If I believe anything it’s that
The quality of our lives depends on how we focus our energy and our attention.
—Traits of Stress-Hardy, Resilient People
So when our place in the mountains burned down June 26 and we were kicked out of Los Alamos the next day, it was a no-brainer. We had been thinking of visiting my sister and family in California for a long time, so we went. It was a heart-warming visit and a better use of our time than worrying.
Experience helps. During the 2000 evacuation we waited in Albuquerque for two days, then decided to drive to Montana to take Andy’s mother out to dinner for her 91st birthday. That’s another trip we’ll never forget.
We got back Tuesday afternoon and are now dealing with the fact that Andy still can’t go up there until the fire is contained. But we are starting to talk to our insurance company and to an architect to see what our options are, assuming we want to rebuild now that the trees have all burned. In the fullness of time. I will no doubt be writing more about it either here on at Cheerful Monk.
Have you had any adventures lately?
Sorry that there was the need to evacuate, but wonderful that y’all was able to make it into something worthwhile.
So far as adventures here, nope. When the last weekend went from a three day weekend to a four day weekend, we made a spur of the moment decision to head to the Mississippi coast.
Mike,
That sounds like fun. The evacuation was really a blessing. It was a great visit and it got us out of the smoke for a week.
yes I can see that you have elements/essence to your being that when faced with adversity the evacuation you took the chance to do something – family orientated, sometimes when we believe we can’t do a certain thing (reasons against) we put it off. But in your case you turned a bad thing (something that could not personally stop) into a good thing. OK you were probably worried about your property but you took the best way out for you and Andy.
You closed the door, packed the car and took off to somewhere safer and family…
No adventures of that type here…my holiday as such is ‘just being at home’ no deadlines, the occasionally need to be up/dressed by xzy time, keeping warm…
Yesterday, found out “eligible to graduate” so filled in the required request form including how many guests I wanted at my graduation. We officially get 3 but occasionally we can get more so I plumped for 2 extra tickets if possible. Of course, I haven’t invited that many people but I’m sure I could find friends who would like to come…
I’d say add intelligence ( at least) to energy and attention. No adventures lately for me – which is a bit of a relief really.
Cathy,
Yes, we put the trip off because California is such a long drive. It was great to be given such an incentive. Another plus is my daughter wants us to phone every day when we travel, and I always love having an excuse to hear her voice.
Congratulations on your achievement!
Evan,
Hmm. If we’re going to get into genetics how about people who are born with a cheerful disposition? I would think that would add a lot to the quality of one’s life. You raised a good point.
Looks like you drove right by us!
My daughter, her friends and myself climbed up Frazer Mountain above Taos Ski Area. We would have had an adventure on Wheeler Peak, but that had to be downgraded to a sub-adventure on the lower peak due to the park closures. The frisky herd of inquisitive big horn sheep made it all worthwhile.
Nice to have you back and blogging. I have adventures every day! So many and so often that I have stopped calling them as such.
Looney,
We came fairly close. We went through Livermore and Pleasanton. I thought of you as we went through there.
Sorry about Wheeler Peak. I’ve never seen big horn sheep except from a distance. I’m glad you managed to make your trip worthwhile in spite of this being a bad fire year.
Rummuser,
I loved my old quiet routine, which is gone for a while, so I like to call the disruptions adventures. It gives me a more welcoming attitude.
“Disruptions” are mainly good
It will though depend on what is waiting at the end as such…and how bold you are to undertake them in the first place unless it is forced upon you.
The earthquake situation in NZ in ChCh is quiet disheartening and of course most of the news is very negative – people wise. Until you see a tiny wee piece that shows that some people have used the disruption to get away – start somewhere else, and things like that…some have still large debts/mortgages but they say “we need to do this, the trauma for xyz is too much, we can get our lives together so much better elsewhere and with a stable job we can pay back those debts” and so forth…
right now I do not feel disrupted but that may well change for a few months time when whatever I’m destined to do now – kicks off…or it might just flow down into my system.
Cathy,
I’m looking forward to hearing what you end up doing and how your life changes…or doesn’t so much.