2/10/15-A Billion to One

courtesy of jplnasadotgov

For a couple of hours earlier tonight (2/9), I sat outside under an expansive sky, looking at a billion stars, listening to nature, marveling at the universe.  I don’t think I’ve done that since Fiona’s meltdown (August 2014).

A week ago, if anyone had asked me what the odds were of me being able to do that in Georgetown, I would have probably said a billion to one.  I would never have equated stargazing with the city, but there I sat, moonstruck, and it was awe-mazing.

I heard cows in the distance, a train yet even more distant, some highway traffic (but none more so than what I would hear on 59 in Goliad), the river, and a critter rustling in the leaves that managed to stay just beyond the yard lights so that I couldn’t see it.  What I didn’t hear, which is amazing because this RV Park has 100 sites, is another person, a TV, or even a stereo.  God, what bliss.

Stargazing waxes the writer in me and soothes my soul.  I’m not sure why.  I can have a billion things on my mind and possibly even a heavy heart, and if you plop me somewhere where I can see the stars without light pollution, I’m in heaven.  I am still a bit bewildered that I experienced it tonight.

The cool, crisp night air and perhaps the dozen or so Harleys in the park have had me reflecting on the nights in years past that I camped out in remote areas en route to and from the annual Sturgis rally.  Many times since my Harley days I take late night walks and reminisce to those nights, but here I was experiencing it, not just reflecting on it – in my own back yard, in an RV park, in the city.  Wow, what are the odds?  I would have guessed, a billion to one.

Also, less than a ¼ mile from my site, I can reach a clearing in the woods near the river that is just beyond the park and pitch black at night.  In that space there are a billion more stars visible.  I long to sleep overnight there, but I’m not that brave.  Sleeping outside on my lawn chair on private land at Miss Bettie’s in Goliad was one thing.  Sleeping outside in unknown parts of a city, another.  I’ll have to wait to get that outdoor fix until I get well and can do some serious camping again.

I mourned leaving Goliad and the countryside, but I love this RV Park.  It is so quiet and nature is all around me. I am thrilled with my expansive backyard view of a field that is full of pecan trees.

Plus, this property runs along the San Gabriel River and from the high banks it is thrilling to be able to see the bottom of the river.  It is so clear!  I loved the wild, murky San Antonio River in Goliad and it was a wonderful kayak adventure with my friend Joanne.  Then my friend Leslie found this park for me that, at odds probably close to a billion to one, has all the natural aspects I loved so dearly in Goliad.  Just today in her neighborhood alone I saw 10 deer!  There are even donkeys near the park that I hear braying from time to time.  They’re not Jenny and Jill that I got to feed each night for awhile in Goliad, but even just hearing donkeys I may never meet is uplifting.  It was silly of me to ever doubt Spirit and to worry.

Jill and Jenny and Nonni

I am forever grateful for my time in Goliad, for the friends I made there, and for the many, many blessings I experienced on a daily basis.  And I am as equally grateful for my new surroundings.  Here I have nature, peace and quiet, a beautiful setting, privacy that includes people, and the conveniences that come with living in the city – one of the most important being healthcare specialists.  Now that I’m getting settled in, the search for my new doctors will begin.

Along with these conveniences also comes a LOT more traffic however.  Goliad has two main roads, 183 and 59, and two stop lights.  There’s a bit more than that in Georgetown and the Austin area.  Ya think?  LOL.  I will not drive here.  It is not safe for me to do so, nor, to be honest, am I capable.  At least for now.  Another blessing that comes from this move is that I have many friends in the area and a wonderful cousin that has offered to get me where I need to go.  I suspect as I begin to do my research that there may also be public transit opportunities in the city that Goliad didn’t offer.  All in all, all is well, as is always true.

After realizing I could no longer live and work in North Dallas, I moved to Goliad to try and sustain independence in a quieter environment.  Mayberry (Goliad) was perfect for that and I fell in love with the town and the people.  But just since losing Fiona, it seems my symptoms have increased rapidly.  The Palace Purchasers graciously allowed me to bring the trailer to Georgetown until we determine the next phase for me. I hold that the outcome will be perfect healing. I certainly have landed in a perfect place with my familiar home in tact and that allows for all my needs to be met. I am beyond grateful for that.

Thank you to ALL who have contributed to my well-being and who continue to support me through this awe-mazing journey.  Tears well up every time I think of each of you.  I also want to offer a special shout-out to the earth angels that helped me get from Goliad to Georgetown.  To the Todds, the Whitfields, Leslie, and Kylie … a billion “thank yous” hardly seem ample so I’ll just offer one very large and heartfelt, “I love you.”