The Longest Road

Hello.
Thought I'd catch up.
Dust this thing off and see if it still runs
Yes
I'm still alive.
Sometimes barely
It's been quite the journey the past few years.
What have I been up to?
Well
I spent quite a bit of time in Europe.
Tuscany wine has nothing on Oregon Pinot Noir
Despite what you've heard
Just sayin'
I've traveled up and down the East Coast searching for the perfect lobster roll
Whale watching in Alaska
Twice
I took a week and luxuriated on a bike ride with a friend
Lost 2 remarkable Scotties
Sweet Dewey
And
Mad Maggie Moo
Losing them felt like I was burying my own heart
No more dogs.
No way will I be that vulnerable again
Heart strings plucked by their naughty and sweet
Played with loved ones
Laughed. Cried. Fought. Made up.
Eventually
I found myself working 65-75 hours a week
Which was ludicrous
And soul sucking
Then
I was in a serious motorcycle accident
Deep sinkholes, blazing hot asphalt and sliding 150 feet at 55 mph is most definitely something 
I don't recommend for the faint of heart
and 
I can't even describe the pain level 
scary surgery
the many casts
horrific tests
 or 
frustration of rehab
I'm still working with a Physical Therapist
Who has the patience of a saint
the face of an angel 
and 
the voice of a drill sergeant
Knowing all the time
I will never, ever be the same
I often thank the cow who supplied my leather gear
My protection didnt include hers
Surprisingly, after my accident
I've found myself losing my dental hygiene career
I'm semi ok with it
Because
My life's path took a far different course
I'm writing a lot more, and working on some fairly lucrative projects
Being paid to write....huh....who would have thought?

Auf Wiedersehen....for now.

*•.¸❤¸.•**•.¸❤¸.•**•.¸❤¸.•**•.¸❤¸.•*


Taking some much-needed time off

From blogging
From deadlines 

From thinking
 From trying

From .....everything.

*•.¸❤¸.•**•.¸❤¸.•**•.¸❤¸.•**•.¸❤¸.•*

Changes.

I'm starting to understand

(finally!)

what is meant by ''turning tides''

I've always felt a pulling back
almost like an icy blast
the realization
taking me by surprise
kind of shocking, really
so

what happens when

seasons change
trust changes

attitudes change
conversation changes

relationships change

?

I don't know
I suppose
just like the tide

there isn't a damn thing

I can do about 

it

Just a Week......?

I was talking to a good friend of mine

the other day

a guy in his mid 50's

estranged from his lady love of 15 years

struggling to re-connect with her

and as I listened to him

(for the 382nd time)

bemoaning the 

fact they didn't ever

have alone time

I

suggested they take a week

go to a far off region

just the two of them

no TV

no phones

no books

no computer

no internet

no work

and just....be together

I was completely taken aback by his reaction

it was almost as if I'd stomped a kitten

He was aghast

''what in the world would we do?''

he sputtered

I

stopped and thought about it for a minute

and

 decided to tell him what *I* would do 

if I had the opportunity to spend

all that time with a partner I loved

we would have 

tons of 

conversation

picnics

walks on the beach

sex

kite flying

wine at sunset
kissing for hours

blanket forts

photography

the list is really endless

but

as I ran down that list to my friend

I could tell he didn't get it

and so I stopped

because

if 

he can't stand to spend a single week alone

with his lady love

then she isn't someone
he is supposed to be with

in the first place

You've been Flamingo'd

What does a bored 48 year old

do to the neighbors
on a Saturday night

for fun

?

Yep.

Notify Me....Never

One 

of the biggest things police officer 

spouses and families
dread

is the random knock on the door

telling them their loved one 

has been killed or seriously injured

in the line of duty

This has been my reality

for the past 29 years

as a wife

so

I've been asking Wes what the 

notification policies are 

at his department

and I discovered

he

didn't really know

his reply

"I guess the Chief and the Chaplain would show up''

well
 since it's ME
daily uncertainty simply isn't going to work 

So
in my quest to remove the ''what ifs''

last week
I wrote a note to be placed in Wes' personnel file

designating a certain officer 

(a good friend to both of us... a riding buddy)

to be the 

liaison between myself and the police department

the person who will be my notifying officer

because I know

in the unlikely event of a catastrophe

when the chips are down

( and I fall apart )

he is the kind of stand up guy

who

would know exactly

what to do

ULTRA NEW !!

Thank-you, Amazon

for

only selling 

NEW

toilet paper

!!!