Almost April Fool’s Day… TX

Tuesday, March 31st, 2015

How to order our Book “Freedom on Both Ends of the Leash” has moved to the end of this page…

"Wow! What a historic image of two handsome young men… How very far you’ve come since then–the graceful, existential evolution of Minds and Spirits. Your Journey has touched many lives and hearts, and inspired others to finally surrender and embrace their own…"
~ EH Alberts ~

9 years ago...

These above words were sent to me today, they complemented a photo taken over eight years ago, a photo of us and Old Faithful without a single sticker on her! The same for Spirit’s helmet. We had just left the East Coast and arrived in Big Bend for the first time. There was no "Oasis". No free camping but a new Friend who offered us to camp on his 20 acres in Terlingua. For some reason it made me curious as to how many days ago we had left. November 6th 2006. Not that it matters, just an inquisitive thought. 3060. Roughly. I can see these days passed in one image! a panoramic one. I can mentally read all the words others have sent helping us up those steps which we confronted. It has been quite a Journey and will be in times to come when the unknown as always faces us.

Sunset xxx

I follow a few others who live on the road full-time or part time of the year always witnessing the same aspect as us. They eventually acquire a home base. Sometimes even a house to come back to and regroup. It doesn’t fail and I now understand why. Everyone needs a cave of some sort. It must be Human Nature. A space one can call "mine" even if maybe rented. Not too sure about that one but maybe. The road takes a toll, mental and physical. There is an "unrest" we enjoy, a constant as they call it "street smart" present for the sake of survival, a bit as always looking over the shoulder. As much as the romance of the road and off road is of an incredible feeling and experience, everyone needs and takes a break within a space where the guards can be down. We are so fortunate to be here. Guided from day one for sure.

Storm approaching xxx

We did an interview with Marfa Public Radio yesterday. The link for it is below. 29 minutes long. It was mainly about our Book and Marc, the interviewer, sure had read it and asked some emotional questions with which I had to take my time replying. Amazing how the waves never stop as often I had to bite my lip and look outside through the window to reply while trying to find my ability setting aside my emotions choking me up. We both felt very comfortable with each other, nervousness as maybe I thought would take place was absent, we could have gone on for a few hours as his genuine interest and to the point comments was enticing to share the past years gone by and the present aspect of "now", a Journey with many realizations. It was interesting, I am glad we did it and shared some thoughts even though Spirit did not say much… He does not have to!

http://marfapublicradio.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/TLK-150325-Ara-Gureghian-WEB2.mp3

Marfa Radio Collage xxx

Marfa Public Radio-4 xxx

We are now back at The Oasis, the land of nothing and so much all at the same time. Our few pieces of furniture arrived and in one day I put it all together. We are now sitting in the "cave" where it is cool since being under a roof it never sees the sun. Strange. From a tent to this. It is not much, a 10 x 14, not a mansion but it is a lot for us. Will we really some day spend our summers here? Was all this in vain or will we really use it? Time will tell. Mentally besides my constant amazement it does feel good and right, a bit like a security blanket. Maybe indeed we all need one of those.

Marfa Public Radio

Marfa Public Radio-2

The last task is to move our solar panels meaning digging a 3′ hole for a new post 40′ away from the roof. It was a bad idea on my part not thinking and not taking in consideration the Sun moving North all the way up to the day of Summer Solstice happening end of June. I should have known better that eventually the panels would not get any Sun while blocked by the roof for a few hours in the morning! Quite a "Duh" moment I must say. I started physical therapy last week, our ground is rock solid and there is no way I can dig such a hole. So, familiar aspect, I wait for help. I have been stood up three times already as today, this morning, is another promised time… Will "he" really show up? I am not holding my breath. I try to stay ahead of the game as eventually it does happen.

Breakfast-

Beef Kebabs

Always cooking! These are for the lack of lamb, Beef Kebabs…

I am trying to solve this physical pain due to sciatica and lower back. A Dr here, another one there and nothing to make it better. An X Ray shows all is normal to which my answer is "really?". Then I understood that their normal means there is technically nothing wrong besides the normal wear with age of the bones. So physical therapy it is once a week having to go to Alpine and once a day on my own one hour of prescribed exercises. By this time I am of course expecting a miracle! One which has not happened yet. It is amazing how one can get used to living with physical pain. It becomes the norm. I personally prefer mental pain as I have a whole bag of tools to deal with such.

Spring at The Oasis

Well, I guess I am not getting my 3′ hole in the ground today!… Again.

How to order our book…

“Freedom on Both Ends of the Leash”, our Book, is now available autographed through us for $24.99 [$19.99 + $5 S&H, Continental 48 States] by clicking the photo links on top of this page. [PayPal accepting all cards]. It is also available through Amazon in paperback or as a Kindle download. All other electronic formats are also available.
You can also order from any Bookstore and Beemerboneyard.
If ordering more than one copy through us you will need to place each order separately or e-mail me.
Please read below about rates for International Shipping and outside the 48 States
The flat shipping rate for outside the 48 States or International is $15. Please e-mail me [“e-mail me” link above] for those orders as you will have to get directly into our PayPal account bypassing the normal procedure.

Stay well,
              Ara and Spirit

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7 Responses to “Almost April Fool’s Day… TX”

  1. Ed R. Says:

    Ara, Ed here from back in Florida. We did a little
    riding and rally work together back in the day.
    Re. your sciatic. I had the same problem and
    got no relief from the docs. and medicine.
    Here is what saved the day:
    The Total Back Book by Dr. Jennifer Sutcliffe.
    There is a section on sciatic. It started working
    within 4 days of doing the specific set of
    exercises.

  2. leili Says:

    Hey Ara, have you ever tried the McKenzie exercises for the back? There’s a paperback book (“Treat Your Own Back” by Robin McKenzie) but I believe the various exercises for different parts of the back are available lots of places online & also on You Tube for free.

    I had a horrible problem with my neck about eight years ago after injuring my shoulder skiing, strangely enough, and used the McKenzie exercises found in the neck book which had been prescribed for me by both my MD brother & a big city orthopedic specialist.

    The self-guided regimen in the book fixed me right up & I got almost immediate relief from intense pain – searing spasms is the only way I can describe it – which had been plaguing me for weeks. Amazingly, I’ve never had a problem since, although I also credit my Sleep Number mattress. I’ve kept both the neck & back book on my shelves just in case I ever need them in the future but a lot of Physical Therapists use the same exercises with their patients, I understand, so maybe yours does too.

    But enough about aches & pains. I really stopped in to tell you that you are a stylish dresser! 😉

  3. Ara & Spirit Says:

    Hi Leili… First of all I was shocked to read that I am a stylish dresser! Maybe the photos enhance what I wear!… A $5 T shirt lasts just as long as an $80 one. Maybe even longer. Holes, rips, you name it, I can stay clean maybe 5 minutes.
    I will for sure look into it. Actually the exercises at the Physical Therapy place and the ones they gave me to do on my own are making this sciatica worse!!! Today is really bad… I have been doing much research and I think they pinching the nerve at L1 instead of loosening it…
    I have neck problems also. Trigeminal neuralgia. The left neck nerve has lost its protective layer. They call it the “suicide disease” as the pain is intense. It took three Dr’s to finally figure it out. I will always remember the Lady Dr in CO who just could not figure it out as it could be many other things going wrong but decided to give me a shot of Gabapentin! I think I hugged her! I take 300mg Gabapentin now 2 or 3 times a day. Too much motorcycling!… Same reason probably for the sciatica. I will research right now. Thanks and stay well… Ara and Spirit

  4. Dave Says:

    Ara, could you recommend a good helmet brand for large dogs? I’m sure Spirit has a good one but I can’t tell what brand it is. My dog is about 100 lbs lab mix and has recently and suddenly gone blind from immune mediated retinopathy. He is fairly young and very physical, he has good attitude but is bonking into things outdoors pretty severely on occasion, I need to get him a helmet and goggles at least until he learns to go easier. He nearly split his head open today on the trailer hitch on my truck, he was doing a good job circling around the truck but of course missed that detail. Thanks for any recommendation.

  5. Denny Gibson Says:

    I had no idea I would enjoy listening to you as much as I enjoy reading you but I did. Nice interview.

  6. Gene Thornton Says:

    Hello Ira,
    Back in the 60’s I fell backward with a 10′ drop landing on my shoulder & neck, I ended up in traction, released but traction part time at home. Problem at rest until the early 90’s, left hand and arm had excruciating pain, orthopedic guy and I did not get along. I went to an acupuncturist, a little Chinese girl that said (Chinese dialect) “Oh I can fix that” and after 13 visits the problem gone. Then in the early 2000’s same problem with right hand and arm, doctor says arthritis, sorry this to much like the left arm was. He sent me to a neurosurgeon, then I had a scan. Neurosurgeon says physical therapy first, so I did that for two months two days a week, problem seems solved. But you gotta have faith. I will be 83 this year, not going strong but still going.

  7. Ara & Spirit Says:

    Hi Gene and Thanks for writing…
    Yes, patience… I think that is the problem as everything else “we” [I!] expect a miracle… It is getting better with the daily exercises. The body takes a lot of beating throughout the years, now to reverse the process. Have a great day. Keep on going… Ara and Spirit.

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