“Believing fears and other thoughts that create stress and tightness in our body is neither functional nor healthy, but dysfunctional and unhealthy, and only leads to unhappiness”
~ Gina Lake ~

From a brown Big Bend away from it all, it has been a jump to a green Easton, Kansas, also away from it all. About 50 miles from Kansas City. The big difference is when miles later the stores show up the variety is so excessive compared to our Alpine stores 56 miles away. That is when I find my way after a few 90 degree turns and of course my GPS helping tremendously with ear buds telling me our routes. That is when we can ride very early morning or very late at night. It is so nice to be with such true Friends who live in Germany I generally Skype with every Sunday. The during the weeks are quiet as mostly left alone here while they are gone doing their thing as after all they are on vacation and we stay behind not defying the weather with the sidecar. The weekends are crowded as sometimes twenty or more show up using the many bedrooms the house accommodates. Being a Friday the crowds are coming but some kind of a flue bug is preventing me to be social. Seeing my Friends reminds me of my harder times in Germany, everything we went through twice for six weeks at the time and the reflections arise taking place towards the time when my Mother passed away after a stroke.

Time moves on. It has been over two years now but sometimes these maladies’ of mine, those rewind buttons, all makes me quiet as I digress in a corner a bit maybe too pensive. I realize I am not into crowds. Four walls makes me escape the party atmosphere. I cannot get with it while I retire and read a good book or write as now. Their children playing reminds me of my own times with Lance as the images do not stop passing by. For those also wearing the same shoes none of it goes away. We are branded for Life and daily carry the weight. So be it. I make the best of it but right now the weather we depend on is definitely not cooperating. Heat index of 106, 100% humidity, the four walls do become inviting sitting under a fan while the air is on. Weather? Friends? Friends? Weather? We are going to compromise and leave this coming Saturday for Colorado. We are not going to last the whole month of August as I had planned. We are not going to even wait until Monday.

I am even picking a date for my spine surgery. A hard aspect in our Life is for me to schedule an event! Mid October. I am switching Doctor as my own is moving out of town, that would be out of Midland, Texas. I spoke with a couple riders who have had their discs fused and they were back in the saddle within ten days. The hips will have to wait for a bit later one at the time. I am looking forward to this next chapter awaiting which will give me a certain sense of normality again. Whatever normal is! All is now set for October 21st as my first appointment. Surgery will be a few days later. Amazingly I am looking  forward to it! Crazy thought. Looking forward to a surgery…

I am up early today for us to ride to the Post Office miles away before the unbearable heat and humidity descends upon us. Besides early mornings we are stuck here during the day. This is when a car would have been handy yet this weather is hard on Spirit as even if having a car what would I do with him? Everyone has their own lives to live and the quality of the time spend with my Friends has also turned out to be costly while adding a couple thousand miles to our summer. Hindsight is everything! Lessons are learned including another $300 spend at the veterinarian to shield Spirit from mosquitoes, fleas and ticks. Through past messages as they are also Friends, it was going to be just a bath for maybe around $20. My fault again, I should have asked the cost ahead of time as on a menu where the prices are printed on.That would be $150 a week for our time spend here, that would be a third of my income for the month. The bottom line is I did not think this through. Yes, things we do and things we continuously learn, learn every day. Under the bottom line however lies the pleasure we have throughout our conversations when they are here.

I realize not everyone understands the logistics of having a dog. No, he cannot stay out in a car in this heat. No, he cannot ran around the fields with the neighbor’s dog for us to end up chasing him trying to get him back which has already happened twice. No, Spirit cannot be in the middle of 20 people out loud and a few other dogs. It is too much of a commotion for him. Fortunately, unfortunately, that is not how we live. It is just him and I 99% of the time. Those realizations are present more than ever. What an abnormal Life we live compared to so many! This is the other side of the coin as soon, we will flip it and fall back into our isolation with Mother Nature. I have not even used my camera besides a few phone photos and running the video cameras. Colorado will make up for it and take away this trace of anger I have confronting with this weather, such weather we have not experienced anytime throughout years past.

Unusually for me being here started to stress me out. I had to think long and hard on how to swim to the surface of this aspect. The weather is the culprit and it is out of my control. If I wanted to spend time with my Friends, I then have to put up with what Mother Nature gives us. What I have control over are my own words and thoughts towards myself. Giving in while complaining “or” enjoying the company and putting up with this weather. It took me a while to realize the choice is mine. My awareness had to emerge offering better thoughts then the ones keeping my head down and beat and unhappy most of the time while being here. I could not let such stress undermine our happiness and effectiveness of our relationship. Stress also takes a toll on the body which is not an aspect I truly need right now considering how my back and hips feel! It was in the beginning not easy. We have lived a free and spoiled life these past years. We are unfortunately programmed to believe our thoughts without originally questioning them. It is as we are wired backwards. I don’t believe in antiquated wisdom but one acquired from these past recent times. It is as I have reprogrammed myself these past days and honestly I "almost" feel bad towards the fact that we are leaving in a couple days, yet, our quality spend together has made it all worthwhile.

And in all reality, look at that face! How can I be angry and not feel gifted with my Buddy Spirit?

PS: for those wondering, the little black box on Spirit’s collar is not part of an inhuman electric collar but the switch for an LED light collar for night time. I was asked that question. His new goggles are made by Rex Specs K9. Finally better goggles with multi lenses for our buddies.

Below is the Best of 10 years, our Photo Coffee Table Book. 62 photos, 11×13, best quality paper and print… Each photo also has a map where taken and a quote.
Available through Blurb as a hardcover, e Book and I Book.

And our written Book…

Stay well…
                Ara and Spirit

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 13th, 2015 at 12:30 pm and is filed under travel, spirituality, pit bull, sidecar, motorcycle, cooking, photography, riding, homeless. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.