Before I begin, let me assure you, technical difficulties kept me from writing last week. I received questions about the truthfulness of that claim. A perfect storm of inadequate WIFI, my cumbersome website, and an old laptop combined to make transmission of any posts impossible. Frustration increased with picture-perfect views of a crystal blue ocean complete with breaking waves that glistened like jewels. Now, back on the high desert plains, there are far fewer distractions and much better band-width.
What a week it was wandering out west on the beautiful beaches of the Pacific Ocean. After the insanity of primaries and caucuses, it was wonderful to check out and take a vacation. It’s been a minute since we’ve taken the dogs to Puppy Camp for an escape. Vacationing at our favorite beach town has been on the calendar since last summer. It’s now a solid Valentine’s tradition to travel to the ocean for a week of rest and relaxation. Retirement can be grueling.
As dogs go, ours are pretty normal. As two housebound winter-pups, it seemed they were getting into more trouble every day. From stealing porkchops to chewing up money, the two have been a handful. They were ready for a vacation, too.
Traveling from the high desert plains of Northwestern Nevada to the beautiful Pacific Ocean isn’t for the faint of heart. Driving the shortest way, it’s an eight hour trip with minimal stops for food and breaks. I’m so thankful that HHH was willing to drive. Even more so when a large part of the trip involved traveling through snow country over Donner Pass in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. (We packed extra snacks.)
Traveling to visit Auntie TJ and the Goddess of the Central Coast is always worth every bit of effort. There are few people in the world that are more enchanting than these two coastal ladies. To be lucky enough to spend a few hours visiting with each of them is certainly more than lucky enough.
Auntie TJ is twenty years my senior. She wouldn’t mind me saying that as my own age remains a secret. Just four years older than my oldest sister, she’s always been the fun Aunt that everyone loves having around. Throughout her life, she’s shared many truths with me. A few of her newer rules involve avoiding baby showers, weddings, and funerals.
The most important rule of all is that we all need to remember laugh while having lots fun. One must practice laziness because, in our family of farmers, it doesn’t come naturally. Keep a positive attitude, even when life becomes far too serious. TJ is positively sharp and witty, even when sight and hearing frustrate her a bit some days. Every time I visit her, I learn more about life and the way I hope to be in twenty years. I’m so blessed my parents had the insight to choose HER as my God Mother.
Then, there is the Goddess of the Central Coast. I assure you, even if not bio-d on Wikipedia, there is a Goddess and she lives on the cliffs of the Central Coast. Close in age to my Auntie, you’d never identify this woman by the number of her years. She is a beautifully inspired conversationalist who is the best hostess, even in the face of adversity.
Just a few days prior to our visit, she hunkered down in her gorgeous nest as waves crashed over the top of her roof. WAVES. As in OCEAN WAVES crashing from the OCEAN. She explained that it was impossible to know from which direction the most danger could come. From the ocean waves? Or from the 35 foot tree on the street side of her property? Death from exploding windows or a crashing tree?… Hard to pick which one would be worse.
During the last three weeks, the Central Coast of California suffered through hurricane force winds, huge waves, and three tornadoes. All this in a place that usually experiences very mild weather while hovering around 72.5 degrees.
Valentines 2023 will go down in the books as our first as husband and wife. But, it will also be remembered as the day we visited with two of our favorite women in the entire world. Enchanting. That’s the word for them both. Enchanting.
With technical problems over, it’s time to focus the new website. Life returns to normal for a little while. The dogs are happy about that!!! Us, too.
Whatever you do today, be glad waves aren’t crashing over your deck and roof. Be thankful that the winds aren’t hurricane force and there aren’t tornadoes overhead. Most of all, get outside for a bit to enjoy the last days of winter. Spring is just around the corner.
More tomorrow.