Under the Radar

2010-01-28T17:50:00.000-08:00

There are definitely moments in Southern California that make me say "Hank, we aren't in Massachusetts anymore..." And last night was one of those. I felt like I was in an episode of The OC crossed with a David Lynch movie. My sister wanted a "night out" and away from the 4 year and and 4 month old, so she signed us up for a night at the local spa. We were going to drink wine, eat cheese and get our hair treated - all of this for a mere $25. And believe me, we each drank $25 worth of wine. However, for just $20 more, we could each erase the signs of "aging" and get shots of Botox. Now, I am a much fancier girl than my sister and have no shame when it comes to doing whatever I need to look you - but shooting strange fluids into my face muscles is where I draw the line. However, I did get an evenings worth of entertainment out of watching the Botox Doctor's "victims". As I was watching them prep each client, one of the attendants came running over to the wine table which I was so diligently watching over. "Where is the wine? I won't let anyone go under the Botox without getting them a drink!" Made me wonder what effects being tipsy would have on the botox treatment. Also overheard was a conversation between a stylist and the adorable male spa manager. "Are you crying" No, just got Botox in my forehead and eyes and now I cannot move my face." See, reason for me to stick to my belief about Botox. No thank you!

However, on the "aging" front. It may be because I am living in the "retirement" community - however, this week I experience my first hot flash. Yes, at my young age I had a flash of heat and it felt like a damn volcano was going to erupt. The whole experience was quite comical and I would have loved to be an outside observer. As I was lifting weights, I suddenly turned beet red and felt like I had caught on fire. I have never been hotter in my life! And then the sweat began pouring off of my face like a waterfall. I never, ever perspire, not even during an ironman. However, I was sweating like a sumo wrestler and was red as a hot iron. And the heat did not stop. I stood in front of a fan hoping no one would notice. Then I went outside in the cold rain, stood there in my spandex shorts and tank top and tried to let the rain cool me off. I felt like my mother. She used to get horrible hot flashes and just stand outside in the cold to cool down. And all of this is my mother's fault since she started hot flashes at 40 years old. While standing outside the pool attendant came out and said the heater is broken and the pool is cooled down. My response - "No worries. Just throw me in the pool and I will heat it right up!"

Until next time...

2010-01-26T10:29:00.000-08:00

More musings from and about the retirement community. And my apologies in advance to my "older gentlemen" friends! But I must spend some time laughing, poking fun if and generally cajoling dirty old men. When men are younger they are dirty, but have more decorum. At some point, and I have unscientifically deduced that point to be the ripe young age of 70, old men turn from sweet old guys to dirty old men! And being the lawyer I am, I can provide plenty of evidence to support my conclusion - but will provide just two recent examples. I was at the pool recently in my brazilian swim wear and a younger (40) male friend of mine called, "Brenda, are you at the middle pool?" Yes, how did you know? "The old farts have a phone tree and whenever you show up in your bikini they all call each other. My dad just got the call. Look up and see how many old guys are sitting around you." So, I removed my sunglasses and there were about 20 old guys who were not there 30 minutes prior!

Now onto my second piece of evidence. Last week I was walking home, talking to my mom and walking Hank. An old guy - must have been at least 80, pulled up beside me in his golf cart and said, "I don't care where you are going, but I will take you anywhere!" I just laughed and mom said, "did some old fart try to pick you up again?" Yes.....

So here are some observations and this is where I will get into trouble! I am a fan of older men - the love of my life is 62 years old and I will probably always think he is the most attractive man in the world. That being the exception, men, once you get older than 60, do not hit on women 20 years younger than you! There is a point where things begin to fall apart and fall off, and I have noticed in this community of older men that

2010-01-25T19:15:00.000-08:00

Well, it has been a few weeks since my last post and I think it is time to revive the old "Sexless in Sun City" blog. Or at least do a posting themed around the musing of a 40 year old living in a retirement community....

I have been eavesdropping a fair amount in the "old folks home" and thought I would share some of the best pieces of wisdom and such...I cannot be held responsible for what was said, I am just the scribe. But all of these are true, I heard them with my own ears!

The honorees of a 60th anniversary party were each recipients of a very special gift from their children. She got a gallon of Vodka and he a gallon of gin. She said, "The secret to 60 years of marriage is staying slightly drunk the whole time."

A gentleman at the bar said to a friend, "I have been married 40 years, and 5 of them happily."

While in the jacuzzi early one morning, a man next to me had a few words of wisdom about being 77 years old...

"Instead of kissing my wife goodnight every night I kiss her good bye just in case..."

"Every morning I wake up and the first thing I do is look at my big toe. I know if there is not a tag on it I am still alive!"

I overheard two gentlemen at the coffee shop, and one asked the other how he was. His response "Well I am still above the grass....."

And my two favorites...I cannot decide which is better, and perhaps dear readers you can.

1. At a family holiday gathering, after everyone had left the restaurant, an older lady came running back in because she had forgotten her granddaughter - "We left the baby under the Christmas tree!"

2. And last night I overheard one gentleman say to another..."That man is on more damned colon medicine!"

I actually laughed out loud at that one. : )

Until next time....Brenda

2010-01-05T17:10:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

It is that time of year once again. A new year filled with such hope and promise. Many people look at the new year as a time to start again. Much like a tabula rosa, we are given a blank slate. Pessimists look at this as yet again another chance for failure. Optimists and perfectionsists look at this as an opportunity to finally get it right. This year I am looking at this as an opportunity to live in the present and be grateful to have a present to live in. It is so easy to get discouraged with the lack of perfection in our world and in my life. Yet it is also so eaasy to be encouraged by the simplicity of Hank's smile, and that is where I will focus this year. Yes, I still have goals for the New Year. Yes, I will still try to do more than last year, but I am also stopping in my precious moments to give thanks and to see all that is right in my world. Living on the road for the past 20 days and being essentially homeless has made me grateful for simple things like my bed, my dog and my family. I am grateful for learning the lesson that I am not an island and I really love and want to be around my friends, and that just may mean moving home and dealing with New England winters. I am also grateful for the blessing of the time I get to spend with my beautiful family. I am learning to appreciate health so much more now that my niece has struggled with her health. And I am most grateful for my youth. Living in the retirement community is teaching me to truly grab the bull by the horns and experience all I can. With that, I wish each one of you peace, love, happiness and most importantly health.

Happy New Year. Until next time.

Brenda and Hank

2009-12-27T18:33:00.000-08:00

I just spent 4 days with my sister and her family and I am so glad I did. I now have a much better understanding of the suffering my baby niece is experiencing and also the stress and worry my sister and her husband are going through. Sophie is three months old and has a disorder called infant reflux. As adults, when we hear that someone has acid reflux we think that all they need to do is stop eating jalepenos and take a tums. It is a much different experience for a baby, and for some babies, like Sophie it is an absolutely horrible experience. Sophie has something called Sandifer syndrome which is a syndrome associated with the infant reflux. In normal infant reflux the baby gets acid, has horrible burps, throws up,etc...With babies like Sophie the episodes mimic seizures and the baby turns blue. Everytime Sophhie has an episode she turns blue and Bonnie and Andy rush her to the hospital. She is such a beautiful perfect girl and we just cry every time this happens - which can sometimes be 6 times a day. Well, my brother-in-law, bless his heart took it upon himself to research what was going in because he was NOT getting answers from the doctors. What he found was that his baby was not getting the correct medication or the correct dosage. In essence he became a compounding pharmacist overnight, showed the doctor the research and she changed the course of medication for Sophie. And so far....SUCCESS. We have had almost 6 days with Sophie with no episodes and this is huge. I really had no idea what Bonnie and Andy were experiencing until I was with them over Christmas and now I have a much better appreciation. Sophie cannot be left alone ever because she may stop breathing at any moment. One of them has their eyes on her at all times and they are also watching a wonderfully active 4 year old. Sophie also sleeps with a monitor attached to her big toe to measure the oxygen saturation in her blood. If it drops below a certain point then the monitor goes off and everyone runs to her as fast as they can. In addition to the monitor, Andy has set up a video monitor because they have to watch Sophie in her crib. Bonnie and Andy take shifts sleeping so one always has their eyes on her. I left their home with a new found appreciation for their situation and a tremendous amount of love and respect for them both. They are absolutely grace under pressure and God certainly gave that baby to the right parents for love and care. They are incredible. I have always known Bonnie to be amazing and beautiful, but to watch her with her baby that needs so much care, and to see her still be attentive and amazing to her 4 year old. I have cried several times thinking about how my sweet sister has become such a strong mom. I have attached the website where Andy found the info about Sandifur syndrome. And thanks to all of my friends who have been so worried. Thank you and bless you.

Namaste

Brenda

http://www.marci-kids.com/

2009-12-22T08:20:00.000-08:00

As I spend hours along the highway I notice that there are really amusing signs if you just spend the time to read them. My favorite on this trip so far is the one I saw along I-84 outside of Bliss, Idaho. First of all, I have been all over Idaho and in my opinion the only bliss is leaving Idaho! Anyway, there is a VERY large billboard advertising Bliss and the natural hot springs in Bliss. However, at the bottom of the sign was the following warning. Caution: Aligators....mmm now that gave pause to my desire to stop and check out the hot springs in Bliss.

I have also noticed that on a trip like this hotel rooms really are all the same. I have stayed in 3 Red Lion Hotels and am now in a beautiful spa. And I actually will clarify this. There is no difference between a Motel 6 and a beautiful spa. I am actually thinking of checking out of the spa and going to the Motel 6 for the night. I got a late checkout here for the day, use all of the amenities, have a nice workout and lunch and then sleep in the Motel 6. But, there is a difference between a hotel trying to be a nice one and a nice one. The Red Lion Inn is kind of like how a Macy's is not a Nordstrom. A Red Lion Hotel is not a 4 star resort but it tries to look like one. And a Motel 6 doesn't try to be anything but a Motel 6. Mmm...as I contemplate the move for the night I am enjoying the fireplace, jacuzzi tub, gourmet restaurant...maybe I will stay another night!

2009-12-20T20:39:00.000-08:00

These road trips are so interesting because they take on a certain rhythm which inevitably changes as the miles add up and the daylight dwindles. I always start out with such excitement and a glee to be in a hotel room again and then after about the 5th night Hank and I both get tired of the smell of hotel rooms.

We have been moving across the west and have visited various town including a Bavarian Village at the base of the Cascades - Leavenworth, WA. We began the drive out of Wenatchee yesterday with a stop at the "Christmas Capital of the US", and I think everyone else in the Northwest had the same idea. Both Hank and I only made it about an hour before the crowds got to us, however, we could not leave unscathed. A vicious lap dog got a chunk of Hank;s ear fur and Hank got a chunk of a Danish Pretzel Christmas ornament which was on the lower branches within his reach. Too bad it didn't have any mustard! We then decided to head toward Pendleton, Oregon. I have always wanted to visit this town and will eventually go back during teh Pendleton Roundup. Pendleton is truly a western town is the Bonanza ilk and it is considered one of the 10 best "Western Towns". Lots of cowboys and a few Indians and many, many cowboy hats. I believe I was the only one in the restaurant last night without a hat. If I did not have a 10 hour drive today I would have stayed and down the Underground Tunnel tour. On the National Historic Register are tehse underground tunnels in Pendleton where drinking and carousing took place way back when. Mmmmm....Who knew?!

We left Pendleton bright and early - actually dark and early and headed south on I-84 through some nasty, nasty wind and fog. Sexy Sally (the bike ) has icicles hanging off of her handlebars - literally! It was a very long drive - 10 hours and we followed the Oregon Trail, not quite in Lewis and Clark fashion. Stopped for a few minutes in Baker City which is part of the Oregon Trail and then kept driving. I am stopping at Cracker Barrels and Pilot Truck Stops because I have NO Christmas shopping done, so this is where I am shopping. If you want anything, let me know! The drive between Boise and Salt Lake City was really not fun this evening. Very windy, very icy and VERY FOGGY! Thank God I had a book on tape - My Life in France by Julia Child. We got to Salt Lake after 11 hours on the road, ready to relax in our hotel room and we arrived to a hotel full of 200 high school students who are spending a week skiing with no parents and no chaperones! I did not know clothes could be so skimpy and I forgot what skunky pot smelled like until I was met by the smell wafting under my door. Thank goodness for earplugs and an early wakeup call. Tomorrow we are driving 5 hours south to St. George, Utah and will be staying in a place much more peaceful than the downtown Salt Lake Red Lion. http://www.greenvalleyspa.com/ So looking forward to the Green Valley Spa - may just spend Christmas there. Hank is taking up the king size bed again so I will sleep in the chair. Until next time...

Brenda

2009-12-17T19:40:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since my last post. Internet access in the barn was VERY limited, but now I am back to the world of hotel high speed wireless. I cannot begin the next chapter without summarizing the magical space where I spent the past 10 weeks. When my friend Greg offered his renovated barn I knew it would be nice, but it was truly one of my most peaceful, beautiful spaces to live. I learned how to slow down and quiet down for a few months and Hank learned how to sew his oats, literally. If I was to ask Hank what his favorite things were in the barn he would answer "Shasta, barn cats, Shasta, running in the field, Shasta, pooping without you following me, Shasta, knocking over hay bales, Shasta, chasing the neighbors, and humping Shasta in front of the picture window during Thanksgiving dinner. (Yes! He did that!) Now his mom's favorite things about the barn - learning to really light a fire and to be patient with the process, the outdoor jacuzzi in a light snowfall, waking up in the loft with the morning light, cooking slow food because there was no microwave, the organic garden, and the fact the cell phone did NOT work in the barn. And as the world normally works, we left on Tuesday and it already seems a life time ago. Now onto Palm Springs and the adventures which will be in store for us there. Stay tuned to the same Bat Channel for updates as Hank and I move across the west to arrive in time for Christmas Eve.

Until next time,

Brenda

2009-11-09T12:03:00.000-08:00

Well,

It has been a month since Hank and I moved to the barn and he has had MANY adventures. The computer access is very limited which is why I have not posted much. I feel a bit like Zsa Zsa Gabor in Greenacres which makes Hank Wilbur the pig. Hank has discovered the joy of barn cats and rolling in cow manure. And yesterday I caught Hank also enjoying something else - the neighbors dog! My sweet, innocent Hanky was trying to hump the neighbors dog. She is a year old and in heat and apparently so was Hank. Thank GOD he was fixed or those would be ugly babies - Bernese Mountain Dog, German Shepard and Husky. Well, needless to say - once I caught Hank I yelled, told him to get off of her - "Stop trying to mount Shasta!" And he did what every teenage boy would do - waited until I wasn't looking and then tried again! So that was it - Hank got marched inside and I locked Shasta in the other barn. She gets fixed on November 14th and until then no Hanky Panky for Shasta and Hanky. He is under stict supervision by me. And I cannot even look at him the same - my sweet little boy is all grwn up and I don't like it!

2009-10-06T14:22:00.000-07:00

So Hank and I are sitting still...I think, for now. And I already have itchy feet. My friend Jay reminded me that whenever I get to this point I always get antsy, agitated and generally bitchy. However, Hank and I are now living in a barn in Newman Lake, Washington until December 10. We are house sitting a renovated barn - I just love telling people I am homeless but now living in a barn! The looks on their faces are quite interesting. I will upload pictures, but it is just beautiful and I woke up this morning so grateful for the experience and for all of the wonderful people in my life. Remind me when it keeps getting dark early and colder and colder that I said I was grateful!

To get here was quite the drive. 1750 miles in 3 days but we had an adventure along the way. Soem of the highlights - Charlies Spic and Span in Las Vegas, New MExico. Certain things in life are worth the calories and the deep fried taquitos and homemade tortillas are certainly in that category. It ws a nice respite from the road! On that same drive, I made it all the way to Ft. Collins and had dinner at the local dive. I overheard the best proposal ever! "Honey, do you know how to makes sausage gravy? Yes. Will you marry me????" Dead serious proposal - she said yes. Also in Ft.Collins I saw a homeless woman living in her car with 5 fluffy puppies - still disturbed about that one. We left Ft. Collins and went to Dubois, Wyoming. My good friend Cowboy Billy owns a ranch here and he is an Iditarod Racer so owns over 100 sled dogs. Hank was in heaven 50 girls to chase around - I could barely get him out of there on Sunday. And then 13 hours later, and 5 hours of driving in the snow, we made it to the barn...

Until next time....

2009-09-30T13:47:00.000-07:00

Las Cruces is a town of 93,000 people and an interesting Wild West History. I will admit I am not a big fan of Las Cruces, however, some interesting things have presented themselves to me - and yesterday in particular I got to experience some "otherworldly" Las Cruces fun. In the heart of Las Cruces is an old part of town called Old Messina. This was founded hundreds of years ago by the Spanish and has quite a history including a shoot out with Billy the Kid and the outhouse where he hid when he escaped from jail. In that same block is a restaurant called the Double Eagle. The Double Eagle is a beautiful space and there are many rooms and incredible features including two ghosts. Well, my lunch companion is an investor in the restaurant and was giving me a tour of the building and took me into the "ghost" room. However, he did not tell me it was the ghost room. And before he even mentioned it I felt a presence...a chill on my back and up my arms. So, he then told me the story. As we sat in the bar and drank margaritas I noticed that everytime we spoke of the ghosts the lights flickered. Or was it my eyes from all of the alcohol?????

http://www.double-eagle-mesilla.com/history/ghost-story/

2009-09-30T13:39:00.001-07:00

It is a blustery day in Las Cruces and that describes my mood today...blustery. I just finished imitating Megan Fox and had a f**k it fit in the hotel parking lot and got rid of more stuff from my car. Wind is my least favorite weather system and as I was screaming at God and asking why I live my life this way, the wind just kept getting stronger....Las Cruces has been a frustrating stop for me and I have been agitated for four days. I keep pushing and trying to make things happen and I haven't just stopped and smelled the floweres. Ironic but my hotel is surrounded by roses and I didn't even notice. So as I was screaming obsenities at God in the parking lot I finally just stopped and took a deep breathe and let the wind blow through my hair. I still feel sorry for myself, however, I am no longer screaming obscenities at God.

My friend Lori gave me an envelope of inspirational quotes for my drive, and today my favorite one fell at my feet...

"It takes courage to push yourself to places that you have never been before...to test your limits...to break through barriers. And the day will come when the risk it takes to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."

Until next time.

2009-09-28T13:45:00.000-07:00

Well, at some point on a road trip of this duration there is a sign. A sign that it is time to end and move on and back to a normal life. Last time it was 4 feet of snow overnight in Tahoe, and this time it is poop. Hank has literally exploded and I take that as the final sign. He had a minor eruption in the car last week and now he had a major blow up in the hotel room. Each of these were a first and now my car and my hotel room smell like Hanky poop. Sorry to be so graphic but there is no other way around it. And when you are surrounded by shit in your life - and in this case literally it is usually time to stop and evaluate. My dear friends I see this road trip coming to a rapid end...time to get Hank and mom settled and back into a routine for a while. Amazing what the sign is - we never get to know but it always shows up!

Until next time.

2009-09-28T11:09:00.000-07:00

So, as I have been traversing this great country of ours, I am discovering the further west I get the more I am driving like an alien (not an illegal one!). However, I do believe I may be violating all kinds of traffic laws, or at least traffic ettiquette. I am learning that not everyone tailgates just because someone is on front of them; that only in Massachusetts does yellow mean step on the gas as hard as you can, and the first few seconds of a red light is really pink; and my personal facorite - turning left in a busy intersection. I learned this lesson while in Santa Fe this past week. In New Mexico there are actually green arrows at every stop light, after the green arrow turns off, the light stays green. And me, being the typical Massachusetts drive thinks this means I have to pull out as far as I can into the intersection and hang my ass out there like a 12 year old girls pair of victoria secret's thongs hanging out of her jeans. So there I am in this civilized city - not honking, lots of Obama stickers, crunchy granola, people pretty nice - and I am driving like a complete Masshole. At some point it just happens, kind of like the accent and you just don't realize it until you are someplace other than Boston. While I was hanging out there in the middle waiting for that space where I can hit the accelerator during the 2 seconds before the next car, I looked in my rearview mirror and realized unlike Boston, the guy behind me was not also in the intersection - rather he was behind the white line - politely waiting for his space and not jumping the gun! Oh well - and then the same day you could see me and the Orange Element, the large dog panting in the back and the fancy bike on top, with Masshole plates - not conspicuous at all...doing another only in Boston behavior - I was pulling out of a Trader Joes parking lot into a busy intersection and needed to turn left. So I did what every good Masshole does - I just pulled into the interesction until someone stopped and let me through.

Now I noticed there is no honking of the horn in Santa Fe. No screaming, no swearing or flipping the bird - I may have been the only one in Santa Fe with road rage. Well, on Saturday I was coming downhill on my bike on a remote rode in the mountains. It was well traveled because it was a scenic route and there were many leaf peepers that day. And while I was riding along in relative tranquility I heard a strange, yet familiar noise. Not a bird, but a horn. Someone was actually honking in Santa Fe - I looked up from my aero bars and what did I notice? New York plates....Oh I miss the east coast!

Until next time....

2009-09-24T20:06:00.000-07:00

Tonight I get a little personal and ask for prayers for my infant niece Sophie. Since he came home from the hospital a few weeks ago after her birth she has struggled with breathing after she eats. She has had three hospital stays in NICU and the Children's Hospital of Orange County. They sent her home last week diagnosed with accute infant reflux. So when babies get this they have acid reflux when they eat. But Sophie holds her breathe and turns blue everytime she eats. Fun for my sister! So this afternoon, she had 4 attacks in 4 hours so my sister and her husband took Sophie back to the Children's Hospital. Please say a prayer so this little girl can heal. I saw a rainbow over Santa Fe this afternon and took it as a sign. Until next time....Brenda

2009-09-22T20:49:00.000-07:00

It has been a long few weeks for my family, but hopefully we are on the upswing with my niece's health. She is now 3 weeks old and has infant reflux - but of course she does something most babies don't. Went Sophie eats and the food hits her throat she stops breathing. Yep - stops breathing, turns blue and has been in and out of hospital NICU's three times now. However, we think things are better and Auntie Brenda finally got to see her and hold her on Friday. Oh my little Angel.

2009-09-22T20:39:00.000-07:00

There are several factors I use to judge a city or town and obviosly these are based purely on what is important to me. I always look at culture - i.e. is there a good art museum; open - is it open to diversity and not scary religious judgmental; i.e. can my gay friends live there?; are there good, interesting restaurants? And most importantly 1. Is there a great public pool 2. Good trails to run 3. A good Dog Park. I already knew that Santa Fe had a few good art museums and galleries (maybe 100!); a few good restaurants (maybe 1000); diversity. And today I learned that Santa Fe has amazing running trails and an amazing dog park. I began my day running 12 miles along the river bed on a rail trail - 5:45am, 34 degrees, 7,000 feet...and it was absolutely beautiful. I watched the sunrise while running at the top of the mesa overlooking Santa Fe. And then I ended the day watching Hank run with his other Bernese Mountain Dog buddies at the world's best dog park. We have visited dog parks in almost 42 states and this is by far the best we have ever been to. Again, at the top of a mesa overlooking the city is a city dog park of 40 unfenced acres and the dogs can just run to their heart's content. Hank was in HEAVEN and now is dreaming and snoring loudly on the bed....Until next time.

2009-09-21T19:11:00.000-07:00

Sometimes pictures are all we need.

Until next time....

2009-09-21T06:13:00.000-07:00

This morning is sit in a Residence Inn in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Hank and I got on the road again on Saturday and we took the Blue Highways on this journey. Blue Highways are the roads less traveled. William Least Heat Moon wrote a wonderful account of his journey on these highways in the late 70's and thus coined the phrase "Blue Highways" when referring to our choices in life. Blue Highways are literally the roads on the map with blue dots and they indicate the view is a bit different from here. And I think this is appopo for my life right now and the journey Hank and I are on. The view is a bit different from here but I like what I see. On this leg of the journey our highlight was staying with Carol and Archie Kelley, and had I not been open I would have missed a wonderful experience. Carol is my best friend Jay's mom and Archie is her wonderful husband. Archie is 91 years old going on 60 and he is literally a nuclear physicist - what a brain! Well I was driving through Arizona and planning on staying in a motel 6 when Jay said stay with my mom. I was hesitant to bother them, but glad Jay encouraged me because Hank and I had a fantastic respite and connected with wonderful friends. Arch made fast friends with Hank by feeding him the bones from that night's lamb chops and Hank made fast friends with the 20 year old cat Julie by pouncing on her! What a wonderful thing to drive across the desert for 4 hours and into a warm and welcoming home with a glass of wine and lamb chops waiting at 9pm. And Archie then redirected us off of the main highway and onto the Blue Highways through Arizona and into New Mexico. Yesterday we drove the Beeline highway through the White Mountains of Arizona and saw some wonderful lightening storms off in the distance. It was a long, but beautiful drive and the view was different from there. May we all keep traveling the Blue Highways in our lives....

2009-09-16T15:02:00.000-07:00

We are all still above the grass...today I had breakfast with a bunch of my dirty old, old man friends in the retirement community. If you were a reader of Sexless in Sun City you remember how many dirty old men I almost caused cardiac arrest. So my first question today was, "how is everyone?" And the answer..."We are all still above the grass..." And isn't that really what it comes down to? We are either above the grass or below the grass, and I am gratefully above the grass. So, while on this side of the dirt I am choosing to live consciously. What the heck do I mean by that? I mean being aware and present with my actions and thoughts and I have not always lived consciously, and today I had a reminder of that. As part of the SBA loan process I needed to provide documentation to the bank of all of my credit card statements for the past two years. While reviewing these statements I began to notice that I was not conscious for any of these purchases. I asked myself two questions when reviewing the statements: 1. Do you remember making the purchase? 2. What emotional state were you in when you did this? I came to see that although I remembered most of the charges I was not awake when I made them. Why wasn't I awake? Because I was emotional when I did it, and these emotions made me unconscious. And sometimes the emotion present was fear of charging, but I did it anyway. So as I reflect upon how I choose to live while I am above the grass, I am choosing consciousness. And sometimes I will follow that consciousness with a good glass of red wine.

2009-09-15T11:20:00.001-07:00

A burning desire....This is what Napolean Hill said is required of anyone who wants to achieve success in whatever they endeavor. Last week I mentioned an unexpected source of inspiration - the movie about Julia Child. What continues to inspire me is that she never, ever gave up on that cookbook, although she could have. And she did something else unusual and which I think is required to be successful - she paid attention to details. The "devil is in the details" and she tested every recipe until it worked perfectly. Why do I mention this in a blog about my road trip? Actually because my blog is about my current life journey and a huge part of that journey is the road to financial freedom and building a sustaining, successful business. I made the decision on August 14, 2009 that in exactly one year all of my debt would be paid off. I am not ready to disclose the amount but it is large and I have decided to get myself free of this obligation the old fashioned way. By budgeting, earning money and paying it down in a methodical manner. I am really good at excel spreadsheets now! So the past few days have been an interesting emotional and mental journey as I watch my thoughts about what I can and cannot do and them watch what I automatically, "Unconsciously" do. I am getting an SBA Loan for my business which is a long and arduous process and I have had many opportunities to give up, and am convinced many people don't get the loan because they give up on the process. However, I have been tenacious and am at the end. The loan has been approved and I just need to get the last of the documentation to the bank. And this is where the burning desire and devil in the details comes in, because it is 11:30am and I am in my pajamas still going through all of my personal records and old bank statements for the past two years to provide the last of the needed documentation. But just like Julia, I will not give up and it is that burning desire for financial freedom which keeps me in my filing box until I get everything together the bank needs. Not as exciting as driving across the country, but today it is the journey I need to take. Until next time....

2009-09-14T20:34:00.000-07:00

108 degrees in the shade....and today while walking Hank in the desert in found a perfectly warped LP, yes kids, LP of Billy Joel The Stranger produced by Phil Ramone. I saved it as a momento from the trip and my youth. Billy Joel was my first concert at 16 years old in the San Diego Stadium. Since my last entry Hank and I made it to California and across the hot and hotter Mojave Desert. The nice thing about this trip are potential places to live continue to be crossed off of the list. St. George is lovely but it is off of the list; Palm Springs in the summer is ridiculously hot for a Bernese Mountain Dog and Las Vegas is out even though it was never on the list. Of all of my observations on the road trip, it was fun to get into this part of the country and see billboards. They are used to communicate serious and not so serious messages, but since Californians spend so much time in the car, they are really used effectively. The two which have stood out for me...The Alien Beef Jerkey Billboards across the Mojave Desert. I actually stopped in Baker, California so I could see the Alien Beef Jerkey stand which was directly across from the world's largest thermometer. WHo knew?! And the other campaign...the Recession Fact 101 billboards on I-10 once you enter the Palm Springs area. I have made the observation that the recession is very alive and well here and the attitude shift has not happened. So someone purchased billboard space to remind people..."This too shall pass". And life in the desert is different and you adjust. I am up at 5am to run or cycle because you need to be "in before 10am or 100 degrees, whichever comes first." And Hank cannot play in the dog park, way too hot. If I walk him in the middle of the day the concrete burns his paws, so 5am and 10pm are the designated walk times. He has thrown up twice from the heat and I had to cover him in a wet towel yesterday. Poor little guy, fur coats and desert weather do not get along....Until next time.

2009-09-10T19:35:00.000-07:00

A meltdown and inspiration...Today I had a complete meltdown in a parking lot of a Cracker Barrel while on the phone with my friend Don Morgan. I just lost it - I was tired to the point of sheer exhaustion, Hank wouldn't get in the car and can you blame him? My ass still hurts and my ankles are the size of my grandmothers from all of the driving. So I had a meltdown and asked the question, "What the hell am I doing?" And, "Why can't I be like normal people and just get an office job and live in the suburbs?" "Why do I have to get in the car and drive across country every few years?" Don reminded me I am not normal and that is okay, I would be bored being normal. He then advised me to get out and go to Zion, so that is what I did. I will blog more on the experience of cycling though the canyons of Zion, however, that is not what inspired me. What inspired me was the movie I went to see so I wouldn't go back to the hotel room and work. I saw Julie and Julia, and I went to laugh and left inspired. Three years ago when I left for my first road trip I did so to escape. I was running. Running from life, love and myself. I have harbored a fear on this entire drive that would return on this trip, like a ghost from lives past. This is partly what led to this morning's meltdown - a fear of being a failure, a wanderer and a fear of myself.

But this afternoon in a darkened theatre in St. George, Utah I found inspiration in an unlikely place. A movie about Julia Roberts and her biggest modern day fan. For me it reignited the passion as to why I am doing this trip and moving west. I have set the intention to gorw a business, meet very specific financial goals and to have my niece and nephew know me. Moving west achieves all of this intentions, or gets me closer. However, in the numbness of 2,500 miles and the self-doubt which comes from no permanent place to live, I questioned me. Which is okay for a moment, but if you want to achieve what you set out to do doubt cannot take up residence in your soul. "Whether you think you can or think you cannot, you are probably right." Julia Child did not get her book published on the first round, and her blogger also had trouble, but both had a specific goal and neither gave up. As I watched this movie, I reflected upon where I am and what I am doing this for, and I was reminded...

Namaste, brenda

2009-09-09T20:29:00.000-07:00

"My head hurts, my feet stink, and I don't love Jesus..."to borrow a line from that proverbial Pirate Poet, Jimmy Buffet. Or, more accurately, my butt hurts, my feet hurt and I cannot think strait from 12.5 hours of driving. The day began with a wakeup call from Hank at 3:30am, he did not like the smelly Best Western and neither did I. So, I got up and we were on the road by 5:15am. The day began on the remote plains of Eastern Colorado before the sunrise and with a weak cup of gas station coffee (yuck!). I watched the sun rise as I entered Denver and missed rush hour, barely. Then I drove in amazement as I-76 turned into I-70 and wound me not ever so gently up through the Rockies. I-70 is an incredible feat of civil engineering, with Roosevelt Tunnel at 10,700 feet and also the cantilevered highway through the Canyons past Copper Mountain. As a ski bum it was fun to drive past all of my dream destinations. But I must comment at how spectacular it is to drive through Roosevelt Tunnel and get a a full bird's eye view of the Rockies while exiting the tunnel. And the fact that the Aspens are turning mad it even mre fantastic. But I must say those Colorado drivers are absolutely nuts! They take the hairpin turns going through the Rockies like a Bostonian in the breakdown lane at rush hour - no hold barred and get out of their way if you are going less than 85mph! And Vail is my new dream living destination :)

As I left the Rockies and entered the vast emptiness of Western Utah, I discovered I had not read my AAA Trip Ticket withe the warning of no services for 150 miles, and guess what? I had just enough gas to float in on fumes to the only gas station in the middle of nowhere...lucky! Western Utah is gorgeous and desolate - the rock formations are amazing as you drive past Moab and many other places. As I think about my day it is pretty incredible. I began by going through one of the most beautiful places in the US - the Rockies, then I went through Moab, another beautiful place, and ended my day in St. George, Utah on the edge of Zion National Park. I am now ending the day and spending the night in St. George. Hank is sound asleep after a long hard ride and my ass hurts so bad I don't think I can sleep!

And one last thought out there for my dirty old man friends and my wild at heart girlfriends...I saw Thelma and Louise on I-15 outside of St. George. Two cute, young women went flying by in a yellow convertible bug, singing at the top of their lungs, with the top down and their tops down. They were buzzing along I-15 completely topless and free and easy. Oh the joys of youth! I cheered them on as they flew past....

2009-09-08T19:35:00.000-07:00

The Skyline of the Great Plains is comprise mostly of grain elevators and silos. However, there is the occassional anomoly such the the Danish Windmill in Elk Horn, Iowa. Much like the infamous Wall Drug, the Danish entice travelers with sign that are seductive and funny. By the time a weary traveler is only a few miles away they become convinced the must see the windmill. And I was no exception, especially since my Danish friend Claus and Gita would kill me if I did not stop. So, for them I pulled off of the interstate and drove 12 miles round trip to take a picture of the Real Danish Windmill and the Danish Immigrant museum. And I would shares these pictures if the memory stick wasn't full...but at least mine isn't. I can see it now amongst the cornfields, the Authentic Danish Windmill....And speaking of other midwest experiences...my friend Kent from Nebraska says there is nothing more awesome than seeing a thunderboomer come across a flat prairie, and today I experienced that in all of it's awesome and terrifying glory. I did not know that rain drops could hit your car so hard it sounded as if I was driving a tuna can. And the lightening directly in front of me which touched the ground and lit up the sky. Kent you were right - mother nature is awesome. And tomorrow I head off onto a blue highway and through the Rockies. Until next time...

2009-09-08T02:40:00.000-07:00

A junk food craving...today begins a long two day trek toward St. George, Utah and my friends Pam and Neil. One thing I have not done on this trip is the junk food attack. I have been a good triathlete and filled a cooler of fruits and veggies from Whole Foods and Farmer's markets, but I have not broken down and had a Doritos or twinkies attack. So as I prepare to drive a very long, desolate stretch of I-80 through Nebraska and Eastern Colorado I wonder should I allow my willpower to breakdown while at a truck stop and get the giant bucket of buffalo wings or the double size bag of nacho Doritos? And while on the subject, I have discovered two things while in Cracker Barrel restaurants....where the political divide exists in this country: 1. In the middle of America in places like Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois. Just eavesdrop on a Sunday morning breakfast conversation at a Cracker Barrel off of an Interstate in middle America and my friends on both coasts, you will suddently understand why our country is so divided politically and where the voters who voted for the person you didn't live...

2. I learned why obesity is such a problem in the United States and where the extremely obese reside and eat. Not to say Cracker Barrels make people fat, I eat at them almost exlusively while on Interstates, and although the waiters look at my like I have three heads when I order a garden salad with no cheese, bacon (at Cracker Barrel the salad comes with bacon) or dressing, I manage to always leave eating less than 200 calories. However, just watch the people walking through the door and there is our obesity epidemic in the United States. Can I have a side of gravy with that???

2009-09-07T19:45:00.000-07:00

Along the banks of the Missouri River....
I am in Peru, Nebraska staying with my dear friends Kent and Becki. Peru, Nebraska is not an accidental tourist destination, rather it is a place you have to intend on visiting. Peru is a teeny tiny midwest town on the banks of the Missouri River and between cornfields. Peru is about an hour from Lincoln, Nebraska and not really off of any highway, nor on the way to anywhere. However, this little towm of 575 people has been the highlight of my trip. I have spent 2 days in Peru and will be sad to leave tomorrow morning. One of the most fascinating parts of the visit was seeing the National Arbor Day foundation and learning that Arbor Day was founded in Nebraska City, Nebraska by Sterling Morton as in Morton, Salt. What was so ironic for me was that just the day before in Chicago I visited the Morton Arboretuem and took Hank for a walk, but never anything to tell me the history. I was amazed a day later to be in another arboreteum started by the same man. I guess he loved trees! This was also a stop on the Lewis and Clark expedition and I visited the Lewis and Clark interpretive center. And as I rode my bike along the banks of the Missouri this morning I imagined floating along the river....

And in this remote part of southeastern Nebraska I visited the coolest bookstore I have ever visited. An antiqutian bookstore in an old high school in a little town of Brownville, as in John Brown the abolitionist. I wander the halls of this store and found gems that have rivaled anything I found in bookstores in Boston and Cambridge all in a little town in Nebraska. Culture really does exist beyond both coasts - or should I say between both coasts. You just have to know the right people and open your mind....

Tomorrow begins another leg of the journey. Out of Nebraska and into Colorado....until next time....

2009-09-05T20:45:00.000-07:00

Intimacy...well that ought to catch some attention. And now that I have your attention, intimacy seems to be a theme of my conversations and experiences on this journey. Get your minds out of the gutter - there have not been any rendevous in a hotel room in Iowa. However, I have noticed that the conversations with each of the friends I have stayed with has turned to the subject of emotional and conversational intimacy. As I drive across the US I am reminded once again that all we really have in this world are our friends and family. I feel blessed to have such dear friends and the ability and desire to travel this world. And as I sit in an Econo Lodge in Des Moines, Iowa I am very grateful for the dear friends awaiting me as I travel across the west. And I look forward to more intimate conversations....

And now on to the fun stuff...
When driving all day long, one cannot help but make many obeservations. Tonight I watched the "Corn Moon" as they call it in the midwest. A giant orange harvest full moon lit the sky across I-80 and Iowa, and I was glad for this sight, because my drive kept getting longer and longer due to no hotel rooms in Iowa. Word to this wise, do not drive across Iowa on a weekend in September. Tonight I had to compete with two sold out football games and a NASCAR race. I kept stopping and begging..."I do not take up much space..." Other observations...I HATE toll roads and Illinois and Ohio are the most expensive! I cannot wait to get back to freeways : ) Truckstops are very fun to people watch and today I saw the "World's Largest Truck Stop" I-80. I have also noticed insomnia....

Bye for now...tomorrow is another day

2009-09-05T20:29:00.000-07:00

I am a geographic philanderer....or as Jimmy Buffet says "I have wandering toes...." Every few years, months or days I get the itchy and just have to go somewhere. And it just so happens Hank and I are driving across the country again, for the 4th time in 3 years. I don't think this trip will be as long as the epic 40,000 mile trip of two years ago, but I do not get to know that for sure. I have found every time I try to control, I am reminded I am not in control. So, I just get a trip tik, fill up the car with gas and follow the simple directions until I am guided to the next place. The destination for this trip is California, for now, and then New Mexico, Idaho, Washington and Wyoming. And the goal is a move west, or at least that is the plan. So far the drive has been a dream, and a reminder of how wonderful our country is and how wonderful friends and family are. I began the journey on Tuesday and only made it as far as Western Massachusetts. I took the time to spend the evening with my aunt and uncle. It was peaceful, idyllic and wonderful to begin the trip with people I love and who love me. It was also and easy way to get Hank used to being in the car again....

On Wednesday evening I reluctantly left family and headed to a dear friend's castle in Westchester County. Yes....castle. My friend Tim literally lives in a 105 year old castle overlooking the Hudson River and with a bird's eye view of Westpoint. I have always acted like a princess and known I was a queen, so I got to spend the evening in quaters befitting my imagined royal status! How fun to sleep in a castle!

Follow the Road Map
Well, the map seems to be a metaphor for this trip. I have begun this adventure with a clear plan, but an openness to whatever happens. A mentor of mine expressed her thoughts that this trip was a vision quest for me. With that in mind, I had the experience on Thursday that we could just go out into the world seeking enlightenment, fame and fortune or success and just go without a plan and let the wind take us. However, we end up, much like I did on Thursday, detoured, delayed and frustrated. After all of my planning and the trip ticket, I did not look at the map, just got into the car and figured I-87 out of Westchester would eventually connect with I-80. All it connects with is The Bronx and Yankee Stadium. So, 2 hours out of my way and an extra $7 dollars in tolls, I got myself going in the right direction....

2008-09-08T05:24:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

It has been 2 years since my last posting in this blog and the time seems right to begin my observations on life inAmerica again. When I last posted in this blog I was on a year long road trip across our country. Well, as the saying goes...the more things change the more they stay the same. I am now working again, have started my own consulting company which is requiring much travel. As many business travelers know, it is not always glamourous, however, there are always lessons to be learned and observations to be made. One of my gifts and loves is the power of observation and I feel God has put me in a terrific place to exercise that power. I am traveling not to large glamourous citites in the US - rather I am visiting the small towns and cities which make up the majority of our country. Although I am not yet is Wasalia, AK, I am visiting places like Wasalia. My clients are private employers who need help knowing what they are supposed to know legally, but don't. My passion is helping them not get into trouble. And this is interesting work, but the places I am traveling and the people I am seeing are even more interesting. As I travel across the US I will post my observations from places like Yakima, Washington. Hopefully there will be fun facts, fodder and information to help some of my city friends understand the rest of the country. As Sara Palin says, "It is our small towns that comprise most of America."

2006-11-18T21:10:00.000-08:00

Visit my new blog to track my adventures in the retirement community!

http://sexlessinsuncity.blogspot.com/

2006-11-10T06:05:00.000-08:00

Good Morning!

It is bright and early in Southern California and I have been at my grandmother's house in Hemet, CA since Monday. It is quiet, very quiet and I have had plenty of time to work on this summary. It has been quite fun to reread my journals from the trip and to relive the adventure. The magic of travel is that it takes you to so many places, however, the trick to returning from a trip is retaining the lessons and the memories and hopefully incorporating some of those into daily life. When you travel the way I have, the lessons and adventures are sometimes grand and often profound. It is amazing how easily we slip back into everyday life. Although I do not want to check in and out of hotels every night, I would like to retain some of the spontaneity I learned while traveling. And even though I have finally returned to the world of good coffee, an occassional cup of truck stop coffee will take me back to this summer.

Marcel Proust said "You cannot go home again". Is that true? After a journey like mine, you may go back to the same physical space but it will never be the same emotionally or spiritually. As I was reading through my trip journal I was having wonderful flashbacks and memories. This trip reconnected me to my family, friends and myself. I also met so many new amazing people along the way. I learned that if you live quietly with peace in your heart abundance will flow into your life at an incredible pace and in the least expected places. As I reflect back on my trip, I see that it can be broken into 5 segments

1. Pre-Ironman
This was my fleeing phase. I was running from Coeur d' Alene as fast as I could and I had no intention of ever turning back or going back. It is incredible how God has a way of refocusing us, but sometimes he has to basically hit us over the head with the message before we listen : ) During this phase of my trip, I had several mishaps involving my car, wallet, broken friendships, etc. I almost ripped the roof off of the top of my car pulling out of my driveway in Coeur d' Alene, $250 dollars later Jay and I were off to begin the adventure. In Minneapolis I got a flat tire which took 4 days to repair and I lost the keys to my bike rack 5 days before my Ironman! And the creme' de la crem of all of the mishaps - LOSING MY WALLET ON THE NY STATE THRUWAY.

But, I learned how to problem solve and that anything is reparable, including damaged friendships, as long as you are patient, quiet and faithful throughout the experience. I was blown away in NY by the kindness of the toll operators of all people! I was expecting the worst, however, I did not get upset or angry about my wallet, and as I approached each one and told them I had no money to pay the toll, they each were very kind and waived my through. I now love New Yorkers!

2. Post-Ironman
The pre-Canadian part of this trip was about healing both physically and emotionally. I was recovering from Ironman and this involves eating and resting in huge quantities. I was also beginning to recover and heal from the emotional and mental reasons that I left Coeur d' Alene. I finally got to the Northeast and it was like a breath of fresh air and a security blanket for me. I spent time with family and old friends and I spent plenty of time on the beach! Then came Canada...

3. Growing and Discovering
The Canadian portion of my trip was absolutely magical. In all of my travels, both on this journey and with other trips I have taken, I will have to say that this was one of the grandest adventures I have had in my life so far. I could write for hours about all of the fun that I had, all of the lessons I learned and all of the beer I drank. However, I will attempt to sum it up in a few paragraphs or less.

I spoke earlier of the pre-IM energy. Well, from the moment I began my Canadian journey the energy of my trip shifted. This portion literally began with a thunderstorm and a blackout and Hank and I began to meet people and have experiences which were amazing. The thunderstorm and blackout were in Freeport, ME and we met the most wonderful family. Our overnight trip on the way to Canada turned into 3 great nights in Freeport. We found a B&B run by the Yilmaz family and they were very kind and took both of us under their wing and into their family. We had awesome dinners every night with them and great conversation. They were very, very generous to us and served as bookends to our trip. We stayed with them in the middle of August, when we began this journey to Canada, and we stayed with them again in the middle of September when we ended the journey. I really got a chance to see and smell late summer and early fall in Maine, and I saw one of my favorite places in the world as it was transitoning seasons. This portion also began the lessons on this journey about the kindness of strangers. Canada began a run of generosity and abundance brought to us mostly by strangers, and the Yilmaz family in Maine kicked this off. I will be forever grateful to them for how kind they were to Hank and I and I will always consider them friends. How lucky I am in my life to attract such wonderful people!

My favorite places in the Maritime provinces - Cape Breton, NS - the Cabot Trail is absolutely amazing and worth the trek; Prince Edward Island is magical, and Saint Andrews by the Sea, New Brunswick. Each is special in their own right and I will have fond memories forever of each of these places.

4. The Retrun Trip - Facing my Fears
This included the drive across states which should be imploded. This portion of the journey was long, maybe a little too long. I do not believe in looking back and in regrets, and I do not regret extending my journey by a month, but my clothes officially began to smell during the month of October....The return trip involved more hotel rooms than any other part of the trip. This was both good and bad - thank goodness for frequent flyer numbers! I think I may have earned a trip to Hawai'i - albeit staying at the Best Western. I learned that America is one big country and there are many places I have NO DESIRE to live or ever see again. Who knew the Eastern portion of Colorado looked just like the Western portion of Kansas???? But, it is in these wonderful states and tiny towns that we have things which make America grand. The world's largest Jackalope is in Goodland, Kansas and what would we do without that or without the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota? And I found the attraction of Truck Stops - buzz, bad coffee, nice people and mediocre food. But if you want some great sightseeing stop at a truck stop - there is always something worth noticing! Jay and I made an obeservation at the beginning of the journey somewhere in South Dakota - we do not look like everyone else in the truck stops. That was both fun and scary - a single woman, a gay man, a HUGE dog and an Orange Honda Element. We were quite the site to see in the middle of America : )

But, I digress, the return portion proved to me that our fears are always greater in our minds than in reality. I was very nervous about returning to Coeur d' alene and I was originally going to skip the entire state of Idaho. Circumstances and providence brought me to Bozeman, MT and then it was difficult to avoid Coeur d' Alene. And I am VERY glad I did not because I got an opportunity to face my fear of returning. I learned our fears are much larger in our minds, and I was able to put closure on my house and on a phase in my life which needed to change. I saw and hugged dear friends and realized how special Coeur d' Alene is to me, but it is time to move on. My friend Michelle and her family were amazingly kind and allowd Hank and I to stay for a week as I closed my house up and prepared to sell. On the day I drove out of town I had a magical symbol I think. I went to Seattle at least 9 times while living in Idaho. Each time I went it was not raining, and each and every time I saw Rainier. I have heard from Seattle residents that is unusual and I feel blessed. On my drive to Bend, Oregeon I drove through Yakima and I saw Rainier. I stopped, loked at it and realized it must be a symbol of my life in the Nothwest.

5. Post-Road Trip
This phase is a time of discovery and family. I am spending much needed time with my parents, getting to know my nephew and relaxing with my grandmother. The question now is:

How do I continue the journey and take the lessons I learned as I begin my business and look for the next place which will be a backdrop to this chapeter in my life?

THE SUMMARY.....

The lessons
The most imprtant lessons I learned:

In life all we really have are our close friends and family. Cherish these groups and enjoy every moment with them!
If you approach life with an open attitude, life will provide you with abundance in opportunity and people.
Follow your intuition, it is ALWAYS correct!
Watch the world through a puppy's eyes and learn to walk at the puppy's pace. The world has incredible things to offer if you just take time to look.

The car

Number of miles traveled - 15,000
Scope of trip - I drove from Idaho to Prince Edward, Island, Canada and then all the way to Southern California
Number of times I filled my gas tank - I stopped counting!
Most expensive tank of gas - PEI, Canada - $3.00 a litre. I do not care if it is an imperial gallon - that is an imperial price!
Number of flat tires - 1
Number of car related mishaps - 4

Travel

Number of days on the road - I left July 1 and finished October 29 - total days 112
Number of hotels I stayed in - 30
Nicest Hotel - It is a tie between the Prince George in Halifax, NS and The Fairmont Algonquin in Saint Andrews by the Sea, New Brunswick
The worst hotel - The Kings Inn in Port Huron, Michigan
The states - (I feel like the motel 6 commercial....)Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Oregon, Washington, California
Canada - Niagra Falls, New Brunswick - St. John and St. Andrews by the Sea, Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island
My favorite museum - The MassMOCA in North Adams, Massachusetts
Biggest Surprise - The Milwaukee Art Museum - who new it was so fabulous?
Smallest City with Best Museum - Fargo, ND The Prairie Art Museum
The museum I coveted the most - The Mount in Lenox, Massachusetts (This was Edith Wharton's home and I wanted to go there for over 10 years, and it was worth the wait!)
Oddest Museum - The Outhouse Museum in Nova Scotia, close second The Hank Snow Museum in the same town
The Best Museum I never got to - The Negro Baseball League Museum - (The Kansas City Marathon was running past the front doors, so it was closed)
The BEST monument - Mt. Rushmore, hands down. Kids - this is a must in your lifetime!
The oddest monument - The Giant Jackalope

The Food

The best meal - Digby Scallops in Digby, NS
The worst meal - a pb and honey sandwich on stale bread in a Hampton Inn in Kansas City, KS
Best location for a meal - A lobster BLT next to a campfire on the ocean in Maine, listening to Buffett and drinking Happy Camper wine
Number of fast food meals - 0
# of times I went to Starbucks - too many to count!
LBS of dogfood Hank consumed - 100 lbs. He is a BIG DOG!
Pairs of shoes Hank ate - 3 (2 of mine and 1 pair of Margeuritte's)

The Men

I do not kiss and tell, however, I will give a few statistics for entertainment value...

# of great dates - one. I had the best date of my life in Bozeman, MT
# of hearts broken - 5...(that I know of)
# of states and/or provinces I had to leave because of men - 3 states and one Canadian province...

The Finale

What stayed and what went....I started to get rid of so many things after I stopped keeping the list. I cannot remember everything that went, but the car finally got lighter and less packed! I will enumerate the things I remember and of course...THE SHOES!

Pairs of shoes I threw away - 5
Pairs of shoes I bought - 6
Number of times I almost threw Hank away - 3!
The camping gear I dumped - 2 lanterns, the tent, the tarp, gas for the stove, marshmallow skewers, s'more kit...I realized after sleeping on the ground in Maine that I never needed to do it again so I returned all of the gear to LL Bean. When they asked me why I said I never needed to camp again in my life.
The ice scraper - I figured if I ever needed another one I could buy it, and when Jay was with me we needed all of the room we could get
Travel books - if I was done with a state the book and map stayed in the state - been there done that, read the book....I stayed in one hotel twice - once on the way out and then a few months later on the return trip and my books were still there!
What I left when I went back to Idaho - anything and everything that was related to camping!
What I brought that I never used - my extra pillows, my wetsuit (only used once in the Ironman), my underwear - I went commando the whole trip - it was easier....Hey - Goran Kropp (rest his soul) did a 2 year trip including climbing Everest with one pair of underwear, so 4 months with none is okay....

Well, if you have not fallen asleep from sheer boredom, that is my trip in a nutshell. The next entry will be my slide show - yes the pictures of what I did on my summer vacation! Now I am going to enjoy the 80 degree weather in sunny California.

My words of wisdom at the end of this trip - Life is short, if you want to do something just go do it and don't look back!

2006-11-03T19:44:00.000-08:00

The Summary - a work in progress....

I have been in Palm Desert for almost a week and I have not driven more than 10 miles each day, so I guess that means I am sitting still for a while. And that means it is probably time for the summary from the four months on the road. I have had several requests to bring back the list of things I have acquired, things I got rid of, etc. Any other requests? Number of truckers who flirted with me? Number of hotel rooms slept in? Number of bad cups up coffee or fast food meals. How many times Hank was kicked out of a hotel room. Help my creative juices flow!

Cheers,

Brenda

2006-10-30T20:33:00.000-08:00

Destination reached, journey not over...

I have made the promised land, or at least the place I promised to land for a while. I am finally in Palm Desert. I arrived last evening after a few days in the bay area, and know the emotions of stillness are beginning to creep in. I unpacked the car, washed all of the dirt off from all of the stops and Hank and I are checking into "hotel parents" through Christmas. I must admit that this is the first time I have sat still in 4 months and I am quite melancholy today. My thoughts have mostly been "what the hell am I doing in Palm Springs?" I really miss my friends in Coeur d' Alene and am having sellers remorse about putting the house on the market, but I think this is mostly due to finally quieting down after 4 months of perpetual motion. Does anyone have any suggestions about coping with the end of the trip blues?

I did make some pretty funny observations in Palm Springs today, and I have decided to start another blog about the experience of putting a 30 something in a rich retirement community for 2 months. What kind of trouble do you think I can get into? I am considering naming the new blog "Sex in Sun City" What do you think? Today I saw Elvis in his garage in the retirement community, and I saw absolutely the LARGEST pair of fake boobs on the skinniest woman, and all of her skin on her face was pulled tight also. This will be fun to make all of these crazy observations!

Until next time, Cheers

Brenda

2006-10-26T21:19:00.000-07:00

Many thoughts....

And I do not know where to begin. Hanky and I left Coeur d' Alene on Monday and we have been through Bend and Sisters Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, the Oregon coast, Port Brookings, Oregon, Crescent City, CA, Arcata and Eureka, CA, the Avenue of the Giants and we are now in a Best Western in Gerberville, CA. Tomorrow night is the end and we will be staying at my friend Jay's parents in SAnta Rosa, CA before heading to Palm Springs. The experiences and observations we have had in the past few days...

Both of us are water people. Hank loves the beach as much as I do. We stayed in a hotel on thebeach last night, with the doors open and listening to the waves - both of us slept 10 hours. I started the day today witha run barfoot in the sand (as did Hank) and then a swim in th epool and I had coffee in the jacuzzi looking at the pacific ocean. I ask my friends, does life get better than this?

We drove through the Avenue of the Giants - those huge Redwood Trees and the one you can drive through. My friend Michelle says trees have amazing healing power - try touching one which is hundreds if years old - it is amazing.....!

One last thought, I had an experience with prejudice today. I was in Arcata and Eureka, California today, and I had incredibly negative thoughts towards groups of people. This is the forst place since the Lake Placid hotel where I have been afraid for my safety. There were hitchhikers and pot heads everywhere. I literally got into a fight with a hitchhiker who questioned my decision not to give him a ride. I said no, when he asked why I told him I had no room. He questioned that and my response was "I have a large dog with big teeth in the back seat. Would you like to take it up with him" So, my prejudice was or is against these perceived potheads. I was at a beach and for the first time in 4 months I felt like I needed to remove my belongings because they were are risk. WHat makes us have these feelings - instinct, fear, bias???? What is the genesis?

So, I will end the road trip, but not he blog for a few weeks. I will finish the blog with a summary, such as number of miles driven, boys kissed, gas $ spent, etc...

Stay tuned

Cheers,

Brenda

2006-10-25T08:42:00.000-07:00

A glimpse of the future....

One of the best things about traveling is you never, ever know who you are going to meet. I also find that I have an undaunted boldness in approaching people because I am on no schedule and I sincerely want to know who my fellow travelers are. This morning Hank and I took a very long walk around the University of Oregon campus. I absolutely love college campuses, probably because I spent so long in college. Eugene, Oregon is a cool town from what I saw of it. Funky,, hip and a litttle crunchy. But, I digress....onto the reason for this morning's heading. This morning I met Goldie Olson in the Best Western breakfast room. Goldie Olson is the most pleasant lady and she is 79 y.o. traveling by herself to teach quilting in Tilamook, Oregon. She was driving from Chico, CAlifornia. She saw my CDA Ironman stuff and told me she was born and raised in Harrison, IDaho and her 82 y.o. sister still lives in Post Falls by herself. SHe was such a pleasant lady and all I kept thinking was when I am her age I hope I am still bold enough to travel on my own.

Cheers,

Brenda

2006-10-23T21:21:00.000-07:00

Closure...

Tonight I sit in a hotel room in Bend, Oregon, 4 or 5 days away from the end of the trip and the final destination. Palm Springs, California. I am excited as anything about my future and I have let go of my past. Today I said goodbye to Coeur d' Alene, and I felt it. It was a real goodbye and a real sense of closure for me. I went into town hestitantly and secretly and left knowing a few things. I am now done living in Coeur d' Alene, however, I have amazing people who have entered into and contributed to me life. In order to move on, I needed to let go. Love is a deep amazing thing, but it does not always go with you, as much as you want it to.

I left Coeur d' Alene in July knowing I needed to escape, but not knowing where that would be. I also really just left running as far and fast as I could. I was VERY nervous about coming back, but I am so glad I did. I got a chance to experience my beautiful house once more and to see my true friends. Yesterday I stood on the deck of my house watching the sunset and I toasted my home goodbye. I toasted the memories and the future and I sent it off to the next family. I wish the next owners love and peace and joy and many beautiful sunsets.

I ended my last evening in Coeur d' Alene with an amazing sunset on the prairie and I started today with a sunrise. I drove out of Coeur d' Alene this morning and felt a sense of closure and also a sense of peace and beauty. I took this trip to make a decision and I did. Hanky and I are moving on.

Here's to friends, a time and a place for everything, and to true love. May we all experience each of these at least once in our lifetimes.

Cheers,

Brenda

2006-10-21T20:37:00.000-07:00

Destination Orientation

In sled dog racing there is a concept called "destination orientation". A dog is a much better racer if you train him to race from point A to B and not just start him in one place and return him to the same place. I have been thinking about this concept and people a lot. As I was traveling through Wyoming and Montana I was getting closer to Coeur d' Alene and was beginning to feel like I had come full circle and not made any progress with my journey. To be quite frank, I was tremendously concerned that all of the growth I have made would disappear if I went to Coeur d' Alene. I was afraid I would be like a sled dog and not able to move on since I had gone in a circle. Although my geographic destination has me in Coeur d' Alene at the moment, my mental destination has me grounded in my journey. I realized that you can continue in a straight light after you have returned to where you started - it is just whether your state of mind takes you beyond the circle.

As you think about personal destinations, think about destination orientation. Where is it that you want to be? Do you want to move ahead or end up where you started?

Until next time

Cheers,

Brenda

2006-10-18T08:33:00.000-07:00

It's me again....

Mommy and I have been in a place called Wyoming. There is lots of white stuff all over the ground and it is cold - I LOVE IT! We have been at her friend Billy's house and I have played and played and played! Mommy does not make me wear the leash and I get to run all over the place and there is lots of place! My first morning mommy let me outside and the first thing I saw were these two really big animals that had four legs but were not dogs. I chased them and they snorted at me so I ran away. And that is when I discovered heaven. Billy had over 100 of me and you know what? Half of them were girls! I really like girls and stayed outside and played with them for 2 days. Mommy kept saying it was a good thing she had me "fixed". I really like Billy's house. Now we are in the car again and on our way to a place called Palm Springs. I hope they have lots of doggies in Palm Springs : )

Woof, woof

Hank

2006-10-13T20:46:00.000-07:00

I took the computer again...

I overheard my mommy talking to her friend Sharmon and Sharmon likes it when I write in the blog. So while mommy is in the shower, I will tell you everything I have been doing.

We were in a Place called Park City, Utah and I really, really liked it. We stayed with Mommy's friends and theyhad a doggy named Sydney. Sydney loved to play with me, but Sydney only had three legs, that actually made it easier for me to sniff him, but he growled at me when I did it too much. I like it when we stay with mommy's friends because their houses are warm and nice. They don't have funny smells like all of the hotel rooms we stay in. We are in another hotel room tonight in them middle of nowhere Wyoming. I hear mommy always ask if they take dogs, why wouldn't they want me? I am so darned cute!

Well, back to Park City. Park City likes doggies and so I like it a lot there. People walk all over town with their dogs and they don't have that annoying leash like I do. Mommy keeps telling me if I would come when she calls me then she would let me walk without it. I am much better about sitting and lying down. I figured out that each time I do something she tells me to do, then I get a cookie. Of course I am going to do it for a cookie, does she think I am stupid? Yesterday mommy tried to send me in a bus with a bunch of other doogies. Sydney goes away everyday for a few hours and comes back tired. He told me really nice people take him for a hike in the woods everyday with other dogs. Mommy tried to make me go, but when I saw all of the other big dogs I didn't want to squeeze into the bus, so I ran the other way. My plan worked - mommy felt bad that I didn't get to play with other dogs, so she took me to a really big doggie park! I got to run and play with lots of other dogs until I got so tired I couldn't move! I had so much fun and played with a little boy who really wanted me to give him my paw. Again, the cookie thing! Why do humans give you cookies to get you to do what they want? Of course I will do what they want if it means I can eat a cookie.

I overheard mommy telling her friends that she REALLY likes Park City. Maybe we will move there. Mommy likes the fact that there is a thing called a "Ski Lift" right in the middle of town. I like that mommy can take me into restaurants so I get to be with her all of the time. And today she took me on a really long walk, up a really steep hill. When we got to the top the view was really pretty. Then I got to run the whold way down and chase little animals. Mommy lets me be off of the leash when we go in the woods. I really like that!

Now we are going to mommy's friends house. He has lots and lots of dogs. He has done something called the Iditarod 3 times and mommy told me he has over 100 of me that I can play with. I wonder what an Iditarod is? Maybe they will let me play : )

Mommy is getting out of the shower and I am tired from all of my playing. I have attached pictures of me playing with the other dogs.

Woof, woof

Hank

2006-10-11T18:46:00.000-07:00

The end is approaching...

Everything has it's time and duration and I feel this part of my road trip coming to an end. I say this part because I will be heading to my parent's for November and December. However, the last 6 days have been the exhausting, draining kind of travel which can just wear you down. However, I have learned some very useful things, such as there is absolutely no rhyme or reason to hotel room rates or even quality. A Best Western in Hershey is an awful room for $189 a night and a Best Western in Emerson, WY is palatial, almost a suite for $67. I really think they charge what they feel like. As I am driving across the middle of nowhere I am learning that there are people who live and work in the middle of nowhere. I remind all of my liberal, east coast friends that his is who votes, the middle of America.

I am in Park City, UT staying with my friends Monique and Todd, and this is a great town. You have to LOVE a place where there is a chair lift that goes directly through the center of town! Hank has been great through the last 6 days. This kind of travel must be rough on him, but we will be settled soon.

Cheers until next time.

Brenda

2006-10-10T21:18:00.000-07:00

100 days on the road...

Well, today is the 100th day on the road. The last several days have been those long, draining road trip days and my sincere apologies to those of you I insulted with my implosion comments. I by no means meant any states in the Northeast should be imploded. That shouldn't begin until Ohio. : ) I did get a wonderful appreciation for sunsets under a Kansas sky. I saw an amazing sunset in Goodland, KS. It was my first sunset on the prairie and there is something magical about watching a beautiful sunset with grain elevators in the distance. Since I last wrote I took a two day break from the road in Denver, CO. I spent 2 days with my friend Ron. I do not believe the rockies exist because I NEVER saw them. It rained the entire time I was in Denver and it was the first time on this trip I have been really cold. Ron took me to the BEST brunch at a place called the Bump and Grind. We want to Drag Brunch and every Sunday the waitstaff dress as drag queens and serve brunch. Our waiter was a 6'5 Brunette with great fake breasts and he could do things with makeup that were amazing! This is a definitely a brunch you wouldn't get in downtown Coeur d' Alene.

Hank and I are in some random town in Wyoming about 80 miles outside of our next destination, Park City. We will be in Park City for a few days before heading to my friend Biily's ranch.

Until next time,

Cheers

2006-10-06T20:14:00.000-07:00

A corridor of states which should be imploded...

After my abolutely dreamy day of being a Hershey's kiss, I decided I needed to make some serious headway across the country. So today, I drove almost 900 miles in 14.5 hours. I started in WV, went through Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and I am now in Kansas City, Kansas. I really wonder why people would even live in these states. I saw absoluetly no redeeming qualities, at least from Interstate 70. And all deference to my friends from these states, but may I point out, you no longer live in these states.

This is the kind of travel which is not much fun. I am in a Hampton Inn on the outskirts of KC. I wanted to stay in the cool part of KC, but none of the hip, fun hotels allow Hanky, so we are in a chain motel next to the train tracks 12 miles from the city.

However, tomorrow I am going into KC for my obligatory BBQ (albeit only one or 2 bites) and I will go to the Jazz Museoum and the Negro Baseball League Museum (which sounds really cool). Then I will drive the rest of the way across Kansas as fast as I can (I am sorry Dr. Gee....but I don't need to stay here much longer).

So, I do have to mention that my day as a Hershey's Kiss was fabulous! The spa at the Hotel Hershey is amazing and it is all about the chocolate. There are bowls of kisses everywhere. And the spa is literally the nicest I have ever, ever been to, and I have been to many. I lingered for hours and did not want to leave. For those of you who think Hershey, PA may be cheesy, think again. Stay at the Hotel Hershey and go to the spa. And how can a town where the street lights are shaped like Hershey kisses be bad???

Until next time, and hopefully from the Rockies...

Cheers,

Brenda

2006-10-04T18:58:00.000-07:00

A girls chocolate dream....

I am in Herhsey, PA and YES it smells like chocolate. Hank and I drove through Jersey and part of Pennsylvania, both states which should be imploded. I stopped here because tomorrow I will make a fantasy come true - I am going to be dipped in chocolate at the Hershey Spa. I have booked a chocolate milk bath, and then a chocolate mousse wrap. Yes, they spread chocolate mouse all over your body and then wrap you in warm towels and leave you all wrapped up for an hour. The question is, how do you keep from licking yourself? And I have reworked the comments page so those of you who want to leave perverted comments can't!

After Hershey, I may head to Gettysburgh and then out of this state and onto the middle of the country. What a juxtaposition, chocolate and the civil war. Tells you why PA is so screwed up, doesn't it? Although, you have got to love a town where the streets are named after candy bars. Hank and I wanted to stay at the Hotel Hershey, but he is not allowed. Once more on this trip I have experienced incredible generosity and abundance. I pulled into Hershey thinking small town, Wednesday, October, no one here, right? Wrong!!!! I get here and there not only an antique car show, but THE antique car show of the year. So, every hotel is booked. I walked into a Best Western and they quoted $189 (I paid less at the Fairmont in Canada) and I guess I looked pathetic because in 5 seconds the rate went to $99. I have had many, many experiences like that and I want to write an entire entry about abundance.

Well, I must rest for my chocolate dip. Tomorrow I will be a Hershey's Kiss.

Cheers,

Brenda

2006-10-03T17:22:00.000-07:00

A few of my favorite things, and musings on beginnings and ends...

I am sitting in my aunt and uncle's house drinking apple cider, listening to the crickets and gorging myself silly on candy corn. In short, a perfect fall evening. The past two days have been interesting because I have come to face the impending reality of my grandmother's death. My grandma has been very ill from cancer. She is an incredibly stubborn woman and has made it 3 years longer than expected. This woman was literally read her last rights and 6 hours later she sat up and asked for a gin and tonic! God bless her, I hope I am like that at her age. Yesterday when I went into her room she did not who I was, that took me by surprise. Although we are not terribly close, it is difficult to know that when I said goodbye today it was probably for good. But who knows, grandma could sit up and ask for a G and T tomorrow!

Cheers,

Brenda

2006-10-01T14:28:00.000-07:00

Pictures

Before I head the other way, I thought I would include pictures from this direction.

2006-10-01T13:16:00.000-07:00

A change in seasons, a change in directions...

It is a perfect rainy fall Sunday afternoon in Boston and I am on the eve of changing directions. It seems time appropriate and poignant that my change in directions coincides with a change in seasons. My summer in New England has been amazing, everything I hoped for and more. I had no expectations and therefore everything I did exceeded my expectations. I am melancholoy on this eve of my journey back west. These friends and family of mine are in my heart and soul, as is New England.

I have no expectations of my journey west. I am planning on conducting a fair amount of business and I will use the same method I used for the first half. I will create a sketch, but nothing in stone. This lets me experience the wonder of life and see what it has in store for me. My final destination is Palm Springs, CA. I need to spend time with my parents and I need my sweet baby nephew to learn who I am and to love his baby cousin Hanky Panky! I cannot yet explain it, but I have this strange feeling I may end up in California longer than I am anticipating. I never thought I would consider living there again, but one thing this trip is teaching me....is never say never!

Hank and I have last minute preparations, then we are westward bound. I love messages on the blog, so please keep in contact.

Cheers until next time.

Brenda

2006-09-27T03:29:00.001-07:00

A Preview of things to come and my big "Premiere"....

Hank is in the kennel, so he can no longer steal my laptop. I am currently in Sun Valley, Idaho about to have my new career "premiere". Tomorrow is the big day - I am the keynote speaker for a conference in Sun Valley. I am still on east coast time and have a bad case of jet lag, so I am writing this at an ungodly hour.

The plan is to fly to Boston on Friday, pick up Hank and the car and begin my journey west on Sunday. Some of you have been emailing and wanting to know when I am heading back, and now you know. However, my current plan is to skip the Northwest and head straight to California. I am going to take my time heading across the country, see some states where I have never been and hit Northern California by the end of the month. But, the best part about this trip is that nothing has been written in stone and I can change my plans!

Yesterday was an interesting day emotionally because it was the first time I have been in the Northwest since I left three months ago. I connected through Seattle and quietly assessed how I felt. I have pondered the question on this blog of where is home. Some say home is where the heart is, home is where my pictures are, home is where your story begins. There is truth to all of this. For me, home is becoming more where my connections are and where I feel I can be me. I have NEVER, EVER felt I could be me in the Northwest and did not realize how much I wasn't me or how unhappy I was until I left. Now that I am gone and have had a taste of something different the thought of returning is quite difficult. The east coast is absolutely in my soul. The smells, the tastes, the people. However, my parents, sister and nephew are in Southern California. Hence, the reason I am heading there next. While I was sitting on the tarmac in Seattle yesterday I pondered all of the above and realized just how out of place I felt for three years. Sitting on that plane I had emotional memories.

So, I change directions on Sunday. Not sure where the final destination will be, but I know it will be an adventure! And, if any of you want a visitor, let me know, Hank and I have all of the time in the world!

Cheers until next time

2006-09-20T08:26:00.000-07:00

It's all about me, or should be....

It's Hank again and I got mom's computer while she wasn't looking. My mommy is being mean to me. The other day I fought with her when she was trying to put me back on my leash and this morning she took me to a mean man who made me sit, stay and listen to him. He was meaner than my mommy, and now my mommy is being mean too. I like it much better when mommy is rushed and holding too many things and I can run away from her! Now she is being organized and disciplining me! I know I can break her : ) I just have to look at her with my cute face!

The man got mad at me today whenI tried to bite him. He said down and pushed my head - I didn't like it at all so I tried to tell him. He didn't give up like mommy and now he has mommy pushing my head. Mommy is also wearing big gloves when she pushed my head - they are weird and taste funny when I try to bite. I am really a good boy until someone tries to make me listen, why can't I be in control? I think I can win by just being cute. I have included more pictures of me so you can see my foot, and also pictures of me playing on the beach. I loved the beach!

Woof, woof.

Hank

2006-09-18T18:39:00.000-07:00

An entry from my perspective...

I always see my mommy typing on the computer and not spending time with me. So I stole this while she wasn't looking so I could tell you about my big day! My mommy left me with some stranger she kept calling Aunt Marsha and Uncle Leo. I do not know why they are supposed to be my aunt and uncle, they aren't even furry! They have a little dog named Becky who won't even play with me.

My mommy was gone forever and I was beginning to wonder of she would come back. When I saw my portable house drive into the driveway with my mommy in it I got VERY excited! Aunt Marsha let me out the front door and I ran down the stairs so fast I did the splits in the driveway. When I ran back in the house Aunt Marsha started screaming - I don't know why?? But my toenail hurt and I just ate it right then and there. Mommy and Aunt Marsha put me in the back of the car and we drove really fast, faster than mommy normally drives (and that is fast!) Mommy and Aunt Marsha took me into this big hostpital with other doggies and they were all sick. None of the other dogs wanted to play when I tried to play with them and mommy and Aunt Marsha seemed worried. After a LONG wait (I got really bored), a girl in a funny green outfit took me away from mommy. When she brought me back I had my foot all wrapped up in a bright green ugly bandage. All I wanted to do was chew it off because it itched. Everyone got upset and they took me away again. This time they put a big plastic cone on my head. Mommy laughed and said I looked like a daffodil - I didn't like it and I don't know what a daffodil is. But I couldn't see and I wouldn't go up the stairs - I made my mommy carry me!

Mommy felt sorry for me and I got lots and lots of cookies, but I did not like to plastic thing or the bandage. They are gone now, but mommy took funny pictures of me to show what I looked like.

Woof woof,

Hank

2006-09-13T02:27:00.000-07:00

Back to America...

Well, as I started to write last evening, I have just returned from 3 weeks in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. It was an absolute dream and I fell in love with the Maritime Provinces of Canada. I am only partially kidding when I say I am thinking of defecting to Canada. I am looking into spending the winter in Whistler because I just loved Canada and the Canadian attitude.

The events on the trip are too numerous to put into one blog and I do not want to bore everyone with the details, so I will give higlights at the end. However, taking this journey has reminded me how individual and personal travel is. We all travel differently and experience the world differently. For each person a city, country, museum is their own personal experience comprised of individual preferences. And hopefully, the trip will push their boundaries and help them grow. As you would expect, I definitely push my boundaries and thus find myself in all kinds of interesting places. Travelling with Hank make the experience that much different, because I actually see a place twice. Once at my pace, and then once at his. I ususally run or bike in a town to get the lay of the land and then I take Hank for a long walk and I see the same thing but in a different light. It is awesome to get to see the world at a puppy's pace. Hank's favorite things were the hour long runs he took on the beach in PEI every day. He ran down to the water at absolute breakneck speed and would chase every seagull possible and then lie down in the water. The sand in PEI is a bright red and so Hank's pretty white fur turned a nice red color.

This portion of my trip has really expanded my horizons. As I ran, rode and toured I reflected upon my journey and realized this trip can be divided into three sections so far:

1. Fleeing - I was running from Coeur d' Alene as fast as I could and that was my focus until the Ironman

2. Healing - Both spiritually and physically

3. Growing - I am now exploring and growing every day and just loving life.

Well, without being too boring some of my trip highlights included:

1. Discovering what Digby Scallops are. They are unbelievable!

2. Eating my bodyweight in Mussels on PEI

3. Music, music and more music. I went to Cape Breton specifically to hear fiddle music. I am a fan of Cape Breton fiddle music and just couldn't get enough. I met a female fiddler in her late 20's and she is just awesome. I became her groupie and saw her 4 times while on N.S. and PEI.

4. Going to a Ceiligh (dance) on Cape Breton. This is absolutely one of my favorite travel memories ever! I went to a local dance I heard about - a fiddler, a piano player and about 300 locals. It started at 9:30pm and did not end until 2:00am. The place was packed with people 19 -90 and they do a specific type of dancing. I did not sit the entire time - from themoment I walked in until 2:00am, every old farmer in the place asked me to dance. It was a blast - I was being swung around and flung all over the dance hall, and I laughed every moment. I also has a first happen to me - I have never been asked out by an old dairy farmer, but now I have. A friend of mine said "You cannot blame the guy for trying." It was so fun and by the time I left I had email addresses, dinner invitations and everyone knew my name. The locals said I had become a part of them very quickly.

5. A rainy day driving the Cabot Trail and Hank and I seeing the biggest moose ever while on a hike!

6. PEI. There is really now way to sum up my Prince Edward Island Experience. Every day I woke up to the sound of waves, I walked the beaches for hours, wrote and created like crazy, had wine while watching the sunset from the back deck, and then went to sleep to the sweet sound of waves again.

Now, I am in Freeport, ME for a few nights and back to Boston for the last leg of my east coast portion.

Life continues to be a wonderful adventure! The postings will become more regular again.

Cheers.

Brenda

2006-09-12T19:44:00.000-07:00

"I am defecting to Canada...."

And not for political reasons. I am back, many of you left messages thinking I was kidnapped by wolves. However, I was kidnapped by Canadians. Not really, although one evening in Halifax two 20 something year old boys from Newfoundland reminded me how to drink by color and I almost got kidnapped : )

I just returned from a 3 week journey to New Brunswick, Nova Scotia - Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island. The trip was absolutely unbelievable! I am about to lose laptop power so will write more tomorrow.

Cheers,

Brenda

2006-08-24T19:02:00.000-07:00

A quiet evening...

In St. John's, New Brunswick. Hank and I have had a great day...actually a great week and we are now waiting to take the ferry across the Bay of Fundy to Nova Scotia. Hank is out cold on the hotel room floor because he is on pain medication for a bum leg. I think the Ironman in me wore him out and hopefully I did not do permanent damage to his hips. We have been hiking and running like crazy! Yesterday morning he went crazy running along the coast of Maine and he was so cute running through the sea grass which was above his head. He loves water now and ran as fast as he could and discovered getting stuck in the muck of clam flats. What is weird is I dreamed the exact scene the night before, except high tide was coming in and I had to rescue him. The vet said I had "witchy ways". I experienced a small town vet today. I kept thinking of Baxter Black from NPR or the guy from All Creatures Great and Small. It was such a refreshing experience and my city snob keeps dissipating because he was as good as anyone Hank or Cicely have seen. And what a bargain - doctor's visit and a week's worth of meds was only $38 dollars. I am moving to Machias, Maine just because of the vet price.

I have an acquaintance who says there are two types of people 1. Backpack people or 2. Trunk people. The first can camp and travel with a backpack. The second always show up with 5 trunks wherever they go. I was number one, but now I think I am a combo, and I rediscovered that this week. I decided to take Hank camping. I bought a new tent, lantern and rain gear from LL Bean. The tent and lantern are being returned because I will never use them again. I am really glad that I know how to put up a tent, light a campfire and light a camp stove. But for the record, I prefer long hikes and hot showers at a B&B. The best part of the 2 nights of camping - teaching Hank how to get into the tent so he could snuggle me and keep me warm : ) and the second was eating fresh Maine lobster and drinking red wine in front of a campfire.

I do need to mention the part of Maine I was in. I was in "Down East" Maine which is way the hell up there! I was staying on the easternmost point of the Continental US, which means that when I watched the sun rise I was one of the first to see it! I went for a trail run today on East Quaddy lighthouse (Not on the lighthouse, but on the trails). What a spectacular way to see the country. I was literally running on the easternmost edge of the US and it was crystal clear, blue and amazing! I have learned a lot of interesting facts about this part of the country. The highest tides in the world are here at 29 feet and Hank and I watched them yesterday. We are having a great time! I may be out of touch for a few weeks depending upon internet access in Canada.

Cheers and say a get well prayer for Hank.

Brenda

2006-08-20T19:10:00.000-07:00

The lights came on in the dark....

It is 10pm and Hank and I are in the Applewood Bed and Breakfast in Freeport, ME. I keep staying in all of these romantic places with my dog. What is up with that??? Life is absolutely amazing. I had reserved a campsite south of town for the evening and as I was driving from Boston the weather became more inclement. I got to town and it was pouring down rain, so I decided I would stay in a hotel. I don't mind camping if it is bone dry, but camping when it rains sucks! Well, I go into a B&B which takes dogs and I noticed all of the staff carrying candles and lanterns. Turns out there is a power outage in the entire town. This happened at 3:30pm and it is now 10pm. I decided to stay instead of going to my campsite and it has been a blast and has also served several purposes.

I had not inventoried my camping gear, and typical Brenda - I was heading to a long camping trip with Hank and unprepared. This gave me the opportunity to assess things such as batteries and working light sources. I am 250 yards from LLBean (which by the way NEVER closes...they don't even have locks on the door), so I bought a battery powered lantern and was then able to assess what I had and didn't. I ralized I had canned soup and a can opener, so if I needed to I could survive for the evening. I was just missing a bottle of wine.

The Inn down the street was the only place with an open kitchen so I went there for dinner and the atmosphere was great! The place was packed and everyone had such a great spirit. It was lit by candles and flashlights and they could only serve food which could be cooked in the wood-fired oven. There was such a sense of adventure and survival. I ended up eating my first farm fresh northeast tomato of the season. The bartender heard me talking about tomatos and brought me a ripe one sliced and with salt slightly covering it. This my friends is heaven - eating your first summer tomato in a blackout, in Maine with fun strangers by candlight with a glass of red wine and your loyal dog outside waiting! After I was done, I took Hank for a really long walk in this dark, silent town. It is slightly drizzling and he glowed under my halogen headlamp. The only two places in town with lights...the fire station and LL Bean.

This my friends is why I love travel! You never know what is going to happen and what story will enhance you.

Cheers until next time

Brenda

2006-08-19T17:16:00.000-07:00

A few more pictures....

I leave for Maine tomorrow. I am leaving the comforts of home and civilization and will be camping in North Coastal Maine for the next few weeks. It will probably be cool and fall like but fun. I am looking forward to being on the ocean and seeing how Hank likes camping.

Cheers,

Brenda

2006-08-18T05:58:00.000-07:00

Some select pictures from the trip...proof I am travelling around the country and not just sitting in a hovel somewhere making up stories.

Cheers,

Brenda

2006-08-16T18:45:00.000-07:00

A dog's life....

Hank is back and owner and dog are ecstatic. Or at least I am because I missed him so much this time. Hank spent 8 days at a 'no cages' kennel and I think he liked it. He played and played with other dogs and we couldn't get him to leave on Monday when it was time to go. He is becoming the most friendly, relaxed and socialized dog. We are now in Boston proper staying with my friends Jay and Nick (and their two Dachsund's Stan and Ollie.) I forgot what city living was like - and it is definitely different with a dog. I cannot just let Hank out the front door to run around. I need to find my shoes, keys, his leash, the requisite plastic bag and regardless of the time, take him outside.

It is really fun to watch Hank grow and expand his world. I wish I was creative enough to write a children's book, because I would write this trip from his perspective. Hank has learned how to swim, been to dog park's all over the country, learned how to fetch (although bringing it back is still a challenge), he has cowered from every small dog he meets, but chases dogs twice his size. He absolutely loves pigeons and it is hysterical watching as his brain registers what is in front of him. Today I watched him on Jay's roofdeck as he discovered a seagull. Fortunately I caught him before he took a flying leap off of the roof and chased the seagull. I am so glad he is with me on this trip because he not only serves as a people magnet, he just makes me smile. I have to slow down and watch life at Hank's pace and it is an absolute pleasure. Sometimes a little too slow because Hank has discovered his sense of smell and he thinks he needs to sniff every bush in every city - but it is enjoyable to watch him. He did one funny thing today which shows how smart my doggy is! Jay's two dogs are paper trained and they go to the bathroom in a litter box. Hank has been to the litter box several times to see what is going on (or to smell what is going on) and today he decided to pee in the litter box. "Why bother going outside and make mommy go through all of that work. I will just pee in here with the other dogs."

Well, I head to Maine, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island next. I leave Boston on Saturday or Sunday and start the camping part of my trip. I will write more soon.

Cheers

Brenda

2006-08-13T18:01:00.000-07:00

A perfect New England Day...

I am now at the end of a perfect New England Sunday, and actually a perfect New England weekend. I started the weekend by visiting Portsmouth, New Hampshire with my friends Jay, Gina and Mary. Gina is from Arizona and really wanted the full lobster feast, so we found a New England seafood shack and enjoyed lobster on the water. Yesterday I got to see Jimmy Buffet again and this time I had great seats - 10th row and backstage passes. I learned how the whole "backstage thing" works. Jimmy doesn't just hangout waiting for his nutty fans to acost him and tell him how fabulous he is. He actually never comes out to the section where the peons are. He stays back in the "back" backstage aways from all of us fanatical parrotheads. Even though I did not meet Jimmy I had a great experience. My brother-in-law was going with a group from the Ritz Carlton, so we took a Ritz limo to the show and hung out in the limo section of the parking lot. It was the first time I took a limo to the concert, however, not the first time I have been in a Ritz limo. Without being too boring, when I was in law school my bike spent the evening in a Ritz parking lot the night of my 30th birthday. The next day a limo showed up at my house with my bike in the back. The driver was late and I was going to be late to class, so the driver drove me and my bike to class. I pull up in front of the law school in a Ritz limo and the drive pulls out my bike. Last night my bike did not make it into the limo - however, it could not make it under the parking garage so it spent the evening in the bell captain's closet. My bikes get better treatment at the Ritz than I do!

Today was the perfect New England day. I started out with coffee in Salem Common after waking up late (because I got home after 2am for the third night in a row!) I watched the dog walkers and parents walking the common. I then headed to my favorit beach once again, spent several hours catching up on all of the sleep I am missing and I went for my first bike ride since the Ironman. The Ironman was 3 weeks ago and I had not been on my bike until today. It was great to be on the bike again and I did not feel too bad. I drove home with a stop at my favorite seafood/lobster shack Woodman's of Essex. I then drove home so I could see one of my favorite views in the world. The coast of North Massachusetts is spectacular and the light is changing and the temperature changing so it is starting to feel like fall. I am finding myself nostalgic as I wander these highways and byways which are so familiar to me. I do love summer in Boston and it is hard not to want to move here during this time of year.

As I have experienced this weekend I have continued to say thank you. I am so lucky to be able to have the opportunity to do this road trip. I am learning many lessons and one of them is to slow down and to appreciate the experience. I will leave you with a quote from "The Artist's Way" "The quality of life is in proportion, always to the capacity for delight. The capacity for delight is the gift of paying attention." I am learning to pay attention while slowing down and it has been such a great experience.

Cheers until next time

Brenda

2006-08-10T22:11:00.000-07:00

"One particular harbor..."

It is 1am and I just returned from a Jimmy Buffet concert. It was such a fitting way to end my day. I found myself this morning in one of my favorite places in New England, and probably the world. I started my day with a swim in the Atlantic ocean, in Salem Harbor.

Do you remember the Uncle Remus tale of Brer Rabbit and the laughing place? Well I have a healing place and that healing place is basically anywhere I can get in the water. I love swimming - the water has such a calming healing effect upon me. This morning I was blessed with having one of those magical moments in life where light, calm, peace and beauty are all aligned. I was swimming in the Atlantic ocean, feeling the cold, salty water on my skin and admiring the bright colors below me. I was thinking about how I was a visitor in the world of these fish and sea creatures. I then stopped to tread water for a moment and as I looked out across the horizon I saw and heard a lobster boat crawling along, and listened to the two fishermen go about their morning banter, beyond the trawler was a beautiful, small sailboat heading out for the day, and then in the distance was the lightouse. It was such a wonderful image and an amazing synergy. I just stopped, treaded water and took in the sights and smells. The smell of salt air creates such an amazing calm for me. It could be growing up near the ocean my whole life, but nothing in this world is better than the briney smell of salt air. My particular favorite is a cool, foggy evening and when you walk outside the smell of the ocean wafts by. As I said, the ocean is absolutely my healing place, and probably also my laughing place. As I consider whether to stay in Idaho or live somewhere else, I debate what makes me happy. Family and friends are the most important things, but also, what touches my soul.

Today I will spend the day doing nothing and that is fabulous! I will probably head to the beach again, go to a great exhibit at the Peabody Essex museum and explore some farm stands. Hank is in the kennel this week and I miss him so much. I cannot believe how important that little fuzzball has become in my life. Two days ago I went to see him, just so I could look at him through the window of the kennel and see his cute, smiling face. I have decided for the remainder of this trip, he will not go into the kennel. The separation anxiety is too much for both of us.

Cheers until next time.

Brenda

2006-08-09T04:39:00.000-07:00

My inner goddess meets my outer princess...

I have not written in many days because I lost the power cord to my laptop, AGAIN. I swear there is a gremlin following me on this trip and stealing things from me. Much of the last week has been focused on family events, visiting old friends in familiar places and on exploring my creative side. I tried to attend a "Goddess Bootcamp" last week at a touchy, feely liberal health spa in the Berkshires. Just the kind of place all of my right wing North Idaho friends would break into hives over. Why didn't I attend? Because it was SOLD OUT. Turns out that many east coast women want to discover their inner goddess. See, I keep telling everyone I am a dime a dozen out here : ) It is really great to be back in the land of tie dye, birkenstocks and people of more than one color. I am enjoying diversity in food, accents, clothing and art. I am absolutely loving all of the art. I did not realize how deprived I have been for the past few years until I got a chance to see what I am missing. So far, the most poignant and inspiring place has been The Mount in Lenox, Massachusetts. The Mount was Edith Wharton's summer home and it is spectacular. It was poignant for me because she built the home with her money (not her husband's) at age 40. She really came into her own and began discovering herself at 40 years old. The poignancy for me is that I am closer to that number than I would like to admit and am really seeking my inspiration or purpose. Her success made me doubt mine.

I am off to my favorite beach today, Crane's beach in Massachusetts.

Until next time. Cheers

Brenda

2006-08-02T02:56:00.000-07:00

Blue Highways....

A Blue Highway is not a main thoroughfare, rather a backroad. I am travelling the Blue Highways whenever I can, because I really get to see the soul of a region this way. The Blue Highway is also a metaphor for my life at the moment. I am not taking I-90 to get to my heart's desire, rather I am following the Blue Highways.
.
As I drove into New York state two weeks ago, I felt this tremendous shift in my soul. I felt like a homing pigeon reaching it's destination. That feeling has remained with me as I have been travelling throughout the Northeast. I left the Adirondacks on Sunday and am now in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. New England absolutely sings to my soul and I forgot just how much I missed this place. I am relishing in the beauty, the back roads, the quaint New England towns. On the day I left the Adirondacks it was absolutely a perfect New England day. No humidity to speak of, bright blue sky, big fluffy clouds. Hank and I took the ferry across Lake Champlain into Vermont and we started driving the Blue Highways. We spent two days in Vermont and did the best New England things. I took Hank blueberry picking, and who knew dogs LOVE blueberries. It was pay per pound on the honor system and I think Hank at more than I picked. I really love the honor system. All of the farm stands in Vermont operate on the honor system. Just show up, take what you want, and they trust you will pay what you are supposed to. TRUST - what a concept.

I have many favorite aspects to this trip, but one of the best is getting reacquainted with friends and family. I have spent time with my stepsister and her family, and now I am in the Berkshires getting an opportunity to spend time with my mom's family. I get the rare privilege tomorrow of spending my Grandmother's birthday with her. She turns 89 and my mom, grandma, aunt and cousin are all taking her out for the day. I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to share this with her and all of the women in my family.

Well, I need to get Hank out for a walk before the heat and humidity take over the day. Until next time.

Cheers,

Brenda

2006-07-29T04:38:00.000-07:00

Expansiveness....

Dr. Wayne Dyer talks about the concept of expansion in his book, "The Power of Intention." This week I have watched Hank expand and increase his world and have quietly realized mine is also. Hank learned how to swim this week and there is no stopping him now! I have been trying to get him in the water for months to no avail. This week we spent the day at the lake on Thursday and Hank made friends with a little girl. She was taking him all over the place and I looked up and Hank was in the water up to his neck swimming around. He also thinks it is one giant water bowl and he continues to slurp in every lake and stream we are near. I thought the swimming may have been a fluke but now I cannot keep him out of the water. Yesterday I swam in the lake and Hank was right behind me. The only bad thing about the swimming thing is now Eliza the car smells like one big wet dog.

Hank continues to make friends wherever we go. Although he has managed to frighten a few children. I am learning a lot about dogs and their instincts. Whenever I have the slightest bit of "trouble" with Hank it is with people who are afraid of dogs. He is a doll to everyone else. Yesterday we got a special tour of the Adirondack Loj (yes that is the correct spelling) because the girl fell in love with Hank. He is a ham and I just love taking him everwhere with me. He makes me smile : )

The first part of my journey I was focused on the destination - Lake Placid and the Ironman. Now I am enjoying the adventure and what each day brings me. Today I am watching the sunrise over Mirror Pond and looking at the High Peaks of the Adirondacks. If you have never been to the Adirondacks do yourself a favor and go. This is a healing place in every sense of the word. There are 49 Peaks over 4,000 feet and everywhere you look the hills are lush and green. The race course was absolutely the most spectacular bike course I have ever been on. I feel very privileged to have the luxury of spending time here and really exploring. Since I have been here Hank and I have done a few hikes, we are hiking one of the High Peaks today with my step sister Debra and her family. It is great to spend more than a few days in a town and also to get off of the beaten track. I prefer to avoid the tourist trap restaurants, etc and I always end up really getting a great local experience. I have discovered a fabulous natural foods store, a great mom and pop family restaurant and the local watering hole. I made friends witha family that owns a restaurant near my cabin and last night Hank experienced his first tast of a prime rib bone. Now I am going to have to start orderingthe dog prime rib!

Tomorrow I leave the Adirondacks and am not sure where I head next. My grandmother turns 89 on Thursday and I know I will be there for her birthday. Until then I will enjoy the journey.

Cheers,

Brenda

2006-07-26T13:50:00.000-07:00

Acceptance and Instinct.... It is now two days since the Ironman and I am going into the post Ironman blues. It is a normal part of this crazy sport and one you just let happen. The best way I find to get through this is to have another race in mind, so I will be searching for a fall marathon. I won't talk about the race too much, but will say for me, most of the lessons this year are being learned outside of the race, not during the race. I did many things right up to and during the race. I ate enough on that day, I was trained well and my attitude was great. I had the best race ever up to mile 134.4 and then it fell apart. My legs seized up at mile 20 of the run and I had to pain manage for the rest of the race, so I finished 2 hours slower than I had hoped, but I finished and am learning many lessons since then. The primary thing I am learning is acceptance. My performance was my performance and I need to accept what I did. It is easy to get caught up in excuses and to explain less than expected times, but a quote I saw out on the course sums it up best - "The winner of the race should say nothing, the loser should say less."

I am still in the Adirondacks and they are absolutely spectacular. Hank and I moved into a little cabin outside of Lake Placid and we are here for 4 or 5 days before we head to Vermont. I wanted to explore the hiking trails, etc and take Hank on some well-deserved long walks. He is appreciating all of the grass, but he does NOT like mosquitos - he keeps trying to eat them!

One of the things I promised myself when I decided to do this trip, was since I was travelling by myself I would absolutely listen to my instincts and if I had a hunch that I was not safe I would NOT second guess those thoughts. I have felt safe this entire trip, but yesterday was the first time those instincts kicked in loud and clear. I had reserved two different cabins and checked into the place closer to town. I didn't feel great about it to begin with, but it was only 1/2 mile from town and the lake, so I went with it. I was there less than an hour and I began to feel that I was not safe. The place was run by a single guy which is okay, but I noticed he had a handyman who kept staring at me whenever he saw me outside. I took a nap and still felt creepy so I called my mom and told her where I was. By 5pm I took Hank out for a walk and noticed another guy hanging out all by himself behind one of the cabins. The owner then drove by and picked him up. The logic that went through my head was that they have been in business 16 years, are members of the Chamber and are on a busy street. The other logic was, he probably doesn't background check employees (I know, the ex-HR person in me), I am all by myself, there were no other guests. Then the images of the movies Psycho and Deliverance went through my head. I have never had an intuition scream at me this loudly and I was packed in 5 minutes. I got in the car in the middle of a raging thunderstorm and just hoped the other place still had room for me. I drove 6 miles down the road, no thunderstorm and the caretaker had left me a sweet note and left the cabin open for me. The place had a much better feel and Hank started running around the fields immediately. I am often amazed at intuition and coincidence and one happened to me soon after I checked in. I drove to town to get the only thing I can stomach at the moment, which is peanut butter and this big, burley hippie with a great smile said hello and commented on the gorgeous evening. 30 minutes later he drove by my cabin and said didn't I just meet you? He was the owner of the cabin and the white water rafting business connected with the cabins. 20 minutes later I was drinking a Corona watching an Adirondack sunset on his deck, listening to him sing "Jaimaica Says She Won't" by Jackson Browne and listening to Hank contentedly snore away. I absolutely love life - you never know where it will take you and what great adventures you will have along the way. One minute I thought I was going to end up like Janet Leigh in Psycho and the next I am listening to a Jerry Garcia look a like tell me about his rafting trip down the Middleforkof the Salmon and watching the sunset in the Adirondacks.

Cheers until next time

Brenda

2006-07-22T14:51:00.000-07:00

Pre-race nerves....

It is 6pm, 13 hours before the race and I am nervous. It has been pouring since noon and I had to do all the pre-race stuff in the rain. 2300 hundred athletes had to rack their bikes and put all of their gear out in the pouring rain. All of us with the same, unspoken and sometime loudly spoken hope. "I hope it doesn't do this on race day."

This rain has actually made me have two thoughts 1. If I wake up and it is doing this I am not getting out of bed 2. What is the real reason I am racing? When I started Ironman 4 years ago the motivaton was to do something I had wanted to do for much of my adult life - to achieve a long-time goal. The motivation last year was to keep my mind off of things and to improve my time. I am exploring the motivation this year. I have already expressed that Ironman keeps me whole. It fills some sort of void in my life and I am trying to figure out what that is. I had someone comment to me once at the gym about how hard I work. She said you must be trying to replace something in your life. I have contemplated that for months and I think there may be truth to that statement, although I am not sure what the truth is. Ironman makes me live out loud. I have already demonstrated that I live on my own terms and with passion. Ironman helps me do that. As Robert Frost said, it came a point to choose to roads...I took the road less travelled, and for this I will always be grateful." Tomorrow I will be on the road less travelled, or lightly travelled with 2300 fellow travellers. Each of us has a reason, and each of us will have a story to tell at the end. This race takes you to your limits, shows you what they are and that you are infinitely capable of more than you ever thought possible. That my friends is why I race. Tomorrow evening I will cross that finish line a stronger person, a more beautiful person and probably a much more sore person. But I will cross having had to dig to depths I did not think possible and also experiencing infinite joy at my surrounding and at the spectacle called Ironman. It is a privilege, a true privilege to be on the eve of Ironman number 3 and may the race bring me its best and may I laugh, dance and cry my way through each and every moment.

Cheers

Brenda

2006-07-21T04:21:00.000-07:00

Home is where the heart is....

One of the things I am spending time thinking about while on this trip of mine, is what makes a home. I have always thought home is more than a physical location, or four walls and a roof. I am learning the truth to the statement that home is where the heart is. My home on this journey is not just the 4 tin can walls of Eliza the Element, rather it is a combination of places, people and feelings as I travel the country. Home is in seeing Hank's smiling sweet little face every time I pick him up from the kennel in Lake Placid. Home is in the taste of Peet's coffee which I make every morning in a french press no matter where I am. Home is in reading a New York times on a porch in the Adirondacks while it is raining a beautiful, warm rain. There are people and things about Coeur d' Alene which I am really missing. I am finding mysef profoundly aching for a few people. I keep feeling like something is missing and I realized that these people really make me whole.

As I am approaching race day, I am really looking forward to it, because I am definitely at home on my bike and on my feet. With all of this change and uncertainty in my life, it is the one thing I know how to do. I got on my bike the other day in Canada and as I was riding I thought, "now, this is home." Riding, running, racing, they are not only familiar things to me, but they are a part of my soul. Ironman makes me a better person and it absolutely brings me joy. As I think about Sunday I have a few nerves, which is normal, but also I just cannot wait to spend a day doing something I love! I am looking forward to spending a day "at home".

I do have my race number for anyone who wants to track me. #2239

Cheers

Brenda

2006-07-18T17:56:00.000-07:00

Problem Solving....
One of the reasons I love travel is because you NEVER know what a day is going to bring and you have to think on your feet. Yesterday started out in an absolute amazing way. I got a chance to see the falls unadulterated at 5am with the sunrise and watching the beautiful color of the mist from the falls. If you have not been there, the mist is so significant it actually creates different weather. I rode my bike past the fall really early and got a chance to experience everything without tourists. The area beyond the falls is absolutely gorgeous! I left Canada and had lunch in Buffalo at the Anchor Bar, where Buffalo Wings were created, and yes Jay I ate more than one wing. After leaving Buffalo I was ahead of schedule and thought I would take advantage of the extra time and visit Cooperstown, NY and go to the baseball hall of fame. Great plan, but as I mentioned, flexibility and problem solving is a part of travelling.

While on the New York state throughway, I stopped to get gas and drove 117 miles to the next rest stop. It was at this next stop where I discovered that my wallet was missing. Yes, my wallet was missing. So, the thoughts that went through my head included, don't panic! You can figure this out, Hank ate it, and then I went to "Oh my gosh, I am on a 4 month road trip and have absolutely no cash or ID and my credit cards are gone. Shit!!! So, I called my mom and told her not to panic, basically to calm me down : ) Well, there are a few blessings I am thankful for and one of them is, the fact that I actually had my passport in the glove compartment and not in my wallet. The other thing I am thankful for is that by some miracle, I put a spare debit card to an account I never use in a file box I brought with me. Literally, I did not pre-plan this, but as luck would have it, I happened to do this and it is a good thing. Even though I now had a plan so I could prove who I was and not sleep in my car with Hank, I had to find my wallet or figure out what happened. After two unsuccesful calls to the NY State Throughway authority, I drove back the 117 miles to look for my wallet myself. To no avail...by this time it was 8pm and I was NOT making it to Cooperstown. So, I got the last dog-friendly room at a Marriot in Rochester and called my credit card companies at midnight. No one has used my cards, so I calmed down a little more. I got up really early and began the trek to Lake Placid, and on the way I filed a report with the NY State Police.

Lessons learned: SLOW DOWN. I have had four things happen on this trip which do not normally happen to me, and three of them were within my control. I lost the keys to my bike rack, knocked the rack off of the roof and lost my wallet. The flat was outside of my control, but the others had direct user errors. I really believe someone is sending me a message and making me realize I must pay attention to succesfully live like this for four months (or longer). As Jay said to me on the phone last night - Brenda, you must put systems in place to ensure your safety. He is absolutly right and even though I am NOT a systems person, I must become one. This is good practice for my business.

On race day, during an Ironman there are only three things you can control - nutrition, pace and attitude, everything else is a wash. The same thing applies to life - how you react to the circumstances given you is what you can control, not the circumstances themselves.

I am now in Lake Placid, relaxing in the gorgeous house where I am staying and Hank is checked in to the kennel for a week ( I get daily visits with him!) The crisis is under control, and although not perfect...problem solved.

Cheers...Brenda

2006-07-16T16:17:00.000-07:00

"Paradise Found and Hell Realized...."

This week Hank had the experience of Paradise and today I had the experience of hell. Well, not quite hell, but purgatory in Canada.

Let's start with Paradise, shall we? Imagine being a 9 month old puppy and discovering the most amazing, magical playground, hidden behind trees and when you found it there were plenty of other dogs running around and wanting to play with you! And you got to run off leash without your mom holding you back. That is what Hank experienced on Wednesday night in Glen Ellyn. Lee found out about a dog park in her town and Lee, Johnny (her 7 year old) and Hank and I went to explore. At first we were not sure if we were in the right place because it was rather hidden in a clandetine manner. But we followed a path and the clean up bags pleasantly placed along the trail, and PARADISE FOUND! Not only were there plenty of dogs, and a big grassy area, but lightening bugs galore! Bith Hank and I were in heaven. If it is possible for an animal to have a look of pure joy on his face, then that is what Hank was expressing that night. He hesitated at first, then the minute he knew he could run around he took off! It was absolutely great, and now it is my mission to find doggy parks in all of the cities I go to.

Now Hell realized is another story. I always thought a unique characteristic of America is that we could take any beautiful landmark and turn it into a tacky tourist trap. Well my friends, I must say the Canadians have us beat - at least at Niagara Falls. I am on the Canadian side of the Falls becaus ethe tourist books say to stay on this side, and it is like Las Vegas and Ft. Lauderdale all wrapped up into one tacky package. The falls themselves are spectacular and truly amazing, but hard to be mesmerized with Planet Hollywood, The Rain Forest Cafe and several casinos blaring noise behing you. The American side however, has a park dedicated to the falls and no tacky tourist shops. Although originally surprised by the tackiness, I have decided to embrace the environment I am in. I am a Ferris Wheel fanatic and for $10 you can get a spectacular view of the falls. And, I am going to take Hank for a nice, long walk and watch the fireworks over the falls. Tomorrow off to Buffalo and then to Placid.

What did I get rid of today:
2 CD's - Roger Waters and ZZ Top (I think these were Brad's)

What did I procure:
1 Niagara Falls Starbucks Coffee Mug

Cheers....Brenda

2006-07-15T21:58:00.000-07:00

It has been several days since I have posted because I was in a wireless free zone. I spent 3 nights with my friend Lee and her husbamd Steve in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Glen Ellyn is The Stepford Wives meets Norman Rockwell. Since I last wrote I have been to Milwaukee, WI which is absolutely fabulous, Chicago to visit Lee and today I drove through Indiana and Michigan. At the moment I am looking at Canada from Port Huron, MI and I now know there is a difference amongst motels. Jay discussed the hotel, motel difference in our blog. Well kids, I am experiencing the pecking order amongst motels. There are motels, and then there are the kind that let you stay for weeks at a time. I am in the later tonight and I really cannot sleep. I have realized the benefits to travelling with your own pillows, clean pillowcases and sleeping bag. And, I spritzed the room with odor neutralizer I bought for the car after Hank's "incident". I am on top of the bed in the Knight's Inn in Port Huron. I got here about 12:30am after driving for 9 hours. I seriously contemplated sleeping in my car, and if it wasn't for Hank I would have. The reason I am stuck at the Knight's Inn is because I am travelling by winging it, and I got into Port Huron at the beginning of Boat Week, which I guess is the summer shin dig around here. I got here too late to enjoy any of the festivities. For those of you who know me well, you know I would NEVER eat anything crappy. However, I am absolutely thinking of eating eggs benedict at Cracker Barrel tomorrow morning because I need comfort food after staying in this room.

I do have a lot to write about Milwaukee, Lee, driving across the country, etc...But the sooner I get to sleep, the sooner I get out of here.

What did I get rid of:
NOTHING

What did I buy:
My first pair of shoes on the trip
2 new racing tires for Ironman
2 new keys for the bike rack and rocket box (I lost the keys in Minneapolis....)

Subjects to come:
Paradise found ( in Glen Ellyn for Hank)
Washing away the dust...

Hopefully the next posting will be from a Ritz Carlton....cheers

2006-07-11T19:52:00.000-07:00

It is 10pm and Hank and I are in a Best Western Hotel room outside of Milwaukee, WI. I stopped in Milwaukee intentionally because I want to tour the Harley Davidson Factory and the Milwaukee Art Museum is supposed to be amazing. Tomorrow we will get up bright and early, run 9 miles and them tour the town. I am planning on heading to Chicago tomorrow afternoon and will stay with my dear friend Lee for a few days.

Today is all about Hank. Hank has had a few rough days and he is absolutely sound asleep in the hotel room right now. I wish I had my camera inside so I could take a picture of him passed out against the wall. He is such a sweet little guy (well 85 lbs little). Last night was his last night in the car at Deb's and he had an accident. I came out to the car this morning and he had pooped all over the back seat. Of course I had a towel and sheet down, but he somehow managed to move them and there was dog poop all ove the seats, seat belts, etc. I had just paid a lot of money to detail the car - oh well! The good thing about ELiza is that you can hose her out -so bucket of soapy water and a sponge and she was clean (but the car does smell funky). Well, I thought one accident on this trip would be enough, but apparently not. I missed his signals in the car and did not let him out. I saw him moving around the back seat and then there was an awful smell! I pulled off at the next exit, took him to a state park somewhere in Wisconsin and the sheet was covered in pee this time. But...there was blood all over the sheet. I of course panicked and chased after him (he was now running all over the park...) turns out her scraped his nose somewhere on the backseat and he has kind of a rug burn on the tip of it. I have to put neosporin on it for a few days. I knew the first aid kit would come in handy.

I am absolutely exhausted after 9 hours of driving. I drove through downtown Milwaukee for a a few hours this evening and I was quite impressed. I really wish I could drink right now because there are many pubs to choose from. As I was driving around I got stuck in a traffic jam because President Bush's mortorcade was going by - I was only three cars back.

When I left Minneapolis I got rid of a few more things, and did not buy anything new the last few days. However, tomorrow at the Harley factory may just be another story. I really see a pair of motorcycle boots in my future.

What I got rid of:

1 pair of black fleece lined clogs (that brings my road trip shoe collection from 9 pairs to 6)
1 paid of holey Irongirl socks
Lots of unneccesary packaging from electronic gadgets

I think I may start tossing books because I brought way too many.

I am starting a new list. What flashback music did I listen to today.

1. Suzanne Vega
2. The Clash

Cheers...until I post again

2006-07-09T17:47:00.000-07:00

Eliza Doolittle - "She is not at all a romantic figure." So is she introduced in Act I. Everything about Eliza Doolittle seems to defy any conventional notions we might have about the romantic heroine. When she is transformed from a sassy, smart-mouthed kerbstone flower girl with deplorable English, to a (still sassy) regal figure fit to consort with nobility, it has less to do with her innate qualities as a heroine than with the fairy-tale aspect of the transformation myth itself. In other words, the character of Eliza Doolittle comes across as being much more instrumental than fundamental. The real (re-)making of Eliza Doolittle happens after the ambassador's party, when she decides to make a statement for her own dignity against Higgins' insensitive treatment. This is when she becomes, not a duchess, but an independent woman; and this explains why Higgins begins to see Eliza not as a mill around his neck but as a creature worthy of his admiration.

Why this definition of ELiza Doolittle's character to begin my blog? Because today my dear friends I decided to name my car. I am having a stroke of misplaced luck with her at the moment and decided she needs a name and a little meditative blessing ceremony. She and Hank are my constant companions for the next four months and I need both of them to feel loved and to be on their best behavior. I got in this car in a rush and started driving across the country without ever connecting with her - it may sound corny, but we can make and change our own luck and I am going to help redirect my luck with her. I decided to name her and was trying to think of a successful female adventurer, and one who didn't disappear or die a tragic death. That eliminated Amelia Earhardt, so the next name that came to me was Eliza Doolittle. I was not real familiar with her character so I went to Barnes and Noble and found out more. When the information lady explained that she was really spunky, yet refined, I thought, PERFECT! So, my orange Honda Element now has the name of Eliza. She will now officially be a character in my road trip and I have redirected her luck!

I have many, many thoughts about friends, family, community, peace as I explore Minneapolis and enjoy my friends. I am beginning to get into the groove of travel and discover what comforts ground me as I make short homes and connect with communities during short periods of time. Walking Hank grounds me. It is a fantastic way to explore a community and see it at a slwer pace. Having a dog is also a fantastic way to meet people and I have made more acquaintances already because Hank draws a crowd! I am in the habit of walking him around the lake really late at night. He gets one last walk before I put him in the car for the night and I get to smell and hear Minneapolis as it gets dark. There is definitely a community of dog walkers here, and we all understand each others rythyms and reasons for walking. The other routine that grounds me is my training. Today I rode for two hours and ran for 3 miles and again I recognized the typed of people out there with me. Whenever I feel unconnected with myself or the town I am in, all I need to do is ride 20 or 30 miles and I feel much better. Minneapolis is one the bike friendliest towns I have been in and there are miles and miles of trails. I really enjoy being an athlete because I get an opportunity to see these towns in a very different way.

Today as I ran I passed a building which gave me a tremendous sense of peace. I went back to the building later with Hank and it turned out to be a Quaker meeting house. It was on the same block as the Pilates studio, the yoga centre and the Zen Meditative Center for Minneapolis. These are definitely places you would not see in Coeur d' Alene. Hank got quiet as we passed the structure, and I think he felt the same thing I did. The quote in the meditation garden said "May peace prevail on earth" - in about 8 different languages. "May peace prevail on earth."

Today I repacked my suitcase and I managed to consolidate the damn green backpack! Deceased adventurer and mountain climber Goran Krop rode his bike from Sweden to Nepal, climed Everest and rode home. He talked about consolidating all of his stuff and bringing only one pair of underwear. Although I am not down to one pair of underwear, today I got rid of:

1 sundress purchased in Bali for $5
1 mismatched sock
1 brush (because why did I even bring two?)

Well, one last quote to end the day....."Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some absurdities and blunders have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Access the Jay and Brenda pics at the following blog:

http://jayandbrenda2006.blogspot.com/

Cheers my friends....

2006-07-08T18:05:00.000-07:00

Today I am in Minneapolis staying with a dear, long time friend. It is so fun to catch up with old friends, especially when it feels like you just saw them last week. Deb and her husband Mike have been great with hospitality and Deb helped me trapse all over Minneapolis looking for a new tire since I had a flat when I got up this morning. I probably picked the nail up in God Forsaken South Dakota.

Today has been a bit of a melancholy and emotional day. I am actually really glad to be here and to recharge my batteries in a comfortable place with old friends. Jay left this morning and I am a bit sad because he is my buddy and we have had tons of fun. However, now I am onto part two of this adventure and it will be fun and exciting because I have no idea what is coming. I have been wondering what it is like to be Hank on this trip. His constant has been me, the car and Jay. Jay actually taught Hank how to get in and out of the car by himself - this is a MAJOR accomplishment and should save my back. I am operating off some serious sleep deprivation because Hank has not made it through a full night yet. Last night I felt really guilty and at one point I thought perhaps I should cancel my trip. I left him in Deb's yard and thought he would like being outside again. We turned all of the lights out about 1am and he started to cry. I almost started to cry because I was so tired and felt like such a horrible mom. Deb and I brainstormed and we put Hank in the car and pulled it into the driveway. He fell sound asleep and made it until 8am! Now if that could happen for 4 or 5 more nights I can catch up on sleep.

Training on the road has been fun but a bit difficult at times. The hardest part is eating. Jay said he was glad to get back to the land of Starbucks and Romaine letuce. EVERY restaurant between Missoula and Fargo served iceburg lettuce and truck stop coffee. However, I did find good iced tea in several places. It has been really difficult to find spelt bread and almond butter while one the road. I will load up in Minneapolis so I can eat all of my weird training food for the next 14 days. My Ironman is exactly two weeks from tomorrow. Oh gosh am I frightened. I am not sure I feel ready right now but that is because I am really tired and have been eating weird things. However, my last long ride was in the Black Hills on Tueday and I climed 3800 feet, twice in a 100 mile ride - it was awesome!

I want to finish up with the what stays and what goes - today I got rid of:

1 bad tire with a nail in the side
2 pairs of shoes (YES!)

I collected:
1 pair of really sexy cargo pants I bought at a thrift store
1 really sexy tight white shirt which makes my boobs look bigger than they are

Until I post again....cheers

2006-07-07T05:45:00.000-07:00

I have not written in this blog yet primarily because we have had LONG days and I have not turned the computer on. I have been giving much thought to travelling across the country for four months and about the concept of community and also feeling grounded. I will tell you that taking a trip like this is either for a person who is trying to escape life and just forget things, or for someone who feels very grounded in where they are and being a citizen of the world is part of their existence. I am in the later category. When I originally planned this trip it was because I was trying to escape something in Coeur d' Alene, however, now I am moving towards an amazing adventure and huge life change. I love this and am embracing every moment. I am having fun exploring the concept of community and connection and will comment more on that topic throughout the next four months. So far, Fargo, ND has been my favorite place. I recognize these people and do not feel like a fish out of water. They are young, hip and athletic. I can actually meet my friend Kathy's challenge and find a pair of shoes to buy in Fargo, ND.

As I move through this blog I am planning on chronicalling a few things. Hotels, (motels), iced tea, and what I buy and what I throw away. Why these things????

1. Where I stay is really connecting me to the community I am in. For example, Jay and I LOVE Fargo and a big reason for this is the hotel we are in. The Hotel Donaldson is fun and funky and our kind of place. http://www.hoteldonaldson.com I could move in here and Jay had an orgasm last night after eating the chocolate truffle they put on our pillow during turn down service.

2. Iced tea///I am an iced tea fanatic and Jay and I decided I need to keep an iced tea index. A fabulous one gets 5 lemons and a really bad one gets 1 seed. For example, that nasty stuff by nestea on the soda tap gets 1 seed.

3. Packing for a four month road trip is difficult and when you are a clothes horse as am I, it is hard to determine in advance what you will need in August. I absolutely know I will need the leopard pants sometime on this trip. Well, as I buy new I will need to make room by getting rid of the old. I though it would be fun to chronicle what goes. So far....all of Hank's old toys (the ones he desqueeked), the ice scraper...who needs one of those in 90 degree heat?, I think the green backpack full of random clothes will go next. I may post items I cam considering tossing and take votes. Any thoughts????

Well, off for a quick ride in Fargo and then shopping and the Plains Art Museum before we head to Minneapolis.

2006-07-01T21:16:00.000-07:00

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.”

Day one of my road trip, tired and ready to write in the Jay and Brenda blog.