The Plan of a Lifetime

 

 Eleven years ago we retired from our jobs in California and sold our beautiful two-story home in Brea. I loved that home, I loved California, and I loved my job, but knowing if we were to sell our house and move out of California, which we did at exactly the perfect time, as far as the housing market, we will have pulled off a very smart economical move.

Since then many wonderful things have happened. I’ve published two books of poetry, I've been not only to Ireland many times since we moved, but we’ve traveled all over Europe;  Pairs, Brussels, Spain,  Vienna, Budapest and Prague. Italy, France and Croatia.

 I’ve gotten to know and fall in love with not only my Mother’s Irish heritage but have been to Croatia now, where my Dad’s family are from. We were even able to find Mrkopalj the small mountain village where my paternal grandparents actually lived as young people before coming to the U.S.

I’m so very grateful for the blessings that have come my way and that we’ve been able to take part in them.

Since we’ve moved to Henderson, our son got married, and has had three sons of his own. Imagine that,  I have three Grandsons! I’m thinking I’ll always have a date for wherever I want to go.

 This year I’m going to pass on my annual trip to Ireland, and spend more time in California.  I want to be there to take the boys to school and pick them up. I want to take them to the beach on their days off, help them with their spelling words and watch them play ball. I’ve promised myself also, that I will have a good first draft of my book about Ireland done and I’ll write a lot more poetry.

There is no doubt in my mind that there are many lifetimes that await us. My plan is to enjoy each and every one of them as long as I can.

Awestruck...

On Sunday  I went to Mt. Charleston for the day. It’s amazing that it is only 57 miles from my home here in Henderson NV, and takes less than an hour to get there.  A friend and I went, It was 32 degrees, lots of snow on the ground and it was snowing while we were there. We couldn’t find a parking spot at the lodge, it was as though everyone had gone to the mountains that day.

We drove back down the mountain a ways and parked on the street. The walk back up hill felt good, the air was cool and crisp, there really is nothing like fresh mountain air.

The last time Maraya and I were there together was in the summer and we took our walking sticks and hiked and climbed the rocks big and small but with all the snow this time we left the sticks in the car.  

 There was something about the snow that brought out the child in me and yet, there was a moment or two where I was completely overwhelmed by the majesty of it standing right there in front of me. I tried to capture it all with my camera.

Imagine! Just a short drive from home, all of this for us to partake in, be part of… for free..  

My intention this year is simply to live in awe of everything this beautiful world has to offer.  

Until my next awestruck moment.