Daughter Lise noticed sun on a mountain as we came down the steep hill. When we came back, I paused in the middle of Jonathan Creek Highway while John and Lise continued to the other side. This is the best shot I’ve taken so far of the highway we cross to get to the creek, and the sun-splashed mountain shows clearly.
The Thud game began right at this point seven years ago. We are careful crossing this highway, because many vehicles go far beyond the speed limit. Once in a while we miscalculate the speed. It’s a close call if you almost run and your heart rate increases dramatically. We say THUD! exactly as the car comes to the point it would have hit us if we hadn’t hurried. When Lise walks to her office in Copenhagen, she plays the Thud game when crossing busy streets. She has to watch out for bicycles, as well as cars.
There was a car heading toward me in this photo. By the time I put away the camera and crossed the road, that car was close. I said Thud! as I rejoined John and Lise.
Mehrling Muse 
You do like taking your life in your hands. I doubt Lise is much better off in Copenhagen either.
Massive Hugs
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I try not to be foolhardy.
Foolish Hugs
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correct me If I’m wrong Anne,but done’ all mothers train us as children not to play in traffic? Why are you crossing this road? Is there no place to cross?
You hear a THUD and your DUD!
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LOL! We have to cross the highway to get to the creek. There is usually little traffic. The most dangerous is crossing in heavy fog. We try to be extra careful then.
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Is that a little dark humor? Not sure what the right response is, but interesting way to acknowledge your mortality. Trust you are enjoying the visit with Lose.
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The most dangerous time to cross the highway is in dense fog. We try to be very careful. God put us here for a reason, and it wasn’t to play dodgeball on the road. Lise leaves in a week. The time has flown by, and I know she is anxious to get back to Copenhagen to check on the extensive renovation of her flat.
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DODGEball on the road? HAH! I knew John was infecting you.
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Luckily it isn’t a pandemic.
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Prayers for a continued great visit and safe travel home for Lise. My children are all in the US but most of them far away, Orlando, Seattle, and parts in between. Glad you have this time to be together.
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You have a very scattered family. Our extended family is mostly on the East coast. The son that lives with us right now wants to move to Washington state. Isn’t it marvelous that we have phones and the internet to keep us connected?
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Yes, absolutely. I would e lost without Facebook a nd my daughter’s pictures and videos. We see and hear other members of the family in various degrees. But Facebook has also allowed me the connection with my cousins that I hadn’t known existed. Had a video chat with three of them this morning.
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Cousins! That is marvelous. I have no first cousins, so I was thrilled my children grew up in the same town with six of theirs.
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Wow! A stunning backdrop of the mountains … I can imagine a few close encounters with cars as people stop to gawp at the beauty! I hadn’t realised it but I was playing THUD most of the time in Leipzig… This time with the trams! I never did seem to see them and my friends has to yank me back to safety!
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Ah! You know the drill! Just say THUD if there is a next time.
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In my mind the “Thud” game is more of a “why did the Brownworth cross the road?”
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We cross the road to get to the creek, so we have an excuse for the Thud game.
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A gorgeous photo. But please be careful crossing the highway. xo
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We always THINK we are extremely careful. We’ve had only one Thud that almost ended in SPLAT.
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Beautiful shot and it was worth a quick walk to get out of the way! In our family we would say “splat!”
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Splat is also a good word for a near-miss crossing the road.
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Ugh…be careful!!
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John grew up in NY, so if the traffic sign says “Don’t Walk” it means to run.
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😉
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Goodness! I don’t know if “Thud” is a way of looking at it. lol. However, I remember those huge divides from when I lived in Alabama, so I remember how calculating those crossings could be tenuous at best.
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We are extra careful on foggy and rainy days. Although car lights are required by law, lots of people don’t bother.
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I have my car lights on auto, but I noticed they don’t just turn on willy nilly, it has to get pretty dark for them to automatically come on, so now, if I have any doubts, I turn them on myself.
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I wish we could clone your driving habits for everyone in NC.
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If it is like Mississippi, they do not even pretend to slow down.
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I listen to the change in tone, and you are right. Most do not pretend to slow down. We’ve had only one car honk at us.
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What a beautiful setting. I have to laugh at the THUD game! The Amish and Mennonites who live near me have a fatalistic view of life. They would probably enjoy the game! 🙂
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Let me assure you, we do not take risks lightly. Most of the time the oncoming vehicle does not even change lanes to avoid us.
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Yikes! I am always watching for people texting and driving – grrrr, but I also have to watch sidewalks cracks and uneven pavement. Walking can wear you out, not only by the steps you take, but worrying what is going on around you. You have a beautiful route Anne.
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Our roads are a bit uneven, so we watch out strips, too.
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The next street over is where I walk the majority of the mile back and forth to the Park. They have been ripping up portions of that street the last four years – it is ripped up again, so I just detour (another mile), if they are already working that morning … I’ve lucked out lately as I think they have banker’s hours. 🙂
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What a view!!!
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That view is one reward for walking to the creek. Knowing we’ve had proper exercise is another.
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