--VISITORS --

I am so excited that my son and daughter-in-law (Tim and Darlene) are coming to visit during mid April.  Yea!!!   I last spent time with them late December and saw them briefly the end of January.  We talk almost every day though hugs for real are the best.  We will have lots to do.

I have had lots of dog fixes lately with Duke, Daisy, Roxie, Bridget, Diesel, Maki, Annie and many more.  There are so many happy and wonderful pets here and they are all friendly and sweet.  I had some kind of a dog dream a few nights ago, so maybe one is close to coming into my life.  There are several travelers with cats.  This was a surprise to me though my friends (sort of family) that live in Ohio have a few cats and they may become part of us travelers in about a year.  (It is getting closer, Sharon!)

I had a wonderful visit with my former mother-in-law Sunday.  She will be 91 in May and is still doing very well on her own.  Though she does not drive, there are several friends that take her on her errands and to appointments.  She and one of her friends go to Taco Bell every Saturday for lunch.  It is wonderful she is still doing all she does.  And then she told me about another friend of hers who is 94 and is almost never home since she does so much volunteering. I wonder what it is about all of these people here who are enjoying their longevity.  Pretty amazing.

Since I was moving the spot I would be staying in here in the RV park, I decided to drive the motor home when I went to visit my former mother-in-law.   It was a good thing since I discovered a few issues that need attention.  I obviously have much more to learn about this little home on wheels.  I have a call into the repair person and I am waiting to hear from him so we can schedule taking care of these issues.  There are a few things I can do myself with a little assistance.  Grateful for that!

We finally got rain last night and today.  Much needed.  Maybe it will continue for a few days.  The weather people say one thing and then something else happens.  An interesting career in which a person can present information that then seems to be incorrect at least 80 percent of the time and yet they continue to collect a pay check.  Politics appears to be the only other area in which this occurs.  Hummmm!  You don't want me to get started on this.  It is not pretty.

I am getting a hair cut today.  It has been over two months and I am beginning to look like a bush woman.  I am not saying this is bad, only scary.  I am fortunate that Danielle is still here.  She is the person I used to go to when I lived here twelve years ago.  Her mother, who passed shortly after I moved away, and I were good friends.  Miss her.  

It was three years ago March 3rd since my Mom passed.  She was 91 and a half and had been still living on her on until five months prior to her actual passing.  She did have someone come in and help her three hours a day during the week.  I had just brought her to the coast the previous July and all of us "kids" were with her to celebrate her 91st birthday in August.  September took her into the hospital which ended up being the last time she would see her home.  

She rebounded several times and with rehab she almost made it back home, though I saw that her body was just giving out on her.  It wasn't until December that we were told she would be unable to leave the rehab facility to go home and be on her own.  That January and February were the months when her memory changed and she lived completely in the present moment.  I was living in Auburn then and drove almost every weekend to visit with her in Clovis.  

It was so sweet.  When I would walk in the room she would say, in a very happy voice, "Hi honey, it is so good to see you."  We would talk and laugh for a bit and then I would tell her I was going to talk with the nurses and be back in a few minutes.  So, I did and when I returned to her room she would say, "Hi honey, it is so good to see you."  It was as though it was the first time she had seen me for a week.  It was always that way from then on and for the first time I realized that she was not worrying about anything.  That was awesome!

And so it went.  We would get her all bundled up and we would go for a walk down the street, with her in her wheel chair.  She loved being outside and sometimes we would just go outside to their patio area and sit in the sun.  She would marvel about the leaves or lack of them and the colors of the flowers that managed to bloom at that time of year.  We talked about all kinds of things.

I find it common place to still talk with her today, only now it is in my head.  I hear her comment on flowers and birds and all things nature.  I hear her excitement in it all.  I am very grateful I had her for my Mom and she continues to teach me every day the ways of wonder.  Thanks, Mom!!! 

So, guess I am out and about now for the day.  Another walk seems in order and perhaps a stop at the little health food store.  They always have such fun things to look at and discover.  Baked salmon for dinner with steamed zucchini.  Yum!!!

Enjoy your present moment!!!