A SPRING TRIP HOME
8: 15 AM March 25, 2025 we gave up the key of the rental. It was a park model on the shady side of the street in Viewpoint, Mesa, Arizona. Our plan is to drive; the 202 to the 101 and then the 17 with a Jog at Flagstaff; right on to the 89; then left to Page. There was 13, 375 km on the 2016 Ford Edge. Live the moment. Edge is filled to the top; grapefruits; a walker’s golf cart; clubs; gifts; and bringing everything back we brought to live the five months since Nov 1/24 except I threw out two pairs of worn-out shoes.
When on Highway 17 to Flagstaff; it is thirty-one degrees in a desert of saguaros and mesquite. I wrote some texts to friends; figured out the cost of living in Mesa for a winter; similar monthly costs as staying in Saskatoon for the winter or being away in Belize per month which we found out last year.
We are half way to the Grand Canyon and it’s still thirty-one degrees. Temperature dropped at the higher elevations; snow in the forest. Last night figured out we have 1.5 litres of wine; which is two bottles; 35 cans of beer; and about 6 bottles with what Bob calls the heels of different amounts of liquor left in them; about 3.5 litres. We may have to pay duty at the border. Edge is loaded to the top; gift of a wooden birdhouse; beautiful red roof stored in a safe place; and ice packs around some chocolates given to us. Have the new golf shirt with tags still on; which was my winnings from golfing the league; and a new tennis dress; which will be what I shall wear next year if we go back.
Left days earlier as girls are out of school in Alberta this week. Have loved our facetimes connecting near every day. An eagle is overhead as I write that.
Red rock mountains; dry desert; canyon floor has Navajo homes – wondering if they on land (reserved for them) as in reservations?
Grandeur of the mountains – saw my niece’s photo of the Grand Canyon where her and her son went yesterday – today I am in it – see the magnificence and have such a privileged feeling. Reminding me of Cathedrals. We now enter what are like the Hoodoos of Alberta. Keep saying, “this is beautiful”; I take a pic and say, “Isn’t this something!”
“Watch for Deer” Signs and then see one: “Coral Pink Sand Dunes”
Bob seems to be having a harder time staying between the lines. Speaks to the amount of work we did in last two days; a little off balance.
See the mountains and talk about a tree line Until you see it and you can just say “WOW. “ Has been a Wow Day!. 6 % grade a little scary. 2nd Gas Stop. Our First was Flagstaff. Top up ½ for $33.27; Driven 6 ¾ hours; Top up McCommel, Utah $28.30; Call a Best Western and they say $299.00 US a night; and it was $141.00 US in Nov so say no.
Feels like we are flying down the Mountain Passes – as we move through the Zion and Bryce National Parks; Green Gorgeous; Cedar and Scotch Pine; Not all green; Orange Crystal Like Mountainous; unbelievable: then see snow in places; Blue Sky; Forests; 20 degrees; Trout Fishing Happening; Seen no wildlife which is probably a good thing; one dead deer; salted highway from days gone by; 35 mph which is 60 km/hour through towns. We could be watching the scenic views; we can’t as have to watch for falling rocks; cars coming at us on the 8% grades; most white on mountain tops we’ve seen; we have not been on this road before; Hard on tires; hard on brakes Bob says; hard on Gas.
Scary – Whoa I say a lot – Bob is slamming on brakes sometimes – Not our usual mode of travel; So Glad Pure Blue Sky. Had thought – Am I ready to die? –
Grating; listening to clinking of ¼ – ½ empty liquor bottles; so things have shifted. Two or three feet of sand on the runaway truck ramp. Such beauty but I have had nearly enough.
We can talk again. See a sign “Be A Boss”; and we talk about what that would be to be one; and Bob talks about most experience; can chat one on one with; structure; someone to go to for answering questions; Speed Limit is 80 mph; Bob goes a little less and I write
B – Brave
O – One
S – Standing or Maybe Sitting
S – Strong
We get to the hotel room; and a price similar to the November one; $151; when we get in; I am crying in the bathroom; know it is tension release; and realize it’s Tuesday and I didn’t phone my friend or let her know I wasn’t going to and we’ve been phoning each other on Tuesday for years at a special time; and it really bothers me that I forgot. Realize we left our night light in the rental; hope that’s all; as I left one sock; I could not find. It was my best sock; a special athletic sock I paid lots for. Wondering; compared to other people how good we left the park model as in how clean; I know I always go through a not good enough to do with most things; actually; I know it was really clean; and trying to do that in all of life; leave things better than when I came.
Wake up hours earlier than Bob; which is usual; do my Qi Gong Practices; then listen to a podcast on google whatever is interesting me at the moment; which is Body Chi; which to this person is intelligence in the body; not just Qi or energy; for Body, Spirit and Soul. Not sure that is my experience of Me. The next one is on the 12 meridians; 365 acupuncture points and patterns of light in the body and then we are ready to go, we’re ready to go.
Beaver, Utah – 8 AM Leaving after a Great Night – Tired yesterday. Scenic route but twists and turns through secondary highways and state parks – Beauty. Lots of texts wishing us safe travelling. Pass Solar Farms; horse trailers and wonder how much would 6 bales cost; the wonder of the small towns of Utah; Some Cattle grazing; some feedlots; young women dressed similar to Hutterites in Canada were at the hotel early this morning for hotel room cleaning. As we get closer to Salt Lake City, temperature is dropping; 12 to 10 to 8 degrees. In valley between mountains and the mountain tops coming are packed in solid white snow. Looks foreign to me.
Ten AM and we are in the Hover Lane and there are six lanes beside us. Went into that Hover Express Lane at 10:05 am a ½ mile out of Provo. As we drive, more and more dense around us; see how the Morman Tabernacle Steeples stand out. One hour and ten minutes we are through Salt Lake City. Down to three lanes after Ogden. Bob did great driving at 130 km/hr.
Baby calves with their mamas in the long Utah and Idaho valleys with snow-capped mountains. Even in the work zones, you can still drive 70 mph; gas is 32.9. Sign says: “If you’re high; don’t drive.” All in all, the economy here is not struggling; lots of construction, housing developments; malls, businesses, roads…. We saw the same in Mesa and on our way here. It’s 19 degrees and see the green rows of an Idaho field seeded. I stayed in touch with the kids; and our medical appts are all made. Relaxing drive in the sun. Irrigation just about on every field. Sign: “Idaho Potato Museum.”
Now in a Black Rock Landscape. Looks like a wasteland. Maybe a bit of cattle grazing; then move into beautiful farmland; then we’re in the mountains and go through the Continental Divide Twice through Idaho and Montana.
Talked with granddaughters more than several times a day in last while and answered the “WHERE ARE YOU?” They are making cookies for our arrival in another day if all goes well. Found some golf tips to read. Shared some member’s stories published in the book we just received from the Writing club I was in for last five months. Sang two songs to Bob.
Butte, Montana. Could not find the Best Western Hotel; we missed it; had a tour of the old areas of town; and drove on to Helena looking for a BW hotel there as get points. $161.10 US a night and Bonus is a Mexican restaurant is right close. Enjoyed the evening out, and a marguerita in the lounge before a table was open; VLT’s were busier than busy and not by us. Loved the enchilada’s; burritos; homemade chips and salsa and the décor.
Next morning driving through places where the snow markers are higher than our SUV. I have heard more than once that the SUV will need replacing if we decide we want to do this living as snowbirds down south again.
I am having ideas as we drive about making a board game to assist people in connecting and sharing; and then ideas of whether when Bob no longer wants to drive; would I and my sister or a girlfriend do the drive. He says he’s fine doing the driving and other times; says, “this is getting old.” Would we share a car down there for the few times we leave the park we are living in? Do we want to rent next year as we don’t want to own again.
We enjoyed the first day of eight hours of Picturesque Scenery on a New Road. Much Grief over people who we never saw again; who had died during the five years we were gone from the Viewpoint Park where we lived from 2009 to 2019. Died or chose not to come back.
We notice no semis or motorhomes ae coming back to Canada as we are on these roads or very few. Maybe they are all coming in April or the political situation has changed things a lot more than we realized. Newer home in towns and acreages; so there is money on both sides of the road we are on.
Thinking of money, I see a poem and read it aloud. It is a a poem by someone who is dead and think of my experience. Someone gave me a poem by that author; I read it; went to sleep and woke up next morning with music in my head that matched the poem. I sang it on You Tube; giving credit for the poem and words to the author and was given a copyright notice violation from you tube; saying I had to take it down so I did. I asked the terms and conditions for permission to do this from the person’s estate: The amount of money for me to create, or perform was prohibitive; and let them know I wasn’t interested. I wrote a song this winter saying I made money playing at a dance when I was thirteen; thought I had arrived; never saw that kind of money again for performing; and since sharing songs on guitar; pays not good.
As an aside, I asked permission of another person’s foundation in regards to a poem written by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk who wrote the following:
“When a cloud is transformed into rain; it is not dying.
A cloud can become rain or snow or ice
A cloud cannot become nothing.
It is impossible for a cloud to die
It is a continuation
In the same way
It is impossible for you as human being to die
You are also a continuation.”
Poem – Thich Nhat Hanh –
I had a similar experience as above and wrote a Melody that came to me in 2022
I was informed I could freely distribute and sing it as widely as possible. Was glad as was able to sing at a friend’s celebration of life.
Back to the trip and money. Houses – All brand new out on the prairie – lots of them – not a tree around them in these Montana valleys. I looked up the average temperatures and it is between 16 and 31 degrees Fahrenheit there which is minus 9 to minus 1 celsius so not going to 40 below like it just did a while ago in Saskatchewan.
We have some political discussions on how many politicians are appeasing people who do not work; wondering if libraries are a thing of the past; are kids no longer reading cursive; saying they can do things faster on the phone and more information is coming at them than I have lived. We stopped and bought 30 more beer at $27.00 US; as border is getting closer,
10:58 am: 2 semis and 13 cars in line at border. 11:00; one moved in both lines.
11:11 – we are through.
The Canadian Border guard who was female scanned or plugged into the computer our passports; asked any Guns? Ammo? Tobacco; which was no, no, no and Alcohol? Yes Bob said and to How much? 60 beer, 2 bottles of wine 6-8 bottles of what was left in cupboard; one half; but rest just what was left. Handed passports and said, “welcome back.”
Lethbridge – Challenging to read the signs in the middle of the city; too many signs and nothing to advise what was coming ahead. We had to make one turn around to get on Highway #3 to turn North on Highway 23 – stopped at Vulcan, Alberta for gas and change our cards to Canadian; put passports away.
Filled up vehicle in Mesa when empty.
14.635 gal at 3.259 gallon = $47.70 US or $68.30 Canadian.
Today if changed above to litres
55.4 litres at Vulcan, Alberta Price of $1.559 litres = $85.87
Starts to rain at one degrees. Saw a coyote at Strathmore. First wildlife we saw in 3 days besides the two dead deer. There had been one dead deer on Salt Lake Freeway ? which didn’t make sense. In Strathmore; we wonder if it is the # 1; as shows on map; as would the # 1 have stoplights in the middle of a town. It does.
When I see how the layout of this typing paragraphs has changed without me doing anything, I know I need to find a person who will volunteer to help me with tech and administration to do with all my projects. And that is because I have never made money with my music or my writing so it would be volunteer until I make some money.
If I live well past a hundred which I probably will as in early 90’s my gramma lived to 96; over ten years ago; my aunt lived to 99; so I am going to need money for 50 more years.
There is a falling down barn yard by Three Hills Alberta. My sister is away or we would stop. Now 0 degrees and raining. Many warned us in texts that a winter storm expected; with lots of snow and gale force winds late Thursday afternoon and it is getting late on Thursday afternoon.
We pass a semi and meet an ambulance after we pull back in. We get lost after second stop sign at dead ends with no signs fore telling us which way to turn. Frustration is building but I did realize that if there was this much snow all winter; signs may have been mowed down by snowplows. We are lost and found in Delbourne, Alberta, and two different guys give two differing sets of directions to get back to Hwy #21 to get to our granddaughters. END of THIS JOURNAL. Its journal # 145 started in June of 2024 and made it to March 30/25. Lucky my niece from Indiana who visited me in Mesa with my great nephew brought me a beautiful journal called Daily Blessings.
THAT WAS SO SPECIAL TO BE WITH THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As I was packing and cleaning, had this in my head. Gifts ( with song music in my head)
Friends as gifts and gifts from friends
Having fun being Canadian
Living as visitor in a foreign land
Full of friends and some relatives
Some of my family from the USA
Want us connected in work and play
Happy we’ve been privileged to be here
Many times; Not just this year
Wrote fourteen songs since I’ve been here
Most to do with things in the rear.
So back to the trip; we left Mesa Tuesday; travelled, Wednesday and now this is late Thursday in a snowstorm happening; with snow sticking to the highway; have just under an hour left; and wind is blowing snow; snow drifting across the highway; cars are starting to stick together; drive on the same tracks; it’s a little tense in the car; and we let the grands know we are half an hour away and supper is awaiting. THANKFULLY WE ARE THERE AT 5:30 and IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL: the snow coming down on the evergreens; looks like a picture-perfect Christmas card – for the next three days. WE HAD SO MUCH FUN, LOTS OF GREAT FOOD, JOY IN MY HEART, SLEDDING, TRAMPOLINING; GIRLS SHOWING US HOW TO LINEDANCE, SO WONDERFUL! March 27, 28, 29, 30th.
March 30, 2025 arrive in Saskatoon at 4pm
Bob phones Market Tire in Saskatoon at 9 am Monday March 31, 2025; saying maybe a tire grabbing; something not right to do with brakes; not sure. They say if we can get it down there within half hour they can look at it then. We do. I follow in truck; and Bob turns into the parking lot with 2016 Edge with 130,000 plus km on; and the guy he talked to on phone is outside when Bob pulls up standing there with another employee.
When Bob backs up to park against the neighbouring building, there is a noise, like a clunk; and a hesitation in the vehicle. When he accelerates a bit; there is big, big noise like something has broke. I can hear in the truck; and oil is splattered about 15 feet around the parking lot as the employees put up their hands saying “HOLD IT”.
Within an hour we know it is TRANSAXLE broken wide open; estimated $5000. Taxes in to put a new one in; which we agree as the vehicle is not good to anyone as is.
HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE TO BE ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!! And I think of the mountain passes with the 6 or 8 % grades; the 3500 plus kilometres of travel…….
ellensagh 