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Winding Down

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” 

― Leo F. Buscaglia

Things feel like they’re winding down in Hibdonville. Thank you for listening to my latest RV stories. Your encouragement and kind words were and are appreciated.

As I’ve looked back on the past two weeks, I see over and over again just how lucky we were in every story worthy situation. In addition to that insight, I see other important components. At the end of the day, we are all together–man, woman, three dogs, no one is injured, and we are optimistic enough we are preparing for the next adventure.

For me it’s important to note Michael and I stuck it out together. I’ve mentioned this in all my stories but I gotta tell you, my hat’s off to my husband. He was traveling in unfamiliar territory beside a wife with no sense of direction who randomly confuses right and left with three dogs panting in the backseat. His was not the easiest task in the world. Because we are all human and tend to take things we shouldn’t’ for granted, this is the type “stuff” that is under appreciated–if it’s acknowledged at all.

I thank you, Michael.

I love you.

“To be fully seen by somebody, then, and be loved anyhow – this is a human offering that can border on miraculous.” 

― Elizabeth Gilbert, Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage

I am…

B…simply being…

God bless.

~Peace~

 

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Inconveniences

“If you break your neck, if you have nothing to eat, if your house is on fire, then you got a problem. Everything else is inconvenience.” 

― Robert Fulghum  

In all our years traveling by RV, we have never had so many “inconveniences” as we had on our latest trip to Colorado.

A blown tire, a new star on the windshield of the truck, and the top of the dinette table coming off sometime during the tire repair.

Through it all, we remained pretty calm. The dogs watched the two of us like it was all part of the deal. That fact alone is incredible to me and I am so grateful.

Our time in Howard at Pleasant Valley RV Park was wonderful as always. It is my home away from home place and re-energized my soul.

On the way home, we stayed in Santa Fe for a few days. The weather was wonderful and our lunch at LaFonda was delightful.

When we get home we were handed our biggest challenge.

We pulled up to our drive and Michael tried to open the garage door. His “clicker” would not open the door. No big deal–he does not use it often. We both expected it was due to a bad battery. I grabbed the dogs and headed up to the garage. I used the key pad and the door did not open.

Hmmm.

We knew there had some bad storms while we were gone. My initial prayer was that the garage door opener had not been damaged.

Little did I know how the tune of my prayers would change over the next few hours.

While we were gone, the GFI had been triggered in the garage. Unfortunately for us, that GFI controlled all the power for the garage. In our garage was a chest freezer and a frig/freezer. Both units were full and had been without power for probably a week or more.

All my radiology friends–remember those trips to the morgue during those hot summer days?

In a matter of minutes, I was transported right back to that spot at St. Francis. I could see myself pacing that long, dark hallway by the storeroom. Now I realized there was no one I could call for help.

Once again, the two of us got ‘er done. It was far, far, far from pretty.

Thank God for that heavy-duty mask I’d stashed away from hospital days.

I’m still not sure the little ‘frig will recover. The chest freezer was so full nothing had spoiled yet. This little Montgomery Ward freezer powered right back up and is working–just like it has for the past 40 plus years. It is the last thing I have from my Iowa days. Gotta tell you–tears filled my eyes as we talked about how it was not working very efficiently anymore and re-filling it was probably too big a risk to take.

Oh…isn’t it incredible the things that can stir up old and powerful memories? Those memories provided a very blessed silver lining to an otherwise very tough day.

“Sometimes life knocks you on your ass… get up, get up, get up!!! Happiness is not the absence of problems, it’s the ability to deal with them.” 

― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

I am…

B…simply being…

God bless.

~Peace~ 

 

 

 

 

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Mis-Adventure

“Our God is sovereign. That means there’s no such thing as luck. Anything that happens to you, good or bad, must pass through His fingers first. There are no accidents with God. I like the story of the cowboy who applied for health insurance. The agent routinely asked him, ‘Have you ever had any accidents?’ The cowboy replied, ‘Well no, I’ve not had any accidents. I was bitten by a rattlesnake once, and a horse did kick me in the ribs. That laid me up for a while, but I haven’t had any accidents.’ The agent said, ‘Wait a minute. I’m confused. A rattlesnake bit you, and a horse kicked you, Weren’t those accidents?’ ‘No, they did that on purpose.” 

― Tony Evans, Our God is Awesome: Encountering the Greatness of Our God

Oh, the stories I have to share, my friends.

Nearly two weeks ago, Michael and I headed out with the dogs to visit friends in Colorado. The RV was packed to the brim–we were all ready for a few days away from the heat of Texas.

Just outside of Lubbock we blew a tire on the RV. Shreds of our tire joined the many other shards already littering the side of the road.

I’ve always wondered what it’d be like to blow a tire–now I know–lesson learned.

All-in-all, things went well. The blown tire was on the curb side of the RV, meaning Michael was not right next to the highway as he struggled to assess damage and change the tire. Our three dogs handled it well, moving as asked to the front seat of the truck when Michael needed to get under the seat they were secured to in order to access the heavy-duty jack. The spare tire was in excellent shape, the jack worked, and every vehicle passing us never seriously compromised our safety.

As with any scary situation, it feels better if you walk away feeling you learned something from that experience.

Here’s what I learned from this segment of our trip.

  • Before hitting the road, make sure everyone knows where your emergency equipment is located. If it’s not easily accessible, move it so it is.
  • Review how to put things like jacks together before hand so repairs go faster.
  • Pack water and snacks for all–be sure to include something your dogs can use as a water bowl.
  • Have alternate RV spots to spend the night in case you are delayed.
  • Lastly, and most importantly, never ever text and drive. As I stood watching for anyone not paying attention in the steady line of traffic coming our way at speeds around 75-80 mph, I prayed each and every driver was paying attention. Stay alert, giving those working on the side of the road all the space you can as you pass.

Thank God for cell phones and internet. By doing a quick search, we were able to get to Discount Tire in Lubbock before they closed. Even though they were busy, in a matter of hours, they had four new tires in place and we were back on the road.

As I sat and waited in Lubbock, I thanked God no one was injured. I thanked God our GMC truck kept the trailer in control and the damage to the trailer minimal. We’re fortunate Michael and I have been traveling together by RV for many years. We’ve learned each others strong points and work well together getting whatever needs to be done. I’m not saying it’s always pretty–but we get ‘er done!

What surprised me the most was how our dogs settled in and acted as if this was just another day. They sat quietly beside me, watching people and cars come and go as I tried to pre-determine what person went with what car. I learned I am not good at that game but it certainly entertained me! Even Mother Nature stepped up her game–the dark rain clouds building all around us held off until we were well down the road.

“Gratitude means thankfulness, counting your blessings, noticing simple pleasures, and acknowledging everything that you receive. It means learning to live your life as if everything were a miracle, and being aware on a continuous basis of how much you’ve been given.” ~ Marelisa Fábrega

I am…

B…simply being…

God bless.

~Peace~  

 

 

 

 

 

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Simplicity

“I do not particularly like the word ‘work.’ Human beings are the only animals who have to work, and I think that is the most ridiculous thing in the world. Other animals make their livings by living, but people work like crazy, thinking that they have to in order to stay alive. The bigger the job, the greater the challenge, the more wonderful they think it is. It would be good to give up that way of thinking and live an easy, comfortable life with plenty of free time. I think that the way animals live in the tropics, stepping outside in the morning and evening to see if there is something to eat, and taking a long nap in the afternoon, must be a wonderful life. For human beings, a life of such simplicity would be possible if one worked to produce directly his daily necessities. In such a life, work is not work as people generally think of it, but simply doing what needs to be done.” 

― Masanobu Fukuoka, The One-Straw Revolution

Today was my second day of mowing with our new John Deere. I have to say in my wildest dreams I never ever thought I’d say I owned a Deere.

The plan was to take a picture of me as I mowed. A problem with that plan presented itself very quickly. Because it has been so very dry here from the moment I began mowing I was immediately covered in a substantial layer of reddish-brown powder. It’s not that I’m that vain. It just seemed kinda silly to take a picture of someone so very well camouflaged.

Now I understand why people in the old Western movies wore kerchiefs over their faces.

So, for the sake of storytelling, I took a still of “Bull,” our little tractor. He did a remarkable job today. I’m starting to get pretty attached to this little guy.

As I type I am having a hard time believing we are heading into the last holiday for this summer season.

As I pour my wine, I wish you all a very happy and safe Labor Day holiday. Take this time to rest and spend time with those you love. I am reminded daily time is promised to no one. Grab and treasure every minute. Let the small stuff go. Live and love like there is no tomorrow.

I’m taking my own advice and stepping away from the daily posts for a couple of weeks so I can spend time with people I don’t get a chance to see often.

Just think of the stories I’ll have to share!

“Thank you for the day and night,

for rainy spells and summer’s light.

Thank you for the skies of blue

and puffy clouds in grayish hue.

Thank you for the gigglefests

and midnight’s cloak to hasten rest.

Thank you for tomorrow new

and yesterday’s tomorrow too.

Thank you for “I’m glad we met”

and also for “we haven’t yet.”

Thank you for the peace of mind 

a grateful soul doth always find.

I am…

B…simply being…

I love you all and wish you a holiday filled with heartwarming memories.

~Peace~

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Resting

“I make no secret of the fact that I would rather lie on a sofa than sweep beneath it.” 

― Shirley Conran

Yesterday became a rest day.

I was exhausted. The early morning heat took its toll quickly as I worked in the front yard. Those weeds were a lot stronger than I’d anticipated. By the time I was done, my body told me in no uncertain terms she needed some time to refuel.

I listened.

“Each wave that rolls onto the shore must release back to the ocean. You are the same. Each wave of action you take must release back to the peace within you. Stress is what happens when you resist this natural process. Everyone needs breaks. Denying this necessity does not remove it. Let yourself go. Realize that, sometimes, the best thing to do is absolutely nothing.” 

― Vironika Tugaleva

I am…

B…simply being…

~Peace~

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Anticipation…

“Well,” said Pooh, “what I like best,” and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn’t know what it was called.” 

― A. A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

When I was working planning a trip was stressful. There rarely seemed to be enough time to get it all together.

Now…I’m still a 5-star procrastinator. I’m sure there will be last-minute running around doing all those things I should have done much earlier.

The difference is I now have time to think about all the things I’m looking forward to seeing and doing.

In no particular order, I’m sharing my very short and simple list for our upcoming trip:

  • Sleeping with the windows open.
  • Wearing long-sleeve shirts and being chilly.
  • Waking up to the sound of the river right outside my door.
  • Fly fishermen.
  • Seeing mountains and pine trees.
  • The sound of wind through aspen trees.
  • Canyons with switch back roads.
  • Walking the dogs down the country road with little or no traffic.
  • Cows.
  • Horses.
  • Big Horn Sheep.
  • Afternoon beers around the picnic table.
  • Conversations with old friends.

I am…

B…simply being…

~Peace~

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Power of Music

“Ah, music,” he said, wiping his eyes. “A magic beyond all we do here!” 

― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone 

As a kid I sang all the time–didn’t matter what I sang about–I made up my own songs.

I sang as I roamed around the house, as I ran through the neighborhood, and while I climbed and sat on the swing set in our backyard.

In school, I was always a part of chorus. Somehow I was always lucky enough to be part of the school shows in spite of the fact I could not read music.

As with so many things, time went by and work obligations grew. I had so much on my mind there was no room for music. My singing and my music fell to the wayside.

Over this past year I’ve rediscovered both. A lot of that is thanks to my friend, Lana.

Lana and her husband, Doug, know their music. I mean that in a very literal sense–they know the bands, the songs, and the history of if all. I’ve been the fortunate benefactor because they’ve always shared with me.

Now music is back in my daily routine. In fact, I just bought our tickets to an annual music festival held in a little mountain community in Colorado. I am so excited. I know I’ll be back in this peaceful valley, listening to the music that soothes my soul.

Thank you, Lana and Doug, for being you and sharing your love of music.

“Music has always been a matter of Energy to me, a question of Fuel. Sentimental people call it Inspiration, but what they really mean is Fuel. I have always needed Fuel. I am a serious consumer. On some nights I still believe that a car with the gas needle on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio.” 

― Hunter S. Thompson

I am…

B…simply being…

~Peace~

I am thankful for my friend, Kimberlee Salimeno, for allowing me to use her photo in my blog today. Thanks, Kimberlee, I love you. Please note, no-reuse of this photo without permission from Kimberlee.

 

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Sunday Dinner

“You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you.” 

― Frederick Buechner

I’ve been thinking about family lately.

I think turning 65 is pulling at some heart-strings.

For many years every Sunday my sisters and I would get together for family dinner. I’d cook and we’d sit around. We’d share our stories of what happened to us that week, play cards, and drink some beer.

It was, by far, the most under appreciated time of my life.

As we begin our weekend, let’s all make a conscious choice to take time to appreciate those you love. Absorb every single moment, tucking those irreplaceable times safely away in that place you put all those special memories. One day these every day occurrences will give you comfort beyond measure.

“I may not always be with you 

But when we’re far apart

Remember you will be with me

Right inside my heart” 

― Marc Wambolt, Poems from the Heart

I am…

B…simply being…

~Peace~

 

 

 

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Books

“Some people won’t dog-ear the pages. Others won’t place the book facedown, pages splayed. Some won’t dare make a mark in the margin. Get over it. Books exist to impart their worlds to you, not to be beautiful objects to save for some other day. We implore you to fold, crack, and scribble on your books whenever the desire takes you. Underline the good bits, exclaim “YES!” and “NO!” in the margins. Invite others to inscribe and date the frontispiece. Draw pictures, jot down phone numbers and Web addresses, make journal entries, draft letters to friends or world leaders. Scribble down ideas for a novel of your own, sketch bridges you want to build, dresses you want to design. Stick postcards and pressed flowers between the pages.

When next you open the book, you’ll be able to find the bits that made you think, laugh, and cry the first time around. And you’ll remember that you picked up that coffee stain in the cafe where you also picked up that handsome waiter. Favorite books should be naked, faded, torn, their pages spilling out. Love them like a friend, or at least a favorite toy. Let them wrinkle and age along with you.” 

― Ella Berthoud & Susan Elderkin

Yesterday my friend Mary Beth told me she felt books found you.

I completely agree.

My favorite books look pretty battered. I love them and make every page mine. I don’t dog ear books, though. For some reason that’s not okay–BUT I do love to find books that other people have dog eared. Those pages I look at closely. What had someone else found so note-worthy?

Occasionally, our local library has books for sale. That type of sale has my attention immediately.

My first purchase was a little book by Ted Menten called, Gentle Closings, How to Say Good-bye to Someone You Love.

Today as I walked into my office that little book caught my eye.

Yes, I need to be reading about my healthcare but I noticed I’d flagged a few pages. I had to see what I found.

It was even more noteworthy today.

   “…In time I became a storyteller. Then I became involved in a process called closing, which is the way the living and the dying say “good-bye” and “I love you.”

   All of this just happened. I am not a doctor. I am not a psychoanalyst. I have no degrees on my office wall. I haven’t even got an office. I am simply a storyteller who goes where the stories need to be told, and where I can learn new stories. My training was all on the job.

   The children, and later their parents, taught me everything I know. The nurses and the doctors shared their expertise with me as well. Everything I experienced made me re-examine everything I had ever thought or believed. 

   Since we are traveling together, I thought I’d share what I’ve learned with you. You don’t have to believe what I believe, or question what I question, or even come to any of the same conclusions. We’ll just walk together and talk things over. 

   I believe that there is a supreme being, a creator, because when I look around at the wonder and beauty of life, I can find no other reasonable explanation. 

   I like the idea of prayer. I think it is more sane to talk to someone else than it is to talk to yourself. (At first I had a problem with unanswered prayer until little Susan, age seven, explained to me: “That’s simple. God’s answer was no.”)

   I like ghosts and reincarnation, too. A mystic once described my grandmother as an aura that followed me and protected me. That seems right enough; it’s what she did before she died. I support recycling, so I suppose it is only natural to accept reincarnation. I might like to come back as something really special and magical like a butterfly or a teddy bear. 

   Heaven is a good idea, too. I like reunions; I like all that hugging and kissing and tears of joy when old friends get back together. 

   I believe that loves gives the best return on investment. 

   I believe that truth is like a straight line–the shortest distance between two points. 

   I believe in second chances, and third chances, and fourth chances. 

   I believe that listening is essential to loving.  

   I believe in grief and sorrow and tears flowing like Niagara Falls. Tears mean something. They mean we’re alive and feeling. 

   I believe that death is a friend, a fabulous dancer who will twirl me away in my last waltz. 

   I believe in taking the time to say good-bye and not putting it off until another day. Because more than anything, 

   I believe in love.    

~Ted Menten~

I am thankful this book reached out to me today.

It is exactly what I needed.

I am…

B…simply being…

~Peace~

 

 

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Priorities

“Sometimes exhaustion is not a result of too much time spent on something, but of knowing that in its place, no time is spent on something else.” 

― Joyce Rachelle

I’ve been reading about Medicare and supplemental health insurance the past two days.

My mind is full and feeling pretty dull at the moment.

In reality, I wanted to be writing…or working in the yard…or making those lemon bars…

I hung in there and I learned a lot. Unfortunately, there’s a lot more waiting for me.

I’ve reach my limit.

It is time for all that new knowledge to age a bit in my mind.

In the meantime, I’ll share another prayer by Marie Shriver. Her book, I’ve Been Thinking, has influenced me a lot this summer. It’s been great sharing it with you.

This prayer reminds me to save some time in my day to talk with God.

Dear God, may I spend time with you every day, quieting the cares and the concerns that make so much noise in my mind, heart, and spirit, so I can hear your wisdom and feel the love you’ve given me every day of my life.  Amen ~Maria Shriver~

I am…

B…simply being…

~Peace~