Waiting for the next chapter in life

Many times over the course of my 46 years of life, my path has travelled in directions I didn't plan for nor participate in. At times, I'd struggle and fight it because I wanted MY way to work! Because we think our way is the best way. Until you look at the much bigger circle outside of you.

Others are affected by what you do. So generally, your actions will not touch just you. You are most certainly delivering them, but for every choice or action you make, you will indeed affect the others around you.

Does that mean you should just do what you want regardless of others? Or does that mean you should think of others first?

I believe it's a recipe of both, in just the right doses. Really think before you act, but keep your perspective where it needs to be. Simply pleasing others when it doesn't equally please you is not the way to go.

What's your main purpose/goal for your action? Don't look at the garbage circling it. Pinpoint your goal. Then work on reasonable alternatives to make that goal feasible.

And hopefully your hard work will be reciprocated or materialize in some way. If it isn't, it wasn't the right choice.

I go through lots of internal struggles as a sole parent. Life takes different twists and turns and are generally new, so there's a continual learning curve to most situations I take on. Some good, some unfortunate. You try and make sound choices along the way, but inevitably, something won't go your way when you think it should.

Or should it? Whenever something hasn't gone my way, something good and often better has come out of it in time. It's hard to wait, but time can be a wonderful twist. And I do pray when I'm troubled. I ask for strength for Cody and I to get over the next hurdle. And then wait for the next chapter. Sometimes it's all that's left to do.

In my life, many times I didn't just want to be right. I just wanted things to work. But I don't think that's quite right either. Although the biggest goal isn't to be right, I believe you have to make choices for the right reasons.

I can only implement what I think are good and sound ideas and try to be reasonable. But I can't dive into poor or unreasonable choices. Generally, when we settle for those types of things, more of the same are around the corner. No. You have to continue to make good sound choices that just make sense. No matter how awful it feels at the time.

So before me, life continues to challenge me. I'm thinking it's not the challenges that count, but what you do with them that really matters.

And praying doesn't hurt either. Please say a small prayer for Cody and I today if you would. We just need a little help while waiting for the next chapter.

Fall campsite splendor

Over the weekend, I dashed off to the campsite to winterize the trailer. My friend Bob was bringing up his air compressor to blow out the lines in his trailer and I requested a 2 for 1 so I knew how to do it myself next year.

As I was driving up, I was just astounded at all the gorgeous leaves everywhere in sight! Pulling into the campsite this time of year is quite a surreal experience.

For one thing, not many folks are milling around. And those that are, wear warm coats and generally are carrying antifreeze around.

But the biggest change of all was the foliage! Oh wow. Not a green blade of grass in sight. The entire grounds were covered with a glorious blanket of thick thick leaves! Every square inch!

The campsite houses many large maple trees. So it was finally time for them to shine, autumn style. Apparently Bob had cleaned up my leaves the day before I came so I didn't track them into the trailer. (awwww...) But the day I came, they were all back to pay me a visit again! Cool... I was so ticked I didn't bring a camera!

Generally in our part of the country, there are only so many exquisite leaf days. Those that live in wet and rainy BC know what I speak of. The day the leaves fall, it's generally on a nice warmish gusty sunny day and they all fall at once. The leaves are actually dry as they fall and are too fresh to crunch. It's the NEXT day, if still dry, that they start to sound like leaves under foot with a mild crunch. That, in my opinion, is the perfect leaf day when you are able to pile them high and romp through them.

That was the day I came up. I was in leaf heaven as I raked up piles and piles. Just for fun. The campsite owner blows them all when it's due time, but I couldn't pass up an opportunity to just enjoy the sunny cool day with all that colour around me.

Then Bob wandered over and showed me the ropes on air compressors and travel trailers. Another learning notch for me!

I had planned to take Bob out for lunch or dinner at the log cabin pub to give thanks for helping me out, but he left early, so I treated myself to a nice dinner. They just have the best food there. I ordered up their chicken enchalada and it proved to be the most awesome choice.

After dinner, I joined Bob and Chris at their campsite. They had Bill over that played guitar later in the evening. Sitting by a fire listening to the soft strums of guitar strings under the stars... that right there is the magic of camping among friends.

The next day it was time to get back to work. I packed up a bunch of things into the back of my truck that normally stayed outside. I winded closed windows, locking everything up, wiping many surfaces down. I enjoyed one last coffee with Jenna as my company as I sat at my picnic table overlooking my waterfront property (minus the water). And then it was time to leave.

I may be back throughout winter to check on things and spend an odd night here or there. But it was pretty much a 2008 farewell. And what a way to exit, in that exquisite colourful wonderland!

I crunched out of the driveway and took one last look back. The place looked so deserted with many trailers missing in action and few folks stopping here and there to chat.

But the beautiful fall scene made me smile, for spring is just around the corner...

I had a social life for a week!

In my world, a website exsists where I post and chat with alot of sign kinda folk from all over the world. I've been a part of this wonderful group for many years. Over that time, I've met many of 'those pretend internet people' and have come to know quite a few very well.

On Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada, I was presented with another such great opportunity right in my own little town in the middle of nowhere. My artist friend Dan held a router workshop and many of our friends we have in common were on their way!

Put together the tiny community of Yarrow, plus being on your own and throw in working alone for a little twist. Sometimes that can spell the recipe for Hermatitis, aka ~ a somewhat lonely exsistence. With the exciting prospect that foreigners were coming to little 'ol Yarrow, your world tilts just a tad for the excitement you KNOW will follow.

And I wasn't disappointed. Many of my friends arrived early. So there was an opportunity to show Henry from Sweden Hell's Gate. And at Harrison, the sand castle competition had just been held so he had plenty of sandy kind of eye candy to take pictures of.

This picture displays some of Dan's work. That was one of the main focal points for the trip down there. Fantastic stuff!

"Smile!" with the dude that works at Hell's Gate. He didn't want me in the picture alone. Uh, ok, sure!

I frequent Harrison alot over the year for our campsite is situated there. But I've wanted to go see Hell's Gate for many years. How many of you can honestly say you travel to your local yokel touristy places in your own backyard? I don't do nearly enough of it. I'm so glad I went!

The rest of the week and weekend was spent hanging out with my buddies at Dan's shop. I was at the workshop as Dan's assisted background help, but plenty of jokes and fun started to come down early and ran late into the night. These folks that travelled from afar are serious signmakers but when you get a group of folks that have alot in common and have time to laugh, well, you naturally fit that in!

The time spent together was constant, intense, a learning experience as well as just plain social safe kinda family type FUN! I have the best friends.

The above pics are only a small smattering of the craziness that went on. The Henry (left) and Rene (right) Show at Whitespot will be imprinted on my mind forever. Henry has this proper english accent and Rene is this boisterous hilarous french dude. Rene would pull a "Ohhh Reeee Laaay..." and Henry would attempt a French twist. My only regret in life is not filming these two!

The group shot is only a portion of the meet folks. Dan took Henry to the airport and these guys had great fun defacing Dan's equipment.

Raymond from Texas is the guy in the train. We had great fun with Raymond instilling upon the rest of the world how small we could make him appear on camera. He's one of my best friends (and soooo easily influenced to pose for hilarious shots!)

As you can see, loads of memories are attached to each and every picture.

There's a syndrome that commonly hits when you've had this intense amazingly wonderful time for a week or so straight. We sign folk call it the Letterhead Blues. It's much like when you leave a wonderful party of your dreams and go home to the quiet of four walls surrounding you. It's a let down of sorts.

I indeed travelled through it, but had gone through it before, knowing how to tag my emotions well. You cry one minute and you're laughing in hysterics to yourself the next. NO rhyme or reason. For that week Cody kept saying to me, "Mom, are you laughing at the french guy again?" LOL!!

Luckily, during the blues week, I had plenty to do to keep my occupied. My work was crazy busy and so are the renos on the house. One truck I lettered I don't even remember doing it. I was going through the motions and at one point yelled out, "Where's Dan?" to the guys in the bay. Uh ... Dan doesn't work there, Glenn does. While I was putting stripes on the truck, I was back in the shop laughing with my friends, or painting artsy panels and getting dirty. Most fun I've had striping a truck in a long time. LOL

The memories will last a lifetime of that incredible time when all those folks came from Quebec, Sweden, Germany, Texas, New York and many other places, to our cute little remote town of Yarrow.

Life has now again, slipped back into normal mode. It's back to work fullforce, as well as meeting the deadlines put upon the house reno project. It feels good to be back in full swing again!
My mind creeps back once in awhile to my big adventurous week in Yarrow. And my memories will always bless me with new smiles. And it was a major heads up to quit being such a hermit! It's fun to laugh and have fun too!

Today is about getting to the campsite to winterize my trailer. So off I shall go and no doubt enjoy a few laughs with my fellow campers.

Life is good with people in it! Don't forget the people, people! Get social on occaison and have some fun!