forest. Wots and wots of wow-moments and some challenging corner-work for the Italian camel. Great fun.

I'm waiting for the photos to load and I never know how they are going to shape the text. I'm loading five at a time. That's the limit apparently. I have tried to add more but then lost the ones I'd loaded previously. All so fraught I'm afraid. And I am.

So. I stayed at Hot Springs, a tourist town of unrivalled loveliness, after fixing a few things on the camel and giving her a degrease, a wash and a polish. She's so lovely... I stayed in a cabin last night and enjoyed a hearty breakfast made by the staff at the KOA camping park. The KOA chain provide me with a way to plan my days and to know what I'm in for when I get there. They have free WI-Fi too.

I'm still bragging about the good times I'm having so if you are offended by this skip to the whinging in the last paragraph.

I love the things the yanks say John (of the John-and-Tom-at-the-shuttle-launch fame) said a few times in a tuneful, exclamatory way "Well, Ah guess I got bigger fish to frah." He would say this whenever encountering a small frustration, like traffic. I think it was his way of counting to ten. (hi John)

A girl at a truck-stop asked me to "Say that agin." when I strined something to her about ten dollar notes. (they are bills apparently)

I was interested/disgusted to see another female cashier at West Memphis ( a dark and desolate place) with a dollar 'bill' pinned to her chest with a badge declaring that this dollar bill is for anyone who notices that the wearer had not used 'suggestive-selling' techniques on them. Think about it. If some scumbag wants that dollar, he only has to take it if she tires of pimping crap for her scumbag employer. Yes, it would be funny if I went on to say that I got her dollar note. But I didn't.

Powdered creamer. It doesn't cool your coffee. It's powder with lumps. It's non-dairy. Help me here. Wouldn't you rather drink your coffee black. This little black wiggle certainly did.

Tahm fer a little feelosoffee. I was thinking the other day that Americans thrive on the generic. They have it absolutely down pat. No cringing for them. The usual is comforting and you can see it everywhere. Most of the homes are of about three different styles (okay I exaggerate) starting with the horrible cigarette-butt style of mobile home that litters the road-sides. No awnings, no gardens, nothing but an unimaginable horrible interior to match the decaying exterior. I will get a photo of one soon (not a thing that I feel safe or comfortable doing).

They must have sold a lot of these things twenty-five years ago. Nowadays they a reminder of how quickly cheap ages. These generic abodes are so common that they are accepted like shanty-towns. To see the poor families sitting outside them makes me wonder at being grateful to live in one of these things. And glad that I am not forced to do so myself.

Anyhoo, lunch is over. The photos crashed. I've loaded some more. The Sub-Manageress has had a fit at her staff for not keeping her restaurant clean ("It's too late fer 'sorry' now"). Ownership is the way forward for all aspiring aspirants.

No whinging in the last paragraph sorry. Just the burst of energy I got when I checked my account yesterday to see that I have eight thousand bucks more than expected. Envious? No you ain't. You is jist dumb-as-roadkill jealous.