Tides and Tidings of health

I am having an adventure with my body. I suppose there are as many possibilities of what can go wrong with the body as there are stars in the sky. Ligaments and hormones and red blood cells and glands... millions and millions. That many of them should veer from their normal paths all at the same time could be Murphy's Law or it could be argument for the merits of holistic healing. I am not in any serious harm, but there was a cancer scare, a fertility complication scare, a thyroid imbalance and high cholesterol all within 3 weeks.

For the last several months, I have had no plans. I sometimes feel like I am waiting. It is really inconvenient to not have plans. Others would like to make plans and incorporate me, I can only smile and say I don't know, over and over again. And when I meet new people or see old friends, it is awkward to explain myself. I cannot see into my future, not even 18 hours.

My mom has very kindly given me an acupuncture "package". Nice ladies who care a lot (DeAnn Newbold) poke needles into me and chart my progress. My sister Jayme dotes over me and makes me not feel alone, gives me supplements to eat. Sometimes I shell hundreds of dollars to clinics to be subjected to harsh machines and needles.

I am young and full of vitality, just passing through the first of perhaps a few more shadows hinting that my invincibility was a glorious illusion. It is just a small temporary shadow, and I will be back having more boastful adventures soon.

An Ocean Between... Again

I took Peep to the Airport two days ago, in lightening, thunder and pouring rain. We have said goodbye this way so many times: the line at security slowly moves, every now and then we wave... and then he is gone.






While he was here, we had a great time. He met every member of my family and many of my friends. I wanted him to come here, to see where I came from, and he did... I feel it has made us closer.






And we had such a great road trip! One month on the road, 24 hours together every day, and we still like each other! We saw so many magnificent things, every few days we were in another world: Huge fast cities, silent ancient forests, chilly spring mountains, vast magestic desert formations, homes of family and friends, Motel 6 with HBO, camping in dirt and leaves.



Waiting behind the sensational daily adventures, and sometimes peeking out into conversation, was the reality that we don't know where and when we will be together next. EU and USA sometimes feel like a fish and a bird...

There are so many things to achieve in this world- and we like to achieve. How do we best invest in our individual success and make sure we are together? It is really hard.

Certainly this kind of love is something I have always wanted to have, so I will keep it and hold it. We will find a way.

Northern California

We are staying with Blake and Carla in Stockton, California. Blake and Carla and I are all Aunts/uncle of Jayda, so it is good to spend time together: probably we will know each other our whole lives.

Before being here, we were in San Fransisco. My dad told me when I was about 12 that I belonged in Northern California.(He had fond memories from hitchiking there with the other flower children). I could live in San Fransisco very easily: it's international, green, beautiful buildings, good food. It looked like a little toy town, modelled after a European city: the buldings were narrow and tall, all in a row, painted pink and tan and green. We stayed with an old friend of Peep's named Tony, from Indonesia. I am glad to know him because he is a very sweet fellow, and through his own sad stories of corporate imprisonment and failed international romances, he was giving us advice.

The winding ocean road that lead us to San Fransisco (Hwy 1) invited us to camp inside aredwood grove near a waterfall and showed us fat lazy seals on the cold grey sand below. It was awesome.

Today we will chat some more with the californai Bombens (we have learned so much already about wine and hospitals and the world), then we will drive our tired but loyal Sally to the Yosemite National Park, where we hope to get lost for at least a few days.

California Dreaming

We drove through New Mexico. We got to see an auction presided by my Uncle Jim. Peep got a true cultural experience... Jim introduced us ("Peep from Estonia"), to which a few responded... "Is that south of Texas?" "That's past Mayfield isn't it?" It was a barn of crystal and candles and clocks for 1$ and 2$. We drove through that valley and up to the mountains again, with the aim of camping in the Gila forest, which I have heard so much about.



We got up there around dusk... it was so cold. We piled up our gear and set to walking up and on, trusting that a flat campable space would appear. As the bags got heavier and the light grew fainter, we crossed a fence guarding who know what and began to set up our camp. We dug a fire pit and lined it with rocks... we were so nervous, having just visited my uncle's volunteer fire department, we built the wall up about 2 feet. We had so much fun. We were such a good team.


At night, it got colder and colder. We had our shoes and hats and jackets on underneath two sleeping bags. We woke in the morning to find ourselves covered in snow. I wanted to crawl back under the warmth and pretend I didn't see it. Peep convinced me to evacuate. It was surreal to see snow in May.

Windy mountain roads took us to Arizona, where we wanted to see the Apache reservation. We got there around 6 pm. On the road we saw that permits were required to camp, so we set out to find a permit. The police station was empty, the permit office was closed on sunday, it was almost dark. We had to camp, so we set out to find a spot and buy the permit tomorrow. The place had a special feeling. It really was like being in another country. The lake we found was peaceful and full of life, but also lots of trash and graffiti. I wanted to see the Apaches be more proud of their land.

In the morning, the Apache Ranger found us and gave us a citation. We were not afraid because we didn't think we really had done anything wrong. Our intentions were so good... I thought it we could not be blamed if the office was closed. Wrong. We parted the Apache nation and left an investment of $160.


We drove through the desert and almost camped in Joshua Tree until we both admitted we'd rather pay the money for a shower and a bed. Yesterday, we hung out in Santa Monica. I think we are both very California souls. So far, we love it here. Here is a picture of a forest fire we drove past... the news said it was devastating.







On the Santa Monica promenade, we saw someone carrying a gap (red) bag. So we went to check it out. We had heard of this. It is part of the One campaign (go sign up at www.one.org). The one campaign is to end poverty. There is also the red campaign (www.redcampaign.org), both were started/headlined by Bono. The red campaign is to fight AIDS in Africa. It is so cool. Businesses are being asked to carry red products, from which 100% of profits go to fight AIDS in Africa. So all you have to do is go shopping and you're saving the planet.




Next, we will check out Hollywood and Beverly Hills, maybe Universal Studios, try to meet up with Lily in Santa Barbara, head north on hwy 1, and see what happens

Road Trip!!

We are on the 3rd day of our Southwest adventure, in Cloudcroft New Mexico with my Uncle Jim and Aunt Bev.

We started the trip in San Antonio by watching the Spurs beat the Nuggets in the NBA playoffs. The next day, Peep got to meet my 90 year old grandfather Carl and after lots of dessert and pictures and history, we drove to San Angelo where we could go no further and stayed in a Motel 6! It's not a road trip until you spend the night in a Motel 6. The next day (yesterday) we drove 8 hours to Cloudcroft, stopping to greet the Aliens in Roswell.

Now we are surrounded by mountains and pine forest. This morning we saw 4 wild elk in the yard.

We don't have a schedule or any definite plan. Major things we want to see are: an Apache reservation, Los Angeles, HWY 1, San Fransisco, Yosemite, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Zion National Park. Other than that, we will stop when we see cool stuff, spend lots of time hiking and camping and getting in touch with people around the country.

We have no schedule, but we do have goals and guiding principals.

These are the goals:

• Have fun


• Learn about each other/ develop our relationship


• See beautiful, inspiring things


• Develop relationships with people we meet/ stay with

These are the principles:

• Whatever happens is the best thing that could have happened (No "we should have," "if only," etc.)


• If there is an issue, we talk about it


• We choose delight (we do not pass up fields of wildflowers where we long to frolic in order to get there faster)


• Carpe Diem (when something cool and unexpected invites us, we do it)

With these, we will track our progess.

The Estonian has arrived!

I was waiting and waiting and I finally got him here! I was so worried it wouldn't happen. I was making contingency plans of a rendezvous in Mexico. I made my whole family agree to fly to Mexico to meet him if the punks didn't give him his visa. And now he is here, right next to me, at Jayme's house. He has met Lily, Jayme, Ross and Jayda. We are introducing him slowly. I am trying to avoid a big-fat-greek-wedding-style shock. Tomorrow, he will meet Shannon, Eddie, Alex and Ava. And after that, he will meet my parents!

I first picked him up in San Antonio in the freezing rain. We finagled our way into a really cheap rate at the Hyatt vacation club by agreeing to let them try to sell us a timeshare. After three days, 72 degree beautiful sunshine and blue sky accompanied us back to the ol' ATX. He has seen the green belt and bits of downtown, south suburbia and north suburbia. He is being introduced to tacos and tortillas and is making lots of cultural observations (see peeplaja.blogspot.com )Last night around the dinner table, Peep and Ross and Jayme and I were laughing hysterically trying to nod our heads the way Indians say yes. I finally got my bridge.

Relief

Peep got his visa! He will be here soon!