Those dreaded Orange barrels

          Jenna’s favorite color used to be pink.  But now she says that it’s orange.  I like orange sunset and flowers such as poppies and marigolds.  I suppose when it’s from Mother Nature’s paint brush. Then it appeals to me – but I don’t care for orange clothing and I get irked by orange barrels, polycones and flashing barricades & signs because it’s a message implying delayed traffic, construction ahead and so forth.

          It’s not so bad when it doesn’t become a permanent part of the road – but day after day, month after month, even year after year in the same spot – which is usually the case.

          Both my mom and I live off main and always busy streets.  The street near where she lives has been under construction for at least eight months to two years and doesn’t appear that it will be finished any time soon.  Christmas time was the worst.  Hello – like turning onto (or even off) that street isn’t challenging enough.  Let’s add some cones and barrels to the scene and really give the public a run for its money.  What a madhouse (mad street?)

          When I recently turned off my neighborhood street onto the main road I saw orange barrels were set up blocking the lane I normally turn into.  “NO!” I thought.  No.  I am elated to say that they had moved by the time I returned less than three hours later (insert smile face)

          For the most part I take as many back roads as possible getting to my destination.  And when I would go visit my mom, I had a back road route so that I only had to cross the street under construction.  But my back way has gotten worse than the street I am trying to avoid.  And so I have taken alternate routes – alternate out of my way routes.  I understand the necessity of construction.  At the same time I am so annoyed by it.

          And then there’s the route to my daughter’s school.  For three years now – the same exact area is lined with orange barrels from August – September.  Really.  I don’t understand.  I suppose I’ll have to take a different route for two months. *sigh* 

          I do notice overall that the city seems to move a lot faster than the county.  Not always.  Summer is near its end (here’s hoping anyway) and more polycones and orange barrels have seemed to pop up here and there.  Why?  It is always a challenge to find a road without construction.  But what a great reward it is when it is found.