Author Archives: JanetA

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About JanetA

I am a nomad and adventurer. I used to travel for work now I travel for curiosity and fun. I started this blog when my husband of 21 years, Jim died of cancer on his 60th birthday. I started it because I wanted to have an easy way for my friends and family to follow me as I started a new adventure living in a small B class RV. I have a delightful little Roadtrek that I live in full time. It continues to be quite an adventure.

Saying Farewell to My Kymco Scooter, Sigh

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In 2006, Jim (my husband) and I bought a 150 cc Kymco Motor Scooter. Construction occurred at the college where he worked, and employees were asked to park off campus. If one had a motorcycle or scooter, they could continue to park at the college. And so we invested in this delightful little gray motorscooter.

K2 Kitty Resting

We took the motorcycle safety course, updated our licenses, and just like that, we had a new vehicle in the family. It was fun to ride. Even the cats enjoyed it, as long as it was parked.

Traveling in San Diego, a big city on the Southwest border of the United States, became an adventure. We never took it on the freeway, worried about cars, trucks, and the drivers. It was mostly used locally in Santee, where we lived. Every once in a while, I would take it on longer trips into areas of the city for dental or doctor appointments. I would have to allow double the time to get to my destination as I planned how to get from point A to point B without getting on the freeway. Taking the backroads gave me the opportunity to explore new areas of this big city.

Jim on our new Scooter

After Jim’s death, I kept the scooter. I really liked riding it. When traveling, it would reside in my storage unit, hooked up to a trickle charger, and wait for my return. It gave me another way to navigate the city. I could safely leave my rig at the campground and head out on the scooter. It was definitely easier to park.

Last year I had an accident on it. I hurt my leg, which healed in no time. I became cautious about the scooter and a little hesitant to ride it. I began to think of selling it. Last year, on my return to San Diego, I thought about selling it but was not ready.

Even after all these years, I still have an emotional attachment to things I shared with Jim. And so it is with the scooter.

I decided to try again this year, and I succeeded. I advertised it on OfferUp, and surprisingly, there was a lot of interest. I met Alonso, who was willing to work with me to buy the scooter. A week ago, he came to my storage unit, looked at the scooter, and took it for a ride.

I knew instantly this was the person to become the new owner of this sweet gray scooter. We talked. He wanted to do the whole transfer process legitimately. Finally, we closed the deal. This past Saturday, Alonso and I met at the DMV office at AAA of Southern California. It was a wait of about two hours. With everything complete, it was time to bid farewell to the scooter.

Alonso and His New Scooter

Almost everything that was part of “our” life has been rehomed. Each item has a story to tell about the item, about Jim and me. Each time I meet someone who has bought an item, it becomes a new story. And so it is with Alonso and the scooter.

Alonso was excited to have a Kymco scooter. He used to own one and was excited to find another one. I was excited because he appeared genuine in his interest.

When Alonso departed, he had full motorcycle gear on. That also made me happy. It is a tough world out there on the streets of San Diego when you are on a motorcycle or scooter. He texted me when he arrived home. Yay.

Although a bit wistful, my heart feels joy, knowing that this scooter’s life will go on with a good and true new owner.

Today, I am thankful for all the years Jim and I had this scooter in our lives. Today I am thankful for Alonso who is the proud new owner of a much loved scooter.

Today, I am thankful.

Holding My Breath Time of the Year

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“There is nothing more essential to our health and well-being than breathing: take air in, let it out, repeat 25,000 times a day. “

Breathe

To inhale and exhale air: breathe deeply now; to be alive; to whisper: Don’t breathe a word of this to your mother.

To be alive; live: A nicer person has never breathed.

To pause to rest or regain breath: Give me a moment to breathe.

Breathe Easily/Easy/Freely

To be relaxed or relieved, especially after a period of tension.


Every fall, I arrive back in San Diego to visit my friends, enjoy a warm early winter, and get all my medical appointments and dental work done for the year. It is a mix of joy, seeing friends I haven’t seen since last year and getting all my appointments lined up.

This is a Hold My Breath Time of Year.

I have had cancer twice. Twelve years ago, I had breast cancer, a rare (not always a welcome word) form of cancer. After a lumpectomy and treatment with radiation, I was finished treatment. That was followed by a five-year treatment plan, taking a pill every day. Suppression is key. Although I was never told I was cancer-free, I have had “no evidence of disease” now for eleven years.

In 2019, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. I had surgery to remove my thyroid and then received treatment with radioactive iodine. Thyroxine is taking over the function of the thyroid in a dose to suppress any thyroid tissue growth.

And then there is the dentist. I don’t have the best teeth and gums in the world. It is somewhat hereditary. If I ever go to the dentist and get good news, I become suspicious that something was overlooked. Sigh.

Every year, when the appointments begin, I metaphorically “hold my breath.” I wait for the tests and the results to come pouring in.

Two weeks ago, I had my thyroid labs done and had a visit with the endocrinologist. Everything looks good. I let out my breath a little.

Today, my annual mammogram was done. A little more breath was released. Now I wait. Each day without a phone call means that my mammogram is normal. Each day, I exhale a bit more and inhale more deeply. The final exhale will arrive when I read the results of the mammogram and am told I am good for another year.

Then there is the dentist. Oh my, the dentist. I am not free and clear here. Surgery is looming this winter. Sigh. After two deep cleanings, I need to wait for a month and a half to see how this treatment worked. I don’t hold my breath for the dentist. I am used to bad news from this quarter. I also know that the treatments are not life-threatening. Bad diagnoses are normal, and when I am given good news, I don’t know that I trust the results. Once the news, bad or good, is given, a little more release of breath occurs.

Finally, I return to breathing normally, whatever that means. I can release and let go for another year. My anxiety settles, and I can resume breathing in and out, fully and deeply.

Breath is to yoga what water is to a fish: essential for movement and life force. Consider this Sanskrit proverb: “For breath is life, and if you breathe well, you will live long on earth.”

Taking five minutes out of my day to practice yogic breathing helps to decrease my stress and anxiety while waiting for appointments and test results. As each year passes, it becomes easier for me to remember to breathe and relax most of the time. The further I get from the C word, the easier it is to find calm in chaos.

Today, I am thankful for being in a country with good medicine and good people working in the medical field. Their warm greetings help allay my free-floating anxiety.

Today, I am thankful for all the years of yogic practice that have given me the simple and valuable tool of breath.

Today, I am thankful for Breathing.

Packrat-0:Janet-Won, Again!

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“A bushy-tailed rodent (Neotoma cinerea) of western North America that has well-developed cheek pouches and that hoards food and miscellaneous objects.”

“The earliest record of packrats occurs in the late Miocene period; Packrats are an example of what we call “Pleistocene survivors,” which means that they are still alive today.””

Last week, I was in Carpenteria, California, having some work done on my rig. Carpenteria is close to Santa Barbara on the west coast. The town is quirky and beachy, with some fine restaurants and coffee houses.

One of the best camping spots is Carpenteria State Beach Campground. It sits right on the Pacific Ocean. Low tides are wonderful opportunities to stroll the beach, and the sunsets are amazing. It is so calming camping right next to the ocean. I decided to spend an extra night. I had a campsite on the low cliff looking out over the ocean. It was an amazing spot to fall asleep and wake up listening to the sound of the surf.

On my last night, I was sitting in my front seat, which swivels to face the back. It is my living room. The side door was open, and the evening was pleasant until…Wait, I felt something brush my leg. I sat up to look down and darn if a packrat didn’t run up my foot. Being the girly girl that I am (NOT!!), I screamed, and the little critter went running down the aisle of my rig and disappeared. Oh, what have I done? Where did he go? Oh no!

Thus began the saga of Janet trying to outsmart a very smart little animal. I bought a small trap with some doubt it would work. I thought this animal was too big, but all the information I read told me it would work. I baited the traps, 3 of them, with peanut butter. Around midnight, I heard this dear ratty dragging one of the traps around the front floor of my vehicle. Well, that didn’t work. Today I cannot find one of these traps. I don’t know where it has gone. I don’t think it would be able to drag it into a small space.

The next morning, I found some fuzz on the floor in front of the driver’s seat. It had been pulling bits off my sheepskin seat covers. Well, that wouldn’t do. I began to prepare my van like I was going to war. What did I do?

  • Everything was put away, and all the floors were swept and cleaned.
  • I put covers over the front seats.
  • All food was put away. I moved the foodstuff around, so only sealed containers were in the one cabinet with a hole for access in the top.
  • I put steel wool in the hole as a deterrent.
  • Nothing was left on the counters.
  • My yarns for crocheting were put in a secure place.
  • The garbage can was in the bathroom at night; he could not access this room.
  • I started my day cleaning and ended my day doing the exact same thing.

I cleaned and organized. My rig has not looked this clean and welcoming in a long time. After all, I live alone, and if I want to be a bit messy, I can.

The next stop was the hardware store to buy a HaveaHart trap. I wanted to catch this rat and give it a new home. I bought the X-Small one and baited it. On night two, he waited until three a.m. to descend from the walls of my rig. I heard him chewing on something. Well, that is not good!

In the morning, I discovered he had successfully eaten the bait without triggering the trap and had torn the side of a basket container apart. Oh no, I didn’t want it making a nest and setting up house. Another trip to the hardware store was in order. I needed the next size larger trap. And just to be on the safe side, I bought a snap trap to kill it if the live trapping idea did not work.

Yesterday afternoon, I set both traps and left for a party. I knew if I stayed at the rig, I would sit there and be obsessed about the possible damage it was doing somewhere in my rig.

I returned around 8:30 p.m., thinking it would not be in the trap yet as he usually did not appear until the wee hours of the morning. After turning on the lights, I immediately checked the larger trap, and there he was. A big one. No wonder I screamed when it ran up my foot.

Ratty waiting to be Released

It is important to release a trapped animal a distance from where it was caught. At nine pm, I found myself driving the pack rat about five miles away to a canyon. It was a perfect place for this rat. It was perfect because it was far away from my rig. I said farewell and left in a hurry so it wouldn’t find its way back to my rig.

When I arrived back at the campsite, I spent an hour cleaning, sanitizing, and getting my rig back in order.

I had not realized how absorbed I had gotten in tracking this critter down. I worried and fussed and could feel the stress. The fact that I was not getting a good night’s sleep did not help. After I cleaned and sanitized, I felt such relief. The air in my rig felt clearer, and I relaxed and let go. After four days of tracking this little one down, it was such a relief to let the whole experience go and have my home back.

Ratty, the Pack Rat, is back in a natural environment, and I have gotten a few good nights’ sleep. Things are looking up.

Today, I am thankful that I was able to get Ratty back into a natural environment without killing it. Today, I am thankful that I can look at a situation and figure out solutions. Today, I am thankful that I remember to breathe. Today, I am thankful that the air smells sweeter and feels lighter.

Today, I am Thankful.

Eleven Years

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Jim at work

Today is Giving Tuesday. Today I made my annual donation to the Jim Fenningham Memorial Scholarship.

Each year I donate to this Scholarship that I created after my husband died. Education and honoring the student was a mission of his. Jim was a supporter of higher education. He devoted his whole working life to helping students achieve. To honor this part of him I started the Jim Fenningham Memorial Scholarship. He believed that all could excel in college and there was no better honor that I could give to him than a scholarship that was inclusive of most students. The scholarship changes per each annual semester, one semester it is applied to the Arts and Humanities and the next semester it is applied to the Social Sciences.

His kindness and compassion were noticed by all. He was a good man and a good boss. Now don’t get me wrong the people who worked with him didn’t always agree with his decisions yet they all liked and respected him. That is a sign of a good boss and a good person.

I am including the essay for the recipient of the fall semester scholarship. These are people of all ages, They have to write an essay regarding their need for a scholarship.

Each student has a dedication to their education, no matter their circumstances. They give me hope for the future.

Today, I spoke with the college and gave them my donation, I had a moment where my heart softened as I honored Jim and each student. It has gotten easier yet there are moments.

If you would like to donate to the Scholarship, no donation is too small, please click below and you can help another student realize their dream.

The Jim Fenningham Memorial Scholarship

Today I am thankful. I am thankful that the education system in this country can honor all. I am thankful that Jim taught me the value of education. I am thankful that he was a part of my life for twenty-one years.

Today I am Thankful.

Returning & Writing From the Heart

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I have been attempting to be creative with my blog without success. When I first started this page I promised myself to write from the heart. When I get stuck trying to write I recognize that I have gotten off track. And here I am once again having to remind myself to go back to what I promised myself at the very beginning of this blog. Be honest and listen to my heart.

I am in San Diego. After an amazing trip across the country and into the Maritimes of Eastern Canada, I have returned to the West Coast. It is time to take a deep breath and dive into being in a large city, and getting all my medical and dental appointments in order.

This is a hold-my-breath time of the year. I hold my breath until my thyroid labs come back. They are good. I hold my breath until my mammogram results come back. I am still waiting. I hold my breath until all my dental appointments are complete. One is complete and it is good. I still have another one to go.

Why do I hold my breath? I don’t want any more untoward diagnoses. I want to be healthy and go on about my usually adventurous life. Determining my winter plans depends on the results of these tests and treatments. Do I have to stay in the city? Can I go to the desert or Mexico? How much time do I really need to be in the heart of the city?

It is not that I dislike the city. It is just a bit overwhelming when the largest city I have been in over the past eight months was St Johns, NL. People drive faster here. People move faster. I have gotten used to the kindness of drivers in Labrador and Newfoundland. I like the slower pace, and the joy of enjoying each moment.

I want to enjoy my time here and access what is available in this pretty city. I have access to nature the whole time I am here. I can bike and kayak and walk around the two bays. It is right at my door. I don’t even have to take my rig anywhere. That is pretty sweet.

When I first arrived I admit to feeling a bit overwhelmed. One day I would linger at the campground or go over to the bay. The next day I would leave to run errands and remind myself of a city that I called home for thirty years.

Star of India

The first weekend I was here I made my way to the San Diego Bay waterfront. I stayed until sunset to watch the Star of India, The Californian, The Bill of Rights, San Salvador, and the visiting Historic Voyaging Canoe Hōkūleʻa arrive back into the harbor. The Star of India is the Flagship of one of the best Maritime Museums I have ever been to, right here in San Diego. It was the first time in five years that Star unfurled her sails and went to sea. It was fun to gather with others who were there to watch all these ships return from a glorious day on the water.

The heart of the Park.

A few days ago I joined a dear friend for lunch and a walk in Balboa Park. The park is another major attraction in this city. When I could still dance I was usually there at least once a week. All the locals have access to the park. It is not unusual on any given night to walk into buildings hear music and watch all types of dancing being enjoyed by the local San Diegans. Folk Dance, Ballet, Modern, Tap, and Jazz may be in the same building. It is fun to watch people enjoy themselves. During the day it is fun to wander the park and explore its many walkways.

Balboa Park is also home to the world-famous San Diego Zoo. I have not been there yet but I am waiting for another good friend, Cynthia to set a date to meander the zoo.

Even in the middle of the eighth largest city in the USA, I can still find many things to do outdoors. Bird watching? Check. Hiking? Check. Biking? Check. Kayaking? Check. Watching amazing Sunsets? Check.

Sunset on Mission Bay

How else do I plan to enjoy my time here? I haven’t mentioned friends yet. Slowly I am connecting with my long-time friends and some new ones as well. I want to enjoy at least one theater performance and one dance performance while I have access to them. However, I saw a great musical performance in the middle of Newfoundland at a Visitor’s Center in a wildlife refuge in the middle of nowhere. You just never know.

I will return to my seven-month sojourn. I am still editing photos and creating a map and a slide show. Stay Tuned.

Caving in Illinois

Today I am thankful for the wild country and the city. I am thankful for being able to bring the outdoors with me into the heart of a large city. I am thankful for all the big city has to offer. I am thankful for friends to share my urban adventures.

Today I am Thankful.

Finding Campsites

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People ask me how I find my campsites. I am not a planner, I never know where to end my day. I usually settle in somewhere by three thirty in the afternoon so I have time to enjoy where I am camping.

I have been traveling across big states. Most states look big for this gal from Delaware. I have been driving through Oklahoma forever. Well, not really but it feels that way. This is the heartland country. There are miles and miles of fields broken up by cattle yards. It is often a flat and unbroken country. Similar to the TransLabrador Highway it is a big, lonely country. More people and traffic are in these states than on the highways in Canada.

Often I try to find somewhere to camp that can break up the monotony of the day’s drive. One way to find a campsite is to look for water on a map. If there is a lake or large river often campgrounds are close by. In Oklahoma, I found a lovely state park, Salt Plains State Park. This state park was a relief after a day’s drive.

Salt Plains State Park is one of Oklahoma’s most unique state parks. The barren landscape of the nearby Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge is comprised of salt leftover from an ocean that covered Oklahoma in prehistoric times, and the saltwater lake in the park, Great Salt Plains Lake, is about half as salty as the ocean.

A selenite crystal dig area is open for a limited season nearby. Located just under the surface of the salt plains, these crystals usually form into an hourglass shape. Oklahoma is the only place in the world where the hourglass-shaped selenite crystal can be found.

There were campsites available near the lake and below the dam on a park on the North Fork of the Arkansas River. I chose the river and am glad I did. The sites were right on the water and the view was marvelous. There was shade and my neighbors were nice and helpful. I could easily take my bike out for a ride and enjoy the prairie in a different way.

Before I pointed EmmyLou west I took time to do the driving tour of the refuge. It was a bit early for the migratory bird population. It was quiet on the refuge.

Currently, I am bird watching and photographing birds. When I decide to indulge in one of my passions I look for camping nearby. I spent three nights at the Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge, about two hours south of Albuquerque, New Mexico. There is an RV park a mile outside the Refuge, Bird Watchers RV Park. Billy wants to sell it and there have been rumors that it is closed but each time I visit the Bosques it remains open and convenient for wildlife viewing on the refuge. Nature certainly overflows the refuge and I had many quail come visit me during my stay.

At the Bosque

The sandhill cranes are migrating south. I love these birds. By winter the Bosque will have thousands of cranes, snow geese, and many varieties of ducks that winter on the refuge. It was early in the season so the large amounts of birds had yet to arrive but I saw enough cranes to make me and my camera happy.

Whitewater Draw

Now I am camped at Whitewater Draw Wildlife Refuge in southcentral Arizona. One of the many nice things about this refuge is that I can camp right in the parking lot. Since the cranes often depart before sunrise it is a quick walk to observe these marvelous birds. Again, it is early in the migration here. At the moment there are about 400 cranes on the refuge, by winter there will be over seven thousand in the refuge and twenty-three thousand in the Wilcox Valley.

From here it will be a few days drive to San Diego and settling into a campground for a few months. It is time to say hello to good and dear friends, the Pacific Ocean and get all things medical and dental done.

Finding unique and interesting places to camp and visiting Wildlife refuges along the way helps to break up the drive across this vast country. I especially like State, County, City, and Federal Lands to camp on. They are often interesting places for me to explore.

Today I am thankful that our Governments have set aside interesting places for me to visit and camp. Today I am thankful that I can feel safe traveling and camping.

Today I am thankful.

A Hard Day with my teacher-Grief.

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Eleven years but who is counting? I guess I am. Eleven years ago yesterday Jim, my husband died. Eleven years is sometimes a long time and sometimes it is yesterday.

Morning on the Lake

Yesterday morning I awoke on the shores of Lake of the Ozarks, took my coffee to the water’s edge, and watched a stunning fall morning unfold. This is my reflecting time. I ponder and wonder at the mystery of it all.

Yesterday was a hard day for me, physically. I was exhausted. It wasn’t a normal exhaustion, it was bone-wearying. I could hardly move from my rig to the picnic table. I had all these plans for yesterday. The only thing I accomplished was a languid rambling walk, followed by a nap. I never feel like this, Never. Then I realized grief had shown up once again in my life. It is always in the background somewhere but yesterday it said hello and popped up into the foreground of that moment of my life. If I couldn’t move then I decided not to move. I read and napped and gave myself permission to just be.

I have had six good friends die within the past eight months. That is a lot. I think the grieving I feel for their loss and the loss of Jim made me give up and accept that yesterday I could not be a superhero and I needed to give in to this and love myself. And so I did.

Grief is still a mystery to me. It appears that it is something that will never go away. It just continues to shift and move and mold to the moment. I am learning that it is important to put grief in its appropriate place in my life. Like fear, I wonder if I can make grief my ally. What if I can make this feeling and emotion help me move forward. What if I let grief guide me to a deeper understanding of myself and the world around me and give me guidance on how to support and love others.

When I feel grief to the intensity I did yesterday, a full-body type of grief, I am in the moment, not thinking about yesterday or tomorrow. It is one of the things I remember most about the last days of Jim’s life. He was certainly in the moment and so was I. There was nothing beyond each moment for both of us. It was intensely emotional and heart felt. It almost felt like a blessing to be in its presence.

Janet & Jim in Peru

Today I am back on the road. I have about two weeks until I arrive in San Diego. It is time for my annual check-ups. It is time to visit with friends. Today it is Oklahoma, tomorrow it will probably still be Oklahoma. These are big states. I am enjoying the fall foliage.

Today I am thankful for recognizing grief as a teacher. Today I am thankful for giving myself a break.

Today I am Thankful.

Home Repairs

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My RV is my house. When things go wrong with any part of it I need to get it fixed just like any “Sticks & Bricks” homeowner does. The frustrating part is trying to find someone to fix it.

On this trip, my macerator hose developed a pinpoint hole leak. What is a macerator hose? It is what drains my black and gray water tanks. It is my sewage line to the outside world. Thanks to a good friend, Campskunk, I repaired it, knowing that I would need to replace the hose at some point. The repair was a temporary fix.

I plan to visit with family in Columbus, Ohio so I thought I would get it fixed there. I called three different service centers and asked if they could replace the hose. All three gave me roundabout answers that meant no. No, we don’t deal with macerator hoses. No, we don’t work on Roadtreks or vans. A Macerator hose, what is that? No, I don’t know any service centers in the Columbus area that will work on this problem. Frustration!!!

My friend Cori texted me to remind me of Beaver Motors RV in Beaver Springs, Pennsylvania. They work on Roadtreks. I reached Nick, at Beaver Motors RV and asked him if they could replace the macerator hose he said, “Yes”. When I asked him if he could look at my one window that has an annoying water leak he said, “Yes”. When I asked him if he could check one more thing his answer was “Yes”.

By now, you probably know who I am going to go to for some home repairs. He even offered to let me camp in their lot. On Friday I will be waiting at eight in the morning to get my rig in.

Tomorrow my New Jersey sister, Ginny will be meeting me for the weekend in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, one of the towns on the Susquehanna River. While my rig gets worked on we will hotel it, visit, and explore the surrounding area. It will be my last visit with her for some time. We are making the most of being closer in proximity. I am looking forward to one more visit.

I crossed over the Canadian/US border on Monday, September twenty-fifth. It was hard to say goodbye to the north country. It was a grand journey into Canada this summer and fall.

Visiting with good friends in Vermont for a few days made it easier to acclimate back into my own country. I visited Diane and Tom going north, what seems like ages ago, but was really just this past July. I got to do a repeat performance. On a lovely Tuesday, the three of us kayaked on one of the local reservoirs. It was a perfect morning and afternoon.

Diane
Tom

Fall has arrived on the northeast coast. It is Indan Summer with cool nights and warm days. It is kind of a last hurrah before winter arrives. The leaves are changing colors. No one is sure if it is going to be a good fall, with brilliant leaf colors or just a so-so one. There are all these theories that the locals use to predict whether it will be a good “Leaf Peeping” fall or not. The trees know but they let people do their local predictions before they decide to show their color. The verdict is still out for this fall. Foliage usually peaks around the second week in October.

Friday presents me with another kind of adventure. Home repairs. I am so glad to be driving towards someone who will take care of EmmyLou for me. It feels good to be putting her into good hands.

Today and I am sure over the next few days I will continue to be thankful for Beaver Motors RV service department.

Remembering Friends on My Travels

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Drew, Therese, and me.

After I spent two nights at Saguenay National Park in the Province of Quebec, I began to move south. I am in Sherbrooke, Quebec. Thanks to Harvest Hosts and Boondockers Welcome I am tucked into a driveway of a lovely home.

I am here to attend a Hommage (French) or a Celebration of Life for a good friend of mine, Therese. I have posted about Therese before in this blog. I believe it was the fourth or fifth post, beginning this journey in 2013. Here is a link to that post Guess Where I Am. If you click on the area in bold blue it will take you to that link.

Therese was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease at least six years ago. She died in May, two days before I departed for the Amazon. She grew up in North Hatley, Quebec. Today, Saturday there will be services for her in her home town. Since I am close I knew I wanted to attend this celebration. She was my friend.

Therese was my friend. We shared time together. We first met at the college where Jim and her husband worked. She was so nice, and funny and had such a lovely lilting French accent. I knew we would become friends. She was also a nurse and healer. When I was undergoing treatment for breast cancer she would come to the house and we would sit out back and play Scrabble and Bananagram and we would talk not about cancer, not about health, just about life. I was part of a women’s game night at her home and often attended parties at her and Drew’s (her husband) home. Over the years we developed a good friendship that would endure for the rest of her life and my life too. I miss her already.

This past year has been hard. I know that I am seventy, and I still think of that as young. I have lost some good friends, starting last October. I am not doing well with accepting that this can begin to happen at this time of my life. It is time to address this issue so I can learn to accept the departure of friends and others from my life.

Grief has arrived again to remind me of the impermanence of my life and of others. It has made me remember that I have been going through this in some form since Jim, my husband died almost eleven years ago. It wakens part of me that is dormant most of the time. It is a hard and odd teacher. Grief brings me into the present moment. It may sound odd to say that it makes me feel alive in a different way than almost any other thing I have experienced. My emotions sit on the surface as does my heart. I live more in the moment forgetting about the past or future.

This all sounds positive and in ways it is. There are times when it is exhausting and overwhelming. I know after today that it will quiet down again as I remember and mourn those who have left so recently.

In honor of my friends who have moved on:

  • Judy was a long-time friend and teacher. She and her husband, Fred were instrumental in my life for a long time. I will miss her presence. I posted a blog about her and her husband in another early blog post. On the Road Again. I will miss her and her horses and her continuing love and guidance in my life.
  • Gail died last fall. She was my acupuncturist, healer, and friend. She left too soon and I miss her.
  • I met Jon shortly after I moved to San Diego. He was a Morris Dancer as was I. Jon bought the kayaks Jim and I built back in 2019. I miss his delightful presence and his generosity.
  • I also posted about Ron this year. A Cowboy in My Life. Like Judy, they were cowboys I met in Colorado. Ron took care of the property we owned. He was a teacher, a friend, and more. Maybe just maybe Judy and him have met and are now “Riders in the Sky”.

I treasure my friends and have wonderful memories of those who have moved on. All of my friends, close and far have helped shape who I am today and I am grateful for this. I have had some excellent teachers in my life and I value each one. All I can say is thank you to each one. They have all been teachers, down to earth and loving. I will miss each one.

Today I am thankful for the amazing friendships I have formed over the years.

The Adventure is not Over

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After driving through the winds from Hurricane Lee, I safely made it to Moncton, New Brunswick last night. Whew. the winds blew yesterday. Along Highway 104 there were swaths of trees that had blown over in the forests along the way. I drive a high-clearance vehicle so I have learned to slow down and take breaks to relax between stretches of driving. Oh, and breathing is essential, long, slow, and steady.

This morning it is a sunny and lovely almost a fall day. I am waiting patiently while EmmyLou is getting serviced. She has been such a good rig this summer. Now it is her turn to get some love and attention.

Viewpoint of Fjord du Saguenay in Quebec Province

I am not finished with Canada. After my rig is serviced and I see a chiropractor (I am getting serviced too) I am going to be spending more time in New Brunswick as I head toward Quebec Province. I am once again going to cross the St. Lawrence Seaway. This time it is a bridge crossing. I am on my way to Sauganay Fjord National Park. I met several people over the past month who told me it is a must-see. I am already here so why not. I am looking forward to fall in the East. The colors had begun to change a little as I was preparing to leave Newfoundland.

I hope you will join me on my fall adventures in eastern Canada. It is fun to have someone to share stories with and share my photos.

I will remain in Quebec Province for a week before I once again head to the United States and begin to consider heading west. I don’t want to winterize my rig, although I know I can.

This morning is just a quick update.

Happy Autumn Equinox!