Finding My Way

Joey and Nicki were the first in the family to get a GPS (global positioning device for those of you who are behind the times like I was) the first summer they were in Germany. It was a lifesaver (and still often is) as they travelled around Europe. (Nicki remember our trip over the mountain into Innsbruck?? and, Mary remember the night we got lost in Kaiserslautern and just pushed "home" on Betty and she got us back??) Recently, Joe decided we needed a GPS. So he asked me to research them and purchase one. It has been over a month since my Garmin Nuvi 5000 arrived at the house via E-Bay. Today I used it for the first time. WOW! It is the most fantastic thing. Today I had to take a trip to visit one of my CASA kids that is with a foster family fifty miles away. So, after doing all the things I needed to do to get it going, I headed out. It caught on right away and I was off! I travelled from the interstate to state roads, to two lane country roads, into a distant neighborhood of a labyrinth of houses and streets. Miraculously, we arrived at exactly the address I programmed it to go. Now mind you, I had thought it would be difficult to work the thing, but with the very sensitive touch screen, and options for just about anything, it was a breeze! After I had finished my home visit, I decided to put it to the test. I had to mail a package, so I touched on the icon for "point of interest" and typed in "Post Office" and voila! I was on my way to the most out of the way post office I have been to in years. Well, by then I was feeling pretty confident, and so I decided to touch the fork and spoon icon for "food". Up popped options for every type of food one can imagine, ie. German, Italian, French, Fast, etc, etc, etc. So I touched "Asian" and then typed in the word "Sushi". Several options again popped up on the screen, I touched "I Love Sushi" and "GO." I never in a million years would have found this great little restaurant located in a strip mall about three miles off the interstate. From there I set out for a town another forty miles to the South to do a mystery shop. Again, it got me to exactly where I wanted to go. It was time to get on home, so I touched the house icon that is "home". It asked for the address, I typed it in, and it began with "take a right onto Hwy 54." As I pulled into my driveway it said "You've arrived home." My heartfelt thanks to whoever was smart enough to invent such a fantastic "toy" and for a husband that thought I needed such a wonderful gift. When I got home I was so excited, and he said, "Now I know where Joey gets it from." Joey and Nicki call theirs "Betty", so I am in the process of selecting an appropriate name for ours. I am throwing away the maps and atlases. Give me the technology!!