Into the Wild Blue Yonder VI ~ June 7th to June 10th

We've turned the proverbial corner and headed south on Hwy 101. Like two old team mules we knew our way home and the barn was calling. We love to travel but cherish home base and our friends and neighbors. 

Bit by Bit

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We left Lincoln City after breakfast and headed to Bandon for the night. We were hoping to get some walks in along the way, but it was colder than a Witch's Patootie along the coast, 54 degrees and 15-20 mph north winds. Too cold to play outside, so we made it up along the way. We stopped at the venerable Sea Hag Restaurant in Depot Bay for clam chowder (a great warmer upper). Next stops were at a couple of our favorite casinos in Florence and North Bend to play a bit. We didn't walk away with any winnings but logged five miles of walking indoors today.

Explored old town Bandon, visited our favorite kitchen store, Bandon Mercantile (we always find a must have there) and found a new addition to the town's landscape. A visual wake up call I'd say.

Got a good night's sleep drifting off to the sounds of the ocean. After breakfast we once again tried a beach walk, but the winds persisted. I am the original weather wuss and was chilled with 5 layers. Even my Nordic viking was caught off guard so after short walk we got back on the road.

The drive from Bandon to McKinleyville, through Redwood National Park is gorgeous any time of year, we took our time and made a few stops along the way. Got into Blue Lake in the late afternoon, had dinner and called it a night. After breakfast we visited with our friends Tom, Linda and Noah for a bit before we hit the road.

Our neighbors Susi and Carol had been taking care of what we call the "upstairs" of the property: watering the gardens, indoor plants, feeding the wild birds and keeping birdbaths full. I had texted Carol we'd be in a couple of days early, the 10th (which is her son Evan's birthday) instead of the 12th. Little did we know what these two would do. Carol let Susi know we were coming in early and she decided we needed some supplies and asked Carol what we ate. Carol put on her thinking cap for a minute and said "Wait, they haven't pick up recycle yet, let me go check the bin." She came up with a list and Susi had the larder stocked before we got in. These two are the cat's meow. 

The icing on the proverbial cake: Shortly after we got in Evan came over with a little ramekin of cheese cake. He had helped his mom make his birthday cheesecake and invited us over to sing Happy Birthday and share. Home, off the road, food in the refrigerator and cheesecake for dinner. It doesn't get much better than that. 

Thoughts on Turning Seventy ~ March 17, 2015

As we start crossing thresholds like 30, parents seem to morph into "senior citizens" from our point of view. Wrong assumption! Little do we know about aging and such things until we get here. Mom and Dad retired at 52 and 61 in 1971. They sold the family compound and hit the road for a decade to explore the US and Canada before settling in Arizona. They reinvented themselves, followed their artistic muses, fished, rode trains and made friends around the country. 

As Mark Twain said "Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind it doesn't matter." Hell, at 70 I've reached wise woman status and consider myself a true broad, following in the footsteps of the irreverent and forward thinking women of my family.

To celebrate this milestone of a birthday we gathered friends and neighbors for a day filled with great food, stories, laughter and decadent desserts. A BBQ in March you ask? Yup, perfect winter weather, California style. 

Birthday Girl

Special request
Lemon cake with dark chocolate frosting
from neighbor Carol

Green Goddess Lilies from Susi's garden

Before guests arrive

The afternoon: relax, chat and eat dessert

Secret to success in life and aging

Enjoy life, take care of yourself and follow your dreams.  
Question authority, be your own advocate and never stop learning. 
Always trust your gut and keep negative people out of your life.
Give back, pay it forward and take care of your own little corner of the world.
Never take anything for granted and find the humor in all situations. 
Most important is to be who you are and not give a rat's ass about what other people think.  

Some words from a few well known elders:

George Will

After 70: One has the pleasure of playing, as it were, with house money and to have escaped the disagreeable fate of dying young.

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
To be seventy years young is sometimes far more cheerful and hopeful than to be forty years old.

Helen Hayes
The hardest years in life are those between ten and seventy.

Maurice Chevalier
The French are true romantics. They feel the only difference between a man of forty and one of seventy is thirty years of experience.

Mark Twain's Recipe for Long Life. 
The New York Times, December 6, 1905

I have achieved my seventy years in the usual way: by sticking strictly to a scheme of life which would kill anybody else. It sounds like an exaggeration, but that is really the common rule for attaining old age. When we examine the programme of any of these garrulous old people we always find that the habits which have preserved them would have decayed us. I will offer here, as a sound maxim this: that we can't reach old age by another man's road.

Album of the Heart ~ Jun 13, 1880

In the golden chain of friendship save one precious link for me.

Yours Sincerely, Julia E. Black

Who'd have thought that this simple entry in Flora's Album of the Heart would create such a research conundrum. What I discovered was a number of variations on the theme. 

Friendship is a Golden Chain

 the links are friends so dear

And like a rare and precious jewel

 it's treasured more each year

It's clasped together firmly 

with a love that's deep and true

And it's rich with happy memories 

and fond recollections too

Time can't destroy its beauty

 for as long as memory lives

Years can't erase the pleasure

 that the joy of friendship gives

For friendship is a priceless gift 

that can't be bought or sold

But to have an understanding friend

 is worth far more than gold

And the Golden Chain of Friendship

 is a strong and blessed tie

Binding kindred hearts together

 as the years go passing by

The poem is claimed by multiple authors, though I use the term loosely for Anonymous. Helen Steiner Rice is credited with the poem, but she was born 20 years after the lines were written in the album. Ann M. Siddall is cited as having written and copyrighted the poem, but there is no date and she seems to be a ghost in the online world. Anonymous is also credited for the poem on the Happy Endings Funeral Service website.

Friendship is a golden chain, one single link is all I claim ~ I found numerous variations on the wording in commonplace book entries from the late 19th and early 20th century. This line was written to a Ruth Kassner in 1906.

In the golden chain of friendship regard me as a link ~ This line was found in Hill's Manual of Social and Business Forms, A Guide to Correct Writing under Selections for the Autograph Album, published in 1881. Miss Manners would have probably loved this guy. The introduction to the section reads as follows: 

"The individual is frequently called upon for his or her autograph. In complying, is it customary to couple with a sentiment, signing the name beneath. If the matter written is original, be it long or short, it is usually more highly valued. If a brief selection is made, some of the following quotations may be appropriate." 

Julia may have been inspired by any one of these sources, but part of the magic is that we'll never know for sure. 

Four generations from Flora to me and a golden chain of friendship continues, some of these girls at my 4th birthday party are still in my life 65 years later. The pretty lady is my mom.

The setting is our cottage, on the old 3/4 acre homestead, on Summit Avenue in Mill Valley where I grew up. It was purchased from the Tamalpais Land and Water Company by my great grandparents, Flora and Charles Beals for the staggering sum of $2,000 in 1892. We moved there to take care of my grandma Hazel, her daughter, in 1949. Those of us who grew up on Mt. Tamalpais were the luckiest kids in the world and we all still know it. 

Day Tripping to Jimtown ~ March 24, 2014

Last week our friend Margo asked if we'd like to meet her for lunch at the Jimtown Store. It's just a few miles northeast of Healdsburg on Hwy 128. Any excuse for an adventure and we're on board. There was also the fact that during the four decades we've lived in Sonoma County we'd never been there. What's with that oversight? 

Richard Sheppard

http://www.theartistontheroad.com/

The day was picture perfect shirtsleeve, windows down, 72 degrees and no hint of the rains forecast for the week. I keep forgetting it's March. The first thing I did was hop out of the Honda with my camera and stalk some of the local the wildlife. 

The inside of the store is an eclectic collection of food, wine, treats, and anything else you can think of from flower seeds to folk art. We ordered lunch at the counter and went out onto the patio to eat. Sandwiches were delicious and the potato salad out of this world. 

Photo Credit

http://www.somethingaboutsonoma.com/

There was an intriguing, partially open shed door on the patio that kept calling to Rod and he finally got up to look and found the small shed was full of antiques and folk art. 

We also discovered the back room of the store was filled with more wonderful stuff. Chef Boy was immediately drawn to a vintage chuck wagon cook box. A wonderful contraption with storage shelves, drawers, a built in coffee grinder and of course a mirror for shaving.

As we were leaving we noticed a barn out back and wondered if that held more good stuff. I called today and confirmed that it is indeed full of treasures ~ oh darn we have to go back. 

Decided it was too nice to head home so we headed over the hill to the Calistoga Museum. The docent gave us a wonderful tour and shared some delightful trivia about the town and it's founders. Wherever you travel check out museums and historical sites. You will be delighted, entertained and maybe even learn something.

A New Year's Rewind ~ Jan 01, 2014

Rod and I once owned a part interest in 40 acres on the old Navarro Ranch in Cazadero. The property was burned over in the Creighton Ridge fire in August 1978 and when one of the original partners decided to sell out Rod bought his share. He was living on the land in a teepee when I met him at the Fort Ross Volunteer Fire Department Picnic May 1981 (Actually the teepee had just blown of the ridge in a major storm so he was camped out in the main house of the old Ranch). The cabin was built in 1982. 

 Cabin ~ Circa 1982

We used to go up quite a bit when no one lived there full time, but things changed over the decades. In 2007 two of us sold our shares and moved on. Partner George headed for Campo to be near his grandkids and we focused time on our place in Sebastopol and travelling.

Fast forward to 2014. We hadn't been up to the land in almost 7 years. George has been up from Campo so we decided to head up there to visit with our old partner Todd and his family today: daughter Megan, husband Joe and their three kids. A lot has changed and nothing has changed. It was a step back in time and a chance to catch up. An informal pot luck in 70 degree sunshine set the stage.

Cabin ~ Circa 2014

 

There have been many improvements made over the years: additional windows and interior walls in the cabin and solar power. The garden below the cabin flourishes with raised beds for vegetables, fruit trees, and flowers.

 

There is a new outhouse.

 

The "bath room" now includes a tub

Garfield is resident rodent wrangler 



 No words necessary

 

The little cabin that George built is now a guest house with indoor plumbing and a view down the canyon. We've been invited to come stay anytime. It is so supremely quiet up there: miles of trails to hike and a glorious place to do some stargazing. Looking forward to spending time up there again.

Christmas Eve ~ Dec 24, 2013

For a majority of the 32 years Rod and I have been together we've spent Christmas on the road: visiting my parents in Arizona or his family in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. We are orphans now, having lost the last of our parents when Rod's sweet pop passed away earlier this year.

We decided to stay home this year and all it did was get us in trouble.  Well, not really trouble, let's say we have a new understanding of an alternate description of adventure.

• Dec 9 ~ through Dec 21 the bathroom remodel runs amok.
• Dec 21 ~ remodel is completed on our wedding anniversary: oh boy we can shower and flush, the best gift ever before we head out for a great dinner at Underwood Bistro in Graton.
• Dec 22 ~ the new plumbing backs up.
• Dec 23 ~ septic tank pumped in case that was the problem (should do it every 5 years and it had been 7) ~ not the problem
• Dec 23 ~ Rod on his belly in the ice plant with a hose and plumber's snake trying to shake loose whatever is keeping the main line to the septic tank from draining.
• Dec 23 ~ an hour later success ~ splat something unmentionable drops into the empty tank ~ Houston we've fixed the problem, all systems go.
• Dec 23 ~ well as long as we're in here we might as well dump the black water tank on our Outhouse on Wheels. This puppy saved us during this little adventure in plumbing.

• Dec 23 ~ get the hall and living room carpets, couch and easy chairs cleaned by Coit due to dust bomb grit aftermath of removing a portion of two of the interior bathroom walls which turn out to be inch thick exterior stucco.

• Dec 23 ~ go to movies to escape the chaos on the kitchen counter and having most of the furniture parked in the kitchen or out on porch while the carpets dry.
• Dec 23 ~ get home from the movies in time to see the last heart pounding 5 minutes of the Forty-Niner game. A fitting end to the season and Candlestick Park.
• Dec 24 ~ I started deep cleaning of one of the bedrooms: as in everything from baseboards to ceiling. Why you ask? Three days ago the afternoon sun was shining in Rod's window when he took a shirt out of his closet and shook it. A cloud of dust rose up and danced about him like campfire smoke. Yikes, cosmic hint, Thor's hammer, Gibb's slap to the back of the head ~ got it.
• Dec 24 ~ Rod finishes installing wainscoting and trim.

After 8 hours of hard labor we took a break at 2:30 and headed out for a walk around the vineyard next door. Sunny and 66 degrees, hard to believe it's winter. Tomorrow we'll tackle Rod's bedroom, the kitchen floor and do windows before heading next door for dinner.  Pizza sounds good tonight!

Hope you're enjoying the holidays with friends and family. The kindness, humor, love and generosity of our neighbors got us through this little adventure, and I use the term adventure loosely.

Think we'll hit the road next Christmas ~ The cosmos and, by then, my new liver willing!

Wishing You Were Here ~ Nov 23, 2013

 

 

Another year exits stage right
Life moves on with each sunset flight

From the seeds of friendship you so freely cast

A cosmic garden has come to pass

It took root in love and continues to thrive

Ever brilliant and so much alive

 

We all have new challenges to bear
As well as joys and stories to share

We remain the same, yet forever changed

By the cosmic cowgirl, at home on our range

You taught me well about facing each day

Life throws us curve balls, but we're here to play

 

Follow your heart

Jump in with both feet

Say what you mean

And follow your dreams

 Zarzo's lines reside in plain sight

 Words to the wise forever in flight

 

 

Did you come to ride?

 Or did you come to hide? 

 

 Here to ride girlfriend, fearless, strong and true

So very glad to have shared time with you

Back to the Future ~ Aug 18, 2013

In my February 9, 2010 post called Wild Blue Yonder, I retold a story from one of my journals. In May, 1970 I packed up my pup Charis and headed off on an month long adventure. No promises to keep, no particular place to be. North was the general direction. Should I turn right or left was my morning mantra.

I found myself in British Columbia headed east on the Trans-Canadian Highway. At Yoho National Park I met Robert Glendenning and James Johnson. We spent a couple of weeks exploring British Columbia and Alberta together.

Camped at the base of Mt. Edith Cavell

 

Jasper, Alberta

 

A year or so ago I received a phone call from a gentleman asking if I was "the girl in the green VW bus with the black puppy he'd travelled around Canada with in 19 ought 70 something". It was Robert. Come to find he's lived in Petaluma for years.

 

Flash forward 43 years. I received a message that Robert and James wanted to meet for lunch at Sushi Hana in Sebastopol. Turns out we live within a 100 miles of each other. We had a great meal, caught up on our lives and swapped stories about our trip. Funny how you forget some things and remember other things differently.

 

James and Robert

 

“For my part,

I travel not to go anywhere,

but to go.

 I travel for travel’s sake.

The great affair is to move.”

 

Robert Louis Stevenson

The Art of Giving and Other Thoughts ~ June 17, 2013

In Fall of 2009 I did a three part series called the Art of Giving. In the last few days readers have checked out one of the posts. I realized, after a quick glance, that the links no longer exist so I took a few minutes to update the trio. This of course got me to thinking and I've decided to expand on the series, to give my readers some ideas and food for thought for the coming seasons.

 

Inspire Me

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A lot has changed for me in the last four years and that in turn has changed my perspective, the lens through which I see the world. All of it has been documented in my blog but the gist of it is: don't waste time on the unimportant shit, appreciate the little things, choose your attitude, and cherish your friends.

 

Friendship is Wealth

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Now go play outside. Unplug from all things electronic and share yourself with the world, one on one. We're off for a picnic and a walk in the park.





Album of the Heart ~ Undated Entry

To Miss Flora

Is there one pleasant word or passing thought,

The joy of which you fain would cherish

Then why not here without alloy,

Preserve them where they will not parish

Within the Album.

 



Fond recollections of the past,

Our present troubles oft dispel.

Where e'er in life, our lot be cast,

Kind memory throws her magic spell,

Around the Album.

Would you then from memory's store,

Retain one golden drop of pleasure.

The names, the works, of Friends of Yours

Preserve and ever fondly treasure,

Within the Album.

Gideon

 

The lithograph "Dreaming" is from a painting by Brussels native Joseph Coomans (1816-1889). It's from an book I was given entitled "Famous Pictures" published in 1902. 

 

"The dream of Joseph Coomans' Pompeian maiden is evidently one of those which come by day to young ladies not insensible to the sentiment of love."

 

I just opened the book to a random page and there she was, the perfect vision for the poem to my great grandmother from the mysterious Gideon. 

Deja Vous ~ Mar 23, 2013

So you don't know what you don't know until something brings what you don't know to light. One thing for sure ~ life is full of surprises! My doc has been concerned about my low platelet count and a recent CT scan and biopsy revealed a walnut sized growth on my liver called an Hepatocellular Carcinoma. The good news is that it has nothing to do with the breast cancer journey of 2011.

The cause, more often then not, is the result of chronic infection of the liver. Most people don't know they have a problem until liver damage shows up decades later, during routine medical tests. In 1990 doctors at Kaiser were reviewing a sonogram of my right kidney and noticed shadows on my liver that didn't look normal. They kept digging and discovered I had two chronic conditions, a dastardly duo I've dubbed Bevis and Butthead.

First: a not so rare hereditary disorder called Hemochromastosis that causes your body to absorb too much iron from the food you eat. The excess iron is stored in organs, especially the liver and heart and can lead to health problems. It's treated by removing blood (phlebotomy) which signals your body create new blood and thus pull iron stores from organs. I've always had a fascination with all things rusty, just never knew it was in my genes!

Wagon Wheels

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Second: Hepatitis C (HCV) which is a viral infection that attacks the liver and leads to inflammation. I am not in any of the usual risk groups so I have no idea how this bad boy hitched a ride on my cosmic wagon, but it is what it is. As with Hemochromatosis, most people infected with HCV have no symptoms.

Due to the location of the tumor, near the hepatic vein and artery, surgery to remove it and part of the upper right lobe of my liver may not be an option. The surgical team I met with at Kaiser in SF felt my best option was a liver transplant. Say What? Who wrote this script anyway?

Say What

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What came next? Got to make sure the patient is a good risk so I just finished the most thorough battery of tests known to mankind (I'm ready for my close ups Mr. Demille). There isn't a part of my body that hasn't seen light of day, so to speak. Bone, chest, liver, and heart scans, a myriad of blood tests, an endoscopy and a colonoscopy. These last few weeks have been a pain in the butt, but it's great to have an inventory of all the body parts that are healthy and working at my age.

Jump for Joy

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The Journey Begins: My case was submitted to the local Kaiser Transplant Committee and was approved on February 26th. All of my tests were forwarded to the UCSF Transplant Center. On April 8th we'll spend all day at UCSF for an in depth evaluation and meetings with a number of specialists. Sometime during the two weeks following we'll be contacted with their decision. If I do get listed, there is a 1.5 to 2 year waiting list. There are, however, options available to keep the tumor in check during that time. If I don't qualify for a transplant, we'll start researching Plan B.

I'm feeling fine and my take is, in the words of Ford Prefect from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, "DON'T PANIC!" This a nine inning game and we just started spring training.
 

Dharma Light Bomb ~ Water Lily

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Needless to say, I'm once again calling all my spirit guides back from their reveries, retirement and galactic road trips to join me on this adventure. My darling husband has been my knight and my rock since we found out. Our friends and neighbors have stepped up to let us know they're ready to help with whatever we need. I'm one lucky cookie.

Once we find out my options and how short a leash I might be on, we hope to set off on a number of adventures over the next 15 months, take some time outs from all the homework that goes with this assignment. No sense in sitting around waiting, it's time to start working on the bucket list and the possibilities are endless.

The Cosmic Cowgirl ~ Nov 23, 2012

She rides the great wide open

On a steed of love's devotion

It could be in the Rockies today

Or a beach along the ocean

Martini in hand, friends at her side

Perhaps tonight it's a musical ride

Tom, Ray Wylie, Thad or Fred

By campfire, small barn or train instead

We shared the venues, road trips and scenes

The decadent desserts at Roxy's

With sliced almonds and whipped cream

Emandal Farm

Trisha crossed all our paths in different ways

Leaving none of us the same

Her truth was simple
Her philosophy never changed

Follow your heart

Jump in with both feet

Say what you mean

And follow your dreams

The posse remains ever true

You're always at our side

For laughter and lift me ups

And of course the occasional
Kicks in the butt

Life goes on
We add years and miles
And no doubt we'd all give anything
For just another smile

Trisha's in the House ~ Oct 20, 2012

Rod was fixing one of his infamous kitchen sink stir fry breakfasts with  spinach, bell peppers, red peppers, potatoes and garlic from the garden and fresh eggs from our next door neighbor. As I walked through the kitchen, he commented that the red peppers were hotter than he expected. He asked me what I thought and handed me a small piece to test. At first crunch my eyes went wide and I started waving my hands in preschooler sign language ~ too hot, too hot, too hot. He agreed to only use a few and cook them beyond redemption so there was only a little heat for flavor.

I have Trisha's Christmas Cactus in my living room on a corner shelf where it thrives back lit by two windows. I looked up from the breakfast table and noticed it had two huge salmon colored flowers. It usually doesn't start blooming for another month. I told Rod to take a look and said "Trisha's in the House". He looked at me and smiled "I knew that from the way you reacted to the peppers" remembering her distaste for really hot food groups.

My cousin Gordie taught me a card game called Idiot's Delight. You turn up one card at a time, always playing with the last four cards showing. If the 1st and 4th cards are same suit you can remove the two cards in between. If the 1st and 4th cards are the same you can remove all four cards. The object is have no cards at the end of the game. It took me 18 years to win my first game. On one of our road trips I taught Trisha how to play. It took her exactly three tries to win her first.

My last conversation with her in November 2010 was about our plans for Thanksgiving and her birthday. After we had gotten off the phone I realized I had forgotten to tell her I had won a game of Idiot's Delight the night before (probably the 4th time in 20 years), so I called her back. We had a great laugh and she told me I'd have to school her again, it'd been awhile since she'd played. Little did I know...

Rod and I play cribbage with breakfast every morning. Sometimes when he's pondering a move at great lengths I'll pick up the deck, shuffle and start a game of Idiot's Delight. Holy crap! It took me a second to comprehend the fact that I had won a game, the first since 2010. I screamed "I won, I won, I won" and whooped loudly. Rod gave me a double high five and we burst out laughing.

Trisha was indeed "in the house" this morning. I will forever miss the girl, but I know she's always with the posse. Celebrate life and the ones you love ~ kindred spirits will always be at our sides.

Dinner on the Hill ~ May 21, 2012

Before we took off for Eastern Oregon we headed up to Hillsboro to spend a night with our old friends Art and Deb. We only get to see each other about once a year so we make the best of it. We are all avid (could read that rabid) cribbage players, their guest room is a little slice of heaven and Deb is a world class cook. We'd be fools not to check in while in the neighborhood!

Dinner was roast lamb with carrots, potatoes, caramelized onions and yummy side dishes. After dinner cribbage, a short break for a dessert of vanilla ice cream, fresh pineapple and dark chocolates, then round two of the annual smack down. Cribbage girls ruled this trip, Deb and I were the tag team from Hell! A little confusion with counts and scoring late in the last game set us all off into the giggles. It was either time for some anti-aging meds or a good night's sleep, we chose later. From a wise but unknown author:

Blessed are we who can laugh at ourselves

For we shall never cease to be amused

We awoke to the birds singing and the smell of hot coffee and toddled downstairs to find fresh carrot/orange juice, homemade blueberry muffins, pan seared snapper, and broccoli. They're lucky we didn't stay a week! A few more games of cribbage after breakfast it was time to hit the proverbial road. Next time they're down here in our neck of the woods, we'll pick up where we left off.

Gone and Little Towed ~ May 17, 2012

Tomorrow morning we take off on our first major road trip of 2012. We have three weeks with only a few promises to keep. We're off to visit friends and family in Oregon and then to Boise, Idaho for Memorial Day weekend.

Idaho Golden Eagle

http://www.etsy.com/people/christophernewell 

The majority of the trip, however, will fall under our favorite category of "Shall we turn right or left this morning?" Bill Bryson said it quite well.

Road Trip Freedom

 

“To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel

is to be able to experience everyday things

as if for the first time,

to be in a position

in which almost nothing

is so familiar it is taken for granted.” 

Over the last 5 years we've taken our little motorhome, Gone, all around the Northwest, BC and Alberta. We've seen some amazing places, but the drawback was that without a car we couldn't explore. We want the freedom to anchor somewhere for a few days or a week and be able to check out the neighborhood. 

Enter Little Towed, our Honda CRV. We got her set up this week so that we can take her with us. It's going to be a learning curve, especially since we go from 25' to almost 40', from back in sites to pull through sites, from simply taking off to new checklists for hitching up and unhitching. We have a long run up Hwy 101 to our friends in McKinleyville and another long one from there to Pop's place in Sublimity, OR so we should be SOHUA (somewhat old hands upon arrival) by the time we get there. Life should be an adventure and who would know better than Mark Twain? 

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed

 by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.

So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor.

Catch the trade winds in your sails.

Explore. Dream. Discover.”