Tag Archives: Travel

An Amazon River Adventure is Ready to Begin

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After traveling to the east coast, visiting friends along the way, and having some exciting adventures I am at the precipice of a part of the spring and summer travel plan. In two days I will be flying to Fort Lauderdale, Florida to meet up with a small group of people to fly to the Amazon River in Brazil.

Wait a minute did I just say I am going to the Amazon, the River, Brazil? Yes, that is exactly what I said. I will be spending twelve days aboard the Dorinha. I will be traveling with Amazonia Expeditions on a privately arranged trip. Some of the passengers I know and some I will get to know shortly. In two days.

Two to three times each day we leave our home boat and explore different areas in skiffs or canoes. The flora and fauna are all new. Everything will be exciting and different and new. That is the fun of international travel.

Here are some interesting facts about this mighty river.

  • The Amazon River Once Flowed in the Opposite Direction Between 65 and 145 million years ago, the Amazon River flowed towards the Pacific Ocean, in the opposite direction it flows today. Where the Amazon River’s mouth sits today, there was once a highland that allowed for this westerly flow. The rise of the Andes Mountains in the west forced the Amazon River to reverse course.
  • It’s the Largest River in the World by Volume. The Amazon River has the largest volume of freshwater of any river in the world. The River releases around 200,000 liters of freshwater into the ocean every second. Together, this freshwater flow accounts for nearly 20% of all river water that enters the sea.
  • It is the Second Longest River on Earth. At about 4,000 miles long, the Amazon River is the second-longest river in the world. The Amazon’s impressive length is exceeded by the 4,132-mile-long Nile River.
  • It’s Home to the Amazon River Dolphin, also known as the pink river dolphin, and is one of just four species of “true” river dolphins.
  • It’s Named After a Greek Myth. According to Greek mythology, the “Amazons” were a group of nomadic female warriors that roamed around the Black Sea.
  • A Family Canoed to the Amazon River from Canada. In 1980, Don Starkell and his two sons, Dana and Jeff, left Winnipeg on a canoe towards the Amazon River. Jeff abandoned the trip when they reached Mexico, but Don and Dana ventured on. Nearly two years later, the father-son duo reached the Amazon. By the end of the trip, they had canoed over 12,000 miles.
  • It Has Over 100 Dams 
  • The Amazon River has no Bridges. All 10 million people who live on the banks of the Amazon River can only cross the freshwater flow by boat. The lack of bridges is due, in part, to the seasonal changes in the Amazon River bed. During the rainy season, the Amazon River can rise over 30 feet, tripling the width of the River in some places.
  • It Crosses Through Four Countries. The Amazon River passes through Brazil, Columbia, Peru, and Venezuela, with Brazil holding by far the largest portion of the River.  
  • It’s Where 40% of All Water in South America Ends Up. The Amazon River’s height rises substantially in the rainy season because around 40% of all of South America’s water ends up in the River.

This river will be my home for 12 days. I am excited and a bit anxious all at the same time. Excited most people can understand. Why anxious? I love to travel. It was my job for thirteen years. I was an International Tour Manager, taking people on tours to Mexico, the Panama Canal, and throughout the United States and Canada.

The unknown makes me a bit anxious. Have I packed the right things? Are my flights all status quo? What if I miss the boat? (that is almost guaranteed not to happen on this trip. What if I get sick? What will travel post Covid be like? What if other members of the group don’t like me? What if, What if, What if….????

I am thankful that I can find things to keep myself busy. It helps keep the anxiousness at bay. I breathe often, deep and slow and relaxing. I take the kayak out. I go on a bike ride. Tonight I went over to the dam and watched a female duck try to convince the last of the babies to come up over the dam. It didn’t work but it was entertaining to watch. Diversion helps get rid of being anxious.

Above the Dam
Below the Dam

Monday I check my list. I make sure that everything is ready to go – I am ready to go and my stuff is ready to travel with me.

And then…I take a deep breath and head off into the unknown.

The River-A Cell Phones Nemesis

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In 2015 I stepped into the smartphone world. Since I already had other Apple products, it seemed like a natural progression to continue with another product. I purchased an iPhone 6 and began my education in Smartphone technology.

I love adventure. I like to explore parts of my world that are sometimes hard to get to. I love the Southwest. I really like Zion National Park. I am so fortunate to have good friends that live outside the park. There is a section of the park called the Subway. From the top down one needs ropes and knowledge that there is rappeling into cold river water, more than once.

The Subway from the Bottom Up

One can also hike the Subway from the bottom up. This trail also presents its own set of challenges. There really is no trail, it is a set of social trails that progresses down a steep slope to the river. Then you follow the river for three miles to arrive at the beginning of the subway. It is not an easy hike. It is a great visual hike.

In 2017 I hiked the Subway from the bottom up. I just arrived at the Subway part of the hike, when I fell off a log into the river along with my day pack that held my iPhone 6. Oh no, what was I to do. The phone was wet and I was a long way from help. I dried the phone off the best I could and continued with my hike. Nine hours later I returned to my friends exhausted and happy. I took my phone apart, yep you could do that, and dried it out. The next day it worked although it had developed a dark side. The right upper side of the phone was black, it worked and so I kept it for a few more years until the dark side began to cover more of the screen. I decided to upgrade to an iPhone 8.

I was happily using my new phone with no issues until…..I met another River. 2021-I was kayaking on the Provo River near Utah Lake in the state of Utah. It is a very silty river and a beautiful place to kayak. I stopped to fix something on my kayak and before I could stop it my phone in its waterproof container disappeared into the river. That river is definitely deeper than it looked. I tried for over an hour to rescue my iPhone 8 without success. Each time I tried to reach it with my kayak paddle the silt would stir up and I would lose sight of it. Other kayakers tried their hand at rescuing it, without success. I had to admit defeat and off I went to the Verizon Store to ask for help. I also called a good friend, Melissa, to mourn my loss. It is good to have friends.

First Photo from my iPhone 12

My iPhone 12 stayed with me until two weeks ago when I met another river up close and personal. On my current trip to the east coast of the United States, I spent three weeks with friends in Florida. We camped and biked and kayaked on the rivers and springs of northern Florida. The last river was the Juniper River. It was a quick, shallow river through a beautiful area. There were alligators, one giant one, and one rapid.

As you may know, I am a photographer. After I am safely on the water I often take my cell phone out of its waterproof case so I can take photos. After successfully managing the rapid, I got caught in an eddy. As I tried to push off the kayak tipped and there went cell phone number three. I got wet, it got wet and the kayak had its first experience of flipping. I worried about my cell phone. My friend Missy was concerned about my camera that was safely inside a dry bag. I kept thinking about that giant alligator up the river. Needless to say, I got out of that river in record time.

Initially, the phone worked fine and I thought all was good. The next morning the phone would not wake up. Oh sigh. Once again the river won. I am now an owner of an iPhone 14.

First Photo on the iPhone 14

When one does not lead a dull life these things happen. When one leads any kind of life these things happen. I feel personally responsible for my phone so I have mourned the passing of each one. I have to talk myself out of deciding I am a bad phone owner and recognize that these things happen not just to me but to many others as well. I am sure we all have phone stories to tell.

In three weeks I am flying to the Amazon in Brazil for two weeks. Oh no, another river! A mighty river. Hopefully, I will be able to keep hold of my new phone so the river does not take it away. No matter what me and my phone will venture south to enjoy an adventure on the Amazon.

Today I am grateful for coming clean and admitting to my cell phone debacle. I have always wanted to be truthful in these blog posts. I want to show my humanity. Today I am grateful for truth and for revealing my humanness.

Today I am grateful.

A Year of Travel & Attempting to Plan

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I don’t like to plan. I am a last-minute planner. I figure that everything will work itself out and no matter where I am or what I am doing, I will love it to the best of my ability. Vacations and life are an adventure, after all.

People ask me what is next and I often reply “I don’t know”. I think that response bothers others more than it does me, although, it makes me edgy and uncomfortable because I really don’t know what is next.

This year I am planning three trips. Whoa, what? Planning? Janet is planning? Yes, I am, to the best of my ability. Whew. Some require more planning than others.

Where am I going?

Trip One-Heading East

  • My rig and I are heading east. It has been almost four years since I have seen my family and east coast friends due to Covid. I decided it was time to go visit.
  • This feels like a similar trip to the first trip I made in my RV all those many years ago, in 2013. I expect this trip to be a bit different. That first trip was made out of grief and desperation and need. I needed love and support. After ten years the grief has settled and I have found my way toward acceptance. Ah. Not that I still don’t need love and support.
  • My first major stop will be in Englewood, Florida. I have very good and dear friends there and look forward to seeing them. How long will I stay there? I don’t know.
  • I will make my way up the east coast, visiting friends as I travel north to New Jersey.
  • New Jersey will be my first lengthy stop with family. My sister and her husband live on the lake where my sisters and I spent our summers growing up. As Ginny says, “the door is always open”.

Trip two-Brazil and the Amazon

  • Brazil and the Amazon River are calling. A small group of friends and soon-to-be friends are traveling the Rio Negro and Amazon Rivers. Birds, wildlife, music, and friendship. Who could ask for more?
  • This trip will be more concise. Some of the planning has already been completed. I had been procrastinating on making my flight reservations from New Jersey to Florida, where we meet up prior to flying to Brazil. With the encouragement of my friend Mary, I finally made the reservation while we were in Mexico in January.

After that trip, it is back to New Jersey and family and friends and summer on the lake. But wait, there is more.

Trip Three-Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, and beyond.

  • As I make my way north through New England I will visit friends in Vermont and Maine.
  • I will be joining my friend Cori and we are off to explore the Maritime Provinces. Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Foundland. This is an interesting dilemma. Cori and I don’t like to plan. Shoot there is no one to take the lead. I am sure we will work it out. And as Cori says, since she has never been there before she will like whatever she sees. Definitely a beginner-mind attitude.

After trip three, I give up. No more planning for me. I will wander my way west to visit friends as I move. When will I return west? Before the snow flies. I just don’t like crossing mountain passes in the winter. As you know, I really don’t like to winterize my rig.

What happens between all these waypoints is totally up to me. I hope to find new places to explore and be amazed at. Maybe I will visit other friends I have not mentioned here. Maybe I will make new friends as I move east. Maybe, Maybe, Maybe-it is totally up to me.

March twenty-first is my departure date. I have one more trip to Santa Barbara. My rig needs a once over and Dan, all things Roadtrek, is in Santa Barbara. I will start my east coast adventure from one of the furthest land points in the lower forty-eight. It will be a true west-to-east adventure.

Currently, I am finishing things up in San Diego. Repeat labs were normal and that is good. A dental cleaning is done and the report was mostly good. Whew. I am visiting with friends and spending time cleaning out my storage unit. It is work. It is time I need to prepare.

The first two months of the New Year has brought me amazement and adventure. I hope to continue the adventure for the rest of the year and you can come along for the ride. You are always welcome.

Farewell Mexico-Hello United States

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Ah, my adventure into a small section of Mexico is coming to a close. Tomorrow a small group of us will caravan to the United States Border and just like that this trip to Mexico will come to a close and become a memory.

It has been a fine two and a half weeks. I have seen a lot and relaxed even more. I visited two areas of Mexico, San Carlos Guyamas and Alamos.

One, San Carlos, is on the beach and the other is in the Sierra Madre Mountain Range. The beach was a place to have fun, kayaking, walking, and biking, birding, and more importantly, visiting with the people I traveled with.

The other town, Alamos took me more into the interior and I got a taste of life in traditional Mexico. The town is old and what I would expect to see in Mexico. There is a lot of art and culture in this place. One night we went to the former actor, Rip Torn’s home for a benefit dinner. The house was fascinating and the food, all vegetarian, was amazing. It was an eight-course meal.

The restaurants in Alamos were delicious and enticing. I was able to experience a more classic Mexican cuisine. In ways, it was similar to what I have tasted in the United States yet there were dishes that I experienced here that I have not experienced in my country.

The eight others I traveled with were a delightful mix of couples and solo travelers. We meshed well. Bobbi was our leader in the arts. We painted rocks, shells, and seed pods. Many became great works of art. There was singing, yoga, and more. As a group, we meshed well. I am leaving richer for meeting and knowing these people.

I have learned that when I need time alone, I take it. Having traveled solo for most of the past ten years, there were moments when I was done being social. My rig and my bike gave me a way to leave for a while so I could return and be social again. This group supported all the members of its community. I like a loosely formed group. I like that others can support each of our independence.

What is next? I am not sure. It is a bit chilly north of the border currently. I am going to try to find a place where I don’t have to winterize my vehicle. Winterizing has to be done when it gets below Thirty degrees Fahrenheit. It is not hard to do but it is time-consuming and I guess I am inherently lazy.

Until tomorrow, I am planning to enjoy my last day “south of the border”. I have already been kayaking-I got up early so I could take advantage of the tide and the wind or the lack thereof. I have been birding. Now it is time to get myself ready to cross the border.

Until I return to Mexico again, Via con Dios.

Curious Minds Want to Know

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After closing out a quiet Christmas and New Year with my friends Cynthia and Ward, I am on the road.

Through the end of December, I worked on my rig. I made lists, and I completed tasks. Some were easy and some were a bit harder than I first imagined they would be. Come January first, we were ready to go. With a fond farewell to my San Diego friends, I headed east into the desert. I took my time driving east. The desert greeted me with a beautiful rainbow.

After spending time with the Sandhill Cranes and Snow Geese at the Sony Bono Wildlife Refuge, I ended my first day camping next to Squaw Lake on the California/Arizona border. This is quickly becoming a favorite stopover or destination. It is remote yet close enough to larger towns to make it an excellent winter home base. This time I stayed for a night.

Squaw Lake

You just might wonder where I am heading. I am on my way to Mexico. I have good friends who travel there every winter with the exception of the Pandemic Years. This year Mary invited other mutual friends from Michigan and me to join them. We meet up south of Tucson tomorrow and on January fifth we cross over into Mexico via Nogales.

What does one do to prepare to go “south of the border”?

  • Make sure that my Passport is up to date. It was not so I hurriedly filled out the appropriate paperwork and sent it off to the Federal Government.
  • Make duplicate copies of everything. (driver’s license, vehicle registration, passport)
  • Buy auto insurance for Mexico. Have a paper copy in hand.
  • EmmyLou my rig went off to Mercedes for a check-up.
  • Exchange money, Mexican Pesos are a must.
  • Check my credit cards to make sure there are no foreign taxes to use in other countries.
  • What about my phone plan? Verizon has me covered.
  • Learn a little Spanish.
  • What does my bathing suit look like? Ach, time for a new one.

And the list goes on. I am a bit nervous about this trip. I have a tendency to worry since Jim, my husband died. I have fussed about this adventure quite a bit. I am never clear as to why I worry but worry I do. I have found, like fear, if I make worrying my ally it can help me. Then I can develop a clearer picture of why I am worrying, or not and move on. I remind myself that thousands of people do this every year. I am not the first to venture into Mexico.

With the support of friends on Thursday I cross the border into Mexico. It is good to have friends that are willing to push me a little so I can find a new edge to my comfort zone.

Stay tuned, as I share my adventure south of the border with you.

Roadtreking & Friends

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I have owned my Roadtrek since 2013. It has been an adventure like no other. My Roadtrek and I have been a friend magnet.

It all started with a blog. I know, you think it was this blog. No, it was another. After I wrote my first post on my blog, I was contacted by Mike the owner of the former Roadtrek Lifestyles blog. He asked me to become a guest reporter for that blog. Little did I know what this exposure would do for my life.

People from all over the United States and Canada followed my travel adventures via the Roadtrek Lifestyle blog. It took about a year before I started posting to meet the first fellow Roadtrekers at San Simeon State Park on the Big Sur Coast of California. Appropriately enough we met at the “Dump Station”. That is where we empty our black and gray water tanks. Although they knew me and Miss Elsie the Cat I did not know them until that moment in time.

Then it started to happen more often.

Linda & Pancho & Mary Z
  • I pulled the front-end bumper off my rig in Crescent City, Oregon. No, I don’t want to go into details. I had to go to Medford Oregon for repairs. When I mentioned it on my Facebook page, Mary Z responded that she lived in Medford. She opened her home to me for a week while the rig was in the shop. Mary and I have been friends since that week. We meet about once a year, minus the Covid years. I have been on grand adventures with her with more to come. She owns a Roadtrek.
  • Through Mary, I met Linda, who lives in Boise, Idaho. She is married with a grown son. When she is in need of Linda time, she travels solo in her Roadtrek. The three of us were hiking in the desert when I fell and broke my ankle. Ah, yes the adventure continues. Linda and I have been friends ever since that desert meetup. I stayed with her in Bosie. I have spent a summer in her mountain cabin, staying remote during Covid 2020. It is a great place in the mountains with nearby lakes. I have pet sat for her and she pet sat for Elsie the Cat.
  • I am currently house and cat sitting for Mandy. Guess what? She owns a Roadtrek. We met at a rally and camped together with Ann (she owns an RT too) after the rally was complete.
Sunset Over Puget Sound
  • Sandy and Jim used to own a Roadtrek. Today they own a high clearance B class RV. They own a home on Whidbey Island, Washington. I house-sat for them last year and am returning in about nine days for a second round of house sitting this summer. They are a lovely couple and have a prime spot looking west over Puget Sound. It is fun to turn a virtual friendship into a real one.
  • I met Pat and George and their two Basenjis at a parking lot on the Oregon Coast. We had lunch and have shared stories and time together.
  • In the winters I head to the desert. For two seasons I have met Jim and Rhonda and Cricket at the Fountain of Youth Spa and RV resort. Yep, they own an RT.
  • Mary B and I met in southern New Mexico. She was traveling with Frank the Cat and Roxie the Dog. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Mary had to sell her RT and move to Apache Junction outside of Phoenix. Frank has passed on to kitty heaven. Mary’s two new kitties, Boo and Buddy, and Roxie the dog remain good friends.
Phoebe the Cat
  • Campskunk & Sharon are so well known in the Roadtreking community. They live full-time in their rig along with Miss Phoebe the Cat. They spend their winters in Florida, start to head west at the end of winter, and finally reach the Oregon coast in July. Campskunk has helped me with my rig. He knows a lot about the workings of these machines. Thanks to him, my latest adventure was fixing leaks in my side windows. Thanks, Campskunk for the suggestion of Captain Tolley’s Creeping Crack Cure the leaks are gone.
  • Pat, Mary, Linda, Dorothy, Jim and Cindy, Helen & David & Percy, Lela, Cory, MaryEllen & Sue and so many more. These are not just passing acquaintances. Most of these relationships have turned into friendships. We plan meet-ups. I house and pet sit for some. Others took care of Elsie the Cat when I ventured further afield, Alaska comes to mind.

A week ago Sandy and Pat from Cool, CA came to Salinas for a visit. We usually meet in the desert but this year we kept missing each other. It has been over two years since I have seen them. They own a Roadtrek. When they arrived they took over the driveway in their home on wheels. They came in and out of the house as needed. It was fun to cook with them in Mandy’s great kitchen. When I was busy they took off hiking. When I was not busy we headed for Elkhorn Slough for some kayaking time. We were completely amazed at the plethora of wildlife on the Slough. Pat had to wait patiently while Sandy and I stopped to take frequent photos. It was so much fun to have them come and visit for five days. It was good to catch up and expand and grow our strong friendship. I am so honored to know them.

Sandy & Pat
Sea Otter
Harbor Seal
Pelican
Marbled Godwit

If I haven’t mentioned all of you who I have met through Roadtreking and RVing, you know who you are, and please know you have enriched my life in so many ways.

I no longer blog for Mike. His direction has changed and so has mine. It has been several years since I last posted on his RV blog. The Roadtrek Lifestyle blog, my blog, and a few other events have drawn me into a strong and wonderful community of fellow travelers and friends. I never cease to feel blessed to know such wonderful and kind people.

Today I am thankful for my Roadtreking friends who have loved and supported me, no matter what.

Today I am thankful for my cute little Roadtrek and the lifestyle it has introduced me to. Today I am thankful for friends.

Lessons of Nature

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I left San Diego at the end of April. I am thankful for slow and easy journeys in my Roadtrek. As I moved north I had time to stop and explore. I love the coast of California. Actually, the whole west coast is pretty magnificent. It has got to do with water and rugged nature. Much of the Pacific Coast in the United States is a cold and rough ocean.

Carpenteria State Beach

I arrived at Carpenteria State Beach, near Santa Barbara, for a four-night stay. I have learned to speak up if I don’t find a campsite to my liking. I was originally in a parking site between two rigs. There was no picnic table and I felt like I was in a parking lot. When I spoke to the ranger, he gave me three sites to look at. I found the perfect site. Although the park was busy my site was quiet. I remained there for four nights.

There are moments in time that are special in my life. One of them occurred while camping at Carpenteria. This is spring and the Snowy Plovers were sitting on eggs or managing their young. They are protected, so the area where they are nesting was closed off to the public.

I spent a morning sitting outside the roped-off area watching the babies and adult Plovers. I have seen signs for the Snowy Plovers before, yet this is the first time I have actually had the opportunity to see the adults and babies.

Here are some facts about these sweet little birds.

  • Snowy Plovers are pale brown shorebirds, that forage for invertebrates on ocean beaches and in desolate salt flats and alkaline lakes. Snowy Plovers make nearly invisible nests on beaches, where they are easily disturbed by humans, dogs, and beach vehicles.
Adult Snowy Plover
  • They are endangered. Partners in Flight estimates a global breeding population of 31,000, of which an estimated 24,000 breed in the U.S. Presently, fewer than 2,000 breeding plovers remain in the Pacific coast population.
  • Their camouflage is perfect for their environment. If I took my eyes off the young ones it took a bit to find them again.
  • Young Snowy Plovers leave the nest within 3 hours of hatching and are able to forage unassisted almost immediately (though the parents still brood them periodically to keep them warm). If a predator approaches, the parent gives a signal and the chicks flatten themselves against the ground.
  • Snowy Plovers often raise 2 broods of chicks a year. Females occasionally desert their mates when the chicks hatch to begin a new nest with a different male.
  • The oldest recorded Snowy Plover was 15 years and 9 months old when it was spotted in Oregon and identified by its band.

It was an honor to see these little birds and photograph them. Their curiosity was infectious. They made me laugh and feel joy. They remind me of the fragility and strength of life in all forms. It is important to support all life that is left in this world, even these little shorebirds. Every time another species disappears, I feel that a little of you and me disappears as well.

I am so grateful to be given these opportunities in nature. Nature gives me the opportunity to grow and strengthen, to experience joy and delight.

Today I am thankful for the Snowy Plovers. Today I am thankful for nature. Today I am Thankful.

Those Tiny Blessings & Magic Moments

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Happy New Year. It has been another odd and interesting year. Already I hear people saying, “Whew I am glad 2021 is over”. There are reasons that we might want to see this year go and welcome another year to try again.

It is so easy to reflect on the negative things that happened over the last twelve months, they were so in your face. I wonder how I might reflect on the year that has ended if I took a moment to remember some of the small moments of magic that helped 2021 not look so bad after all.

  • Kayaking on the North Fork of the Payette River, Idaho, early in the morning and seeing a mother moose and her baby, wading through the shallows. No one else around just me. Just me and nature.
  • Hundreds of snow geese flying around and over my rig. It was so amazing to hear their wings and feel a bit of the wind they created as they flew.
  • Seeing the first sunset from Jim’s and Sandy’s home, where I house sat on Whidbey Island. After a month I thought I would not have to take any more photos of sunsets and then I would turn around and there was another sunset that required another photo.
  • Long walk on the beaches. One day I watched a large flock of seagulls diving in to the water over and over again as they fished in a school of fish.
  • One day, one walk on a beach on the west side of Whidbey Island I almost walked right into an eagle who was standing on the beach. I was looking at birds out in the water and didn’t see him right in front of me.
  • Flowers, oh the iris, daffodils that transitioned through to the season of lilacs, rhododendrons, dhalias and more. It has been many years where I have seen so many wonderful flowers.
  • My friendship with a little brown bird, a song sparrow, that lasted for six months. He discoved me one day in the spring when I was playing a sound on one of bird apps, trying to identify his song. He would come every day and sit on my ankle, knee, arm and eventually made his way to my shoulder and head. He provided me with hours of entertainment and outright joy. As the seasons progressed towards fall, I saw him less. Every few days he would show up in the yard and we would greet each other like long lost friends. I am glad he still has his wild bird life and I am so grateful for his adventure into my life. I will never look at a little brown bird the same again

Click on this photo of my brown birdy and see him on my Head.

  • Friends, I am blessed with such wonderful friends. Thanks to vaccines and masks and cautiousness, I was able to see some of my friends in person. For a long weekend this July seven of us, all owning Roadtreks, gathered at a State Park along the Oregon coast to visit and hike and reconnect. It was a delight.
  • Some of my friends appeared on my doorstep while i was house sitting on Whidbey Island. It was a welcomed reprieve from spending so much time alone. I treasure my friends.
  • I had neighbors on Whidbey Island, Robyn and Tom who quickly became friends. I enjoyed being invited to small gatherings at their place. I also joined them for a movie night at a local theater in Langley. Tom was my go to person for anything I needed help with. I am grateful for my connection with them.
  • I visited my friend Pat on San Juan Island. She and I are both photographers. One day we discovered the foxes of the island. It was so exciting to see them and share that moment with someone who was as excited as I was.
  • Amazing Boondockers Welcome campsites in the Phoenix area. I met such lovely people and the sites were lovely to camp in.

Now I know I could go on yet I think you get the idea. There was a lot of magic out there in 2021. I don’t think any of us had to look far to see it. We just had to acknowledge it when it showed up.

What were your magic moments and tiny blessings from this past year? Take a moment and reflect back, I can almost guarantee you will find at least one moment that enriched and changed your life.

Today at the start of the New Year, I am glad to have had a chance to review the moments from 2021 that make me smile, knowing I have changed and grown because of them.

I am thankful for this past year and with excitement and wonder, I am moving into this New Year waiting to see how it will unfold.

Saying Farewell

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After two and a half months, today, I leave Whidbey Island. I am certainly leaving with mixed emotions. For those of you who have not been here, this place is amazing. And…while many of you are suffering in heat…it has been in the low seventies and beautiful here.

Each day Puget Sound sparkles below me. The Olympic Range shows in the distance. It is so relaxing and comfortable here. The sunsets continue to be amazing. I keep telling myself I do not need to take more photos of sunsets and each evening I, once again, will be out on the deck with my camera. I have enjoyed the opportunity to walk the beaches, kayak the lakes, and Sound and bike the byways.

Every day I see Mama deer walk through the yard with their fawns wandering behind. Yesterday I found a fawn laying and hiding in a flowerbed by the rig. We kept startling each other.

The sweet little sparrow still comes around every day. He sings at the windows and doors. I have tried to alienate him a bit but he is quite persistent. I was reading recently that young birds can attach themselves to humans. As they grow they will leave this attachment behind. I keep telling him I am leaving so hopefully he picks up on this vibe.

Yesterday I was over at the neighbors house visiting and saying farewell. I had left the front door open as I had been going in and out frequently. On my return to the house guess who was in the house? You guessed it. That little bird had taken the opportunity to check out my digs or to find his buddy. He was not happy because, of course, he could not figure out how to get back out. Ay Yi Yi. He did find his way out again with a little encouragement from me.

I will miss the water life. I will return. I love the north country in the summer. It is usually too hot to stay south for too long. I do look forward to visiting with family and friends that I have put off seeing due to covid. I am looking forward to the company on the thousand-mile drive south. All of it will be fun and a wonderful adventure. Yet I will look at all my photos with longing.

I feel so blessed by the people I have come to know since Jim’s death. I had no idea that buying my Roadtrek would open me to so many new and wonderful adventures. I had no idea I would meet and become friends with so many good and kind people. I had no idea I would be house sitting on Whidbey Island.

I am grateful that I have been able to stretch and reach beyond my comfort zone to embrace and live an unusual lifestyle. It has become quite the adventure.

Living With or Without Cancer-Getting Ready to Roll

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“There’s always a story. It’s all stories, really. The sun coming up every day is a story. Everything’s got a story in it. Change the story, change the world.” – Terry Pratchett

Today I am changing my story. Instead of dying with cancer I am now living with cancer. It is possible that I am fooling myself and there is no cancer within me to live with. Well that is a cool thought.

Moores Cancer Center

Last Wednesday, with the support of Yvonne, we drove to the Moores Cancer Center at UCSD (University of California San Diego). I had a second opinion appointment with one of the primary head and neck surgeons. I define second opinions as a way to gather more information, so that I can be comfortable making a decision that will shape and define my life.

This whole complex of buildings that makes up the cancer center and other technologies are imposing as you drive in. The structures are big and impressive. There is one building that is dedicated to all things radiological speaking. The Novel Technology building is so new that the staff is not sure what it does. I was curious enough to do some on line research. It appears that it is a specialty that works with deep brain tumors and microscopic surgery. Interesting. It is good to be impressed by what I see.

My appointment went well. I met with Dr Brummond and his associates. They were kind and amazingly good listeners, especially the medical student that did the intake interview. Most of the information that I was given was not new, but that is what I wanted, a confirmation that my surgeon and endocrinologist were on the right track. I will have the other half of my thyroid removed upon my return from Africa (yes I am going). I did receive one new piece of information. This doctor feels that if the biopsy on the left thyroid comes back negative for cancer he believes I don’t need the radioactive iodine treatment. So I will gather that information into the ongoing puzzle of thyroid cancer.

Dr Brummond feels it will be OK to wait until my return in the fall to have the surgery to remove the other half of the thyroid. That is good news, really good news. I am relieved that this appointment is over and that I can begin to really plan for a trip of a lifetime. I imagine my friend and travel companion, Phyllis is glad to hear this too.

With the help of a therapist I am now getting ready to go into the final planning mode for this trip. Today I got my typhoid shot. All the other meds are gathered and ready to go. I am planning to leave San Diego this coming Monday and begin an amble east. Elsie says her bags are packed as well. I am daring to allow myself to get excited without getting overwhelmed. Living with cancer allows me to dare, to get excited, to dream. I was already getting weary of the feeling of dread that has been hanging over me. As I take each step towards Africa, the dread will disappear more and more.

My life is too short to be fearful and experience dread. That is a hard way to live. I would rather live hopefully and with a little or a lot of joy, depending on the day. These are always personal choices we all have to make every single day of our lives. Yes even you, dear reader are included here. Sometime the choice to live with hope is easy. Other days well we all have to dig a bit deeper to find that place. And so dig I shall.

Getting to Roll…New Jersey here I come….AFRICA here I come.