A Day of Rest

A Day of Rest.

A Day of Rest

Sunday, no commitments, no obligations, nothing, just rest.
It’s been in the 70’s and 80’s, lately. “Indian Summer.” The leaves have turned golden, orange, yellow, and red. Motorcyclists are getting in their “pre-hibernation” runs to enjoy the fall foliage in the nearby Minnesota lake country. Itasca and Maple Lake State Parks are the prime destinations each autumn.
Friday night, I drove to the western end of the state to load up my youngest son’s belongings. He had been working in oil country in the dirtiest jobs. He probably breathed in and absorbed enough oil in himself and his boots to open a small savings account if he could “frack” it out of his own bones.
He’s back with his good friends. I gave him the foreign coins from my trip. Yesterday, he went fishing with his brother and a friend, donating their catch to a family of young children.
Last few nights have been clear with a full moon which evolves into a big “harvest moon” as it nears the horizon. “Bella luna!”
I played enough Bingo at the local Vfw to see someone scream as she won $700 and another win $600 in Blackout prizes. I spent $6 total for my entertainment, and left. The rest of the crowd stuck-around to two-step to a local Country Western Band named, “The Roosters.”
I stopped to visit someone at the hospital and came home late. A friend returned an earlier call. He’d been riding his Harley all day, so he wasn’t out dancing with his usual flock of 50+ single gals.
I stayed home and cut up some fresh garden beets, and other produce I had received from a “farmer” friend of mine, set the timer on the oven, and “hit the hay!”
I slept with my window open with a fresh-air breeze drifting in. Thankfully, the “chain-smoker” below my place moved away long ago. I slept almost until noon. Someone, shoveling and scraping cement, and chopping and sawing wood near here didn’t receive the word that it is “Sunday.”
Etched in my memory, Sunday is the one day of the week that the Timorese children get to wear their “Sunday best” and go to church. It is a day of disrobing at an ocean shore, and frolicking freely and fearlessly in the waves.The other six days, if possible, “school uniforms and lessons.” This, is a day of rest.
Before my journey, I was scheduled nearly every weekend for over a year. I cherish this time off. As a school counselor, when I hopefully get there, I only need a living wage, a roof, food, and enough time off the relax, travel, and enjoy “mi vida loca!”

Random Thoughts

Random Thoughts.

Random Thoughts

Day three of a school counseling internship. I watched “A Broken Toy,” about teasing and bullying vs. standing up for someone who is different, and a video on “drama queens” and “tough guys,” plus, I assisted the counselor. The worksheet dealt with identifying “stressors,” and “stress busters.”
It was a busier day than the two days before.
For lunch, some of the staff at the school brought crockpots with soups, some fresh veggies, bread, and desserts to share, which was good! My budget is very tight right now with the commute. Gas prices went up while I was traveling.
On the ride home, I noticed more “color” in some of the trees, and some old barns. It is autumn, here. Strange, I went from summer to winter, then spring to a dry season, and now autumn. All this since July.
I noticed the big dipper constellation in the sky the other night, which reaffirmed that I’m back “home.” I enjoyed meeting everyone “down under” and miss them dearly until we may meet again I hope.
I have some good friends that I have been planning to meet with, and I am developing some new friends and acquaintances everyday. It is good for me to be busy and to fill up my weekdays and weekends with some routine. I thrive on challenges!
Much of this blog entry is filled with “random thoughts.” Even “random thoughts” hold merit, in and of themselves, so, friends, family, and readers, don’t discount them, they’re still thoughts, nonetheless.

Never to be Forgotten

Never to be Forgotten.

Never to be Forgotten

Sometimes I ask myself,”Did I really do that? Did I really go there to those places?”
I’ll always remember, and I have this blog and all of the photos. I have photos to print, frame, and to share once I catch my breath. Such an amazing journey!
I saw a world many people around here will never see even in their imaginations.
Thank you everyone who was a part of all this journey, helping me to arrive and depart each location along the way! It literally meant “the world” to me, and I hope to Libby. She is truly doing “great works!” in humanity! It was wonderful to see! The Australians and the Timorese people are wonderful. Most of the people, throughout whom I had met were so nice in their own way. It is my hope that I can continue share what I saw and learned with others, plus face future journeys in the world in years to come.
I started a new role yesterday as a school counseling intern. When that is completed, I hope I can make a positive difference, somehow and somewhere, to others.

Bon Dia II

Bon Dia II.

Bon Dia

Bon Dia.

Bon Dia II

I rested, did some cleaning, and bought some groceries.
I visited with some people at the West Fargo VFW and played some Bingo.

A quiet day, now I’m watching a documentary on PBS about the Korean War, called “Korea, the Forgotten War.” it is hard to believe that this war, in authentic color footage, took place in the 1950’s in a world I had visited less than a week ago. So real, and now, I connect with the world they lived in back then. In peaceful times, now, an American tourist can visit the South Korean Inchon Airport in Seoul, person-to-person, visiting, and bridging cultures, both, without fear, and with mutual respect and integrity.
We all have more in common in this world than we have of differences. It is in the uniqueness and viewpoints of each culture that we learn. Compassion grows from personal to global proportions in time. The more that the world’s youth continue to exchange communication, and become educated with people in other countries, stronger the bonds will form.
I enjoyed visiting with young people from all over the globe while I travelled. They truly want to learn all they can in order to better provide for the future generations in peaceful times.

War; so much loss and suffering, so little gain.
Peace; so much growth.

Bon Dia

I’m continuing in this blog with;
*New thoughts each day.
*Challenges I meet as a Grandma, and in my health and well being.
*Discoveries in my world, myself, and others along the way.
*Disclaimer–Anything else!

This is my “self-improvement” blog.