Soul Runnings

 Hello Friends! I am at one of my favorite places, replenishing my energy.  My neighborhood library. This is me in my happy place - the library! And yes, I realize it looks like a tree is growing out of my head! The last weekend was a whirlwind. I literally just touched down in Portland 1 hours ago. My sweet man picked me up from the airport. I was only gone three days, but it felt like an eternity. Absence really does make the heart grow fonder. As I type this, I realize that I did not wish him a Happy Valentine's Day!   We're really not mushy like that. Just realizing how much we miss each other when we are apart is enough for me.  Plus he let me borrow the truck so I could stop at the library before I head to work. This morning I feared I would not make it back in time to teach my students.  I had set my alarm for 3:30 a.m. The plan was to get up and order a Lyft ride to the Greyhound station, catch the 5:00 a.m. bus from Twin Falls to Boise and then boa...

 " The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."  Lao Tzu My online piano lesson setup Hi Friends! My man and I sat down at a corner coffee shop the other day and actual wrote out a hypothetical daily schedule. I was so happy! But I tried to contain myself. People like me get super excited about planning our days in advance. I like having a structure of daily required activities.  I do leave room for flexibility. Once I have my schedule, I can breathe. I can also be creative within that structure. What do I do daily?  I teach piano.  I make my bed. Do laundry for the household. I shower.  I pray. I plan meals. (For the time being, I only make one big meal a week at my son's house.  Then I package up portions for everyone in attendance. The original goal was to help them with meals since the birth of my newest grandchild, Aria. But everyone is really enjoying these Sunday meals, including me! So they will continue.  This Sunday we're makin...

Hi Friends! Let me start out by saying I've been a bit off today. I've fought to keep my head and spirits up. It was hard work weaning myself off of Effexor.  And I am determined not to return.  Luckily I have an arsenal of tools at my disposal. My most effective weapon against doom and gloom is working out at the gym with my son.  Today was Day 6!  (Ironically, he is also quitting smoking. Today was his 11th day without a cigarette. Woot woot! He told me he absolutely NEEDS to workout. It is his new addiction. Two nights ago, after hanging out with with his son and daughter (my 5th grandbaby!), I was tired and about to head home to my man.  I've been feeling turbulence in the sea of our relationship lately.  Probably due to my bipolarness.  But he's still here. And I love him for sticking by me.  Anyway, I was about to leave, when my son said he was going to the gym. It was already close to 8 p.m.  I told him I was awfully tired and needed t...

Day 1   Day 2 Day 3 Day 4   Hello Friends! I am so happy right now.  Here I am at the Belmont Library. I had a short day of teaching and then hoofed on over here to pick up a hold and do some computer work.  It is a stunningly beautiful day here in Portland, Oregon.  The sky is clear and baby blue. The air is crisp and cold, but the wind is still. For now. After the library, I'm heading out for an early dinner with my man.   I realize that I left you at "I plan on being gentle with myself" at my last post. But this week I worked out like a beast! Or perhaps I should say WITH a beast. My son! We met at the gym 4 days this week.  It brought back such fond memories from earlier days. When he was a kid.  First there was T-ball, then Taekwondo, then basketball. Interspersed in those sports, was the gym.  He's a good workout partner. He works out hard  - like a beast! We meet there and usually tell each other what our goals for the day ar...

 ...and what have I done? Yesterday was my birthday. And today I am quite content with my age. First of all, turning 60 is not as tragic as I had imagined many, many moons ago. I feel like I have shed so much baggage over the last few years. And more importantly, gained a gentler perspective on life. Grandchildren will do that! As of this moment, I have 4 grandchildren; a 4 year-old granddaughter, a 2 year-old grandson and 7 1/2 month old twin granddaughters. Ask me at some not so distant moment in the future, and I will have 5!  My son and his wife are very pregnant.  My newest granddaughter is due 1/18.  We thought she might make a landing yesterday, 1/14. That was my birthday.  The big 6 0hhhh! For the last year I was seeing this birthdate as a kind of destination. I was hoping to have reached my desired weight.  That didn't quite happen.  But so much more did. We are still stuck in a pandemic. With that has come many changes.  At first there w...

Hello Again My Friends! I left you hanging at the truck stop last post! So, we had just pulled into the overflowing parking lot at the Flying J Truck Stop in La Grande, Oregon.  Both directions of the I-84 freeway were closed to traffic.  The bus driver, a very sweet, gentle man with a strong Russian accent, (I'll call him Viktor), found a place to squeeze the bus in. Then he hopped and and grabbed the microphone. "Passengers, please remain seated.  I am going to go into the truck stop and explain our predicament.  I am going to take a woman with me to show peaceful intentions!" We all chuckled, knowing that our group was quite the motley crew! Viktor grabbed Mama Bartender and went inside.  I leaned my head against the window frame and gazed out into the snow.  Semi trucks were parked everywhere they could fit in the parking lot and lined up down the sidestreets.  We finally received news that the freeway was closed, not due to weather but do to an ac...

 Dear Friends: I'm back and ready to finish the story! Where we left off, I had boarded the Greyhound in Twin Falls shortly after 5:00 a.m. and collapsed in my seat, ready for some rest and relaxation.  It was a smooth, quiet 2 hour ride to Boise. Still dark, there was not much scenary to watch outside the windows, so I balled up my coat to make a little pillow which I jammed between my head and the window.  Before I knew it, we were pulling into the parking lot of a Flying J convenience store in Boise. The bus driver bellowed we all had to debus so it could be cleaned and sanitized.  We would be on our way in about 30 minutes with a new driver. So far, so good! I hopped off the bus and went into the Flying J in search of refreshment. I ordered a breakfast burrito and orange juice and went back outside to wait. It was bitter cold, but the burrito warmed my tummy.  Back on board, our new driver, picked up the microphone to greet us. He had a pleasant, but very st...