For as many years as I lived on a sailboat I was not prepared for the storm bouncing on us last night. I sat with Spirit throughout Sunset, for the longest time witnessing the many forms and shapes the clouds being manipulated by Mother Nature and its distant rain, seemingly too far to also visit us. I did think about not loosing my past good habits and covered everything that could be harmed by water. We do not have a storage shed yet, maybe soon. It did not take too long as darkness made its presence for the moon to hide and with the winds prevailing we became the rains next destination. The ground here is soft for the first couple inches, afterwards it is limestone at its best. The four straps holding the Dish, the Internet Dish, did not hold for too long when "that" burst of wind was followed by a soft "thump" noise. Not the first time but sure hope to be the last! A bent Dish never bothered the signals previously, the radio was again not damaged, and two hours later this morning I finally gave up. We were due for another trip to Alpine anyhow, find an Internet solution. As many times as we ride it, the road just does not cease to revitalize the senses.

In Alpine, we stopped at the friendly local Phone Company trying to get a date for our phone/cable installation. Not so good. The "trench digger" is broken and was sent to Lubbock for repair. 2 weeks, 3 weeks, soon, but not soon enough to count on a phone line and Broadband in "lieux" of the Dish. We stopped at the SAT Phone office as they have this great deal on SAT phones, 300 minutes a month for $15. I was told earlier that the wait was 2 months, it is now indefinite, we are somewhere in that thick file amongst over 100 recipients, future ones like me. We then stopped at the Dish store, meaning the one that installs Television and Internet Dishes. A phone call to the installer and "voila", there is a bent Dish in the shed if I want to look at it. I look at it, it is bend in the center, I hit it with the palm of my hand, it is suddenly not bent anymore… we are again on line. Karma. Think positive.

My Grand Father was a writer. He is my favorite person. He owned a printing shop near by his home and every day walked as he never owned a driver’s license or a car for that matter for as long as he lived. He use to wake me up at 4 o’clock in the morning to start cooking, as when spending my vacations with them, that is with Grand Mother also, we went to work together and fed all the dogs and the cats on the way. In the evening when we walked back we never arrived for dinner alone but always in the company of a homeless person or two. What could my Grand Mother say?… He was "the" true Artist, he was the one with the "Big Heart", he was the "thinker". He blocked the letters of his own weekly Newspaper for 50 years and as much as his Art was in the words, he made a lot of enemies only because he spoke the truth. The truth mixed in with humor, the truth made him loose his print shop twice, being burned down by some of his unfriendly readers. With no care he came home both time as if nothing happened only saying " we will rebuild it". He is my "Hero".

Opinions can be taken so wrongly specially when they are the reality rolling down that big screen of ours called Life. I do not adventure myself into other’s films, there are many out there doing just that and the World truly does not need another opinion, specially mine. There is not need to dissect the path of others as my respect only lets me witness their roads, as their own respect also in turn might create glances into my own words, a reflection of my Life, as they are here as an open book. "Live and let live" is pretty much a good stage to be on. My plate is full, it has been for a while and yet I manage to see and exclaim, I hope at times, a bit of humor myself. My humor is generally contained within "a smile", a ‘smile’ as otherwise it could sometime be a "tear" out of sadness from others incomprehension toward this short Journey we are on.

On my last Blog I made a mistake by enunciating an eating establishment I had always bragged about as having the greatest atmosphere and food. It was not done purposely, I did edit the error… an error that I had repeatedly done unintentionally these past two years. An error which however never stopped putting the establishment on the map reaching thousands of people through this Blog, many Forums and magazine articles. I found some humor when seeing the other day a familiar Betty Boop camper and my knowledge of a new relationship in the owner’s Life added a bit of innocent fun throughout a line of mine. Line which I also edited… as I received this e mail today and quote this short "personal and friendly" Thank You note…  

"Ara

#1 – again, it’s Kathy’s Kosmic KOWGIRL Kafe – if you’re gonna give someone a plug, you should get the name right

#2 – please, no more personal comments about Kathy or myself. Your "boyfriend/trailer" joke was inappropriate on a public blog

Thank you"

*Signature omitted to protect the innocent.

Think positive. I smiled… I did, as so many with their own personal agenda can only expel them forward, outward, mirrors do not exist for some, finding the target for whatever reason is the main objective, the wrong reasons as how can one live throughout this land one could call Paradise and yet such comment denoting so much… Well, this could now turn into my opinion, but as I wrote… the World does not need another one! I am still smiling! I apologized, I edited, but I am also writing about it… I thought of my Grand Father because this is what he would have also done. Some souls bring in with them the heavy luggage accumulated over the… I forgot… again… my opinion is truly not needed here… and I am writing this with much humor, I cannot help seeing all this from inside the window, all is locked, I cannot go out there. I am free in my own Space as I quote this much thoughtful sentence I have been allowed to use here by "GiniV"

"To be free is to be at one with your Spirit. To be at one with your Spirit is to touch a small part of your immortality. I am still running Free … How about you ?"

And tonight, after returning from a great ride through the Park as I read my previous paragraphs, besides the quote, I started thinking… did I just waste my time writing about someone else’s problems? Maybe so, as all I can see now is this glorious Sunrise that started our day and the hours following. It is also ball playing now every morning with Spirit as I have my own entertainment going on a daily basis. Spirit is a new Dog! His level of happiness has risen by ten fold. Our closeness is as I had never imagined it could be. Never have I been surrounded by those looks if ever too far from him. He is my "gate keeper"… such changes. Such good changes as slowly "The Oasis" is becoming part of both of our World and Life.

I prepared another quick meal the other night, good for a couple days. Obviously I have a big bag of chicken! I am scrounging what I have, it is almost time to go and refill the pantry. Four potatoes diced, another bunch of much garlic and a diced onion. A breast of chicken, a lemon, a lime, a tablespoon each of cumin and chili powder and 2 tablespoons of sugar. I use pure unrefined organic chemical free sugar. Saute the first three at first, add the chicken on top to get it started and cover a bit on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the spices, juices of the lemon and lime, stir and let it cook covered for a good half an hour on very low flames.

Great flavors, I thought so anyhow… I forgot, more julienne of red roasted bell peppers! Always looks good.

"Old Faithful"s" parts have arrived, a little box full of healthy prescriptions for much riding time hopefully ahead of us. I am ready for the dismantling next week, will most likely learn a lot, I am even more ready to explore Texas right afterwards! Till next time… hoping that I did not offend anyone.

Two years of Photography is finally in order on SmugMug… In "Your Favorites", in "States", some labeled "first year" and second year", now also "Texas the third year". Feel free to browse, you can even use the slide show mode and have fun.

Merchandise is also available through SmugMug. If you like to order a print all sizes are available as I store the originals myself considering the huge bandwidth needed to upload on the Gallery.

Help us keep the site alive. Please contribute…

Be well, always. Ara & Spirit

This entry was posted on Saturday, October 11th, 2008 at 8:54 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.