Traveling, Writing and Drinking

 

I had a wonderful birthday in San Francisco with my Z! We spent the morning lounging at the spa and the afternoon hiking the hills of San Fran. Mostly, I cussed and declared I was not going to die. She replied, "Gun it... like that car over there." I could hear the transmission strain as the little car thought it could.

I'm working on the third novel in my Zhara series. Today, I could care less. Another 24,000 words to go and ten days to get them written. (November is National Novel Writing Month)

My Z! found a new beer - Sessions, which was light, crisp and refreshing. I bought Larceny Kentucky Bourbon and received Buffalo Trace as a gift. And...we visited the San Francisco Chocolate Factory. Samples galore! I bought 55% dark chocolate coins and Raspberry Dark Chocolate Truffles. Yum!

See, I've been doing it all, except posting here.

I am thankful to have the time and energy to tend my grand-daughters full time. Freedom from a 40 hour work week allows me the opportunity to explore more of life and enjoy the simple pleasures of playing with children - writing, cooking, cleaning, chasing, dressing, sorting and lots of running.

Next update, finances... How do I keep making this work?

Hot toddies to you!

Harder than I've Ever Worked

My Garden Grows

I quit my job so I could write, travel and drink beer. No sooner than I had returned from San Francisco, my family called me to come "home" and tend my father and brother. My mother had been ill for several months, but was in the hospital and had received a terminal diagnosis. Since then I have been traveling between my personal space (home) and the world of my family of origin.

It has been an emotional roller coaster and I have a series I have been working on called, Notes From the Rabbit Hole. It addresses the insanity I have experienced for the last four months. I have been cooking, cleaning, and sorting in the world I left in 1977. There is more stuff than I could ever imagine. My mother died on March 2 and my father said, throw it all out. No way! There is incredibly cool stuff to share, pass along, or add to my collection of things I really, really need.

I've washed dishes more times in these four months than I have probably in the last three years. I schedule my chores for once a week and make due. But to keep my father from getting up at 6 AM to do dishes, I emptied the sink each night. The recycle staff know me by name. There is a facility that will shred confidential papers while I watch and wait, so I am there every week. We are clearing from 1995, sometimes earlier.

I am traveling. Guess I should have specified where. Some weeks I come home on Monday and return on Tuesday. Today I am home until April as my DA and I will be traveling to San Francisco. I am so ready for both downtime and personal adventure.

I have a standing commitment to drink beer with a friend. It started as Tears and Beer. I needed a place to release the overwhelming feelings and what I thought was my major support failed. I was expected to find levity, but there is a time to laugh and a time to cry. I needed to cry - to weep and wail, bitch and moan.

And I am writing. Not always posting, but my pen finds paper and words flow forth. It takes both time and space to write consistently. Thinking happens on the fly. Sometimes I make notes, but there is work to be tended. No job I have ever held required as much effort as this process and yet, it is precisely because I understand how to get things done that this has gone as well as it has.

Making Sauerkraut

In the midst of all these changes, I continued to make my yogurt. I experimented with Milk Liqueur and have three batches of sauerkraut fermenting. Even while I am away from home, my garden blooms. I have been blessed with five months to spend time with my dying mother, reconnect with my siblings, and help my father reorder his space for this new phase in life. There is still the visit with my daughter and travel with my grand-daughter yet to come. My life is full and I am blessed.


I opportunity was offered and I accepted the time and space to live freely.

My favorite coffee - Cafe Bustelo

Job Opening and Interview

See me here - Garden of the Gods

DA and I went out in the pouring rain shopping for a few "necessities." When I returned to sort the mail it included a letter for a job I had applied for months ago. I have seven days to reply - either schedule or mail back the reply with a reason for decline. I looked at the salary. More than I earned before, but no impressively so, in that I would not have stayed where I was for that rate.

I tossed it aside. I have seven days after all. Then this morning, as I lay in bed three hours past my alarm, I thought, "I could maybe work a day job. It is nice money." DA climbed into bed with a book for us to read. "On the other hand, I wouldn't be available to babysit when the day care is closed or DA is sick." We crawled out of the warmth of the covers, showered and had brunch.

As I stood washing dishes, I thought about going to work again. I had written my daughter with no response. She is living the dream - working in a spa and getting massage as part of her job. She loves what she does and is willing to pick up an extra shift. The last time I worked like that I was working for myself - part time gigs. Someone asked me why  I couldn't just hang in there.This is why?

My job duties were not difficult or challenging. I am almost ready to say a monkey blindfolded could do it. Almost, but not exactly true. But that was how I felt I was treated and eventually that entire lack of respect and regard became too much. Do I want to go to a job where I spend my shift thinking about leaving (for the day or quitting, or even focused on retirement)? Am I willing to be mistreated, by anyone? Am I invested in my worth, my dreams? Do I really believe that I can live well and prosper as I reach for my hearts desire?

Scrubbing the dirt off Kai Lan's bubble machine, I realized this is the Universe checking in with me. Every day we get reminders of our deepest desires. As we learn to heed them we will become more in tune to what is going well. Opening to daily grace strengthens us to overcome obstacles.

Unless you believe, you will not understand. ~ Saint Augustine

 As you prepare to make a change in your life, notice all the ways you are supported. Accept the belief that all Providence is invested in your joy and well-being.

I've been here - Sedona, AZ