Wonders of the Fourth

We sat on the hillside, bursts of color explode overhead. We've spent the day at my grandparents house, relaxing, eating yummy summer foods and keeping cool in their house. We spent the morning watching the annual parade downtown Prescott. It has been a wonderful Fourth of July. Now here we are, the day is nearing the end. My grandparents opted to stay home while my parents, my brother and I went down to the high school to watch the fireworks before heading home to New River.

"Wow, those fireworks look really close." Mom observed, and indeed they did look like they were close enough to touch. In my young mind, I fantasized about what it might be like to touch one of those glittery pieces of light. I imagined they'd be like pieces of glitter, all smooth and prickly at the same time.

Suddenly a fiery piece came floating down landing on the hillside where we were sitting. It extinguished and cooled quickly. Before long, my brother picked it up and we examined the burned piece of firework. Just a burnt piece of cardboard I think. It was fascinating and disappointing all at the same time. A part of me lost the illusion of the magic fireworks had to offer, so far in the sky. Unreachable, untouchable, and suddenly in our hands.

Deciding it was too cool a thing, my brother kept the piece of firework to take home and show his friends. On the drive home we quickly learned one more thing about fireworks. The unreachable, and untouchable glittery magic was unbelievably smelly. Barely a mile or two into the drive home, the smell of sulfur was so strong dad pulled into the next rest station and my brother sprinted to the trash can.

The wonderful smelly piece of sky glitter was gone for good. The memories of that night however, will live on forever in my mind.

Par Impossible, Hole in none

"Try it again." Dad reached down and placed another ball in front of me. We were at the driving range and he was showing me how to hit a golf ball, perhaps just looking to have some fun daddy daughter time, maybe he hoped to turn me into a lover of golf like he was. Whatever the reason, we were there and I was trying and failing to hit a golf ball any sort of respectable distance. At the time, my ten-year-old mind would focus briefly on hitting the ball, then I'd glance longingly at the mini golf located next door, or wish we were doing the putting green across the street. The resort had lots of golf options to offer. of them all, the driving range was not one high on my list. The only thing the golf course had to offer someone like me was lots of green grass to wander over and beautiful ponds to sit and dream by.

So there I was, at the driving range, dad looking proud that I'm doing my best and giving encouragement with every ball I hit. I knew I was terrible but he kept going, "you can do it." "Your grip is perfect." "That was much further than the last ball." All in repeat cycle as I made my way through the thirty balls. Before I knew it I'd hit the last ball and I was so glad to be done. It had been an hour or so on the driving range but it was a tiny glimpse into the world of golf. The fun that my dad had remained foreign to me. It was good to spend some time with my dad during that vacation but I knew future golfing excursions would be limited just to the mini golf course. And that...was okay with me.

Seattle Rentals

Yesterday I was with mom at a car rental place getting a car to explore Mount Rainier. We had made the trip to Seattle from Phoenix and were excited to finally be getting a car to take our journey out of the city. After confirming our rental we went to the car lot and stood in line for an agent to take us to our car.

A nice looking tall man came up and confirmed my name saying he would take us to our rental that morning We walked through the parking lot and I quipped that a small car would be preferable as I drove better in little vehicles. He assured me it would be an economy car which worked great for me. As we neared the end of the lot he slowed a little looking around and commented that he thought there were economy cars at that end. We walked a little further and sure enough, there they were, two little cars just hiding behind a large SUV. I pointed to the little silver car on the left and said that would be perfect.

We started through the various routines, verifying the GPS was in the car, how to get out of the lot, loading our bags into the car, etc. Then the agent pulled out his tablet to finalize everything and asked about insurance. We debated the merits of insurance versus just using my own to cover and finally decided to go with the insurance.

Just as I finished signing mom pointed to a scratch on the paint near the gas tank and asked if that would be an issue. The agent explained that the scratch wasn't deep enough to warrant as an insurance issue because they could just buff it out. Well, it was at that moment that my brain decided to kick into humor mode. Perhaps it was the lack of sleep. Maybe the early up before the crack of dawn wake up. Or it could have been a serious caffeine deprivation finally coming head. Whatever the reason, my internal filter had completely shut down.

Just as the agent states, the car is fully insured, I lift my hand in the air with the car key in it and shout "FULLY INSURED!!!!!" and proceeded to act like I was keying the car. Mom and the agent both stopped and stared. I stopped and looked up, the agents eyes practically bugged out and jaw was wide open. I laughed quietly and said, "Kidding." Mom and the man just started laughing, the agent looked shocked and quipped, "The cars covered for damage but don't do it in front of me!"

Ladies and gentlemen, this experience is complete proof that a lack of internal filter, sleep, and a good dose of cynicism may very well result in giving a car rental agent a heart attack.

Travel and writing

In traveling having a romantic mind can be a dangerous thing. I think about the next journey I want to take and find myself thinking about the potential for the perfect story, the perfect romance. These things never come to fruition but it certainly gives me some material for my stories. I find as I see beautiful destinations or locations that hold a little enchantment that I can't help but wonder how I could work it into a story. 

I've been up the California coast and watched little white butterflies flutter among purple flowers while enjoying a meal on the patio of a small cafe. I wondered about the butterflies and what magic they might bring to that space. I've traveled along beaches and pictured meeting a handsome stranger with his great dog. I've stood on the cliffs of Ireland and journeyed in my mind on the daring tales of a faerie and her friends. I pictured the genteel nature of southern gentleman while walking the boardwalk in Texas or North Carolina. 

No, the imaginings of my mind don't come true to my own life but I still greatly appreciate every experience. While reality is different than what my imagination stirs up, I find that every experience leaves me with a desire to see more, and wish to visit new destinations. With each real life experience my imagination flows a bit more and before I know it, I have another story idea, another journey of the imagination that happily hops into the queue in my mind, impatiently hopping from one foot to the other while waiting its turn to change from imagined to reality on the pages of a book.

Wind

Music blared through the headphones of my favorite band as I settled into the backseat of my mom's car. At ten years old, I was a travel buddy to mom while she drove the family car to Indiana where we would meet up with my dad and brother on a visit around Indiana, Michigan, and into Canada to visit family and friends. My cherished Walkman was nestled between my leg and seat of the car. I held tightly to my Laura Ingalls Wilder  book while trying to push my hair off my face. I had been spending time alternating between reading the book, cozy in the back of the car, and watching the changing scenery as we traversed across the country.

Mom and I were driving back to Indianapolis from Phoenix together to on an amazing trip I won't forget. There were moments of flat landscape and the trip was long but I don't really remember ever really being bored by the trip. There was so much to see, and even when the landscape was flat as we crossed Oklahoma I remember recalling reading Little House on the Prairie and her description of the prairie land and how miles ahead of her and mile after there was nothing but flat grassland. I'd heard description of this part of the country as being flat and dull but I was fascinated. In my ten year old mind, it was awesome to see this part of the world. All I had been exposed to in my life was the mountainous terrain of Arizona and the hot valley, Phoenix, where we lived. I'd never experienced anything outside of Arizona and this was all new to me.

Going through the Texas panhandle was interesting as we passed over hot dry grasslands where it didn't seem were moving. I remember stopping for gas and a quick lunch at a cafe and gas station. I remember picking out a small horse with plastic hair and a velvety type material over the horse designed to make the horse feel real. It wasn't exactly realistic but I loved it just the same.

We crossed into Missouri and we crossed over a river, it wasn't huge but it was full of water. I asked my mom what they did with all that water. When she told me they didn't do anything with it, my reply "What a waste." She still laughs about that response today. In my perspective, living in Arizona it was all about conserving water, not letting any of it go to waste. So why would any other part of the country be different. My exposure to water running under a bridge to this date was either a canal channeling water for use or a flash flood which usually resulted in the bridge getting closed.

We spend hours in the car stopping for food or gas. At times mom would pull to the side of the road and make me run around the car a  few times to keep me up and moving. I was lulled by the movement of the car and happy to read my book and listen to my tapes. I don't know how much of the trip the windows stayed down but that is what stands out to me, blasting music, fighting wind while trying to turn the pages of my latest Laura Ingalls Wilder and watching the countryside move past, all while the wind blew into the car. It brushed my face, sent my hair flying all over but was an enjoyable feeling of flying.

Past, Present, and Future

It’s been almost a year since my last trip, over a year since I last went out of state and I can honestly say, I miss the travel. I used to have a desire to travel but a small fear to go ahead and chase that desire of travelling. After a few small solo trips and one massive trip with just myself and mom, that desire for travel has come out into a full place case of wanderlust. I want to see so much more than I’ve seen. I find myself wishing for a new destination, to revisit previous vacations to find the things I missed in the last visit.

Ireland’s journey has an ever changing ever growing list of things I want to see and places I want to visit. I want to go back and see The Book of Kells in Dublin, heck I want to see Dublin University. I would love to spend more time in Sligo or in Kilarney to see what other treasures they have to offer. There is so much more that I have yet to see.

I find myself wanting to visit San Francisco again. I have seen quite a bit but there’s still Coit Tower, Union Square, and so many parts of the city I’ve yet to explore. Yosemite is a destination to revisit, perhaps I’ll be lucky enough to nail down a parking space and actually get out of the car to explore a trail or two.

There is so much I wish to see again but there is also a mile long list of places I’ve yet to see. I’m excited about my upcoming trip to Seattle where I will get to explore Pike’s Marketplace, the Seattle Space Needle and other amazing sites, but am sorry to know that heading to coast won’t be possible this journey, it’s just too far. Sadly, but there is a destination goal for another trip.

I hope one day to explore the Champs-Elysees in Paris, take in the Eiffel Tower and Louvre and view the wonder of Notre Dame. I want to explore the views in Tuscany and take in the wonders of Pisa and Rome. In the States I would love to explore Route 66, see the majesty of the Statue of Liberty, or be enchanted by the beauty of Glacier Park. Yellowstone and Old Faithful call my name as does the views off the coast of Maine.

There is so much to see, so much to explore. I don’t know if I’ll ever get to see all I want as it seems every time I visit a new destination I find so much more I want to see. All I know is, I can certainly try. One day, I will look back and see all the great places I’ve visited and be able to say that I’ve had some amazing adventures. Even if that day is today, because I truly have had some amazing adventures…I look forward to so many more!

A journey to the falls

When I was a little girl, my family and I traveled to Canada, at one point we went to Niagara Falls. That was an extremely long but memorable day. Some details are still quite clear for me but other moments I find to be as mysterious as the mist that floats around that impressive fall of water. We headed up to Niagara Falls from Lake Muskoka, leaving extremely early to make it to our destination. My first impression of the falls was how big they were.

I remember we walked around the tourist areas and visited the gift shops but what I remember most is standing at the overlook off to the side of the falls and wandering through the tunnels that went up to the water. At the entry to the tunnels we were handed blue disposable ponchos to wear as protection from the mist. The roar as we headed through the tunnels was deafening, we had to shout to one another to be heard. As we neared the water I kept wanting to move closer. We had a limit as to how close we could get, the railings kept us back a little. I remember the amazing power of the falling water and was mesmerized by the constant motion. It was just beautiful.

We stayed all day and as the sun began to sink an amazing thing happened. Lights turned on and illuminated the water as it poured over the edge. I couldn't look away. My family was ready to move on but I never wanted to leave. The constant pour of surging water. The powerful roar of the falls. The cool misty air that fell over me. All pulled me, called out to me and tugged at my very core. Still today, nearly 30 years later, I can picture the falls and feel the strength within me. One day I hope to return and view the beauty of the falls from new angles. Perhaps I'll even take a tour on the Maid of the Mist at the base of the falls, or take a tour of the river upstream. One day though, I want to go back.