Island Home

Salt air in my hair and sea spray in my face, I’m back.

On this journey, home has been different every few days. On the Vineyard, home is not necessarily where I’m actually living. As I drove off the ferry I headed down Beach Road to “bend in the road” beach. On this warm (though still only 60 degrees) Sunday afternoon I saw a kite boarder and two stand up paddle boarders enjoying the ocean. Sitting on the beach staring at the horizon is where I feel at home.  

Home is where the heart is.
Home is where you lay your head.
Home is family.
Home is friends.
Home is where it feels like home.
Home is where you’ve found you.

On the ferry Island Home

Bouy #2 off West Chop - Red Right Returning

I feel like Beep Beep always ends up in the side tunnel on the boat.

Kite boarder

Stand Up Paddlers (SUP-ers)

Beep Beep at Bend in the Road Beach

My Horizon Home - Peace

Ode to Beep Beep and Chaz

This trip was possible because of my little blue Beep Beep and Chaz.

A Beep Beep slide show with music by Ben Sollee.

Chaz

Has been there every day

He makes my life easier

He redirects me when

I’ve veered off course

He reminds me when

It’s time to pay attention

He tells me how far I have to go

And how fast I’m going

He does it all with a hunky Aussie accent

Thanks Chaz, you’re the best GPS

Listening List

It’s been a couple of long travel days. I went from Waynesboro, MS to Campobello, SC where I stayed with Aunt Dot and Uncle Richard for a brief overnight on Wednesday. I made it all the way to New York City on Thursday and stayed with Sarah. Now I’m back on the Cape at my Mom’s! I’ve been gone nine weeks, it doesn’t’ quite feel like it. Today Beep Beep got an oil change and a bath, I went for the super wash with rust buster, polish and shine, Beep Beep deserved a little pampering.

Books on CD have really gotten me through this trip. They are great for the really long drives and make the time pass quickly. Thanks to Trish, Luanne, and Aunt Dale who let me borrow books!

Connected – The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives by Nicholas A. Christakis and James H. Fowler. I picked this one up at Ocean State Job Lot and asked my mom to buy it for me for my Christmas stocking. It was a good one to start my journey with since I would be relying on my family and social network for places to stay as I traveled. A few key points I took away are that happiness is contagious and your future spouse is more likely to be a friend of a friend than a mysterious handsome stranger. Note to friends and friends of friends – anyone you want to set me up on a date with? J

The Guinea Pig Diaries – My Life as an Experiement by A.J. Jacobs was another Job Lot special. Read by the quirky author it offers some new perspectives; he outsources his life to India in one chapter and lives by George Washington’s rules in another.

Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, was a rough one. Instead of being read, it’s acted out and the voices are hard to follow. I turned it off after the first track, Gollum was sooo scary sounding! I got desperate later on and finally listened to the whole thing. There was a lot of complaining about being tired which made me cranky as I drove!

How I Write by Janet Evanovich was yet another Ocean State Job Lot bargain. I had never heard of her, but since I was starting to write I figured it couldn’t hurt to listen to it and maybe learn something. I learned all about her Stephanie Plum series and later Aunt Dale ended up giving me two of the novels to listen to Ten Big Ones and Twelve Sharp, both funny and good easy listening for the ride.

Steering by Starlight a self help book by life coach Martha Beck. I’m definitely a fan of self help/motivational books. I really did enjoy this one, though I couldn’t stop the CD and do the exercises while driving. It focused on taming your inner dragon and listening to your inner stargazer by following your intuition.

True Believer by Nicholas Sparks made my car battery die. I was part way through it when I made it to Waynesboro the first time. Since I wasn’t driving long distances anymore I was only getting a bit of the story at a time. So, after running some errands I got a frosty and sat in the car to hear the end of the story. It didn’t seem like that long, but then my car wouldn’t start. I ended up having to call my cousin Drew to come give me a jump, oops.

Sophie’s World a novel about the history of philosophy by Jostien Gaarder. I had listened to this one a while back and remembered enjoying it. But I didn’t make it all the way through this time.

Isle of Dogs by Patricia Cornwell and Come the Spring by Julie Garwood were good. I got through both of them on the drive from South Carolina to New York. I vaguely remember the storylines, but at that point they just seemed like a way to fill a long day.

Spring has Sprung!

Well, at least it has sprung in Waynesboro, Mississippi. It was a beautiful sunny day here. I got to see the progress on my dad’s cabin and was surprised to see walls and three windows already!

The flowers are in bloom everywhere. When I was here in January, Aunt Kathy had given us some flower bulbs. Aunt Dale, Darla and I planted them and they are already up and blooming! I guess it feels like I haven’t been gone very long but apparently time has been moving right along.

Uncle Johnny and Aunt Delores came down from Winona, MS and we all went out for dinner. It was a mini Walker sibling reunion; even the man who stopped by the table to chat said so. The Walker boys, Dad, Uncle David, and Uncle Johnny all jostled to pay the bill. I ate some more good southern food, collard greens, sweet potato casserole, raisin and carrot salad, and banana pudding. I’ve eaten a lot on this trip, I like food though, and thank goodness my pants are still fitting. Tight, but they still fit.  

Dad at the window facing the creek

The front - imagine a door and a porch

The Old Barn

The Gulf

Mother Nature foiled our plans for Cozumel. The fog rolled in and the port of Galveston was closed. Guests were given the option of leaving the ship, but we were on the fun ship and decided to keep the party going! When the port reopened we sailed out into the gulf for some sun and warmer weather.

We spent most of our time lounging on the deck chairs and eating. There was so much going on onboard the ship it was a bit of sensory overload. Here’s a recap for you.

Sights: neon colors, glitter, really good people watching

Sounds: super loud music by the pool, fart jokes, our goofy Cruise director Steve’s voice and announcements, constant murmur of ship noises and people

Smells: diesel fuel, stale cigarette smoke, food from the galley

Tastes: food, food, and more food, seafood, salmon, bouillabaisse, tomato gelee, chilled mango soup, Indian food, 24 hour ice cream machine, desserts – chocolate melting cake (for lunch one day I counted six desserts on my plate and only four lunch items!), fruity umbrella drinks

Feel: rolling and swaying of the ship, super windy putt putt golf, aching legs from walking up and down all the stairs, and a sunburn (what’s a vacation without a sunburn? I even put on spf 50 on each day!)

The highlights of the cruise were the Just June comedy show, this one dancer who was always smiling and looked like she really loved what she was doing, a 360 degree view of the horizon, the hot tub, bunking with my best friend and roommate from college – we hadn’t been on a ship together since school, towel animals, and the waterslide.

I'm north and east bound these days, made it through Louisiana yesterday. A brief stop for dinner in Hattiesburg last night with my cousin Darla and back in Waynesboro for the day, on to South Carolina tomorrow!

Safety first!

Leaving port

Dinner - more food.

Dinner - Liz, Brandon, Melissa & Me

Lounging

If you look closely, you'll see our matching sunburn blotches on our right legs...I guess we put sunscreen on the same way!

Old Navy swimsuit models - we all came prepared with multiple Old Navy suits!

Our bling- a 24kt plastic ship on a stick. There were lots of trivia games, and we won the match game by having the most answers in common. I guess we know each other well after ten years of friendship!

Gonzales to Houston

Back at the St. James Inn in Gonzales again, and it feels like the adventure is coming to a close. I have driven these roads before. But, there is a cruise to Cozumel on the agenda this week! My best friend Melissa had scheduled the cruise with her boyfriend a few months ago, but he is now an ex-boyfriend (by her choice) so I lucked out and get to go on the cruise with her. Good thing I decided to pack my passport at the last minute, just in case.

There was absolutely nothing in west Texas from Lubbock to Gonzales, a whole lot of flatness and some cows. When I arrived in Gonzales I was in desperate need of a shower. I hadn’t showered since the Grand Canyon so I had accumulated a fair amount of road grime. After a nice hot shower I felt like a new woman and we went out to dinner at Acapulco. I ordered catfish ceviche, Aunt Ann got the grilled catfish, and Uncle Rew had the spicy camerones (shrimp). It was all delicious and there was so much that we had enough leftovers for all of us for lunch. We toured the Palmetto state park and had DQ treats for dessert at Gonzales’ waterfall.

I’m looking forward to lounging on the deck, warm in the sun with water all around!

The lady bug that ran across the front of my sunglasses and scared me half to death.

Taos to Lubbock

I surprised myself and made it out the door to an 8am yoga class this morning. It was at the Taos Spa twenty minutes away from the Snowmansion. It was just what I needed, not too strenuous but a good practice. Five minutes down the road from yoga was a labyrinth and a zen garden, I took some time for a walking meditation and raking in the garden. I walked around the shops and galleries in the Taos Plaza for a little while and then hit the road again.

There were more windy roads through mountains; my ears were popping all the way. Then it was flat, flat, flat. I raced a train for a little while and finally made it to Lubbock, TX. I’m staying with a friend of a friend who I just met when I walked in the door. But a free bed to sleep in works for me, and I am grateful for her hospitality. There are three sleepy dogs lounging on the couches around me right now.

Abominable Snowmansion Fireplace

Snow Cat

Labyrinth

Raking in the zen garden

Chuga chuga choo choo!

Sunrise, Four Corners, Taos

Sunrise at the Grand Canyon was oooh inspiring, maybe even a little ahhh too. I still don’t know if it beats sunrise over the ocean though. There’s something about the way the light plays on the water, the rhythm of the waves, and the way it makes me feel in tune with the world.

I was the only person on Lipan point until a little red VW Rabbit rumbled up. It looked like a father son duo; the younger man in the passenger seat was fast asleep and never got out of the car. It was definitely an early start; I began driving in the dark. There’s something magical about dawn and the energy of the earth waking up. I like to sleep though, so I don’t see sunrise all that much. But every time I do see it, it feels like a special reward. I stopped a little further down the road at the watchtower and was startled by three deer eating breakfast near the parking lot. They were very cooperative and let me take their picture.

Tumbleweeds tumbled across the road through Arizona. I went to Four Corners, gave them three dollars to freeze in the wind, pee in a composting toilet that blew air up at my behind, and have an Asian guy take my picture. But I was there, a limb in each state. From the tumbleweeds I drove through snow capped mountains in Colorado. I ate lunch at the Himalyan Kitchen, a delicious Indian buffet in Durango. As I walked downtown I passed outdoor gear stores, the Steaming Bean coffee shop, an aromatherapy herbal shop, a brewery, and a Life is Good store.

Driving through the mountains in New Mexico the full moon was rising on my left as the sun was setting on my right, I didn’t know which way to look! Then as it grew dark I was on a long and winding road through a National Forrest with less than a quarter tank of gas and a dead cell phone. I was a little nervous, I made it though! At the Abominable Snowmansion just north of Taos I was greeted with warm cookies and a hostel host from Massachusetts. I sat around the propane fireplace with the hostel hosts and a couple other guests, five strangers gathered by a fire. I had the entire twelve person dorm room to myself and got a few hours of good rest on a saggy, springy twin bed. 

Watchtower

Moonrise on the left

Sunset on the right

Grand Canyon

The sky was overcast and the wind was blowing, but it was still pretty amazing. Though, every time I hear the words “Grand Canyon” the first thing I think of is the Hoveround commercial. I first saw it with Melissa when we were watching TV in our dorm room. We vowed to one day go to the Grand Canyon on our hoverounds just like Bernice and Joy.

Even though the scenery was incredible, I was craving the ocean. Personally I found driving down the California coast to be more awe inspiring than the Grand Canyon. But, now I can say I’ve been here and I might be back on my hoveround one day!

I think this Raven (Negro) is trying to learn to talk like Blanco. What do you think its saying?

Beep Beep posing for a Mazda 3 ad

Cheese!

View from where I sat to eat lunch

Listened to the Geo-Glimpse talk here

Good thing I saw this before asking!

Just before sunset

Phoenix to Flagstaff

I’ll finish up my brief Arizona tour tomorrow with a day at the Grand Canyon. Yesterday I met my friend Melissa at the Phoenix airport. Phoenix is hard to spell, I consistently spell it Phoneix. We did a little exploring in Tempe, walked up the Hayden Butte, and went hunting for wabitts. We’re visiting with her friend Heidi for a couple of days. We all took each other out for a Valentine’s dinner date last night and then jazz at the Lost Leaf.

Today I drove through Sedona while they went skiing and snowboarding in Flagstaff. The red rocks were beautiful and I visited one of Sedona’s famous vortexes, incredible scenery and cool swirling breezes.

There’s snow on the ground outside our little cabin, but it was 70 in Sedona and I have a little sunburn. The main water line broke, so we’re without water but our stay is free!

Hiking the Butte worked by butt!

We had to ask a few people, but we finally found the wabbits! Big Hug.

Cristine and I

Melissa & Heidi

Looks like your neighbor's house, but it's the Lost Leaf with live jazz

Holy Cross - Sedona

V for Vortex