Storage

The key fits into the silver metal lock like a perfect lover

Click

The yellow door swings wide on its metal hinges
The smell snakes and swirls up
into my nostils
Like the pink smoke from I Dream Of Jeannie's lamp

The smell of 30 years
of collected stuff
Thousands of photos
Turkish tea pot
Thai elephants
Indian saris
Italian plates
Tax returns
Marriage licenses
Birth certificates
Piles of costume jewelry
My favorite sauce pan
Millions of words
on the pages of notebooks

My life
behind the doors
of locker number 926

Adventures on the Long Beach Peninsula

It's been about 2 weeks since I arrived in this interesting little part of the world.

I knew it was off season here on the Long Beach Peninsula and there probably would not be any guests at the Moby Dick, but I guess I didn't realize that the whole 25 mile radius is pretty much shut down as well.

It gives the word "quiet" a whole new meaning. Not that there's anything wrong with quiet. I like quiet.

When I go to a shop or a restaurant here, it's a gamble whether it's even open on any given day. Most things are closed on Monday, after staying open Saturday and Sunday hoping for the wayward, brave winter traveler to grace them with their presence and their dollars.

I have enjoyed driving around and exploring the outlying areas here. Especially with my friend Minette who has been coming here since she was very little with her mom and spending time with her grandparents who spent summers here. She knows the peninsula intimately and it is a joy to tromp around with her. Last weekend we went to Cape Disappointment, The Graveyard of the Pacific, since so many shipwrecks have happened there.

Cape Disapointment

We went to Minette's favorite place, Mermaid Cove and spent time sifting through the mounds of driftwood, rocks and creatures there. Then off to the lighthouse for a most spectacular view of the end of the peninsula. Then lunch in Ilwaco and back to the MB to settle in for snacks and movies. The next day we hiked around Leadbetter State Park, which is the opposite end of the peninsula and was magical. Around the Bay side and into the forest and back out for a nice little loop. You can easily hike over to the ocean but we were a little limited on time that day, so we did a short version.

Leadbetter Point

Astoria Column

Yesterday I went to Astoria, Oregon which is across the Astoria Bridge and is about 22 miles from Ocean Park, my temporary home. I had a great time there. It's a sweet little town on the waterfront with lovely victorian homes perched along the hillside over the water. It was a gorgeous sunshiny day with lots of people about. I poked around in cute little shops, had lunch on the water, saw the maritime museum, the house where the movie "The Goonies" was filmed, toured the George Flavel House which was built in 1886 and was stunningly beautiful. Just before I left town, I drove up a windy street to the top of a hill where the Astoria Column resides. I was so glad I did. The view from there was breathtaking.

Goonies house

I drove back to Ocean Park and made a delicious meal of beans with onion, carrots, broccoli and indian spices and settled in for more movie watching. Needless to say, I've been watching a lot of films and doing a lot of reading and have enjoyed it very much.

This morning I went for a long walk along the beach boardwalk with the warm sun at my back and not a cloud in the sky. Everyone was smiling and happy, black tailed deer munched on grasses and everyone wanted to chat.

beach walking

Every day is such a gift and I am always counting my many blessings. Life takes us in such extraordinary journey when we can loosen our grip on long held beliefs that keep us bound.

I am letting go and free-floating down the river of my life.

sunset at Ocean Park beach

July 4th, 2010

Happy 70th birthday to my mom on the Fourth of July!

I had an ok fourth of July here in Utah. The Mormon people in Utah don't celebrate on Sunday, since that day is only dedicated to going to church, so there was no fourth of July on the fourth. The celebrating was done on the third. 

My friend Dan was here as he was driving across the country to Massachusetts. It was his first night on the road and it was so good to have him here. We bbq'd some yummy brats and some corn on the grill. We had cold beer with fresh lime and lit off a few fireworks. And we laughed a lot.

Julian loved the fireworks but was a little scared too. He would run away but then come right back to see what would happen next. It was great.

I've been having a great time with Julian. He's growing up so fast and is about to celebrate his 2nd full year of life. He's a beautiful child and I love watching him move through the world. He's so smart and his mind works a thousand miles a minute. We will have a fun birthday party for him on Friday, and will also celebrate mom's birthday when she and my dad get here from Wyoming. It'll be great!

Grateful

A friend of mine said today "you have a great life, don't you?". I told her, that yes, I do and I am so, so grateful for it every day.

It's so interesting how life unfolds in such wonderful ways. It all depends on your point of view. Technically, I am homeless and jobless right now, I really don't know where I'm going or what I'm doing, but I have never been happier.

Two years ago I was living in a beautiful house with a view of the San Francisco Bay in one of the most expensive, upscale towns in the United States. I didn't have to work, I traveled a lot, I went out to fancy restaurants, I could buy new clothes anytime I wanted. I had it "all". But I was miserable. My spirit was suffocating. There is absolutely no blame here. I was just in the wrong situation for me.

It was a difficult journey through the middle of my separation and divorce but now that I'm on the other side, finally, everything is alright.

I am very grateful every day for the friends and family that I have, for the place that I get to live, for yoga and my health, for good food and clean water, for my car that runs well and gets me from place to place, for sunshine and blue sky, for rain, for hiking trails, the ocean, for the salad bar at Whole Foods, and for being able to live a very spontaneous and creative life.

I bought a bumper sticker last weekend at a festival that says "Something Wonderful is About to Happen". And I believe it.

plans are taking shape

just got off the phone with Dick to get the itinerary set. Oh my gosh. I have goosebumps and a tingle in my tummy. I can't believe this adventure is really going to happen.

I have lists and lists and things to do. I hope I cover it all and am prepared. I'm sure I will be.

In the meantime I am packing up my house and have made 3 trips to the storage unit. My house is slowly emptying out....it feels like I'm doing the right thing.

My life is about to change in amazing ways.