Heading North
After two years of staycations, we finally hit the road
yesterday. We headed up North into new
territory. A road trip adventure for
two!
And My Pirate enjoyed the cold ocean and the gritty sand
between his toes at Ocean Shores, Washington.
I savored the ocean breeze in my hair as we drove along the winding roads.
Never mind that there was green slime washing up around us and that we almost stepped in horse manure and got hit by a Moped, right along the beach. Or that we were surrounded in a dense moist bank of fog. That’s simply part of the adventure.
Today we’re heading North up around the Washington State
Peninsula, a road trip I’ve dreamt about for a long time.
Shut The Front Door: Part Duh!
My Pirate knocked down the front door today.
We made a cut, attached a new rubber threshold to the
bottom, rehung it and the door wouldn’t close.
Our eyes locked and we both cursed in unison. Then we popped the pins and tried it
again. Meanwhile, Barnaby was calling
out, “Hey guys, you forgot me in the backyard,” with drool cascading out of his
jowls as he kept licking the sliding glass door until it was white and foamy.
The Assistant was smiling like a lunatic at all of the commotion. I love that about her.
We recut the door; hit a nail and the saw zagged. Again, we cursed in unison. We took a quick iced tea break and resumed
our work. We rehung the door only to
notice that the doorknob thingy was installed wrong. My Pirate worked on the doorknob while I
quickly vacuumed up Barnaby’s compost debris that he keeps sneaking in the
house.
With a sigh, My Pirate closed and opened the front door
while I applauded. I shut the front
door, let the dogs in, and gave them an ice cube for all their trouble. I’m so happy to have a front door that works. Now, I won’t have to bring my guests in through
the garage door anymore. The third time
was the charm.
Oh Barnaby!
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| Who me? I'm being good... |
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| except for snacking on your shrubberies. |
Turning Forty
I am turning forty years old tomorrow but I feel like I’m
turning forty years young. Never before
in my life have I felt such freedom to simply be myself. I’m no longer thinking about what I’ve always
wanted to do, I’m doing it. And despite
this bittersweet year, I feel happier than ever before.
It suddenly occurred to me a couple of years ago that this
is my life and I’m going to live it my way.
I used to feel torn when people told me that I wasn’t ‘real’ or
‘normal’. I’m so over that. This is my journey and I’m going to pursue
what matters to me.
Everything that I knew at twenty, I don’t know at
forty. I feel like a beginner again and
it feels great. Not having to know
things is so much fun in the garden and kitchen. It allows for greater creativity and less
stress.
I’m mellowing as I age.
Middle age pleasures are affordable and easy to find. I’m not interested in trendy restaurants and
hot clubs. I seek quality time and
connection with the people and dogs that I care about. And that’s as easy as popping open a bottle
of wine and sitting on the patio with My Pirate or taking my dogs for a walk.
I’m grateful that my journey has brought me here. I love my life. I’m walking across the
threshold of forty with a smile on my face as I enter a new story. Lets see what’s next…