RVs Are Everywhere

We drove through the mountains yesterday, on business, so we couldn't stop to play more than a few extra minutes at lunch, after the job was done. I honestly wish I had remembered to count the number of RV's of all shapes and sizes we passed in both directions. It was like they were playing Chinese Checkers, moving all their men to the opposite side of the board. East heading West and West heading East.

It was a good thing we are both responsible people; if not, we may have just abandoned the van, bought an RV (by signing our lives away), and taken off down the back roads to visite every river and mountain out there. But. . . reality set in before immaturity or plain stupidity could take hold.

As it was, we saw beautiful scenery:

• water flowing over rocks both down mountainsides and in rivers
• remnants of snow peeking through trees
• contrasts of new growth light greens versus old growth dark greens
• lots of broken rocks near the side of the road (beautiful, but scary)
• calm reflective waters and raging rapids
• blue skies and whisps of clouds
• sunshine and shade
• curving roads that lead to hidden places and straight roads that seemed to go on forever
• wildflowers in purples and white
• birds on the tippy top of trees
• people having a moment of peace at the side of a river
• forests and pastures
• cows and alpacas and goats
  
• bicyclists in a rainbow of primary colors, muscles working hard heading for somewhere
  

I know we saw more. I know we saw enough for the few hours we were on the road. But I long to see more of the same and more of different.

I only hope that my ability to be content with less won't be lost with each future trip. I'm still able to pull it off. . . but each day it gets a bit harder. How about you? Do you want more?

Photos will follow. Computer woes interfere with posting.

Check out these two RVer blogs!

OK! Let's address the original thought behind this blog, Rving of the traditional kind, in a vehicle wheels and a toilet (thank goodness) and sink. For years now, I have read (more than not) two RV blogs. They are both full time RVers, and although they are following very different lifestyles, they both have a things in common:

• Full time RVers who love natural settings with gorgeous views
• Pay close attention to budgets and share them with their readers
• Take awesome photos of the places they visit.
• Respond with pleasure to their comments and questions asked.
• Love the life they are leading
• Share things they have learned
• Earn some income through blog related activities
  

There differences - well a few obvious ones:

• George drives a Class C (George, I hope I have that right.) Howard and Linda pull a 5th Wheeler.
• George camps alone as much as possible in the real wilderness or on roadsides
• Howard and Linda camp at RV parks and parks a lot.
  

I'll stop listing now, let you find out for yourselves. So, not interested really in RVers? How about interesting personalities? No? OK. Then I will share the other reason to read their blogs: the most gorgeous photos you can imagine of nature in its glory. I have seen views that make me want to just abandon this house, call Leon's boss for him to tell them he quit (I know he would thank me later. . . yeah, I live in a dream world). Of course, that wouldn't work, we would have no RV, no house, a debt (mortgage) to repay, and most likely no sanity. So, I continue to dream. But for now, I reinforce my dream by viewing America as they see it:

• George is here: The Adventures of Tioga and George

• Howard and Linda are here: RV-Dreams Journal

Tell them an RVer wannabe sent you, just don't expect them to know which one! There are a lot of us out there.

Revised Values

I don't know that my values have really been revised as much as allowing myself the opportunity to live them more often or with more conviction. Are you living up to your values? Do you have values that you feel you have adopted only because they were convenient, that perhaps stronger, more honest values are lurking beneath the surface?

Funny, when I have written that phrase, lurking beneath the surface, in recent weeks, it feels ominous, or at best, yuckky. I picture a slimy pile of algae as the surface, and monsters lurking beneath. . . yet, surface can be the crumbly crust sprinkled with ground nuts over a fruit cobbler filled with flavor and comfort. Hmmm. Perhaps that is where I need to start, thinking about the values I have associated with phrases. . . Which under the surface vision pops up in your head recently?

Dona Nobis Pacem

This post is duplicated on two other blogs because I believe in the words I wrote recently on peace.

Click on the globe above to visit Mimi Lenox to view the other globes flown for peace. We can make a difference, both in our little world and in our extended world. I believe very strongly that each individual can make a difference. Click here to read my words on peace.

May each one of us make an effort to set an example of peace, to influence those growing up, to remember that peace is as much about accepting differences as anything else.

Unconscious Mutterings - Too Late

Unconscious Mutterings free association today was much fun! That is all her meme requires from you, just associate. I have found it fun to write a poem from the 20 words, her ten and my ten! If you don't already do her meme, you may want to try it. It is amazing what comes out of our minds. And if you are feeling adventurous, write a poem or story using the words, keeping them in order! But remember, if you do to link back to her meme since you are using it.

1. Savage :: beast
   
2. Warrior :: man
   
3. Daisy :: chain
   
4. Schedule :: me
   
5. Rock, paper, scissors :: paper
   
6. Medical :: student
   
7. Jade :: ring
   
8. Elevator :: path
   
9. Drain :: me
   
10. Goldfish :: bowl
    

Those words became:

Too Late


This savage beast
this warrior man
sits, legs crossed
lost in memories
of a battered daisy chain
thrown at him
in disgust on the day
his heart
awakened

too late

His schedule, back then
(or so he told her
in as much truth as he could muster)
would not allow such
trivial pursuits as
Rock, paper, scissors.

Paper, she said as he
turned to paint another
black line through her hope

Medical travesty
could not compare
with damage caused
by simple ignorance
of human needs

He was a student
by his description only
for he sat impatiently
at her side, his mind
on work or failure
or success or cannots

he was the man
who would stand
as she dropped
her father's jade ring
the only physical evidence
of his existence
and watch disinterested

as she leaped from the elevator
to the darkness below,
skinned her bony knees
rubbed each finger raw
while searching the sandpaper
path for that connection

Her words tumbled out,
"You drain me
like the toddler
drained the goldfish bowl
to reach the marbles,"
as she
remembered the fish
as it tried in vain
to swim the humid air.
"I will flounder in
wait no longer."

She tossed her daisy chain
at him as she grabbed
another's lifeline.

This savage beast
this warrior man
sits, legs crossed
lost in memories
of a battered daisy chain
thrown at him
in disgust on the day
his heart
awakened

too late.

MeeAugraphie
06/03/07

This is, thank goodness, not an autobiography. . . Please do not copy my words without permission. Thank you. I would prefer you link so the link to Unconscious Mutterings remains intact, after all -- it is her initial ten words that prompted me to write!

Happy Anniversary, Leon

I have revised my life and revisited my values over our 33 married years. I have lived citified and almost countrified (finally!). We have created our own recreational vehicles for fun over the years: together we have bowled, golfed, partied, entertained, biked, swimmed, sailed, danced, acted crazy (and in one show together), attended plays, watched movie or TV, played with our son and niece, tramped through Disney World and Sea World (and Disney Quest), wandered around stores and towns, laughed together, and so on.

Separately he acted, competed in darts, bowled, and sailed, watched movies or TV, played with our son, golfed, partied.

Separately, I danced, wrote poetry, wrote stories, played on the computer, played with our son and niece, watched TV, walked.

Different activities at different times in different amounts for different time periods, together or apart. . . We found our own recreational vehicles for our lives. . . sometimes they overlapped, sometimes they didn't. Now, to find more.

An RV is our dream for our next recreational vehicle. Will we pull it off? I hope so, but if we don't, I am sure we will revise or revisit and find something to use for our next recreational vehicle! And speaking of finding them, today on our anniversary, we climb into our next recreational vehicle together: For thirty days we will play along together in Script Frenzy. . . wouldn't it be cool if that became the means to our RV?

I hope you are still using and finding your new ones.