I've been asked a few times what the "Big Adventure" is and I guess I should back-track a bit.
A couple of years ago, as I watched Tenaya prepare to finish a particularly intense and difficult program and enter the "real world", I knew that my life as a full-time mom was coming to a close. Perhaps that is not the best way to describe it - I will always be her mother, always a part of her life, but it was time for me to step aside as she began to experience being an independent young woman. It made me start thinking about what my life was about at that point. Up until then, I was dedicated to being there for her (even if I made a bunch of mistakes, like most parents, I still did the best I could) and the jobs I did quite frankly, were incidental to being Mom (no offense, Evelynn! I loved working for Angels Bearing Gifts!) I had no romantic life, no real career, a very small circle of friends (who all have their own lives, of course) and Santa Barbara had begun to lose it's luster. No offense, fellow Santa Barbarians, but that town has become too LA for my taste. And being one of those oddballs who actually likes colder weather, I had often dreamt about venturing north. So, I decided:why not?
That is why a year and half ago I sold my condo and moved to Ashland, OR. I mean, really, why not? We get one shot at this life and when you are alone and have no real ties, why not explore what the world has to offer? OK, it's not like the book "Eat, Love, Pray", but it was the form of adventure I could afford. However, all adventures have to be financially subsidised and there was very little work in Ashland. Add that to another itch to explore a bit more and the next thing I know, I was getting the message to move to Santa Fe for a few months...then spend a few months in San Luis Obispo, Ca with Tenaya...and then see where I get called to next. I see this as an extended retreat. A retreat to go even further within to understand what my purpose is...to work more on my book (gasp! dare I suggest that I even finish it?!) and work on a couple of other projects I have been tossing around. My feeling is that if I limit the distractions of life, I will be able to be more productive. And as a true Pisces, I do get easily distracted!
(wait, what was I talking about?)
(tee hee)
Now, I am going to anticipate that someone is going to ask about the infamous book. I apologize to those of you who have heard this before...in fact, you can skip ahead if you want! The book sprang from an event around Tenaya's second horse, Crystal. The day she was to go to her new owner, we were saying goodbye and a big fat tear rolled down the side of her face. Just about did me in! In fact, I told Tenaya that I was done with saying goodbye to horses...and it is fortunate that she and Missy are bonded for life! Anyway, it occurred to me that horses in the English riding world are a lot like foster children: they are often moved to a new home every couple of years. so I got in contact with a local foster care program and got a lot of information from them. They were happy with my idea to write a book about a couple of horse as if they were foster children. What really surprised me was that there are plenty of books about foster children and none (that they knew of, anyway) for them. So that is my plan.
So, I hope this clears up some things for you. Now, I just have to clear some things up for me...
Friday, February 20, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Do You Know the Way to Santa Fe?
OK ~ we did know the way to Santa Fe, I just like the title!
Actually, the trip was pretty easy - Mom is great navigator and the weather was clear. And I really appreciated having someone else to help out with the driving so that the 8 hour days weren't all that bad. Still, I am not particularly keen on any long road trips for a while. After all I had gone through since January 19th, it felt like I had been driving for a solid week.
The funny bit was about our stops. The first morning I needed a pee break and we decided to stop at Denney's since we knew the bathrooms would be cleaner than a gas station's. As we entered, I said "I could really go for a cup of coffee". Mom countered with "I could go for a pastry!" and before we knew it, we were sitting down to pancakes and coffee. Now, considering that this was one of Dad's favorite places but one Mom resisted because, well, let's face it: Denney's is not known for health food, this was a big deal for us. So we knew Dad was having a good laugh at us. But what the heck? We are on the road and it worked out. And as my brother Rick has stated: "at least it is consistent". He didn't say consistently what, but we'll leave it at that.
Our plan had been to stop later in Flagstaff, AZ for a late lunch/early dinner and then just eat some cheese and crackers once we reached our hotel that evening. However, we managed to miss Flagstaff (in that we drove around rather than through it). So we drove on to a small town that we thought might work out. After all,it seemed sizable and they have a car dealership and auto parts store, etc. so we figured there had to be restaurants. But as we drove up and down the main drag, we couldn't find any! We stopped at the auto parts store for suggestions and the fellow there was embarrassed to tell us that the town was struggling and almost all but one restaurant had gone out of business. That restaurant was a deli and closed after lunch. The only option that he felt safe recommending was...
Denney's.
So guess where we ate?? We figured that it would be late by the time we got to Kingman, AZ and should eat now while we were already stopped. Mom rolled her eyes and I just laughed. I hate to admit it, if you are careful about what you chose, you can have a decent meal there. It was pretty funny.
We had a great hotel room that evening - very spacious, had been pre-heated for us and it included a full breakfast. So we collapsed that night with a bag of truffles (gotta try the Harry & David dark chocolate truffles! To die for!) and a small bottle of red wine. A nice way to recover from a day of driving...and I was VERY aware that it would be the last time I would sleep in a real bed for a very long time. (I am currently spending my nights on an air mattress. We'll see how long I last).
And can you believe it? The next time we stopped for lunch we cruised the town's main drag and ended up at Denney's again!!!! Seriously! We debated it for a while and finally agreed that there was something to say about consistency when you are in an unfamiliar town and want a decent meal and get on your way, so we gave in. I will say that we are both really, really over Denney's as a point of destination!
Happily, when we arrived at Mom's house that evening, her sister Fern had left a home made dinner for us on the front porch. It was a welcome break from you-know-who.
And I put down my car keys and didn't drive again for almost 2 weeks!!!!!
***
It's weird to me that I have only been here 2 1/2 weeks - it feels so much longer. perhaps that's from sleeping on an air mattress...or from just trying to figure out where all the streets go (Santa Fe is soooooo much bigger than Ashland, OR!!)...or from worrying about Tenaya...or worrying about Taz...or from wondering from time to time: what the hell did I just do?!...or, to quote a friend of mine who likes to say "C: All the above!". But things are beginning to settle in a bit now. I am not so afraid to find my way around town and I finally found a place to live and Taz was assisted as was Tenaya.
Taz had a chat with our good friend Nancy, an animal communicator, and he told her that he was PISSED that I didn't ask him if he wanted to make the trip all the way to Santa Fe or if he would be OK staying with Tenaya for a time, etc. He was a very grumpy boy and was leaving all kinds of...err, "gifts" for Tenaya around her apartment to show his displeasure. But having been heard out, he has settled down and is loving to Tenaya and playing with her kitten, Selene. And once he gets his own litter box back, he will probably behave a bit more. Seriously, he said he felt insulted to have to share a litter box. He's a ticked off cat, what would you expect?
As for a place to stay...at first, it looked like I had found a perfect place. All I wanted was a room with my own bathroom. Sure, I haven't had roommates in many, many....many years, but I felt I could do this. After all, my focus being here is working on my projects, not maintaining a home. The place I found was very close to Mom and I would be sharing the place with a young mom, her little girl, 3 cats, a rabbit and a Husky dog. they have a yard and Buttercup would be a happy camper. But 4 days ago, she called me saying that the landlord was raising the rent and she had to see what she could work out and she would let me know. 2 days later, I see she has posted her ad again and with a new rent and move in date. Hmmmm. She didn't return my call and I took this as a sign that something was off. At first I was confused, hurt and then angry (and a bit freaked out - Mom needs her space back and I want to get going on my projects). But then I backed off and decided that it was time to trust. No kidding! Yesterday, I happened to catch the property manager (of the complex Mom lives in) in the laundry room and she told me that an efficiency apartment had opened up and that I could have it. Apparently, they go fast so it was a miracle that I got it the way that I did. What is an "efficiency"? Well, it is smaller than a studio apartment. In fact, the only difference from an efficiency being nothing more than a large bedroom is that there is a tiny stove/oven, sink and tiny fridge in one corner. But you know what? I don't really need much more! I have a big window, the rent is cheap, I can walk to Mom's or Fern's apartments and I don't have to deal with a roommate. Problem solved. and I love that I have access to - and can start moving stuff into - the apartment now even though my lease doesn't start till March 1.
So, with that in mind, I am off to scrounge up bits of furniture and other items I will need for my efficient Efficiency.
Actually, the trip was pretty easy - Mom is great navigator and the weather was clear. And I really appreciated having someone else to help out with the driving so that the 8 hour days weren't all that bad. Still, I am not particularly keen on any long road trips for a while. After all I had gone through since January 19th, it felt like I had been driving for a solid week.
The funny bit was about our stops. The first morning I needed a pee break and we decided to stop at Denney's since we knew the bathrooms would be cleaner than a gas station's. As we entered, I said "I could really go for a cup of coffee". Mom countered with "I could go for a pastry!" and before we knew it, we were sitting down to pancakes and coffee. Now, considering that this was one of Dad's favorite places but one Mom resisted because, well, let's face it: Denney's is not known for health food, this was a big deal for us. So we knew Dad was having a good laugh at us. But what the heck? We are on the road and it worked out. And as my brother Rick has stated: "at least it is consistent". He didn't say consistently what, but we'll leave it at that.
Our plan had been to stop later in Flagstaff, AZ for a late lunch/early dinner and then just eat some cheese and crackers once we reached our hotel that evening. However, we managed to miss Flagstaff (in that we drove around rather than through it). So we drove on to a small town that we thought might work out. After all,it seemed sizable and they have a car dealership and auto parts store, etc. so we figured there had to be restaurants. But as we drove up and down the main drag, we couldn't find any! We stopped at the auto parts store for suggestions and the fellow there was embarrassed to tell us that the town was struggling and almost all but one restaurant had gone out of business. That restaurant was a deli and closed after lunch. The only option that he felt safe recommending was...
Denney's.
So guess where we ate?? We figured that it would be late by the time we got to Kingman, AZ and should eat now while we were already stopped. Mom rolled her eyes and I just laughed. I hate to admit it, if you are careful about what you chose, you can have a decent meal there. It was pretty funny.
We had a great hotel room that evening - very spacious, had been pre-heated for us and it included a full breakfast. So we collapsed that night with a bag of truffles (gotta try the Harry & David dark chocolate truffles! To die for!) and a small bottle of red wine. A nice way to recover from a day of driving...and I was VERY aware that it would be the last time I would sleep in a real bed for a very long time. (I am currently spending my nights on an air mattress. We'll see how long I last).
And can you believe it? The next time we stopped for lunch we cruised the town's main drag and ended up at Denney's again!!!! Seriously! We debated it for a while and finally agreed that there was something to say about consistency when you are in an unfamiliar town and want a decent meal and get on your way, so we gave in. I will say that we are both really, really over Denney's as a point of destination!
Happily, when we arrived at Mom's house that evening, her sister Fern had left a home made dinner for us on the front porch. It was a welcome break from you-know-who.
And I put down my car keys and didn't drive again for almost 2 weeks!!!!!
***
It's weird to me that I have only been here 2 1/2 weeks - it feels so much longer. perhaps that's from sleeping on an air mattress...or from just trying to figure out where all the streets go (Santa Fe is soooooo much bigger than Ashland, OR!!)...or from worrying about Tenaya...or worrying about Taz...or from wondering from time to time: what the hell did I just do?!...or, to quote a friend of mine who likes to say "C: All the above!". But things are beginning to settle in a bit now. I am not so afraid to find my way around town and I finally found a place to live and Taz was assisted as was Tenaya.
Taz had a chat with our good friend Nancy, an animal communicator, and he told her that he was PISSED that I didn't ask him if he wanted to make the trip all the way to Santa Fe or if he would be OK staying with Tenaya for a time, etc. He was a very grumpy boy and was leaving all kinds of...err, "gifts" for Tenaya around her apartment to show his displeasure. But having been heard out, he has settled down and is loving to Tenaya and playing with her kitten, Selene. And once he gets his own litter box back, he will probably behave a bit more. Seriously, he said he felt insulted to have to share a litter box. He's a ticked off cat, what would you expect?
As for a place to stay...at first, it looked like I had found a perfect place. All I wanted was a room with my own bathroom. Sure, I haven't had roommates in many, many....many years, but I felt I could do this. After all, my focus being here is working on my projects, not maintaining a home. The place I found was very close to Mom and I would be sharing the place with a young mom, her little girl, 3 cats, a rabbit and a Husky dog. they have a yard and Buttercup would be a happy camper. But 4 days ago, she called me saying that the landlord was raising the rent and she had to see what she could work out and she would let me know. 2 days later, I see she has posted her ad again and with a new rent and move in date. Hmmmm. She didn't return my call and I took this as a sign that something was off. At first I was confused, hurt and then angry (and a bit freaked out - Mom needs her space back and I want to get going on my projects). But then I backed off and decided that it was time to trust. No kidding! Yesterday, I happened to catch the property manager (of the complex Mom lives in) in the laundry room and she told me that an efficiency apartment had opened up and that I could have it. Apparently, they go fast so it was a miracle that I got it the way that I did. What is an "efficiency"? Well, it is smaller than a studio apartment. In fact, the only difference from an efficiency being nothing more than a large bedroom is that there is a tiny stove/oven, sink and tiny fridge in one corner. But you know what? I don't really need much more! I have a big window, the rent is cheap, I can walk to Mom's or Fern's apartments and I don't have to deal with a roommate. Problem solved. and I love that I have access to - and can start moving stuff into - the apartment now even though my lease doesn't start till March 1.
So, with that in mind, I am off to scrounge up bits of furniture and other items I will need for my efficient Efficiency.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
The Journey Begins
Aren't you all so proud of me?? I figured out how to start a blog all by myself! Will wonders never cease?!
So, the journey here...first of all, I have to give really big props to my big bro, Chad, for actually volunteering to fly up to help me pack, load the truck and drive that mother all the way to San Luis Obispo! Both Chad and my friend "Tall Paul" keep assuring me everthing would fit in my 17ft truck. Ha Ha! I had already sold a ton of furniture (ok, a ton for me!) and given away just as much, but I was having to leave item after item behind. in the end, Paul promised to store what few garden items I had left, a fish statue (don't ask) and my bike until I could return to Ashland to retrieve them. Even then, the truck was filled side to side, top to bottom, end to end! But it was done (and so was everyone involved). I am eterenally grateful to Paul for all the boxes ("you need more, don't you??") and to Laura (who provided so much help, wine and beer, laughter and finally, a cot for me to sleep on that last night) for also volunteering to help out. It was a big lesson for me - to accept help and realize that people would actually be willing to help because they actually like me!
January 19th...we got a bit of a late start so we had to drive in the dark getting into Walnut Creek, CA...but happily, there was no snow on the pass leaving Oregon, so it wasn't too bad. Ok, we were dead exhausted. OH! And the cat, Taz, managed to get outside earlier that morning and it was an odessy to catch and cage him. I almost thought that I was going to have to leave him behind! But we got him and he did pretty well during the drive. Buttercup? that dog is just happy to be involved in anything I do!
At the hotel, we were to exhausted to go out and eat, so we scrounged up whatever we had with us. Taz was freaked out and kept trying to go under the beds (which, thankfully, were on frames that went to the floor, so he couldn't get under them). Finally, he crawled under my sheets and felt safe enough to pass the night peacefully. The next morning we watched the inaugaration over breakfast (so happy we could do that...what a great moment that was, huh kids?) And we were off to San Jose to pick up our mom who was visiting friends. I hadn't seen her in a year, so it was great to give her a hug (and squeeze her into my very full car).
The next few days were spent in San Luis Obispo, CA with my daughter, Tenaya. She is without wheels at the moment, so we spent a bit of time driving around for her. We had lots of laughs, good meals and a little drama about a rental car for Chad (there was a mishap with the company I used and they didn't have a one-way vehicle available. But it got worked out, I didn't make him stay in SLO). Reluctantly, I left Tenaya and Taz (he wasn't going with me to New Mexico)on Saturday and Mom and I drove to Santa Barbara, CA to stay with our buddy, Evelynn. Sunday, our other partner in crime, Meg, met up with us to have a great day of Chinese food, walking labarynths, cruising the Pacifica Institute, meditating at the Vedanta Temple and ending the day with red wine, chocolate truffles and a sunset. Can you beat that?!?!
Mom and I had one day of shopping before taking off for the last leg of the journey to New Mexico.
And THAT is another story, so more on that later!
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