I like this parking lot camping...

posted by Patty James @ 6:18am, Sunday 20 June 2010.

You thought because it was morning, I forgot about the stream of consciousness from yesterday, huh? No such luck.

So two days in the RV again. The bad news is the dog hair everywhere and stepping over Patch and Wilma constantly. They are like two little ducklings. We go outside for a walk at sunrise, no leashes, and where are they? 2 feet from me. It's sweet and a pain at the same time. One of those hold me close, let me go things.

Speaking of dogs I have to tell you a man/St Augustine story. So two nights before I leave, sitting in my favorite chair at the Kingfish Grill, I finish my tropical drink and get up to leave. A man comes up to me-this one closer to my own age-and says he saw me taking photos of the boats and pointed out his. That's a beautiful boat, I say. I really do appreciate how tough it must be to walk up to a woman you don't know and hope she isn't rude to you, so I am always polite. Where are you from he asks. California. I lived in Berkeley for a while. Do you sail? No, but I want to learn. If you lived here I could teach you (uh, huh). He then suggested some places in the Bay Area for me to take lessons. Would you like to go for a drink? (remember, we are somewhere that serves drinks), I know a nice place just over the bridge. (hum again, in my world, we are over the bridge). Here is where something odd happens for me. I am even aware of it at the time. The I don't want to hurt his feelings, don't want to disappoint him thing kicks in. What's with that? I don't even know this man and I'm doing it. First thing, I am not attracted to this man at all, second his name is Bill (when we shook hands and he said his name, I stopped before I said, my ex-husband's name was Bill. Thought it, but held back), and lastly, what about my feelings? Since when are his feelings more important than mine? Still, I don't know how to say, simply, no thank you, which would have been appropriate, so I use my dogs as an excuse. I have my dogs in the car. Really? I love dogs, he says. (well that didn't work) May I walk you to your car? This one doesn't give up easily. So, here's where Patch kicks in. Wilma puts her head out the window and he pets her and she let's him. He peers in to look at Patch and he does his low growl thing. Watchdog? Yes-now I see an opportunity, so I say as I hold out my hand to shake his hand, well nice meeting you, I need to go. Are you sure? he asks. Yes. Have a nice evening. O.K. he says. Whew...So tell me, why am I such a wimp? Why couldn't I have simply said something from the get-go. Not looking for company...I don't know-something. I am getting better at this, but it can be tough to walk the balance of what works for me, knowing how I am-a bit too empathetic of other's feelings at my expense. More than you wanted to know?

Back to the truckers again...

I awoke to 3 more trucks that arrived somewhere mid-night. Wild-haired man pulled out last night, but was parked next to me this morning. How did he do that? He just pulled out, permanently this time I assume and we each waved goodbye.

Another RV story. The generator wouldn't work this morning-wouldn't click on. Hum...I need to take a shower before interviews this morning for sure. Somewhere, someone told me about low gas and the generator not working, so I pull out, fill up the tank, come back to the parking lot and yup, that was it! I am typing as my hair dries, which takes about 5 minutes in this heat. I am eating my plain yogurt with bran cereal and fresh pineapple. I just had spinach and kidney bean salad for dinner last night, so tonight I will cook mt salmon somewhere in the Rocky Mountains. High altitudes and mountain roads. Two more learning curves with the RV.

I thought about Native Americans a lot yesterday as I was driving, particularly through the Trail of Tears country that is Oklahoma. There is such disparity as to the wealth of the Tribes. I would like to learn more about that. I'm sure I'll be able to explain more after I get to South Dakota. I had dreams last night of running along boulders and hillsides in South Dakota. I wonder if it will look like it did in my dreams. I am most likely also dreaming of running because I need more exercise. Sitting for as long as I have been is not good for me at all. Does not come naturally. I keep 5 and 8 pound dumb bells on the floor next to me and work my arms as I drive.  I also do lunges as I walk the dogs-look a little silly, but oh well. Also in my dreams in S. Dakota, I was assisting with a surgery. Scrubs on, doctor telling me to hold this and suction that. Weird.

I thought a lot about people in my life yesterday and what I am going to do with my own life. I truly don't know what I am going to do after I get home. No clue. I keep waiting for a light-bulb moment. None yet. I know I want to develop programs for STL and write my book, what I don't know is how and where I'm going to live. Little things like that. Again, I assume it will all work out.

Well, now I am going to make myself another cup of tea and stroll around the wheat field. Dress on next (interviews are at a church today) then Colorado bound.

Happy Father's Day to all the great dad's out there!

This was a post about nothing, wasn't it?