My Southwest Trip - A day in the life . . . .

Tuesday, April 26, 21016

"Neighborhood" Bull

There is a neighborhood bull that roams through 
every few days and I saw him yesterday.   Mostly I see his dried droppings on the roads.  Ruby tells me not to attract attention since all that separates us is glass.  

We get to go off land to the store for supplies tomorrow!!! 

Did a lot of kitchen prep today w/Indygo.  She is letting me stay at her place until her GF arrives on Friday.  They have running water!  Then I'll be on my own in a new place where I'll have to schlep water.  And I just emptied and cleaned the "shitter pail" from our adobe which was quite a lovely experience.    

Also saw my first scorpion today which I disturbed when I carelessly picked up a rock without thinking.  It's a little one, tan, almost cute, but Indygo said it's tail is up and can still do some damage. I'm not about to pick it up.




Later, Ruby tells us about the resident fire ants, black widows, and some other delightful creature of nature.  She talks about a woman at her old land who sat on a poop can without paying attention and got bit on the butt by a spider.   I'm instructed to grab a stick and wipe away any webs under the rim before hand.  If I see a web, I'm not sitting, thank you, and am newly wary when I'm at Windsong using the outdoor can!   I wonder if Ruby enjoys sharing the things to watch out for.

My work hours will be met tomorrow . . . .

My Southwest Trip - Outland

Saturday, April 23

Georgia drives me to Bradley after we both get up at 3:30 a.m. to make the 6 something flight.  Suzi saw my pack straps the night before and checked online for how they should be secured.  She tied and snapped 'em together which I never thought about. Thank you, Suzi!

We head out and the flight to Dallas is uneventful but I can only doze.  I make it to the next gate, catch a small plane to land at the Santa Fe airport.  A backpack on my back and on my front, I'm hauling my duffle and hoping I don't have too far to carry.  Outside, I wait for Indygo from Outland who has agreed to give me a ride.  I've seen her picture and I know she's in a big, old black Suburban. 

There are a few people waiting for rides who come and go.  Finally, I see the Suburban and a woman looking my way as she drives.  We wave, hug, and put my packs in the back.  She says she didn't know you could fly into Santa Fe.

We head for a grocery store because I'm supposed to bring all my own food and be self-sustaining.  As we wander separately, I start to crash hard from little sleep aggravated by a pounding headache - maybe altitude sickness.  Back in the Chevy, I'm pretty much good for nothing and try to stay awake and will my headache away as I drink water.

Indygo points out places of interest.  Storied Apache Mountain

with a number of tales associated with it, not the least of which is that Apaches held settlers at bay on the ridge. . . the choice being to come down and be killed or starve on the ridge.  Soldiers then retaliated by following the Indians they thought did the killing but instead, massacred a different village.  And we are the higher animals.

The route to Outland itself is a story. Grandmother Tree, the largest tree around, with heavy limbs dropped on the ground.  The dry, rocky river bed that could flood in a hard rain, has a few faded white marks designating a trail of sorts to follow with a car.  The snaking, red clay arroyos that suck dirt from the road making it more
narrow.  The four gates that Indygo gets out and opens and closes, each with their unique lock.   The cow-grate at the first gate which cattle won't cross.

We get to the land by late afternoon.  Indygo lets me fall on her bed at Mi Casa for a nap while she shows Kathy, a potential construction volunteer, around the place.  Nap for two or three hours.  Feel more human.  Heat some soup.  Indygo visits Ruby, another woman staying at Outland.  When she's back Indygo says I can stay at Mi Casa with her overnight.  It's a duplex with shared living between the two bedrooms.   Tomorrow I can check out a smaller house I want for the week.  I am so grateful to just crash back on that comfortable bed and not have to deal with anything other than sleep.

My Southwest Trip - Fixin' to get ready

Tuesday, April 19

I'm beginning to feel inklings of freedom because this morning I finished my transition of jobs over to Bren so I can leave for Taos.  I've had little time to focus or time to think much about my trip other than fragments - leading to recovery of soul fragments.  Living in Conway with a babbling brook, three ponds, and a hot-tub, I've enjoyed them only briefly.  I've been sleeping on the floor with my camp pad and am ready for a change.  I'm surprised by the number of people expressing that they'll miss me.  Sincerely, "Don't leave me!"  I feel disappointed that my early plans with Kate for a trip out west will not work out.  Timing is everything.

Georgia and Suzi have been around for me and will make me dinner and have me sleep over on Friday before Georgia drives me to the airport early on Saturday.  Various people have helped me in one way or another.  My sister Mary helped me pack several times, a few times by herself.   Bren has been both a practical, get-things-done-for-me person and overall support despite all that's going on for her.  Al has helped me move things to the tree belt and to storage.  Susan and other friends offer emotional support.  Moving day, I want a small, cohesive group: Georgia, Suzi, Bren, Kate, and maybe Meg, anchored by Russ and Dan.  Moving is emotionally charged but I feel support in the moments when I cave from simple decisions. 

Good-by Historic Northampton

Now, leaving Conway, I have to cram the rest of my stuff into the 10 x 10 storage.   I push and finish my transcription so that feels huge!  Am using tomorrow or Thursday as my "be packed day."   The lightness of being with less stuff.

My Southwest Trip - Homeless, Moving on

Spring

After living for eight years in a historic apartment in Northampton, the last being a year of crazy efforts to save the house from collapse, I was forced to move out in March.   They decided they were not savvy landlords and could no longer rent the place.  They would get no argument from me.  

Homelessness is an unfamiliar place to be and the fact that I'll potentially need $5K to get a new apartment makes me take stock of what I have in my life.  I don't have money.  I do have flexibility and that may be more valuable as I find myself getting older and assessing what I've yet to do.  I've not really had a Bucket List but this may be the time to start one.

Friends and family help me purge, pack, and store my belongings, and schlep up to my next place, housesitting.  Now, after six weeks of house sitting in Conway on a beautiful 100 acres that I mostly didn’t see because I was transitioning work so that I could pack up again and head to Taos, New Mexico.  Many signs point me in that direction.  I don’t know what is next but my sightseeing focus has shifted to solitude and healing.

  

A couple of months ago, I was introduced to a woman in Taos, New Mexico via email through an organization for which I do life story transcription.  We both have horses in common - mine in my dreams and she in her life-long reality.  This horsewoman is eighty-four and has five wild horses on her five acres - in the midst of a wilderness forest outside Taos.

The ranch below Tu-Qua

She could use help and invited me to come visit and we'd talk horses.  Her openness and my flexibility seem a good match and we make plans for me to arrive in May.  Since she's heading to Alaska to see family then, I'll house-sit while she's gone.  Oh, and she lives in an Earthship! I don’t know what is next but my sightseeing focus has shifted to solitude and healing.