Remember the sketch from Sesame Street where Kermit plays the on location reporter. My writing feels a lot like that to me. Only without the getting chased or eaten by monsters at the end part.
The current location is Windsor, at my Aunts house. I love the wine country. It is beautiful here. Tthe area has undergone so much development in the year I was gone that I hardly recognize it. It was a quaint little small town with a church, market, and gas station at most. Now it has a “quaint feeling” downtown town area with upscale shops and boutiques. I guess I am not fit for “upscale” anymore. Tho when drug to Wally World today I developed a pretty severe headache and had to be taken home to rest after a short while. And while I NEVER intend to be ungrateful for all of the generosity my loved ones the experience is showing me… I just don’t fit anymore.
I can’t say a whole lot about how I feel I am different. But it is glaringly apparent to me. I guess that is what is important. It gives me a lot of directions for were I want my life to go in the future.
And now that I feel like I have been deep and thoughtful to some small degree….
Oh My Goodness! Where did that HUGE purple Muppet monster come from?! Gotta Go! This is Dorie the Wacky signing off. AAAAAHHHHHHHH…..
I am having dog withdrawal.
Sort of.
It isn’t really the lack of dogs, just the lack of my dog. Miss Mia.
I miss her.
I guess I miss most things about my life in Samoa really.
I am glad to have had the opportunity to come back for a bit and for the break but… I am looking forward to returning to my life.
Darc took me to Mountain View yesterday.
I got to see a lot of what I would have considered my “hood” a few years ago.
We had Mexican food at my favorite taqueria.
We went to the Salon and got a pedicure.
We got coffee at the coffee shop and flirted with the cute Barista we used to go see all the time.
We stopped at East West books.
And we even drove by “the village”.
It was strange to be back in the area. It brought up all sorts of strange feelings of familiarity and some clarity about my life as it used to be. I loved the time in my life when I lived there. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I had some really hard times, but I lived fully and learned from it. I have so many memories, good and bad that I cherish from that time. And it brought the realization that I will never go back there again. And by that I mean, I will never go back to that time or place in my life. I will never live there again or have experiences just like those. My life will never have the same FEEL as it did then. I am different, and the place feels the same. I guess that is ok. There are new places and times and experiences for me to feel. And just as my life in Samoa has it’s own beautiful feel, someday it too will come to an end and I will have to move on from it. Maybe that is what life is about. Maybe it’s about having a time or experience or place and learning from it what you can and then when you have out grown it, moving on.
I don’t want it to be the 15th of February already. But it is so I will deal.
So many lovely things have happened this week.
I had Mexican food and hung out with S last week. Friday I got to see Soung. (And Geoff and Catrina)
Saturday was the BBQ at Gwynn’s house that was so lovely and wonderful (Tho I missed you K).
Then Sunday we headed off to Greenwood to see Tim and M and meet there three dogs and two girls. They may not have much money, but they are defiantly among the richest people I have met.
Max and I got back in time to have dinner with my parents last night and they were full of love and cheesiness.
And now as soon as I motivate myself into (and then out of ) the shower, I am off to see Darcy in the south bay.
So yay, gun things.
I miss everyone at home in Samoa, and I am mildly concerned for them since there seems to be yet another cyclone headed there way. I especially miss my Dog, and I worry about what will happen to her if bad weather comes, and no one is around to hang out with her. Animals are resilient tho. I’m sure she will be fine.
I have been really bad about posting lately and I know it. I have been bad about a lot of things. I won’t make any excuses, I have just been bad. I’m ok with this for now.
On a more positive note I have a few observations to share.
First, Las Vegas is a trip. I had never been before and found it to be both thrilling and traumatic. I only gambled a dollar, which I promptly lost but I’m happy to have done it. The glitz, the food, the many nearly naked women, the booze and the smoking everywhere… WOW. It was so much that often I just had to sit down and be quiet and still for a while. But I was glad for the time with my family, and the comforts like a nice condo and yummy food. On Monday I ran on the treadmill at the “Fitness Center” in the condo building. Let me tell you, Running in an air conditioned room, out of the sun, in a place were the air is dry is WAY easier than running on the Seawall in Samoa. I did an extra five min. I have not been able to run since then. I am now over a week behind my running schedule. Hopefully I can start up again soon
I finally took some time to work on things for VAC yesterday. I still have a bunch of stuff to do for the workshop I at PCON. And I need to get my slide show organized for… whatever. I have about 300 pics of life and stuff from Samoa I want to sort out in some logical order for showing.
I have been spending most of my time with Max and not doing other things I probably should be doing. I dig him the most. Today he took me to Rainbow grocery. I had had dreams about getting lost, mesmerized and stuck in RG and Max and Cole coming to rescue me. As it turns out I didn’t get lost or stuck, but I did get overwhelmed at the end. Max gently escorted me out and took me home for a nap. Just more proof that I am unfit for western life. In a more positive light I think I have come a long way in less than a week, and by the time it is time to return I expect to be just about fully acclimated.
There is a tropical storm between here and Hawaii.
My flight last night was cancelled due to weather.
I am still in Samoa. In theory I am being flown to Pago at 4pm were there will be a flight to Hawaii, and then I can connect with a United Airlines flight Saturday morning at 8am that will get me into SFO around 3. There were good enough to then re-book my Vegas flight and I leave for Vegas at 8:20pm Saturday. Giving me just enough time to go home, shower re-pack and hopefully hug Max.
I am going to miss the party tonight. I am SOOOOOOO sorry.
I would give anything right now to be home and with my loved ones.
But the combination of Polynesian Air screw ups and bad weather have made this trip ni-unto impossible.
Cross your fingers I don’t get stuck in Pago.
Maybe eventually I will get home.
I should be there but I am not.
My flight got delayed almost 36 hours.
I won’t be into SFO until Friday at 3pm.
I should have shelled out the extra 300 bucks and gone with Air New Zealand instead of taking the cheaper Polynesian airfare. They are notorious for flight and luggage screw ups. But as a volunteer I opted… for the cheap opt… GAH.
Hopefully I will get back to the BA soon.