Sightseeing With Dad

                                                     Everyday is a brand new day, everyday is a journey.

Being perplexed, I say,
Lord, make it right!
Night is as day to Thee,
Darkness is light.
I am afraid to touch
Things that involve so much;--
My trembling hand may shake,
My skill-less hand may break:
Thine can make no mistake. 
ANNA B. WARNER.

After settling in the Resort, we decided to spend an entire day sightseeing with dad. We went to the mountains in Prescott, but I will show that tomorrow. Today, I just want to post some pictures of all of us. The ones below are in dad's garden around his citrus trees, an orange, a tangerine and a lemon. 

These below are of our sightseeing in the mountains. The weather out there was a constant 78-80 degrees during the day and nighttime around 56-60. Beautiful. One could tell who the tourists were and who the residents. The residents walked around in sweaters and jackets while we the tourists had sleeveless tops and shorts. They were cold! It is Fall/Winter by them.

As you can see, Ted was snapping away like crazy all these pictures of us two.This last one is on the first day when we went to lunch. 

I hope you enjoy these pictures and as to what was said, well, some things are just private.

Have a blessed day everyone. 

The Resort

                                                                Everyday is a brand new day, everyday is a journey.

Every sorrow, every smart,
That the Eternal Father's heart
Hath appointed me of yore,
Or hath yet for me in store,
As my life flows on, I 'll take
Calmly, gladly, for His sake,
No more faithless murmurs make
P. GERHARDT.

We arrived in Maricopa, Arizona late at night. There is really nothing to see there, no hotels or rentals cars. We had to take a shuttle bus to Metro Center and that in itself, was an adventure. The driver was an elderly man wearing a toupee and he could not drive properly. We had to hold on for dear life as he zoomed in and out into traffic. The lady in front of me gripped the guardrails so tightly one could see her knuckles turn white. One of the male passengers kept telling him to slow down and take his time, that we were not in a hurry. He just kept going without taking any heed. 

That night we stayed at Comfort Suites and after sleeping on the train for about three days, we were ready for a regular bed. Ted and I joked that it didn't matter to us if it was a junkie hotel or not at this point. All we cared about was sleeping in a real bed. We slept like logs that night.

In the morning, we had breakfast, rented a truck and headed out for the Phoenix area. Litchfield Park, Arizona here we come! We were excited about this point of our journey. On the train, all one sees are the rugged mountains and cactus littered against the landscape. Here, we saw vegetation of all kinds. The palm trees lined the streets as did the azalea bushes and fruit trees. There was life and it wasn't all just rock.

 We were to spend three days at the Wigwam Resort while visiting our dad. It truly was a beautiful resort with every comfort one could imagine. The suites were spacious, beautiful and luxurious, at least to me. I think, Ted has been in even more luxury surroundings, but this girl here lapped it all up like a kid in a candy store.

We met up with dad that afternoon, had lunch and made plans for the next day. That first night at the Wigwam we went touring this huge resort, took a soak in the hot tub. Ted introduced me to gin and tonic which became our nightly routine every evening. I really love gin and tonic.

Have a blessed day everyone. 

Americana

                                               Everyday is a brand new day, everyday is a journey.


Be wise to-day;
 'tis madness to defer;
Next day the fatal precedent will plead;
Thus on, 
till wisdom is pushed out of life.
Procrastination is the thief of time;
Year after year it steals, 
ill all are fled,
And to the mercies of a moment leaves
The vast concerns of an eternal scene.

--Dr. Edward Young

We chugged along the winding tracks of Americana. The landscape rugged, wild and even at times, plain. These are the farmers, the everyday people and low income families that cover the scope of the American map. As we pushed along these tracks, I couldn't help, but think about the people that make this Country a place of freedom. It always comes down to Americana life, the small towns that are faithful to the flag.

During our trip, both going and coming, we have encountered many people of all races and ages. Each and everyone of them had their own story and their own reasons for traveling on the train. One of them, I am hoping will become a pen pal as we exchanged information.

There were the newlywed couple from Spain traveling to Austin, Texas. 
The young grandma visiting her son in Maricopia, Arizona to see her new grandchild. 
The mother and daughter heading out to Oklahoma to care for an Uncle fighting stage 4 cancer.

The senior couple married 62 years, visiting their great grandson in Chicago.
An Englishman whose mom was American, spending his holiday every year traveling on the train exploring the United States.
A lovely elderly lady from California off to see her sister, who ended up being my pen pal.

There was also plenty of drama like the man who refused to be orderly, probably a little too much to drink and had to be escorted off the train by the local police. Let me tell you, a few cars showed up to pick him up. 

Another time, while we were in El Paso, the Dea did a sweep of the train with their dogs. Of course, majority of us were outside stretching our legs and a group behind us decided it was the opportune time to light up a joint. Yup, I am not kidding. That German Shepherd dog got a whiff of that and turned around so quick. The agent could barely maintain control of him. Yea, pretty exciting to see all of that unfold.

 What truly surprised me about this trip the most was the fact that I loved the interaction with everyone. In my mind, I had my own version of how it would go, but in reality, it went completely different. Actually, a lot better. Ted is a natural with people, often helping everyone with their luggage. Quite a gentleman.

                                  
As I sat looking out the window in our quiet time, admiring the scenery in front of me, I felt overwhelmed with emotion. I love this Country and have a deep desire to explore more of it. While people are rushing off to the Bahamas, I just want to hop on the train!

Have a blessed day everyone. 

The Orient Express?

                                                              Everyday is a brand new day,
                                                               everyday is a journey.




Self-love but serves the 
virtuous mind to wake
As the small pebble
 stirs the peaceful lake;
The center moved, 
a circle straight succeeds,
Another still, 
and still another spreads;
Friend, parent, neighbor,
 first it will embrace,
Its country next, and next,
 the human race.

--Alexander Pope.

Ever since I have watched and fell in love with Agatha Christie, I've wanted to travel on the Orient Express. It has been a dream of mine for a very long time. Since then, I have held a deep affection for trains. Not just any ordinary trains, but the double decker sleeper car trains that travel the countryside. 

When Ted suggested we take the train out to Arizona, I jumped at the chance. This pilgrimage will be my Orient Express experience. I planned on enjoying and taking every opportunity to fully experience this ride. I would not just sit in my chair looking out the window. I would thrive amidst my surroundings.

We met up at the Metropolitan VIP Lounge at Amtrak's Chicago Union Station. This lounge is fairly new having been built in the Fall of 2016. It had two floors, the one on top was the quiet area where one can have a nap in between trains. The one below offered a light snack of cheese, crackers, fruit and even hot cereal if it was morning. Different assortment of drinks were also available as well as a wine tasting on the weekend for one hour. I tried the champagne. Why not, I was on vacation.

Very comfortable, although Ted was not impressed. He is, after all, a seasoned traveler, especially when it comes to trains. He has seen better lounges elsewhere. Chicago's disappointed him greatly. 

Our cabin sleeper was quite nice. We had our own bathroom/shower and the sleepers pulled out into a bunk bed. We had our privacy and plenty of room during the day to stretch out our legs.

The meals were simply delicious. I was worried about the quality of food, especially when one is traveling, but this was perfect. Quite a large selection where I could have a variety for the three days we were traveling. One could have an angus burger or salmon or steak. We ate good, very good.

I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of our train ride all the way to Arizona. The only drawback was that there was no wifi. I had huge plans of making videos for YouTube and catching up on my e-mails. I also hoped to do some writing. None of it happened, but then, there was more opportunity to chat with Ted. 

Have a blessed day everyone. 

My Journey, My Story

                                                            Everyday is a brand new day,
                                                             everyday is a journey.



They that wander at will where the
Works of the Lord are revealed,
Little guess what joy can be got
From a cowslip out of the field.

--Alfred Tennyson.

How does one explain the emotions churning inside when faced with a pilgrimage of a grand design? A pilgrimage that took an entire lifetime of my son, my daughter. I almost can't believe that it has taken 35 years, that even that much time has elapsed.

For the past eight days, my older brother, Ted and I have gone on a trip to Arizona to see our father for the first time in 35 years. Yes, 35 years! Now, I'm not here to bash my parents in anyway. Whatever happened all these years ago is over and buried deep as far as I am concerned. That's exactly where all our disagreements with others need to be. . . .buried!

A few months ago. I just mentioned to Ted, out of the blue, if we should go visit dad after all these years. I have no idea what brought that out in me. I have a sneaky suspicion that the Holy Spirit actually prompted this, but there was no turning back. Ted took complete control and arranged everything like the reservations and all. I am very glad he did, because it felt good to have someone take charge. He lead and I followed. 

We did have a conversation on what our expectations were in this situation. Well, we had none. You cannot go into something huge like this with a chip on your shoulder or any kind of expectations. We had no idea where it would lead from this point or if we would be disappointed. We decided to enjoy this journey not just for him, but also as a way to reconnect with one another as siblings. Anything extra would be a bonus.

I think that we carry around too much baggage. We hold onto the past as if it was our life support jacket! We like the hurt. We relive the disappointments. We cling to the anger. We are too proud to pick up the phone or write that letter. No one has to talk about the past, we can just move forward from where we are at right now. It's that simple. So what happened? Well, you'll have to stay tuned.

Have a blessed day everyone. 

My Pilgrimage

                                                          Everyday is a brand new day, everyday is a journey.    






Oh, there are heavenly heights to reach
    In many a fearful place,
  Where the poor timid heir of God
    Lies blindly on his face;
  Lies languishing for grace divine
    That he shall never see
  Till he go forward at Thy sign,
    And trust himself to Thee.
A. L. WARING.


I'm not sure if any of you have noticed a certain melancholy attitude in me these past few months. It certainly has been a very disappointing year for us here with many things not turning out the way we planned. Everything stood still, not moving forward regardless of what we did.That is life and we know it is a Season we have to go through. 

Whenever a Season such as this one occurs, I always end up reflecting on my life. Are there any things that I haven't addressed? Do I need to forgive and forget? Let go of something? I've been a Christ follower long enough to discern that perhaps this Season is happening for a reason. There's something here we need to take care of in order for us to move forward. 

So here I am embarking to sort of go on my pilgrimage. I will be gone for about eight days. When I come back, I will fill all of you in on my quest. For the time being, take the opportunity to catch up on any of my old blogs. I have been around since 2011 so there is plenty to read. See you in eight days, my friends.

Have a Blessed day everyone. 

P.S.
 I will try to post something on my YouTube Channel, so look for it.

An Update Of An Update Of An Update

                                                                     Everyday is a brand new day,
                                                                     everyday is a journey.



I sometimes feel the thread of life is slender,
  And soon with me the labor will be wrought;
  Then grows my heart to other hearts more tender.
    The time is short.
D. M. CRAIK.

So today, I finally got my flu shot. I've been so busy that I almost forgot and the last time that happened, I became sick that year.. . . twice. Didn't want to miss it and be sorry for it later. For me, it's free due to the insurance I have. It just involves a bit of my time in filling out forms and driving over to my nearest Wagreen's Store. That's it.

As to what has been going on around our building, it's been a bit different. The new neighbors upstairs have been pretty quiet even though on the first weekend here, they were the opposite. So far, it's been okay. They are loud people, but I can live with that level of noise. Although, the neighbor below me can hear them and they are above me, not her. Crazy, isn't it?

I do want to ask you guys a what would you do type of question. I went downstairs to do my laundry and found both washer/dryer occupied with a bag full of detergent supplies. Okay, I decided to come back later. Did so and found the exact same scene. Decided to just leave my laundry for the next day.

 Next day came, the same scene again like someone never touched it, but left it. It's been over a day now. I went to work and came back to find it still there. The following day, I was busy and had no time for laundry. That night, I came home and noticed the exact same scene. Who forgets their laundry for over 2 1/2 days? It is like 11 p.m., but I notice my new neighbors are up ( as always). 

It had to be them. My two down below kept checking the laundry situation just as I was. Allison has all her laundry sent to dry cleaning. The young man upstairs I have met three times in two years. We call him the invisible man. I decide to go upstairs and ring their doorbell, asking politely if this was their laundry. I ring the doorbell in the front, nothing. I knock in the front, nothing. I hear them and besides, all the lights are on. I ring the doorbell in the back, nothing. The same with the knock in the back. In fact, all movement upstairs ceases. 

The next morning, I get up and take their laundry out of the washer/dryer to stack on the side. I do my laundry. My question: What would you have done? When I asked this question at my work lunch table, they gave me different versions. It seems that I was very patient compared to them. 

On a lighter, but more serious note. I do have an announcement to make come Friday, so please check in. This way, you will be informed of what is what around here. For now, have a blessed day everyone.