On the Mend

Friday greetings,

Yesterday Jak and I returned to the vet for his 2 week follow up appointment.  The report is that he is on the mend.  He allowed the vet to work both of his hind legs without signs of discomfort.  She said the only thing she noticed was some popping in his knee joint but that's not abnormal.  For sure it isn't, mine have been popping more since we've been here too.  Jak is allowed a bit more exercise so we will begin to increase it and hopefully will work back toward our walks on the dog beach.

I don't have a lot else to report, hence the lack of updates.  So instead I will include some pictures I took this week and they can be worth a thousand words instead of me writing them.

                Super moon Saturday night

             People fishing off the river pier

              Dolphins fishing in the river

               Jak on the river pier

Hopefully next week will bring more news.  And maybe even some more pictures.  Wishing everyone a funtastic weekend!

Until next time...
Peace & Love,
Hope

The Journey Here

Dear Readers,

My plans for the afternoon are temporarily on hold,  walk Jak + bike ride + thunderstorm = weather delay.  So I thought I would take a moment to share some thoughts that are rolling around my head on this Sunday morning. 

Last July I took a trip here.  It was the first time I'd been here in the summer and I loved it.  When it was time for me to head back north, I cried on the way to the airport.  I felt so sad to leave.  And it wasn't the first time I'd felt like that when leaving.  As a kid when we vacationed here I would cry when it was time to go back home.  When I had the same reaction 30 years later it made me think, why am I not living there.  And that is where this journey began.

In September I returned here again to look at potential houses to purchase.  Being back here confirmed my love for the area and climate.  In the eleventh hour of my trip I started the process of putting in an offer on a house and ended up extended my trip by one day.  That last morning I sat on the beach at sunrise.  To the south it was raining.  To the north the sky was pink.  In front of me the sun was rising and behind me there was a rainbow.  It was in that moment that I really felt like I belong here.  I took the these pictures that morning.

After returning home from that trip, well, life happened.  Buying a house from a thousand miles away became complicated.  Especially in an unstable housing market.  After six weeks of going through the process and feeling beat down, the bank told me they now wanted 25% down and I said no way.  During this same time, my cousin's two year battle with cancer was coming to an end.  In December I had planned another trip back here for what was to be the closing on said house.  I was leaving on a Thursday and on Tuesday of that week I attended my cousin's funeral.  My trip changed from house buying to apartment hunting and unlike the previous mentioned trips, I wasn't in love with being here.  I was in survival mode, reeling from the events of the past few months.  I returned to work on the following Wednesday and was told on Friday that my job of 12 years was being eliminated.  That Friday was 4 days before Christmas.  Stick a fork in me, I was done.

My point in telling about my journey here is this, it's been a winding road.  I went from feeling so good about moving here to barely being able to put one foot in front of the other.  The thing is, I made it.  I'm here.  And though life here has had its ups and downs, I haven't once regretted my decision.  If there is something that you are working toward that the idea of makes you feel on top of the world, hang on to it, even when faced with times of struggle.  The risk isn't in reaching for something new, the risk is continuing to do that which is not fulfilling.

Happy Full Moon Sunday!
Until next time...
Peace & Love,
Hope

Not Much News

G'day M'Lords and M'Ladies,

I didn't realize I hadn't written since Sunday.  As I sit here writing today I have pretty much the exact same view as I posted in my last letter, sans Jak.  He's here somewhere I just can't see him at the moment.  The only real news of the week is that with just a day left on my temporary plate, I finally got my car registered.   The delay had to do with getting the title here.  I guess this means I am officially official.

As some of you know, I spent many years as a vanity plates girl back in the home state.  When I felt those had run their course, I changed to Animal Coalition plates.  In getting my plates here, there was just no way I could go with an average run of the mill plate.  They have about 90 different specialty plates so I had plenty to choose from.

Jak has been resting his sore knee for a week now.  I think he is getting better.  It's so hard to tell.  He's been stoic about the injury since onset so it's not like I now see relief written all over his face.  I've been taking him on 3-4 short walks a day around  home.  I feel it necessary to walk the fine line between doing more harm and getting him some exercise.  We go back on Thursday for a follow up with the vet.

I've been hearing about all the rain back at home recently.  Here, the main reason to check the weather is to look at the radar for thunderstorms.  Otherwise the forecast is pretty much the same everyday.  High 90, Low 75, with a chance of thunderstorms.  I like how they try to come up with different wording; a couple of thunderstorms, partly sunny with a t-storm, a thunderstorm in spots.

No big plans here for the weekend.  I did purchase this from a Craig's List ad this week:

So maybe I will get some use of it.  I really need a basket for the front so I can carry my treasures around.  I was thinking I could even bike to some yard sales if there were any within a reasonable distance.  This was also my backup mode of transportation had I not been able to get my car registered before the temp plate ran out. 

I will leave y'all (talking like I'm a native) with some quotes for this Friday morning.  Happy weekend!

Amen.
Until next time...
Peace & Love,
Hope

P.S. 

Where the Sidewalk Ends

Dearest Compadres,

This morning as I write this, I can see my friend Jak lying outside where the sidewalk ends with the peppermint wind blowing through his fur.  (In this case peppermint wind = humid breeze.)

On Thursday we made a trip to the vet as Jak's gait has been off and it was not getting better.  He has a sore knee so restricted activity (no dog beach) and anti-inflammatory meds for two weeks, then back for a recheck.  Though he has been favoring his left leg, he really doesn't get that he is hurt so resting him is going to be quite a trick.  Yesterday Jak got to see his friend Chip and then got a bath (finally getting ahead of the fleas!) which was good for him.  Actually it was a good day for both of us.  In limiting Jak's activity I don't want to isolate him from the world, especially since he's had daily interaction with other people and dogs since we arrived here.  I want him to heal as well as possible so we will do our best to follow doctor's orders.  "Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow..."

As some of you may have surmised from the lack of posts or content of posts, that the past week or so has sort of been a low point in our time here.  Since I was a little kid in elementary school I have always had a way letting the weight of the world build on my shoulders until I am down in the dumps.  The good news is with age comes life experience and knowledge and I am at least better now at recognizing what is happening so I can begin pulling myself back up.  And I'm also getting better at letting others help me back up.  Thanks to those who have offered care, concern and support over the last few weeks.  I sincerely appreciate it.  Life is about the good times, but it is also about the struggles too.  It is from the struggles that we learn and grow and appreciate the good times more as they happen. 

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish all the Dads out there a very Happy Father's Day!  I spoke to my dad last night when he was getting ready to watch the Bruins play.  I see that they won so that will make him happy. (Must be that lucky Bruins hat I got him for Father's Day a few years ago!)  I will give him a call again later as it wasn't officially Father's Day when I spoke to him.  I will close this letter with a throwback picture of my dad and me. 

I hope Dad's lucky ladybug continues to bring the Bruins good luck!
Until next time...
Peace & Love,
Hope

P.S.  Since I have a Shel Silverstein theme going on, I will share one of my all time favorite Shel poems...

Hat

Teddy said it was a hat,
So I put it on.
Now Dad is saying,
"Where the heck's
the toilet plunger gone?"

Nothing

Buenos Tardes,

After two months of unemployment, I have a confession to make.  I am not good at doing nothing.  Or doing stuff that doesn't feel particularly productive for that matter.  When I was working and had other obligations, I longed for the time to read a book or watch a movie.  Now I've had weeks of time to do that stuff and for the most part I haven't. 

When it comes to sun and surf, I now live in the land of plenty.  However, you will not find me on a towel soaking up the afternoon rays.  If I'm there, I'm walking Jak or I have my camera and am taking pictures.  As previously mentioned I have been catching up on past seasons of Downton Abbey (got Season 2 yesterday!) but if I sit down to watch I will only do so if I have accomplished something.  And if I watch multiple episodes then I must accomplish something in between, like doing dishes or vacuuming. 

There is one time in my day that I will allow myself to do nothing.  Some evenings on the return home from the dog beach I have to wait for the train to pass.  Now there is another route I could go that would take me up and over the tracks and I wouldn't have to wait.  More and more though I find myself choosing the way to the tracks.  When I do have to wait it's no more than 5 minutes at the most and I've started looking forward to that as my allowed time to do nothing.

At the start of this letter I wasn't exactly sure where I was going with it however as it usually happens when I am in tune to write, the thought process comes together.  Perhaps this stage of unemployment/looking for work that I am in is to teach me to slow down and appreciate the opportunity to do nothing.  The time to go and do will come around again in the form of a job and other obligations.  In the meantime I will more consciously embrace this space where nothing is required of me because soon enough I will probably be thinking, I wish I had time to read a book or watch a movie or...

Until next time...
Peace & Love,
Hope
 

Emerging from the Fog

Namaste,

This week hasn't been one to write home about.  That isn't to say it's been bad, more so that my energy has been low.  Today I feel like the fog has lifted a bit.  I've been to the farmer's market for watermelon.  They had samples of yellow watermelon which I tried.  For me, the flavor wasn't as strong as red watermelon.  The vendor said it's something different, and would be good for entertaining - adding color and conversation to a fruit salad.  Good point.  I'm still not sold. 

(This is not my picture.)

 From the farmer's market it was off to the library to return the first season of Downton Abbey which I finished watching at midnight.  Of course my intention was to get the next season, however it was not available for check out.  I took this as a sign that maybe I should not spend more time in front of the TV and find something more productive to do with my time.  

Since I started writing this, I got sidetracked.  In that time I attempted to cut my red watermelon and it was not so good.  Watermelon is always a crap shoot.  Perhaps still better than a yellow one though.

And finally, I will bring this letter to a close by saying, though my poor Jakky has suffered with the fleas for weeks, it has now become personal.  I have Orion's belt or the handle to the big dipper in flea bites on my leg.  I feel violated.  Tomorrow, a flea bomb.

Until next time...
Peace & Love,
Hope

Andrea

Gray Day Greetings,


Today I find myself on the inside looking out as Tropical Storm Andrea passes by.  At the moment there seems to be a lull but the radar indicates there is more rain to come.  The week has been slow.  My energy has been blah.  Jak and I continue to do combat with the fleas.  We're counting the days until it is time for his next dose of flea control/heart worm medication. 

I still have not heard back about the job I wrote about last week.  I suppose this would be a good time to put my writings about hope to good use and heed my own advice.  Life unfolds as it should which is often not how we think we want it to.  I haven't given up that I will hear, I just get a bit stuck in the frustration of the whole job search.  I'm not sure if the frustration is the cause of my blah energy or if it is an effect of it.  I am resilient.  I will rebound.  The sun always shines, even when we can't see it.

Tuesday of this week would've been my grandfather's 100th birthday.  He always loved walking on the beach at sunrise and since we scattered some of his ashes there, it seemed like an appropriate time and place to honor the day.  Due to low clouds, the sun didn't come out of the water.  The sky was still pretty and I managed to get a few decent pictures.

Yesterday I went to the library and took out the whole first season of Downton Abbey.  It has been recommended to me by several reputable sources and it seemed like a good plan for a rainy day.  I haven't started watching yet but will probably get there sooner or later.  I could also stand to do some laundry and maybe make the long trek out to WalMart.  I'm not sure my low energy will lend itself to either today.  Perhaps I just need to get out of my own way, and find a way to make the day count.

Until next time...
Peace & Love,
Hope

Not a Manic Monday

Yo, what's up?

I can't believe I've waited this long to start a letter with my all time favorite greeting.  That is how I usually start phone conversations with my mom and dad.  And yes, I'm being serious. 

Not much is happening here today so I'm sitting around pondering some of the great mysteries of life.  Like job searches and flea control.  (Flea has become the four letter F-word around here.)  Jak and I are eating watermelon while we do our pondering and it reminded me of a picture I took yesterday while I was cutting up the watermelon. 

I think it's good practice every so often to take a moment to be still and to listen to your heart.  As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."  And sometimes, even within a watermelon there lies a heart.

I will end this letter with a thought that Charlie Daniels ends some of his tweets with:
"Let's all make the day count."

Until next time...
Peace & Love,
Hope

Hope

Hola amigos y familiares,

Some of you have probably heard me talk about Brene Brown, I have mentioned her in passing here on my blog.  She is a shame researcher whose work has definitely had an impact on my life.  In the link that I am about to share, Brene talks about hope.  To be fair, I will say up front that this video is 16 minutes long so if you are short on time or attention span please beware.  The part I am about to specifically reference in this letter starts at about minute 6, in case ten minutes of video feels more doable.

 My biggest take away from this video is as Brene says,  "Hope is a function of struggle."  Being hopeful doesn't mean life is easy and idealistic.  Hope is about resilience and how we weather the storms.  It is an outlook that though tough times come, there is a brighter tomorrow out there.  This topic is of relevance because yesterday I had a phone interview for a job.  After weeks of getting the thumbs down on my kick turn, I finally got a thumbs up.  I feel the interview went well and all indications are for an in person interview sometime next week (the person that handles the interviewing is out of the office till Tuesday).   Whether it turns out to be the job for me remains to be seen.  What it definitely is, is the glimmer of hope I needed to keep on keeping on.  I can do this.  I am resilient and persistent.  And I am hope.  Literally and metaphorically.

Happy stay at home day!
Until next time...
Peace & Love,
Hope