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Our life has just slowed down enough to consider writing a bit on the blog. For the past three days I told myself that I must sit down and get it done...I don't want Spring 2018 to pass without documentation!
When it was time to write on Thursday, I chose, instead, to pick up a library book by JA Jance....one of our favorite Southwest authors. David was taking his afternoon nap and I was sure that the time to write was here. Eleven hours later, at 2 AM, the book was finished. And nothing is done on the blog.
It's summertime here in the South. We walk and run errands in the morning and settle into the cool air conditioned rooms in the PM. Friday, I think surely I can write. Instead I play Freecell until my mind becomes numb and I can no longer win a game. What is going on here??
Saturday morning we visit a museum in an old bank building in Soddy, TN, a coal mining town where David's family played a prominent role in the community around the turn of the century. Not sure if our outing played a role in my evening activities but, instead of writing, I spent four or five hours on the Find A Grave website researching my father's family in Bradley county.
I 'm sharing this as proof there is no self discipline in my psyche.
Always wanted to be a writer but now see myself as a writer who does not write.
We had about a month at home after returning from Arizona and going to the Smoky Mountains in April. Enough time to create a page of things that must be done and to tear up an ancient brick path in the back yard.
Due to the constant rains and waiting for a professional landscaper, the backyard project took almost two months! The landscaper kept saying he was coming to give us a quote. After two weeks I got mad and said I would do it myself!
We also restained the deck and painted the patio!
It was a lot of work for an eighty year old and a sixty-nine year old....lifting bags of sand, rocks and pavers.
(FYI for new readers....we downsized three years ago, leaving a house and moving into our 900 square foot duplex. We are loving our small space but it still needs updating in between trips.)
In April we join Escape friends in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There are 6 trailers: 3 from Vermont, 2 from Georgia and 1 from Tennessee. We met one of the couples way back in 2009 and try to see them when they come south.
The wildflowers are blooming but it's overcast and cold the first few days. David and I manage a hike to Laurel Falls.
By the middle of May we are dealing with health problems. My stepfather is in the hospital and my mom insists on staying with him. They are 92 and 90 years old, respectively. I run back and forth to the hospital trying to help.
My husband loses a front tooth, has the roots pulled out and then gets sick with a sinus infection. Our 20 year old Sienna decides to not roll up it's driver's window....it's 90 plus degrees and we are suffering..... Fixing it is not an option as we need a new vehicle.
We buy a used Corolla, David feels better, the stepfather goes home and the Tundra's engine light comes on as we are packing to go to the Eggs on the Hiawassee Rally. We partially unpack and call the campground. Meanwhile our spot at the rally is flooded along with other river sites.
We get Big Blue repaired (its second big repair this year) and start for the rally late the next day. More storms are in the forecast! Forty miles from home we are hit with a terrific wind and rain event. I can't even see to drive! We pull over, get back on the road and then pull over again. I have had no sleep from worry about the truck and we arrive at the rally just minutes before the Thursday night fish fry.
I am mean and hateful due to no food and low blood sugar....wind up spending the rest of the rally apologizing to everyone.
The sun comes out and the river goes down. We enjoy being with our friends.
Reacher, left and Layla, right
We have been home from Hiawassee for two weeks and life is getting less stressful. We have many friends who are on big trips, Alaska and Northwest, and love to read about their adventure but the desire to travel is just not there.
We just got our passports renewed and have some tentative travel plans. We'll see if our wanderlust returns before summer is gone.
