Grumpy the Gator

In Grumpy the Gator, a group of children playing encounter a grumpy alligator. The story teaches children to always keep a safe distance from animals in the wild, and to find an adult if they see an alligator.

Grumpy the Gator

Its Always A Story With The Hendersons

When you argue with your phone……

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Last week, Alan and I enjoyed a wonderful vacation in South Carolina. Visiting with son and daughter-in-love always makes us happy. Β A baby shower for the first grand baby due in August, an evening of winning a trivia game at a local eatery, sharing meals, conversation and making memories are all part of our family time.
The day arrived for us to leave and head for home in Virginia. We wanted to stay longer and would if we could. Life and job awaited at home. Packing the suitcases, filling the tank with gas and saying our goodbyes signaled we were on the way home.
Last November, our son suggested I purchase a new phone. A great idea since we were still using the old flip phones. The thought of fun activities and ways we could use the new phone was exciting. Maps, tracking exercise, and texting, which is definitely new for Alan and me, brought anticipation of new adventures to come.
So instead of printing out the directions for home as usual, I decided to ask the phone for directions. Easy, right?
We had stopped along the way to attend an author presentation. Great event. Just needed to take a different way home. No problem.
Well…. everything was going well. The roads were great until we were directed to leave the four lane highway and take the two lane highway. No problem.
The next instructions guided us from a two lane highway to a small road with no lines in the middle. Hmmm…. interesting. The only things visible in the area were tobacco fields and lots of cornfields. No highway signs, no street signs…..
Wait… a sign!!!!! Not a sign for directions. This was a sign with a drawing of a COW on it!!! A cow crossing sign!!!!
Thoughts raced in my head… What happens if we break down? Who would find us? There are not any houses nearby. Β If we call for help, how could we describe our location? Would we say, “We’re the couple next to the “Cow Crossing” sign?”
As I started to argue with the phone, I repeated our destination address. Maybe the phone would provide us another route home, a more inhabited area so I wouldn’t feel so lost.
I realized there was no winning an argument with the phone when the voice kept telling us to “Make a U turn” and we were on a straight and narrow road. Feeling the back of the phone, I noticed warmth and decided to turn off the phone and resort to relying on the good old paper map. Thank goodness for visitor centers with free maps.
No arguing with the phone would result in a new direction home. Silly Mimi.
So next time we take a trip to unknown territory, I will make sure a paper map is in the car and yes, I will take the new phone. I just hope I don’t have to argue with the phone again. πŸ™‚
Do you use the direction finder on your phone? Have you argued with your phone?
Even when we feel lost God is always with us. Rely on Him.
Blessings and giggles,
Mimi

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29 Comments
  • Kimberly Rose Johnson
    Posted at 13:14h, 16 June Reply

    So, now I’m curious, did you keep going or turn around? Were you on course or off?

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 13:38h, 16 June Reply

      We kept going and finally found a road to lead us to civilization. haha!

  • Jill Weatherholt
    Posted at 13:22h, 16 June Reply

    As I read this, I was picturing you arguing with your phone and I laughed. πŸ™‚ I’m one of those who still has a flip phone…one I’m quite content with. I love the photo of the cows!

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 13:39h, 16 June Reply

      My husband still uses his old flip phone and has even nicknamed the phone “Flipper”. πŸ™‚

  • Ellen Andersen
    Posted at 13:35h, 16 June Reply

    Made me laugh out loud with the cow crossing sign. It was just last year that I “graduated” from the flip phone to a smart phone. I like the paper maps too.

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 13:40h, 16 June Reply

      Amazing how we can still rely on old technology even with all the new “gadgets”. πŸ™‚

  • readywriterbr
    Posted at 14:05h, 16 June Reply

    Melissa, your story reminded me of one time my husband decided to depend on his iphone’s directions to get him to a new destination. He followed until the phone told him he had arrived at his destination – but when he looked up, all he saw was an empty field.

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 14:12h, 16 June Reply

      Oh my goodness!! I hope he found his destination. πŸ™‚

      • readywriterbr
        Posted at 17:05h, 16 June Reply

        He did eventually – just not with the help of his iPhone.

  • Zelma Dodd
    Posted at 14:44h, 16 June Reply

    This is so true for me also. You made me smile today.

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 15:17h, 16 June Reply

      Zelma, I am so happy that I made you smile. πŸ™‚

  • Tina Rice
    Posted at 15:37h, 16 June Reply

    Giggling along with you Melissa. πŸ˜‰
    Yes, I have told my phone it is wrong a time or two when giving directions. Of course it doesn’t pay any attention to what I say. Having directions on the phone is nice, but I like to see it on paper (I’m a visual person) so I can follow along.
    My husband still has the old flip phone, which also doubles as our house phone.
    BBlessings, Tina

  • June Foster
    Posted at 16:23h, 16 June Reply

    Love your post. Your experience is something we can all relate to. Especially my husband and I. Since we travel all the time, we have to rely on the GPS system on our phone. But just like you, we find sometimes that the good old atlas is the best choice. Or!! Stop and ask on occasion. I love your writing style.

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 16:09h, 19 June Reply

      Sometimes we need to stop and ask for directions. haha!

  • RobbyeFaye
    Posted at 18:06h, 16 June Reply

    How funny.
    We let our son’s GPS be our directions once. I kept telling the kids I knew an easier better way for the start of the trip, they kept insisting it gave the best of the best. It didn’t, I was right. Oh, well. I can’t say it was a fun or interesting difference because it wasn’t, it was horrible. We went through miles and hours of road construction, ugh!
    Glad you aren’t still navigating your way home!
    Blessings~

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 18:32h, 16 June Reply

      Amazing how so many of us have stories about our phones and GPS. πŸ™‚ Yes, we were so glad to see familiar sights of home. πŸ™‚

      • RobbyeFaye
        Posted at 18:11h, 19 June Reply

        I bet! Glad you got home safely!
        Blessings~

  • RobbyeFaye
    Posted at 19:10h, 16 June Reply

    So true!
    I bet you were glad! πŸ™‚

  • Gail Johnson
    Posted at 22:07h, 16 June Reply

    I still like a paper map. Maybe it’s the control thing. πŸ˜‰ Ms. Google has misdirected me more times than I want to remember. Glad you’re safe!

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 22:09h, 16 June Reply

      I am thankful for those paper maps. πŸ™‚ Those maps show the location of rest areas, too. πŸ™‚

  • Cristina
    Posted at 12:43h, 17 June Reply

    I had to laugh reading about your GPS adventure. It has happened to us so many times and in so many different ways. The one I will never forget was when we were driving around in Spain a few years ago.This particular evening we were trying to locate the hotel we would be staying in for the night. It was late in the evening which meant it was already dark. Our knowledgeable GPS began to give us direccions. Then it said continue straight for 10 kms and then turn right. Just before we turned right my husband sensed something was wrong so he stopped the car to have a look. Well… if we had continued we would have gone over a cliff and into the water below. We laugh about it now.😊
    As you said God is always with us.
    Thank you for sharing.
    Blessings

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 12:53h, 17 June Reply

      Wow!!! I am so glad that your husband listened to his feelings. Going over a cliff would have been terrible! Thank you for sharing your story. πŸ™‚

  • Sandra Ardoin
    Posted at 19:32h, 17 June Reply

    Our GPS lady gets very frustrated with us. I don’t trust her and we often take a different (knowingly better) route. Sometimes, we have to silence her and consult the atlas we always take with us on a trip. πŸ™‚

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 19:40h, 17 June Reply

      There are times when we know better than those GPS voices. πŸ™‚

  • jpcallenwrites
    Posted at 15:00h, 22 June Reply

    Our online devices have made too many mistakes for me to trust them. If I’m driving by myself, I use a paper map alone, although I look up my route online before I leave.

  • feistyfroggy
    Posted at 13:42h, 30 June Reply

    You should definitely take a paper map – or at least a print out from MapQuest or a similar site. However, you shouldn’t worry about anyone finding you. If you call Roadside Assistance, they will ping your phone and get your exact coordinates (reverse GPS). Also, be aware that you need to keep Google Maps, etc updated on your phone. In this way you will avoid being sent the wrong way down one way streets or being told to drive through a closed contstruction area, etc–and that’s something a paper map can’t do for you.

  • Kristi Ann
    Posted at 17:33h, 08 July Reply

    I read this post and it made Smile with Happiness!! I never argue on my cell phone when I am driving, my Car a 2012 Volkswagen Passat SEL has hands free and Navigation!!
    God Bless All my Sisters and Brothers in Christ Jesus-Yeshua and Your Families and Friends!!
    Love <3 Always and Shalom ( Peace ), YSIC \o/
    Kristi Ann

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