It’s our last Wednesday in the Big City. We were originally going to leave today, but after a great day at the river with friends, I got the head cold crud last week, and Marika got it on Saturday. So we’ve been laying low and resting, versus getting out and taking care of everything we need to do to get ready.
On New Year’s Day we lounged in our pajamas, watched the Rose Bowl parade, then we walked a new labyrinth. I made some veggie soup in the Instant Pot and we relaxed the rest of the day.
I was still getting tired after the smallest efforts, and I started to freak out about everything that needed to happen for us to leave. And so we changed our Wednesday departure to Thursday and cancelled plans to meet up with a friend.
But I still felt anxious. I realized that I needed another extra day, so we cancelled our Thursday night reservation in Patagonia and even got a refund for that night. And suddenly, I felt that three days would give us enough time to feel better and still get everything done.
And so finally, this morning, my head is clearing, I am hardly coughing, and I have most of my energy back. And so does Marika.
This readying is different. We’re not moving from one stationary location to another. We’re heading out for some camping and road living. Away from big city conveniences like Costco for dog food, and an abundance of supermarkets and fresh produce.
So we need to do a bit more stocking up on favorite foods and supplies, and make sure everything is in prime working order before we head out for this next adventure.
Last week we had a new RV guy come out to replace the water pump. We also have a new transmission pump in the car for towing, the tires and batteries and fluids have been checked, and we are ready to be on the road.
We’re heading south to Patagonia Lake State Park, just a few miles from the Mexican border. The birds are plentiful there this time of year. We’ll be at the Wings Over Willcox birding festival January 10-14, and meeting up with a friend who is on her own road trip back from the east coast. From there, we have a direction and a destination: the Texas Coast by February 5, but no firm plans or reservations to get there. And I like how that feels.
I want to ease into being on the road again. I want to be open to what we see and discover. And I want to connect with people as we travel. So let me know if you’re on our route and we’ll make a plan!
I posted on Facebook that my word this year is Passage. It’s actually a word I used in 2014, when I was setting out on my first ever solo RV Heart Sparks Road Tour across the country.
It is still a gorgeous guide for me, but I’ve also chosen the word ENGAGE. Because it challenges me, and will move me to a bigger, better version of myself. Because sometimes it is easier for me to just stay in my perfect little world, in my own thoughts, in my own habits and routines, than to reach out.
But that’s not my best way to grow. I realize that I need connections with other people, big, small, in a grocery store, in a coaching circle, to truly “spark my heart and ignite my life.”
And engage also means “to put into gear, take action,” and I like that too.
And so, yes, as part of that gentle nudge to the edge of my solitary comfort, I am facilitating a virtual women’s coaching group, the Heart Sparks Circle. We’ll meet once a week, beginning in February, via a private video chat, to explore what we each need and crave and also no longer want in our lives.
We’ll use my book Heart Sparks: 7 Practices For Loving Your Life as our weekly guide. If you’re curious, or interested, you can read all about it here. Or email me and we’ll set up a time to chat.
