Healthy and Ready to Travel

Sea Dreaming

The wind blows my hair about.

Gulls in the sky cry.

Seashells crackle beneath my feet.

Foot prints in the wet sand are washed away.

Sand castles of a small child’s dreams slowly drag out to sea.

Imagine all the wonders an ocean has seen.

It has been a week since I left Hatteras Island.  I love the beach.  The first morning on the beach, after walking and taking pictures, I fell asleep.  I cannot remember how long I slept, but I woke up with a sun burn.  I do not think it would have been so bad had I been able to quickly jump into a shower.  Unfortunately, the KOA campground I was staying at was under construction, repairing damage from the last hurricane, and the water was shut off for several hours.  By the time I did get a shower the damage was done, and I spent the night tossing and turning, being cold and burning up.  I am smiling because I cannot say that I did not absolutely adore the experience of sleeping in a tent, listening to the waves crash and roar, and watching the vivid stars move across the night sky. I laid out on the picnic table for hours watching the stars.  I wonder what it must have been like centuries ago when there where no houses, power lines, and the islands where pristine.  My regret  is that I did not get to stop at Corolla to see the wild horses.  I feel like the trip is unfinished.  You know what that means!  There is going to be a sequel one day!

How fitting is a shot through the car window as I head north.

I tried to stay near the coast as I headed north and did some unnecessary back tracking trying to do so.  I knew something was wrong when the adventure began to irritate me.  I gave up and headed on to Ohio by way of D. C., what a mistake.  The day started cold and I had put on a long sleeve shirt and light weight workout pants.  At some point near noon it began to feel like the Sahara Desert and the sun burn was not helping matters.  I am the worst for not wanting to pull over unnecessarily.  I will pull over for a photo opp. but on to change clothes.  The longer I drove the worse I felt.  I arrived in D. C. about 4 p. m. and I did not even feel like making detours for photos.  Something is wrong with that.  It took me two hours to go twenty miles in rush hour traffic with two accidents on the belt line.  I am not usually one for road rage and today was no different, but by the time I got out of D. C. I was done for.  I made it into Pennsylvania and through the mountains when a really terrific storm began to hit.  The light show was tremendously vivid and as tired as I was I pulled over in the township of Cranberry, Pennsylvania.  I stayed the night at the Howard Johnson just off Hwy. 76 and amazingly it was great.  The night clerk even had fresh coffee ready.  Howard Johnson hotels employ an 800 number and a customer service staff to link you with a local restaurant so that you can have room service.  It was as good as any delivery service.  I have to hand it to the girl who delivered my food that night, because that storm was a blaster shaking the whole building.  I gave her a five dollar tip just for letting me stay in my safe and dry room.

The next morning I allowed myself to sleep in until 10 a. m., because I only had another hour until I reached my niece’s apartment in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, which by the way is an Akron address.  Interesting.  It was cool and rainy that day and the next few, but I did not care because I was sick, AGAIN!  I blew my nose so much I thought my brains were coming out.  I rubbed my nose raw with lotion filled tissues.  I went through two boxes and two packets of tissues.  Lucky for me my niece is a clean eater, like myself, and I was able to keep my diet to no processed foods.  If you have read my prior blogs you may remember that I have been more sick than well since Thanksgiving 2012.  This time I was cooked.  Even though I began to feel better after a few days, I just had no energy to do anything.  Today is April 23, 2013 and the first day that I did not have sinus issues upon waking up.  I really give the credit to my niece who made me take short trips out of the house every day, drink vitamin filled shakes from Robek’s (Tropikale is the best), cooked for me, and let me sleep as long as I needed to.  Oh yeah, she helped me with my homework too.  So, I give myself a guarded clean bill of health.  The most activity I am doing is yoga, at least for the next week. Anyhow, I am house sitting this week in Salem, Ohio, taking care of my sister’s dogs while she is in Florida.  I am having a great time with my nieces laughing my butt off.  They have an obsession with Herbert the Pervert from Family Guy and anything I say is subject to be turned into an innuendo from Herbert.  I tell you I laughed so hard I started snorting and could not move.  Laughter is the best medicine. Jonathan is still in North Carolina.  He tells me that he is working on the van.  We have tossed a few ideas around about putting a bed of some sort in the rear of the van.  We also are looking into a platform that goes on top of the van and when you unfold it the tent pops up.  I liked that idea because we would be off the ground, but putting a bed inside would be useful if the weather were really bad.  I think that some of these issues we will concur once we get on the road.  We both agreed that we wanted to make most of the decisions together.  I, in the mean time, am making good use of my sister’s garage to clean my car and get it ready for sale.  I am also repacking some of the stuff I brought so that my nieces can store it for me.  We are also starting a digital library of family photos for the future generations.  I am down to four totes of clothes and two boxes of craft supplies, but I gained a bag of yarn.  What can I say, but I am trying to minimize.  I also ordered a new pair of glasses to replace the ones I lost in that fight. Cringe!

Here is to good health and happy wanderings

One more stop before I head to the mainland.

I know I have been absent from the blog for a few days, and I am sorry for that.  When I left Hatteras I did not know just how sick I was until I reached my nieces apartment in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.  I have been recuperating from what I hope is the last of my illness.  You see I have been ill since Thanksgiving 2012 only getting somewhat better, than relapsing for a few weeks, than getting better, than getting sick all over again.  This time I feel like I am really coming out of it.  I also feel that I need another day or two before I resume my normal activities.  I also lost my glasses in that tussle with the Ms. Jekyll/Ms. Hyde and I cannot focus to read which gives me a headache.  So, I will load some pictures of beach that I hope you enjoy and I will return in a day or two with a report of what has taken place.

I love the ocean .

New spring flowers blooming on the dunes.

 This should show you how sick and blind I am.  The picture here of the flowers is

what I labeled as the new springs flowers blooming in the dunes and the one above I thought I did not load.  I cannot see it well enough to know what it is, but I think it is a picture of my red hair blowing in the wind as I tried to snap a shot of the ocean while driving.  Yes, my niece confirmed it is hair and not smoke.  We are having a good laugh over that one, the ocean seen through my waving locks!

The white dunes at Rodanthe, NC

The beach at Rodanthe

 I do hope that you enjoyed these

few photos and I will be back to give the low down and what is going on  now. Stay with tune and happy wanderings.

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The Last Day At Hatteras

This was my good morning to me.

I listened to the waves roaring and crashing last night.  It is like being rocked to sleep.  Then I went out on the beach this morning and walked, took pictures, stuck my toes in the sand, walked in the water (can you say brrrrr!), laid my towel out, and promptly fell asleep.  This evening I am lobster woman (ow, ow).  I feel better and that is what counts.

The dunes and ocean on the ocean side of the island.

What would make this an even better trip?  Weeeeelllll,  having a friend to share it with would make it better.  I am more daring when I have someone else with me.  I did not stay at the camp today.  No, I went driving down the road to the dunes and took pictures, after my nap.  I had dinner at a pizza place.  It was very good.  But I can see this being easier with a friend, someone to plan and share the experience with.  I will tell you that if you plan on visiting the Outer Banks, either pack your own food and a way to cook it or bring lots of money.  Even breakfast will cost you a mint.  I went and bought a box of granola bars, but bought my coffee at a local cafe.  Next time I’ll bring groceries and actually hook up the camp stove.

Sea treasure.

I do know that next time I will have an all-weather tent and a heater or I will just bite the bullet and get a cabin.  If the wind would stop or the weather would warm up it would not be so bad.  During the day it is lovely, but right now I am bundled up and my tent is doing the shimmy and shake, keeping up with the best of the strippers.

I rearranged the contents of the car today.  Mind you, I have items to leave at my nieces for safe keeping and things I just cannot part with, yet.  In doing this I came across two winter coats that I am using to further pad the not so inflatable, self inflating bed pad.  I also found another quilt, and a ruck sac of yarn to use as a pillow.  I should be snug as a bug when I get between the covers.

Tomorrow I head out of here.  I will get on the road early and head to Akron, Ohio. Another new experience awaits.  May not be the beach, but it is something new.

Sunset over the inlet water way. Happy Wanderings.

Where In The World Am I?

Can you see yourself climbing this?  I know I took one look and thought “I wish I was twelve again.”  I love the waves in the sand.  Once you get to the top (and this was only the next to largest dune) it is a beautiful view of the dunes, some ocean, and unfortunately houses.  Are you wondering where I am?   Well, I will tell you on the drive over I was wondering the same thing.

What is your frame of mind? Desolation or serenity?

I decided on both.  It is so not cheating to choose both.  It shows that you know where you are, and can see where you want to be.  After the fight and flight situation Friday night, I paid for two days in a hotel room in Asheboro, NC.  I spent the next two days visiting with a couple of friends and deciding what to do next.  Jon still has obligations and the van to complete and to be completely honest there where no long-term accomodations available for me, even with friends.  The economy has hit everyone.  So, I said goodbye and drove away from the only place I knew as a hometown for nearly fifteen years.  Asheboro, NC home of the NC Zoo and close to the pottery community of Seagrove, NC.  I will miss it and all my friends, but as I told someone else, when you are empty it is not what you are running from but what you are running too.

How is that for a photo shot?  I thought I was being very clever.  Okay, so I got in the car and drove toward the coast.  If I was going to leave NC there was some place I always wanted to go.  I had never been to the Outer Banks of NC.  I left around 4 p. m. and at 8 p.m. I reached Plymouth, NC and pulled into the Holiday Inn Express.  Can you say WOW!  It is a more business class accomodation and about $100 a night.  I hated the expense, but there was no place else to go.  I had stopped and bought the minimal camping equipment I thought I could get by with, mainly a tent.  I purchased a bite to eat and the hotel attendant Amanda had just baked chocolate cookies.  I grabbed a few things from the car and with my meager morsels I squirreled away in my room for some dinner, movies, facebook, and a long hot shower.  I slept the sleep of the dead with the t. v. and lights on.

It is now Monday and I am in the car trying to find the Outer Banks.  Sure I have GPS on my android, but this is an adventure and I am smiling and loving the sunshine.  As the scenery changes into low farm lands and swampy areas, I know I am getting closer.  I wonder if I need to stay on  Hwy 64 East until it dead ends into the Atlantic ocean or will there be a turn.  No, a detour.   Some bridge is being worked on.  I hit 95 then 264 and end up on 12 and I am to far north.  I really wanted to start at the south end of the banks and go north.  No big!  I drove south into Hatteras and found a KOA campground for $53 a night.  Yikes!  I was told by the park ranger that state parks here do not have camping and he kindly gave me a list of privately owned sites.  This time of year there is not much open.  This KOA has bathrooms like the Buckingham Palace.  A lot of places where hit by hurricanes the last two years and are still rebuilding. Too much building if you ask me.  Although, it is beautiful the three-story houses obstruct the skyline and there is only so many places you can build before you begin to change the whole feel of an island.  Negative?  I think not.  I love it here, I was just expecting a more pristine island from what I had been told.  I did enjoy the long stretches of dunes and ocean views in between towns.  But you cannot camp there and they really do not want you to stop and get out except at very few designated spots.  I think I will check on exceptions to the camping rules.

Never a more lovely sight than the ocean.

I only wish it were warm enough to swim.  Today is Tuesday and my plan is to sit on the beach, wonder about the beach taking pictures, eat on the beach, nap on the beach, and enjoy the beach.  Hopefully I will have more pictures for you tonight.  If you are wondering about cell service or internet hook ups on the island, I can tell you that the only problem I have is that it is sometimes slow.  I just finished breakfast and coffee at the Atlantic Coast Cafe at 25150 hwy 12 and it was fantastic.  I had a wrap with eggs, sausage, avocado, onions, tomatoes, and a bit of cheese.  But the service was all smiles and “what can I do for you” , I loved it.

Happy Wanderings!

Just Checking In

I packed my car and I motivated down the road.  However, I did not get to bed until after 2 a. m. so the update will have to wait until I have had my coffee, shower, change of clothes, lunch, and some sane conversation with my friend Luke.  I will have an update this evening.

Happy Wanderings.

Fight! 48 And I Can Still Hold My Own.

The farm house in Harmony, NC on the day of departure.

On April 3, 2013 I packed what belongings I wanted to keep (or could not part with yet) into my car.  It was loaded to overflowing.

There is no more room.

My car can get no fuller. It is almost dangerous.

Why can I not part with this stuff?

On April 4, 2013 I kissed and bid farewell to the brother and family.  Leaving behind my queen sized mattress (nephews fighting over who gets it), 40″ flat screen t.v. (ode to my football fetish and a happy birthday to my brother), huge sections of wire racks that I kept my crafts supplies on, half my clothes burned in the trash fire, and a donation box to the church.  I hit the road first to Greensboro to stop and see Jon at his primary job (we cannot say the name) then on to Abner to stay with a friend (so I thought).  Wonder of wonders I feel that it is going to be a good day, sleet and all.

Entering Greensboro, NC

Now understand that I did not know this person (“friend”) really well, but I had known her as a peripheral friend for some years, had her on my facebook friends list, played Words all the time, thought she was a decent mother and house keeper.  Little did I know.  Well I arrived and was shown my room. It was lovely.  We went shopping and bought new pillows and some foods that I eat (clean eater, mostly).  Now I am supposed to be staying here for the next two months for free per her invitation.  First night down, next day is Friday April 5, 2013 and I am busy pulling stuff in and out of the car getting out what I need and arranging my room, when I am invited to go out for dinner, drinks, and pool game for her birthday.

So, cut away to the night and I am with the friend and her boyfriend at a local restaurant having drinks and more drinks and no food.  Everything is happy except she does not like a girl with one of their friends.  Mind you I am 48 with a clean record, I do not get involved in such matters.  I give my opinion and let it go.  Finally, we move to the pool hall where we meet more people, because by this time “friend” is slammed getting loud and overly friendly up in everybody’s business.  I am thinking “boyfriend” will handle this.  Well from there, things got worse and she ruined someone else’s night then got mad at “boyfriend” and took off walking up a dark country highway.  Mean while I am playing pool by myself when “boyfriend” comes and gets me and says we have to find her.  Okay, I am ready to hit the hay, anyway.  I am not an all night partier and normally I do not get drunk.  OOOOOOPPPPSS!!

Yes, we finally find her and she is combative and will not get in the car.  I thought I was handling her easy and manipulating her into the car.  Stupid me, should have told “boyfriend” no and made him get her.  In short, I got her into the car kicking, screaming, and threatening me.  In the car she is hitting me and the boyfriend and just dangerous to drive with.  I tell “boyfriend” to stop and let her out.  I get out with her so I can keep her from doing something stupid, like walking out into traffic.  All the while I am thinking to myself that I am breaking my primary rule of dealing with alcoholics and drunks.  Which is I do not deal with alcoholics and drunks!

Well, when I got out of the car to look after “my friend” she grabs my hair, yanks my head down to waist level and starts hitting me in the head.  What am I suppose to do?  Training takes over, even after a few drinks.  I through four punches over my head and connect with something, we go to the ground where she is still pulling my hair but I have her wrists and can hold her down.  After a couple of seconds I let her up, get in the car, tell “boyfriend” to call the cops for her, and take me to the house so I can get my stuff and leave.  What does he do?  Drives up the road half a mile and sits there and waits.  I am thinking I am screwed.  The police show up, they find her, and then preceed to tell me that she and I are going to jail unless we can go home to separate rooms and behave.  Okay, I am good for that.  Nope, we get in the car and she starts telling me she is going to take care of me.  Tomorrow she is taking out charges and I am going to prison.  Can you say Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde?

I did get out of the car and try to get the police to take me to the house and get my stuff.  No go.  So they put me back into a dangerous situation, I feel.  But I got back into the car, got to the house, went in and got my stuff, put the key on the counter as I went out with the last of my things, found a hotel room for a couple of days, and realized my glasses are missing off my face.  It is a wonder I made it out alive, at least that is what I am feeling.  I hate a nasty drunk.  If you cannot enjoy a buzz and have to ruin everyone’s night, then you need not drink.  I know I might as well be talking to a fence post.

Now I am sitting here trying to decide whether to buy camping equipment and head to Ohio by way of the beach, just head to Ohio or South Carolina to visit with family, find another friend to bunk with, couchsurf, or locate a house sitting gig.  What to do?  I will have to let you know after I decide.

I have to say that even though I am embarassed about what happened and thankful that I did not go to jail because of someone else’s stupidity and my loving heart, I am pretty proud that I held my own against someone smaller, thinner, faster, and more than ten years my junior.  At 48 I can still hold my own.  But the moral of this story is “Walk Away”.  I broke two rules that night: 1. Always take your own car so that you are not dependent on others. 2. Never “DEAL” with a drunk or alcoholic, you cannot help them without jeapordizing yourself.

Happy Wanderings!

The First Change in Scenery For Me

Heeeeey! Heeeey!  I got some good news today!  Money is on the way!

That means I can pack my car today!  The keeping pile is still bigger than the leaving pile, but I have made a lot of progress.  I have said before that I am a DIYer.  Especially with material.  I can make quilts out of any kind of material, well almost any kind.  So I have this need to keep  everything to make quilts from.  I have cut up a few things over the last few weeks and I am working on a quilt, with an idea for another quilt in the planning.  So I have a problem throwing away or giving away clothes.  I came up with a rule for myself.  This rule is to help me get rid of clothing.  The rule is simple.  If it does not fit PERFECTLY and/or I HAVE NOT WORN IT IN A YEAR it must go in the leaving pile.  Churches love to get clothing, household goods, and diapers for needy families.  There is a church  here in Harmony that my brother and his family attend.  This church has helped my family.  Although I am not of a christian faith, I feel it is right to give when the outcome is helping others, no matter the faith.

Where am I going?  This is the first leg of my journey.  I am basically going home.  I am going back to the area that I have been living in for the last fifteen years.  It is the North Carolina Piedmont area.  More specifically the Asheboro area.  Asheboro is where the North Carolina Zoo is and where the Pottery industry is prevalent.  It sits just 45 minutes south of Greensboro and an hour north of the Pinehurst.  About twelve miles south of Asheboro is Biscoe which is the geographical center of North Carolina.  Jonathan lives just north of Asheboro in Randleman and I will be staying south of Asheboro, just outside of Troy.  That means Jonathan and I will be only thirty minutes from each other.  That also means we will be able to plan together instead of trying to discuss things on the phone.  I am also hopping up and down because if I am that close I will be able to go to the shooting range with Jonathan.  Weee Haaaa!!!

Jonathan should be getting the van this week, as well.  We will work on that van getting it ready.  I think it need curtains on the windows and a privacy curtain to separate the driving area from the back.  We have tents, but we think it may be a good idea to arrange something for inside in the case of really bad weather or some sort of unsafe environment.  There will be a lot of hurry up and wait situations for the next two months.  I will try to blog about as much of it as I can.  I will have more information being closer to Jonathan.  We are both excited about seeing each other and getting serious about the planning (as Jonathan calls it “Brain Storming”).  As I stated in another post our current departure date is June 6,  2013 and our first location is the Outer Banks.

I do not know about Jonathan, but I have not been to the beach in six years.  I have not had a vacation in ten years, and I am over due.  So, first on my agenda is to get my body in some surf, sand, and seafood.  I need some spiritual healing only the ocean can give.  Also, I have never been to the Outer Banks.  It is a strip of land or small islands just beyond the North Carolina coast.  One area even has wild  horses living free.  There are lighthouses and historical sites I would like to visit.  The plan is to camp at state parks as we meander up the coastal highway and ride ferries from one island to the next.  State Parks used to be very cheap camping sites, but they cost about $20 a night if you want bathrooms and grill, less if you like going primitive.  We will leave that information for another blog.

Bird’s eye view of Outer Banks, NC

I am told that the dunes on the Outer Banks are mini mountains.  I promise to take lots of pictures.  But for now I am heading to the Asheboro area to finish getting ready.  I wish we had a massive, self-contained vehicle to travel in, but you get what you get and you don’t pitch a fit.  Check outhttp://www.adventuresinskyhorse and see what they are traveling in.  The world Behemoth come to mind. Keep watching and I will keep you up to date.

Happy Wanderings.

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