Above Deck…Days 5 and 6, etc…

 Above Deck…Days 5 and 6, etc…

Our last full day on the boat, we woke up and motored over to Sandy Spit. Apparently it’s an Instagram famous island, one that Belle inquired about the first day on the boat. Our captain knew exactly what she was talking about. We got there early in hopes of having it to ourselves but that was not to be. Almost, but not quite. 

Sandy Spit…almost alone. 

There is another person back there among the palms. 

A quick exploration of the island, the kids filmed a short movie…catch it on TikTok here along with Belle’s other travel shorts. Bunny, Belle and I paddle boarded. I, of course, managed to totally face plant once off the paddle board…witnessed but not video-ed, at least. A little swimming and then we were off to Jost Van Dyke and the Soggy Dollar. 

The world’s most unflattering photo but PROOF that I can paddle board. A bit.  

We moored around the edge of the harbor.  Too crowded for our captain who  preferred the quieter spots away from traffic. (bare boaters who may or may not know what they are doing) Our faithful dinghy dropped us at the beach where we headed to the bar to score some of the drinks that had been prepaid for us by a)the charter company and b)a realtor acquaintance of Amazing Son in Law who had just left the area a few days before.  What a fun concept. If you know someone will be coming that way, buy them some drinks and it goes on the list above the bar. Once your friend shows up and claims their drinks, their name is crossed  off. Basic but it seems to work. We were told our names would be there and they were. 

There we are at the bottom! 

 

The water around Jost Van Dyke was easily the prettiest we saw. Love the contrast of orange umbrellas and turquoise waters. This will be a watercolor. I’m working on a selection of watercolors from the trip. 

T shirts were procured all the way around. I had a special request to pick up a couple for a friend and had to get a Soggy Dollar T for myself, too,   Lunch was grabbed next door at Hendo’s and then I retired to a lounge under the palms.

And then things started going downhill…at least for me. 

We stayed too long in the sun maybe. Or maybe I just was coming down with the 24 hour virus the captain had a few days earlier. But my feet were swelling, my head was stopped up, I was just uncomfortable. 

A last night dinner on board and then off to bed where I didn’t sleep.  Or slept fitfully. Or just had weird dreams.  I don’t know, it was a bit of a blur.

Up early on Tuesday, I felt better. Packed and ready to go, the water taxi picked us up about 9:30am. We bid Amber and Raf goodbye…but not before floating the idea that maybe Amber should come cook for us on land.

She said no. 

Do you blame us for asking? 

After a quick stop at customs, the water taxi dropped us at the marina where we waited for our car transfer. And waited. It was hot, I was fading. Finally he arrived and off to the airport where we quickly got through customs again.  Hugs for Bunny who headed back to New Mexico and then onto the  plane to Florida for the rest of us. 

Love a marina customs office. Didn’t love having to drag our bags off the boat

 to get them scanned and then back again to the boat. 

At that point I was freezing and feeling awful. I picked at dinner when we stopped on the way to Belle’s house. Once at their house, I immediately went to bed where I shivered until my fever broke. Apologies to anyone that might have been exposed to the 24 hour virus but I was fortunate to have empty seats next to me on every flight. 

And then, after so many flights going well, I tried to get back to North Carolina. Ha! 

Wednesday around noon Belle dropped me at the airport.  Checked in and waiting and the flight was delayed an hour. There were storms in Asheville and Charlotte.  Another hour delay.  Finally our plane arrives and we are ready to board. The gate attendant announces we have 15 minutes to get on the plane and pull away from the gate before our crew times out. Amazingly, everyone did their thing quickly and efficiently and we made it.  If only that announcement was made before every flight. Away from the gate, down the tarmac where we got word of a 20 minute delay. That’s OK! We are on the plane! 

Such a cheery sign. Don’t remember if this was the first or second attempt at leaving Florida, but I definitely spent my fair share of time at the Palm Beach         Airport Wednesday and Thursday. 

And then. Another hour delay. We wait a few minutes and then back to the gate. The flight is cancelled. A frantic call to American to confirm I can get a refund. A quick rebook on Allegiant for Thursday. Phone Belle to come back and pick me up and finally retrieve my suitcases from the bowels of baggage services. Another dinner, another night at Belle and ASIL’s house in Florida and another trip back to the airport the next day. After an amazing and fabulous week, such a chore to get home. 

Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something?   I’ve been getting that feeling. There is something I need to be doing. A change? A move?  Maybe I need to sell everything and travel? But wait, there’s still Carlos.   Anyway, there is SOMETHING in the air. Haven’t figured out what, yet,  

Stay tuned.

 

Day 470billion

Day 470billion and counting....

Well, here we are still...smack dab in the middle of the pandemic. I finally caved and bought myself a laptop because this thing doesn't seem to be going away and I need connection. 

How is everyone holding up?   My former home state of Texas is getting hammered right now and I know sooo many people who are sick and too many people who have lost loved ones.

Still unemployed although my benefits will run out before the end of the year so...yea...that's a problem. I am trying desperately to come up with a way to support myself that does not include going to a 9 to 5 job. If anyone has suggestions, I am all ears. 

And how have I been passing the time?  Surprisingly, by traveling. 

I spent a week in Texas packing up my mom's house. 

One closet down, the rest of the house to go...

Visiting with friends was cut short by my brother's announcement that he tested positive for Covid19 about an hour after we had lunch together. Fortunately that was a false positive but still...no one (including me) was willing to interact with that possible diagnosis hanging over my head. 

My most favorite discovery amongst the millions of photos
and souvenirs of lives well lived:
My Great Aunt Louise and her sorority sisters
at the University of Texas
Circa 1919

Anyway, I got the house mostly packed up before heading back to Colorado.

Bunny graduated from Ole Miss (YAY!) and moved to Tampa.  She liked the idea of being closer to her sister but wasn't that fond of the East coast of Florida. Current boyfriend lives in Tampa and his mom was a lifesaver in finding her an apartment. Of course, the job opportunities that were everywhere in March completely dried up by her move in May and she has just now gotten a job.  Anyway, I wanted to get to Florida to see both girls before life intervened and we all were working and unable to visit. A long weekend in Tampa at the beginning of June was perfect. 

Belle, Me, Bunny
at the beach in Florida

Belle and her BF came over from Palm Beach and I got to meet Bunny's BF for the first time. 

Love love love Bunny's little apartment-walking distance to restaurants and stores- and the beach at Clearwater is gorgeous.  Her job starts this week so cross your fingers all goes well. Belle is also back to work after being laid off but she says it is impossibly slow. Florida being another hot spot for the virus makes her job a challenge. 

Home from Florida I headed to the cabin for a week to supervise a new roof installation. I'm on the fence about what to do with that cabin. 

New roof, fresh paint. 
Want to buy it? 

Love it dearly but it has its drawbacks.  I've been staying in Golden for 5 months now and enjoying being back in civilization. After my hospital stay last November I realized that living in a rural area was maybe not the best of long term plans. Add to that the need/desire to be within an hour of the airport and the cabin looks less and less inviting. Welcoming any suggestions or extravagant offers to purchase it...

For July 4th we drove to Montana (No. 65: Visit a new state!) to visit Friend's brother. We took the RV which was a fun experiment, my having only been in an RV once before. (And even then we stayed local.) So we drove for two days through Wyoming and Montana to Bigfork. I expected the Eastern side of Wyoming to be more mountainous...I guess because my only other experience with Wyoming was Yellowstone National Park.  I had volunteered to drive the RV until I realized the speed limit was 80 and that sucker was bigger than I expected. Nope, couldn't do it. 

Ok. So it doesn't seem that big here. 
But I was more comfortable driving the Smart Car....
And isn't this a magnificent Montana Sunset? 

Working on No. 99, we stopped at the Battlefield of the Little Bighorn (aka Custer's Last Stand). It's fascinating to drive through the fields (I had my own personal historian and park buff driving me) and even with other cars and people, I could imagine the horses coming over the hills, how easy it must have been for Custer to miscalculate the number of Native Americans down below, see the whole scenario play out....

Bigfork, MT is darling and the brother's house on the water was perfect for July 4 fireworks. Honestly, I've never seen so many explosives in the sky in one night. There was a professional display from the Lodge across the lake and then the neighbors were all competing against each other and it was almost overload. And that's from someone who ADORES fireworks. 

Magical

Love!

Like the Milky Way exploding!

We tried to go through Glacier National Park but, like many public areas, it was overwhelmed with visitors and many parts shut down. We ended up with a picnic by the lake and a stop on the way home for cherries. 

A particularly awful pic of me in front of 
Lake McDonald.  
Riding in a convertible will give you that lovely hairdo. 

Home from Montana for two days and then off again to Texas. JeanMom's house had sold and the deadline to be out was fast approaching. Fortunately, emptying houses is my jam. I packed, I sorted and I emptied. 

Little house ready to move on to a new owner.

We did not disclose the ghost that came with the house.

He's friendly.

The Ft Bend Women's Center was the beneficiary of some items, the rest went to storage to be sorted through when it isn't July in Texas.  

Someone at the Women's Center has a sense of humor.
Woody hanging on to the back of a moving truck!

WHY do I seem to end up doing my moving in the heat of the summer? No clue. I'll probably end up moving out of the cabin in the middle of January during a blizzard. 

The storage unit filled!

And now, as the Corona virus seems to be having a come back and states are grappling with masks and shut downs and the impending school year, I am back in Golden. The one project I started back in May, a baby quilt for a friend, has FINALLY been completed. Like everything else this year, this project was filled with false starts and corrections and mistakes. I completed the top once, only to trash it and start completely over. The new top was attached to the backing and  then ripped apart to be redone because I didn't like the batting. This is one project I will be happy to put in the mail. At least I can say I am happy with the results. 

In progress here, and now done. 
Into the mail today!

So. Any suggestions for gainful employment, creative (paying) endeavors and or housing solutions will be welcomed. 

Everyone stay safe, wear your masks and wash your hands.

Less than two months

Less than Two Months!

Yikes! I have less than two months until I turn sixty. And I'm supposed to have this list finished. 

Not gonna happen.

O well. 

When I made this list, I lived in a different world. Seriously. Right outside the fourth largest  city in the United States with every imaginable opportunity/product/event at my fingertips. An airport within an hour's drive. The beach an hour away in the opposite direction. Traffic, stores, MALLS!! and lots of people.

About one third of the way through the list I ended up in a tiny rural town of maybe 1200 people. When I go to "town", that means about 7000 people, a Wal Mart, a grocery store (Safeway) and  a Murdoch's Ranch Supply. The closest airport is two hours away but the one that we usually have to fly out of/into is a good 4 hours away. Mountains are everywhere but no beach.

Me on the beach in Florida.

Where I won't be at Thanksgiving.

Which is why No.13: Thanksgiving at the beach won't happen. I had hoped to spend Thanksgiving with Belle in Florida. But Bunny and I were in Florida back in September. Last week Belle was here. I just put Belle on the plane back to Florida from Colorado (twice- TSA lines at the airport took over an hour, she missed her first flight because of it) so it seems silly to go visit her again so soon. Besides, Bunny has a severe case of Senioritis and since she has already missed 5 days of school and she graduates in December, I cannot condone her missing any more school. The hubs and the Big Guy are staying in Texas for Thanksgiving, Belle will be in Florida and Bunny and I will stay here. Or somewhere near here. I'm open to suggestions.

No. 11: Get something published....well, I guess I can say I have self published my own blog. Some things I have no control over but it doesn't hurt to put them out there. For now I will consider it accomplished. Multiple times. 

No. 27: Refresh those silver soldering lessons doesn't seem feasible. I've asked around and no one teaches silver working classes. I'll have to wait for civilization to take a class. I could probably pick it up from YouTube but the supplies are expensive enough that I prefer not to make a lot of mistakes trying. And I want to be able to repair the jump rings on my bracelets, so I don't want to ruin my favorite jewelry with inexperience. 

As an alternate I've decided to refresh my leather working skills. More on that later this week.

A little leather pocket on an inspiration bag.

The next one will be all leather. 

No. 19: Go up in a hot air balloon could be done here. But hot air balloons require very early morning departures and the hot air balloon rides nearest me are still 2 hours away or more. So I thought maybe a helicopter ride over the Royal Gorge. That's only an hour away and doesn't require me to pop out of bed at 4am. Or earlier. Except. I just checked.  Helicopter season was over October 15. Oops. O well. I've got some ideas for that hot air balloon in the future. 

No. 55:See a polo match.  Wrong season. Wrong place. I was hoping when Bunny and I went to Florida to visit Belle in September we might have been able to catch a polo match, but no. Wrong season there, also. If I had stayed in Texas, it would have been done by now. Never occurred to me that possibly there was polo in Colorado, but I just checked. There is. I just missed the season. Again, it will happen. Just not in the next two months.

Nos. 57 and 58 should get done. Ice hockey game and fly fishing. Seriously. I live less than 3 miles from one of the best fly fishing spots in the U.S.  And ice hockey is in Denver, 4 hours away.  Colorado Springs has ice hockey but not professional. We shall see....

No. 28: Learn to shoot a gun. I could do that here. But it may take more effort than I am willing to expend in the next 7 weeks. The weather has changed and do I really want to spend a few hours outside in the cold? No.  It could be done easily in Houston. That can wait.

No.7: Learn calligraphy is another one that would benefit from a larger locale.  I tried teaching myself but I was not successful. Someone that reads handwriting would have a heyday with my script. It can be bold, cursive, block letters, leaning left or right. Depends on my mood. So to tame my propensity to be all over the page- literally- I need professional help. 

No. 24: Organize all those photos.  Well, I have made a dent in the digital photos that I have here with me on my computer. But a gazillion photo albums lurk in the cabinets back in Texas. 

No. 5: Go the opera or ballet.   I hope to accomplish this one once I am back in Texas. Not before my birthday but before the end of the year. I always love The Nutcracker. Time to go again. 

And No. 1:Big 60th Birthday Trip.  That one is planned. There will actually be two little trips. One in February to S. Padre Island (a place I have never been) and the second to Lake City, Colorado in June.  That's a place I have been to many times and will be thrilled to go back. 

But seriously? With this group of women I could go to the La Quinta in Podunk and have fun. 

Fifty out of Sixty. That doesn't sound so good. BUT. The whole point was to get me out of my routine, to reunite me with some aspects of myself that I had let fall by the wayside. I have certainly accomplished that. 

And the ones that don't get done? Ninety by Ninety!!!
(I've already got the blog name reserved...)

Breaking a Bad Habit

Habits: Good and Bad

Ugh.

Know what I have discovered? Once you get out of a habit, it is soooo much harder to start up again. That's a good thing if it is a bad habit. (smoking, drugs, just about all the fun stuff in excess) Not so great if it is a good habit. (exercise, forward movement and -yes- writing)

So I am diving in.

A quick catch up.

August was mostly just work.   Carlos hated it. I was gone all the time.

September has been a whirl.

School for Bunny.

We both went to Florida for Belle's TWENTIETH birthday.

 Bunny and Belle (blowing in the wind) 

after Belle's birthday dinner. 

I 💗 that these two hold hands.

I got to meet Belle's little dog, Dakota. 

He has three legs. 

And he adores Belle. 

I came home to NO job.  Yep, that was a surprise.

This past weekend was Uncorked, the Wine and Music Festival, in Lake City.  I invited myself to my friend Liddy's house for the weekend.

Chairs lined up to to watch and listen to music.

The tents are home to bottles and bottles of wine.

Liddy and me, partaking.

(She'll probably shoot me for posting this because

  she really is way more beautiful than this pic suggests. 

Awkward expression but best I got.)

Groups get together and set up tables of food, just in case you don't 

want to buy from the many vendors.

Fall arrived.

Bunny has been put on the Homecoming Court for school which  apparently requires dresses, more dresses and parental involvement.

And how am I doing on the list? Horrible. No movement at all. Will that change?  Hope so.

There are 2 or 3 of the items I hope to check off before October is over.   But October is going to be busy. Lots of visitors.  Can't wait!

In the meantime I am enjoying Fall with a capital F.   The calendar says it is here and for once, the calendar isn't lying.  
How do I know? The aspen were almost in full glory when I drove over Monarch Pass last weekend. (Last years pics here) Everywhere leaves/trees are turning and I confess to wasting gas just driving around, admiring Mother Nature. Hiking weather is perfect although bear weather is also perfect so that's a bit of a push/pull for me.  My Twin Sisters are speckled with yellow.

Also, I'm reaching for my jeans most every day instead of shorts. I grab a light hoodie if I leave the house early or late.  Lows have been in the 40s, highs in the 70s. There's no snow on the peaks of the Sisters but that will come. Another month....
And a sure sign of Fall and cooler temps: the electric blanket  is out of its plastic bag and back on the bed. I'm waiting on the heavier comforter but some mornings...well, let's just say I've been thinking about that electric blanket fondly.

Now that I'm not working, I promise to get back on schedule.

And...

And....

You know how last week I mentioned "I've hated to say it before now, but I think Spring is really here."

I should have known better..

Here is our week's forecast:

Yep. That would be snow forecast for Friday morning.  Saturday night is prom for Bunny. That beautiful gown will be a little bare for 34º temps.  Not that the temperature will stop her from wearing it. Anyway, Friday is a long ways away and forecasts are frequently wrong.


Today I panicked a bit about the rest of my list.  Because, as I have mentioned, I'm at a standstill. 
So I scrolled through and found the time specific ones and put those dates on my calendar. 

I've missed polo season (#55) but it starts again mid-September. There are polo clubs in Houston and also near Belle in Florida. I should be able to fit that in somehow. 

Thanksgiving at the beach. (#13)  Belle has informed me that she loves Florida and is planning on staying there even though she does not love school so much. I am thinking we will just go see Belle for Thanksgiving next year: turkey at the beach.  (And nope, I haven't broken this news to her or anyone else in the family yet, so "shhhhhhh". )

Ice hockey season is also over but I will have a chance next fall. Looks like games start in October.  (#57)

That colonoscopy. (#43) I am so overdue for that. This summer. Waiting until I am in Texas because that is not something I want to do in my little town...and I sure don't want to have to drive two or three hours away for it, either.  

In June I'm meeting up with my friends to plan our 60th trip. (#1) Two of us turn 60 this year, the rest do it in 2016.  The trip most likely will not happen before I turn 60 but if we have it planned, I'm counting it!

Bunny's friend took her out and taught her how to shoot a pistol. I thought she was pretty good until she told me she was only about 20 feet away from the target. 

Anyway, I discussed with her that possibly he could also teach me. (#28) This kid is methodical and safety conscious and has been around guns his whole life. We can go to the shooting range on the other side of town.

Red Rocks Amphitheatre has their summer schedule out. (#4)   Just need to schedule a trip to Denver and con someone into going with me.  Easy.  

And as soon as the vegetable starts come out, I'm grabbing a few. (#39) Last year I was not successful because it is so dry here. Miss one day of watering and Poof! those plants are dead.   
So I'm thinking a potted veggie garden on the patio will work best. Close by, I can see them and, more importantly, water them every morning easily. No shoes required to walk out into the big gardens. (This ground is pretty rocky. Even though I am a total barefoot kid, I need shoes to walk in the yard.) Crossing my fingers for success this year. 

Cozumel, well, that may not happen. (#15) Not many people want to go to Mexico with me. I think I would be totally safe but.....   I can come up with something else.  I've been a million times and it is just one of my favorite places. Not saying it won't happen eventually, just maybe not in the next year.  But maybe I can go to Cuba instead. That has been a lifelong dream and it looks closer and closer to becoming a reality. Cross your fingers. 

Soooo...... there's hope.  And putting things on the calendar makes them more likely to happen.

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. 

Bye Bye Bye

Bye, Bye, Bye....
to steal a line from N'Sync.


Well, Belle is gone.

Not in a bad way. In a "gone off to college" way.
(She just graduated from High School here.)

The hubs drove with her and her car to Florida about ten days ago. Fortunately it was an uneventful trip except that an accident on the other side of Houston had them stopped for THREE HOURS! Which means they were on the road for almost four hours before they actually got out of town.

Then the hubs flew home and she had ONE practice night all by herself. No relatives or friends within 1000 miles.  Then I flew over and stayed a few nights, making sure she actually registered for her classes.

Belle does not win the hostess with the mostest award.  Love her, but.

She likes to keep the thermostat at 80º.

I slept on the couch and the first night she went to sleep and neglected to give me a blanket. I had a throw which didn't quite cover me so every time I wiggled (which I do a lot) I came uncovered and then woke up, re-covered myself, fell back to sleep and repeated about 20 times. It was not a restful night.

I got to sleep on the couch. 

She got the King Sized Bed. 

I sure hope she gets some artwork for that wall.

Complaining got me an actual blanket.

She had a list of things for me to do FOR HER which mostly included scrubbing things she did not want to scrub.
That's okay.
Her last request was to make her some bacon.
I did.
Then I left her the dirty pan to clean.
(Sometimes revenge is sweet, even if it is against your own kid.)

The view from the kitchen window.

A storm was brewing.

She tried out her adult persona after a trip to the beach.
I was sitting on the couch with sand still between my toes (and other unmentionable parts, I'm sure) and she said:
"Mom, don't you want to rinse off before you get sand everywhere and have to clean it up?" 
And then...
"Bring your beach towel and put it in the washer, please."
Followed by....
"After your shower it is nap time. One hour. I don't want to hear a peep from you. You can watch cartoons but no louder than 12 on the volume." 

The very beautiful Jupiter beach.

After three nights we were getting on each other's nerves a bit. She was ready for me to leave so she could start her new life.
I was ready for real bedding and a thermostat lower than 78º.

It was perfect. 
Not a tear was shed when I left. (At least not by me.)

School starts this Friday.
Job hunting started today.

I am so proud of that girl. 

Belle headed to the beach...

She's convinced a panther is going to jump out of the bushes and eat her. 

Bye, chica! Be careful. 

Friday Follow-Up

Friday Follow Up

As I mentioned here, back in May Belle graduated (was graduated? my mother would know the correct grammar on that one) from tiny Salida High School.

Belle with her proud mama.

Which means Belle is going to college.

YAY!

Belle is a singular child. Determined. Knows what she wants, how she wants it and what color it should be in. Whatever "it" is.

Ever since she was in elementary school she has said "I will go to college by the beach, NOT in Texas. I want warm weather."

Belle's College Requirements:

Toes in the sand, sun on her back, ocean in the distance.

O! And classes. 

She's never been too specific about what she would study, although she has cycled through Veterinarian (couldn't put the animals to sleep, though), Marine Biologist (chemistry-not her forte) and hair stylist. She's a girl of many talents.

That's okay. It's a rare 18 year old that knows what they want to do for the rest of their life. Hell! I'm 58 and still struggling with that decision.

And so she made her college decision by looking at the map and researching small schools and acceptable (to her) locales.
I guess there are worse ways to decide.

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida and Palm Beach State College won.

PBSC Amphitheater- Gardens Campus

Since we were in Colorado, it was a Herculean task to get to Florida and back over even a long weekend to look at the school, so we didn't. Until this week. Texas to Florida ostensibly is an easier trip. (Although, of course, with our luck, that wasn't quite the case.)

Talk about cutting it close. School starts on the 22nd. Belle had NO back up plan. Didn't want one. She knew this is what she would do. And this is a school that offers ZERO school housing. No one could even suggest a place for her to live. I assumed that we would easily find something once we showed up on campus and talked to administrators and students in person. Wrong.  Nothing. No suggestions. Nothing on the Student Center boards. Nada. Zip. Zero.


The college is in the middle of a luxury community. No apartment complexes within 20 miles.

Panic.

We both loved the school. Small.  About 9000 students. Friendly. Nice demographics. Safe.

But housing.

I scrolled through the realtors online until I found one that looked motherly. I called and pleaded my case. She referred me to an outstanding Coldwell Banker realtor, Arlene Love, that totally got what we needed. And assured me it would be very hard to find. But she was willing to try.

The next morning she had two listings for us to look at. But, as she said, sometimes you only need two.  Or one.

And the first one was it. A small garage apartment behind a large house in a lovely quiet community. Alarm system. Furnished. (I barely dared dream of a furnished apartment- that seemed to be asking too much to even think of.) And furnished in a way that Belle would have done if she had the chance.
Within 5 miles of the school. And 5 miles to the beach. With a washer and dryer. Internet included for a small additional fee. Parking outside her door.

The selling point for Belle? 

A bathroom counter that went on for days.....

The skies parted, the sun shone, angels sang.

Belle has a place to live.

Actually the sun did not shine.

On our way to the airport we got word that our flight had been cancelled.
We were rescheduled for the following day.
We boarded the plane Thursday and sat on the tarmac for 20 minutes because of rain. Took off and flew. And flew. And flew. Later we found out we had flown down almost to Cuba before heading towards Texas. And then we were held off some more because Texas had rain. Twice we were told of delays. We made a sharp turn and drop as the plane rerouted to Corpus Christi. They had held us off so long that we needed to refuel. This time an hour on the tarmac. No more water on the plane, it was getting warm and since we could look at our phones, we got to read about 298 people being shot down on a Malaysia Air flight. (Reassuring. Not.)

But we made it home. Only 18 hours after our originally scheduled arrival.

That's okay.

It was a successful trip.

.......................

I've had a few people question my sanity re: sending my 18 year old daughter off to live on her own 1000 miles away.
I get it.
But I also know this child. She will do just fine. There will be hiccups but if anyone can do it, she can. I am slowly collecting names and numbers of people in the vicinity in case of emergency. But I predict this one will go off and be successful, whatever she does.
Now her little sister. Not a snowball's chance that she would be allowed the same privilege. Love her, but no.
And older brother wouldn't even consider the idea. He doesn't like travel.

Besides, as my friend Libby pointed out: "Apple, tree, etc."
At 18, my parents dropped me off in San Miguel de Allende, in the middle of Mexico, for school. Like Belle, I knew no other students.
This was pre-cell phones and pre-computers. A long distance phone call took a minimum of two hours just to get through to an international operator. Then there might be a line available, might not. Mom left me at a boarding house and within a month I had met a friend and we had found an apartment.

My first two room mates at the boarding house.

Cathy, Claudia, Me.

(Love those high waisted pants!)

How did we know how to rent a place? I have no idea.
How did we get someone to rent to us? We had no jobs. We were foreigners. Again, I have no idea.
It was all an education.
And isn't that the point?

O! Libby is soooo right.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Apparently a bathroom counter that went on for days was my priority, also.

This was from a Mexican house we rented my second year down there. 

Ch-ch-changes

Changes are coming....


Yikes. 

School is almost over. 

Belle is about to graduate from high school.  (How can that be?)

My "full-time" time in Colorado is almost up. (How can that be?)

It's not like I won't be back. But I won't be back living here I imagine. (How can that be?)

Back to the heat, the humidity and the responsibility of Texas.  (How can that be?)

I look around the little cabin in the woods and wonder HOW we will gather up all the stuff that has made its way up here and get it stuffed into two cars and get it home. Do I have to drive home? I don't want to.  I. DO. NOT. WANT. TO. MAKE. THAT. DRIVE.  Please may I fly home and let someone else drive my car? Please?

I started washing and storing all the sweaters and hoodies and jackets that have accumulated at the front and back doors. Then we had another snow. Back to square one.  

Between Monday and Tuesday of THIS week we got a foot of snow.

All gone now. 

The freezer and pantry need emptying. Time to start eating what we've got whether it's what we crave or not. 

I look in the girls' rooms and think "no way". Thank goodness getting all their clothes together is THEIR problem, not mine. 

Honest. These are unretouched pictures of what their rooms look like on a daily basis.

Yes, they both have closets AND rolling hanging racks and dressers and yet...

their clothes are on the floor. 

Carlos hides his bones underneath the clothes piles.

My car needs tires and its service is due. Bunny's car needs an oil change. The Hummer needs an oil change, too, before it gets stored for...the summer?   For a few weeks? Belle is still lobbying to take it home with her but it needs to stay here.

And then what? 

Belle is bound and determined she is going to Florida in the fall for school. Community college.
NOT in Texas.  That's pretty much her only stipulation. That and near a beach. Preferably with tanned boys that have pretty eyes nearby.  Need to get that organized. (The school, not the boys.)

Both girlies will be leaving friend boys. Everyone has known it's coming from the beginning but I'm not sure that will make it easier. 

It's time to move on to the next stage. The next adventure. 

I'm not sure I'm ready. 

CHANGES: David Bowie

I still don't know what I was waiting for
And my time was running wild
A million dead-end streets
Every time I thought I'd got it made
It seemed the taste 
was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me
But I've never caught a glimpse
Of how the others must see the faker
I'm much too fast to take that test

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the stranger)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don't want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the stranger)
Ch-ch-Changes
Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can't trace time

I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence and
So the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware 
of what they're going through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the stranger)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don't tell them to grow up and out of it
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the stranger)
Ch-ch-Changes
Where's your shame
You've left us up to our necks in it
Time may change me
But you can't trace time

Strange fascination, fascinating me
Changes are taking the pace
I'm going through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the stranger)
Ch-ch-Changes
Oh, look out you rock 'n rollers
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the stranger)
Ch-ch-Changes
Pretty soon you're gonna get
a little older
Time may change me
But I can't trace time
I said that time may change me
But I can't trace time