Desert Diva

Believe it or not, I camped last night with this beautiful view. After going into the casino and hearing the “ding, ding” for a while, I finished reading a book and awoke to this view. Alas, I don’t think I’ll frequent the casino for awhile - there’s too much cigarette smoke. Casinos must be a magnet for smokers! 

Gee, it’s nice to be in Oregon.  The weather is cool, the ocean is beautiful, and the price of gas in under $3.00!  ;-)  Last night I boondocked at the Mill Casino with a bunch of other travelers.  It was nice and quiet.  For those who know me, I just love to hear the “ding, ding” of the slot machines. 

I plan to stay in the area for a few days since I’ve been traveling so much.

In Crescent City, CA at the local McDonald’s I was drinking a cup of coffee while watching an assortment of people go through the drive through. I wonder who all of those people are….. A mother with a child in their carseat, a taxi driver, a workman in a truck, etc… Sometimes as I travel, I wonder about the lives in the communities that I go through.

Either I was suffering from caffeine withdrawal, or I was having a “moment” in the universe. It seems that so many times in life we’d like to just “place our order” and be on our way. However, life isn’t quite like that. Our lives take planning and purpose. I’m continuing my journey now and I hope that those in Crescent City are blessed as they continue their lives.

I wanted to have my radiator leak checked out before traveling any further.  I found that “the leak” was a hose clamp that was installed backward and not tight.  I had some other belts replaced at the same time. 

After the repair, I went to New Brighton Beach State Park - mainly because I wanted to take a shower.  I found out that there was a bit of “excitement” since a Pacific Sleeper Shark was found washed up on the beach.  Representatives from the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation in Santa Cruz were on the beach measuring the shark and were later going to extract some “parts.”  This particular Sleeper Shark was thirteen feet in length.  I posted some pictures on the “photo album” page. 

I had a relaxing day walking the beach, reading, having some wonderful pesto pizza, showering, and now having a Mexican Mocha at the Ugly Mug.  Tomorrow, Cali and I are back on the road heading north.

I’m now 1109 miles away from home (according to MapQuest) and in Santa Cruz, California.  The weather here is nice and sunny.  I think I’m going to slow the pace  to Oregon - too much intense driving. 

Cali has claimed the seat on the passenger side of the RV - she loves the old sheepskin seat cover that I cut down for her.  Even when she ate (her food and water are under the table), she would go back and get a mouthful to eat and then return to “her seat.”  This went on until she finished her meal. 

We stopped the first night in Cabazon, California at the Morongo Casino.  The weather had cooled and there was a nice breeze.  However, I tried to fill up at their travel plaza and the pumps weren’t working correctly.  I forgot and left my gas cap there, but fortunately when I stopped at a Shell station to ask where I could get one the clerk found an extra one!  Today, when I pulled into a parking space I noticed a small stream of radiator fluid coming from my new radiator.  I drove to a auto supply store and it had stopped leaking.  The guy was really nice and looked at the fluid level (it was full), but noticed the cap didn’t fit correctly.  I bought a new cap that has a little “seal” you press after you turn the cap.  I’ll keep an eye on it. 

I’m now have coffee and a blueberry bran muffin at The Ugly Mug in Soquel, California and using their free WiFi.  No pictures yet since I’m been doing a driving marathon.  Now that I’m out of the desert and in a cooler climate, I’ll slow down. 

Tomorrow, I plan to drive up the coast along the ocean.  I’d like to stop at a couple of wineries in Sonoma as I head north.   I love sleeping with my window open and feeling the cool breeze on my face.  More to come at the next WiFi stop…..

Gee, it’s HOT!  The temperature has consistently been over 100 degrees.  It’s hard to be outside for any length of time and thank goodness for air conditioning! 

The RV repairs are complete (for the time being) and all packed ready for the trip.  I was going to leave today, but I want to take Cali to the vet for a follow-up.  Her ears and eyes were red and the vet told me to give her Benadryl.  It seems to work but I want to make sure before we’re on the road. 

It’s hard to believe, but I moved here ten years ago from Indianapolis.  My best friend’s husband said I’d “be back in a year.”  I guess he was wrong! 

Today is Sunday and I’m not in church.  It would take too long to go through the various incarnations I’ve been through regarding formalized religion.  However, the highlights are as follows…

My parents were Southern Baptists (the fundamental type) and I spent my formative years wrestling with feelings of God as a horrific ogre who was ready to strike if I didn’t behave in a certain way.  My concept of God was skewed and I was in constant fear of his (or her) wrath.

When I married, I converted to Catholicism.  However, after a few years (I’m a slow learner) I finally realized that I was exchanging one set of “regulations and rules” for another.  A few years after my divorce, I began searching once more.

Loving the liturgy of the Catholic Church, I found the Episcopal Church.  I’m “most at home” in that setting.  In any church, anywhere, I have to realize that “people are people” and subject the human flaws (as I am).  Sometimes that keeps me away from church.  (I know it shouldn’t, but I’m not perfect.) 

So, today I’m sitting in a WiFi coffee shop (aptly named “Spirit Winds”) drinking coffee and listening to classical music.  I find myself “eavesdropping” to conversations within earshot of my table.  The old and young are meeting for Sunday coffee and chatting about their lives.  A friend of mine recently told me her husband “hangs” here frequently and refers to this place as his “office.”  Although I’m not in church, I’m thinking about God and his place in my life.  While I’m not in an actual “church building,” I can sense the Spirit transcending in the realm of the outer world.