I begin a new endeavor today, that is to attempt a diary, if you will, tracking the new life with an RV that we will have.
It's time to start over here on Wordpress and be "public" after I clean up some of the postings of the past.


So, let's answer the usual questions..... WHO? We are Mark and Linda and we planned to buy an RV when we "retired" and it was always that "one day" thing. Well, here we are on the threshold of that "one day" and I have mixed feelings. Will we be happy on the road? Will the RV we have ordered be suitable for our needs or will we grow to hate it? WHAT? We ordered a 2021 Pleasure Way Class B RV. https://pleasureway.com/models/plateau-ts/ I hope that link provides a photo, we'll see.
We examined what was availalbe in terms of Class B (small van-like RVs) and there is nothing around. COVID-19 has changed the way people vacation, so they want to travel with their own bathrooms, their own kitchens and RV life is "booming". But, we have wanted to do this since we first got married. For our honeymoon in 1984, we rented an RV and our honeymoon took us up the coast of Maine for a week. We loved it. WHEN: Our RV is ordered and will not arrive until late July or early August. We havn'et stopped looking for one, though. If a used one in nice condition shows up, we'll grab it. WHERE: Everywhere! We'll be on the road and see the USA. Can't wait! WHY? Because we want to be free to travel and see the sites! We hope it will be fun. I hope to have a journal here with photos to share with family, friends and others who express an interest.

Today, my neighbors leave. We've gotten used to them. They are teachers at a boarding school and generally are just here summers. They came for spring break in early March or late February (I've lost track) and ended up staying home due to COVID all this time. At first, they said spring break would be extended for about 2 or 3 weeks and then, oops, they just have been here over 6 months. Before they would breeze in and out of here and we hardly knew them. We had such a nice long stretch and lots of socially distanced chats out in the yard. We even had them over to our lake for a swim on a couple of hot days, they socially distanced and brought their own picnic lunch. The boys loved our place and Mark took them "tubing" with our boat. The kids loved Gladys the paddle boat too. Lucky thing I hadn't gotten to the local farm stand as I'd planned as I was the recipient, yesterday, of the remains of her garden in a big bag. More tomatoes.... I am swimming in tomatoes, just about every meal we have had these last few weeks has been tomato based. : ) That's OK. I'll miss our neighbors and their kids, who have amused us throughout the summer. In particular, their enthusiasm, when the eldest son got a boat (and trolling motor thanks to my buddy Barbara G.) for his high school graduation gift. He had always wanted a boat and the great passion for this made us wonder why the family waited so long to own one. It's been so fun to see the comings and goings of this cheerful family. We, who have owned boats all our lives, forget that it is so cool when you finally have a chance to get out on the water if you have never had that chance. The dad and one kid had to leave over a week ago and she leaves with the youngest child today. We become accidental caretakers and watch their place a bit while they are not around, lots of things can happen when you leave a house for months. In this electronic age, though, they have remote cameras, even a stand by generator that gives them text messages if it goes on or off, etc. Their thermostats can be adjusted remotely as well, they keep an eye on things, even motion sensors work remotely nowadays. I hope the school year, for them, goes normally. Though their son, who was supposed to be off to an out of state college, stayed home and will be doing school remotely this year. They just felt moving him to a place that would take a day and a half's drive to get to if he needed to be moved out quickly was crazy. Times sure are different. We wondered if they would even leave for this school year and they joked with us that they could be back in two weeks and spend the entire school year here doing everything remotely. It still could happen. I hope not. I hope all the COVID-19 precautions all kinds of schools are taking just works and everyone can calm down and have a decent school experience. We'll miss our cheerful neighbors up here on top of the mountain. We wish them a healthy and organized school year. Speaking of school, I have to say we learned that lots of the school systems around here are erecting big "party" tents on the grounds and certain classes are going to be outdoors. If you have kids, make sure they have sweaters and stuff and are prepared for outdoor chilly fall days in an outdoor open air classroom. Goodness knows what they'll do when it gets really cold? My prayers go out to those who are teaching and to students of all kinds. I hope, when they grow up, the kids whose lives have been altered so much by COVID-19 have fond memories of these "special" times. I hope they don't remember the conflicts our nation has and the horrible unrest, I hope they remember interesting school settings and special family adventures. I hope these circumstances net happy memories instead of sadness for the kids. One last thought on this is that our nation needs to pull on it's collective big girl/boy panties and put a stop to all the anger and move forward from this time period. It's bad enough to have this pandemic, but I shudder to think about the impressions being made on children when they see and reflect on what is happening in our world. Be good to one another. Listen, learn and stop the hate.

On this day, September 11th, I reflect on the good, the bad and the ugly. It was a rough day for us all. I swear I still have PTSD and this anniversary hurts my soul. It may always be this way, so poignant, so dreadful, so intense. On this day the very ugliness of humanity was evident. Yet, in the day there were shining glories, people who selflessly did things for strangers. I personally hugged a woman I didn't know at a gas station.... I was crying, so was she. We were both panicked, filling up our gas tanks in case we had to flee. We only knew that our gas tanks needed to be full so we could move out if we needed to go. How scary that was. I remember people in my life, like my parents, who have since passed on and how upsetting this was for them. Mom reflected on Pearl Harbor Day and how this day brought forth similar feelings. My parents were concerned for us and our country, the same as I was. Oh how I wish they were still here so I could talk to them today. It's funny how I started writing all the time each morning as "therapy" and as I write this it dawns on me that I write, at times, as I don't have my truly wonderful parents to talk to anymore. Does this take the place of that? I must examine that. Some days when I write, it's more of a diary and other days I pour out my heart. It's exactly like my conversations with mom and dad might have been, in a way. I just miss them so very much. Let us remember, respect, and try to get along on this day. One of the things that saddens me the most is that we had opportunity after 9/11. That opportunity was for us to unite and do a better job getting along. President Bush's popularity, after 9/11, soared to 86% for awhile. We united behind our leadership, we worked and there truly was teamwork. I appreciated that. That gave me hope. At a time when our country is so divided, I am ashamed of people's lack of unity, of their hateful behavior towards one another. We can do better. We should all look at how we were and how awful we've become. I'm not saying everyone has to approve of our president, either, what I am saying is that respect has gone out the window. I don't say hateful things about other politicians, not in my party, openly in public forums. My vote is what I use to approve or disapprove. I have that right, thankfully, and I fiercely want to protect that right. I think respect has gone out the window and it saddens me. Don't like what I'm doing, well, scream louder and say awful things. Yup, what a world. I was recently, in a way, "happy" to know that it's not only our country that is this way. A woman in Australia filed a law suit against her neighbors as they grilled meet and it offended her. That was not enough so a huge group of people are now having a massive BBQ outside the woman's home to further offend and taunt her. What a world. She was wrong to file the law suit and the hate these people are showing with this massive protest BBQ is equally offensive. So, it's not only in our country, it's in other places too. Respect is a good thing, we all should try it sometime. I also think we could reflect on why other people, such as al-qaeda hate(d) us. I still refuse to capitalize their name, they don't deserve it. I still can't get past their "need" to kill people and I would imagine they still would very much like to do so. I shall never understand it, no religion should ever condone killing of innocent people. If they think everyone should follow their religion, or be killed, why not promote that religion as a good thing and try to convert people vs. hate and killing? Of course, that is my own Christian ideology show through, I guess? I don't get the hate and killing, I just don't. I do think our former president Obama tried to deflect some of the hate of our country, and to get along better. Yet, his apologies and efforts did not seem to be effective in the long run. He recognized the hate, and tried, at least. That is something I respected him for. I don't always agree with his decisions but I truly think he wanted to be the peacemaker. I wish he had done a better job fostering internal peace in our country as we grew more divided under his leadership and since then have gotten even more divided, if that is at all possible. Our present president is not at all trying to make our relationships better with other countries, in my opinion. It's an our country first thing with him and I totally get it and why, but I wish we had a happy medium between this and the last president. Maybe we'll do better next time around? We keep trying to get it right. So far, not so much. The hate of Americans is hard to define and we are who we are has lots to do with it, it's not just our leaders that define us. I also think we citizens need to recognize that we are powerful and with that power, we create enemies. We could do lots better as to how our nation is perceived and how we behave "in public". I've read articles on American tourists and how offensive their behavior can be to others. We all could be more respectful, cautious, and put thought into how we portray ourselves. Even the TV and movies we export are pretty disgusting, violent and overly sexual. Is that who we are as a nation? Well, for some of us, yes. Not for me. I used to think there needed to be a way for other people and countries to get to know the real people of America and not the politicians and Hollywood portrayal. We are not at all like those movies and tv shows, not at all like the hateful politicians I have grown to despise. Nope. They don't truly know us at all, but we are a diverse nation and maybe they do know us better than I think? How sad if I am the one who has my head in the sand and think "we" are not at all like people think? Yet, people want to come here even if we are offensive to some, and the illegal immigration problems continue and this "hated" country is more desirable than ever. I've often thought about immigrating elsewhere, truth be told. Yet, I have family, a home, connections and don't quite know where we'd go. Is anyplace better? I don't know, but this sure isn't an ideal place for me. I do love my country, but the conflict and what we are going through hurts my soul. We fight among ourselves about how to handle it all. We are an immature nation in many ways. We can do better. We could be more loved and appreciated, we could try to reach a hand of friendship towards our enemies, both inside and outside our country. I ask for peace. I'm tired of conflict, I'm tired of violence, I'm tired of people who just plain can't get along. 9/11 is a good day to reflect upon where we were and who we are now. I'm less happy than I was prior to 9/11 in many ways with this country. I'd sure love to see big changes but we all don't agree on what those changes should be. I pray for peace. I have no real answers, just a strong desire to make things better. I hope you do as well. So, remember those who lost their lives and let us strive to be a better people, a people that deserves those lives being extinguished as part of our history. Looking back over this last 18 years since 9/11, I see a torn nation and a nation of "haters". It's time to pull up those big girl panties collectively and move forward. 9/11 should have taught us a few things and I don't quite think we learned well enough. Give peace a chance - John Lennon

I just read something that made me think. People and groups are multi-faceted. For example, if one person in a group makes one statement (and it can be misconstrued and there may be more to the story) that is no reason to assume everyone in that group feels and thinks the same. We are guilty of stereotyping when there is that kind of thinking. I often look at the whole picture but many people just can't, they take one thing at face value. If one person in your political party is arrested for something and is "bad" does that make all in the party equally guilty? We have to stop this thinking. It's the same if you have a family. One kid in the family goes wrong, is that meaning the entire family are horrible people? Remember to look at the entire picture before jumping to conclusions. All Christians or Muslims, or whites or blacks, or any other group you can think of don't all fit in the square peg definition, some are round pegs. Let us all think hard before we make assumptions. One person wrote to a local newspaper and made a few remarks. I did not see what that person said. But, I saw an onslaught of hateful letters written by people after the fact saying this person was a white supremacist, a bigot and all sorts of things. I kind of wish I had seen the original letter that was written, but perhaps I should be glad I did not. One, or more, letters told the newspaper that they should not have published the original letter. The person who wrote the original "thing" had free speech, as do they. I don't know what was said but the temper tantrums and requests for censure bothered me. We have constitutional rights to say what we want to say. I could be here saying I'm better than everyone else, but I know that is not so. I have a right to free speech and when a newspaper starts "editing" letters someone feels are "bad" we begin a march down the wrong path. You can disagree and hate whoever wrote whatever it was you thought was "bad" and you can write a letter to the newspaper too, as some have done. But, someone wrote and said what they are thinking, no matter how provocative it may have been they exercised their right. Be at peace and perhaps rather than ripping a person to shreds, one might take an opportunity to respond and attempt to educate that person and realize that responses could be an educational opportunity. I had a grandmother I loved dearly. She was a good woman and she loved her family, she would have died for us. Yet, as I reflect back, she was a bigoted person and rather superstitious in nature. She'd freak out if you broke a mirror and step on a crack in the sidewalk. I chalk it up to the fact that she grew up in different times. I loved her and wish she was here, today, to hug. Would I berate her publicly for her beliefs, or might I say a few gentle things here or there to help her understand times are changing? I'd like to think I would love her and be kind and maybe, just maybe, I could help her change her views. We accomplish nothing with hate and mean spirited words. We also, in my humble opinion cannot erase history. We can turn around something that happened with educational and thoughtful words to explain to a new generation what the thinking was, and now is. You are not "wrong", I am not "wrong" if we think differently, we just need to understand each other better. Thank you for reading this.

Empaths beware

Last night, Mark and I purchased the pay per view movie, Bohemian Rhapsody. Though I feel it was a good movie, I was left sad. I'm kind of sorry I watched it. I often react differently to certain movies other people love, and it's just me I guess. A good example of how I know myself rather well is that I have never seen and will never see the movie Titanic from years ago. I know how it ends, why would I form an attachment to characters who would die in the end? That would have haunted me and I'd have been sad for a long time after seeing it. It was fictionalized, but real people with lives and hope for their future died when that ship went down, I don't need to see it. I know the story already. No thanks. I don't care to see things that leave me sad, there is enough in life that does that on it's own without paying money to add to it all. I should have known better last night. As for me, give me entertainment that actually makes me happy. I'm a happy ending kind of gal. The music was good, though. This portrayal of Freddie Mercury would end with us knowing he was ill and of his impending death. What a shame his life was ended at only 42 and he was often so lonely. But, from a teaching perspective, I hope the teens who might watch it would perhaps get that fame and fortune is not everything and that even with all the tea in China, you could be a very lonely, sad and misdirected person. Meaningless relationships left him sick and dying and those people were not at his bedside when he died, they were takers who took from him. I suppose the teaching from that is that long term promiscuity, and a party life style can leave one hollow and actually lead to an early death. We've seen so many in the entertainment industry fall due to the drugs and the other lifestyle situations. I wonder if kids of today get that? Would watching this story change anyone's direction and how they might handle fame and fortune? I have no answers. It does make me thankful that my life is as it is, that I made some decent choices over the years, though I had a rocky road in my 20s. I lived, I learned. Mercury did achieve greatness and the music he was part of lives on. I love Queen's music and grew up with it, and I should have just not watched the movie. So, with this melancholy mood, I wish you a good Sunday and I hope that I do some serious cheering up as I go through my day. Once I get busy, I'll feel more like me again. Normal is a good thing. Yes, I am the empath who should know better than to expose myself to various things that hurt my soul. I do wish that empath warnings might be available for films and TV shows, perhaps they are? I should check if that is so. I know I had begun to watch the TV series "This is Us" for awhile and had to stop, it was just too sad for me.

I cannot resist saying one thing today. It's political in a way, but I am not trying to persuade anyone of anything in terms of beliefs. I need to vent my frustration. Now that this long investigation thing has ended, Couldn't "we", and especially the media, shut the heck up about it and find something else to talk about? As for me, I would very much like to heal this divided country. Move on, stop fighting with each other and let us be better than all this infighting. I feel like I am watching kindergartners on a playground who can't get along and I am so tired of it. NH is the best place in the world to live, I love my state, but now that the 2020 "season" is beginning, I shudder to think that our first in the nation primary state won't have time to heal it's wounds. They'll all be here, dragging us through the mud until our primary, it's all begun already. The nasty accusations and criticisms are like wounds from this 25 million dollar investigation. To top if off, it's like the results are not important, they are still screaming at each other. We may begin to heal after this hellish investigation had people at each other's throats, only to be ripped open to bleed profusely by the parade of candidates we shall "get to know" personally over the next few months. Ugh. I seriously wish for one news station to have simply news, not politics, a safe haven. Even if they had one hour a day dedicated to this purpose for the politically traumatized folks to be able to find out what is happening without being dragged through all that mud. Life could be so much happier. I do know where my remote is and where, also, the mute button is, at least. That is a life saver. I think I have political PTSD, I swear. Enough already!

So, I'm working at the Weight Watcher thing but little things like people's birthdays seem to get in the way when it comes to consistency. Stay the course, that is the key. If the horse throws you, get right back on again and move on. I'm kind of unhappy with WW later as their new program is driving me nuts. I liked the program they had 2 or 3 years ago better and I wish I had the option, with them, to go back to it. It worked for me. Yet, their phone app is the current plan and there is no way to go back to it. Certain foods are "free" foods and I am so sick of them. Eggs, chicken breast, beans, repeat, boring me to death may I say. Fruits and veggies are free and I am very glad about that, but those other foods seem to take over when you want to save up your points for dinners and eating out and stuff like that. So tired of it. So, I have been giving thought to trying out some other programs than WW as it is so confining. One does not always need a program to lose weight and keep it off, but I am one that needs structure and something to follow and it's been good for me. I did lose 35 pounds, but it is now more like 25 pounds and I'm trying so hard to hold the line and go back towards the 35 again, but boy is it ever hard. Hopefully some spring weather and getting outdoors will help. I sure wish that WW had more meetings up around this area I live in. I even gave thought to starting a group locally for people who want to meet and talk about their efforts, share successes and ideas and weigh in regularly. Having another person weigh you weekly was truly part of my success, I think. I sure wish there was a convenient day and time around here for a WW meeting. Naturally, the day there is a meeting is also the day for quilting at the church, I choose that. I also know, deep down, that no one buy me holds the silverware and is responsible for what I eat. So, with that counting as a stern lecture to myself, I vow to be a good girl today.