New Experiences and Learnings

Wall Street, Asheville, NC

Last Sunday at Jubilee was another enlightening and moving experience.  I try to go there with an open mind and few, if any, expectations.  So whatever happens, happens in that moment without my expectations coloring events.

The Opening was "a song to celebrate the path of yin" and was a traditional Irish lullaby.   The lyrics had a profound healing effect on my heart and reminded me of being with LaVerne at the end of her life here on earth.  I don't think I had ever heard the song all the way through, let alone sing it.  It was about being with someone as they pass on.  Here are the lyrics.  Perhaps they will speak to you, too. 

Sleep, my child, and peace attend thee

All through the night

Guardian angels God will send thee

All through the night

Soft the drowsy hours are creeping

Hill and dale in slumber sleeping

I my loving vigil keeping

All through the night.

While the moon her watch is keeping

All through the night

While the weary world is sleeping

All through the night

O'er thy spirit gently stealing

Visions of delight revealing

Breathes a pure and holy feeling

All through the night

Though I roam a minstrel lonely

All through the night

My true harp shall sing praise only

All through the night

Love's young dream, alas, is over

Yet my strains of love shall hover

Near the presence of my lover

All through the night

Hark, a solemn bell is ringing

Clear through the night

Thou, my love, art heavenward winging

Home through the night

Earthly dust from off thee shaken

Soul immortal shalt thou awaken

With thy last dim journey taken

Home through the night. 

Once again, it seemed as if the service was just for me. 

When I left, I went straight to a massage chair near Jubilee and had the lady work on a crick in my neck for half an hour.  It sure did hurt, and it sure felt so much better when she was done!  She asked how long it had been since my last massage, and I realised it had been 2 years, the last one at the Grove Park Inn on my getaway from Raleigh for a weekend in December of '08. 

On Tuesday night I accepted an invitation from new friend Jada Moonstone to attend a kirtan, chanting to achieve liberation and deep concentration.  The group leading it is named Sangita Devi, which means music of the divine mother.  They have a session every Tuesday night and have been doing this since '02.  What a wonderful group of musicians!  It didn't take long for me to feel a sense of peace and tranquility unlike anything I've ever experienced before.  At one moment, with eyes closed, I saw brown/gray shadows moving across my minds' eye which was suddenly interrupted by a pin sized point of extremely white light.  Time ceased while I was there and it seemed to be over very quickly, even though it had lasted over an hour and a half. 



Rev. Jada Moonstone



Sangita Devi setting up

 Yesterday was a stormy day and Marcia came over for lunch.  We had a nice afternoon together and lifted each others' spirits once again.  It is a difficult time for her, as her husband was very sick this time last year.  That first year without a loved one is so tough, and I'm glad I can be of some help to her and her to me as well. 

Once again I've decided to change my itinerary and stay here longer.  I plan to leave Fletcher on November 23 and head south, skipping my previously planned stay at Twin Lakes near Pendleton.  It was a difficult choice to make, but I feel like I'm getting so much from being here that I want to stay as long as possible.  Hope the peeps in Pendleton understand.  That said, I'm going to Virginia this weekend to visit daughter Barbara and family.  It will be good to see the grandsons all dressed up for Halloween and also to attend the annual Chili Cookoff, which son-in-law Trey has won a couple of times.  It will be a good time, for sure, and it may be a while before I see them again.

Thanks for stopping by!

Embracing Yin Time

Since embracing yin time, things have changed a lot!  Here are some recent happenings.

Pritchard Park, musicians, street people & tourists

Friday was the wide release of the movie "Hereafter" and I just had to be there.  Clint Eastwood and Matt Damon have done it again.  It's a terrific film that gains momentum at a nice pace, then bam!  And it's a tear jerker extraordinaire.  At least 3 hankies.  Wish I could have seen it with daughter Barbara, as she has been known to sob out loud and I love her expressiveness and ability to let 'em flow, even in the movies.  I'll be seeing it again, for sure.

I stopped at Wal-Mart to pick up a few things, so I turned on my phone to check for messages and Barbara had just called.  So I called her back and we talked for a long time with me leaning on a display for pots and pans and loving what she was telling me.  When I hit the road, I left my favorite books with her, especially the "life changers":  I'm OK, You're OK, and Born to Win.  Since going back to doing therapy work, she wanted a framework and felt TA(Transactional Analysis) might be the answer.  As it turns out, it has brought epiphanies about her own life!  She was so excited and bubbling over with enthusiasm, just like I was 25 years ago when I first discovered TA.  I lead the effort at Carolina Power and Light Company to train all customer service people in its' use with customers and with fellow employees.  It was a tough sell, but got good reviews and good results.  Barbara also commented on how much I had changed during that time, although she didn't understand then what had brought it about.  It felt so good to be so happy for her!

That night was the first session of an orientation to Jubilee Community for folks interested in learning more about it and considering membership.  As usual, it was lively, interesting and entertaining, as well as thought provoking.  It opened with a dance by a woman named Barrie, who I had met previously through Hugh, who danced to the Carly Simon tune "Sing the Greatest Song", which is kinda like an anthem for Jubilee. 

Today was the second part of the orientation and continued with song, not so much dance, and a good explanation of the affirmations and how the place runs.  It was very good and well done, as usual.  I met some very interesting people and except for it being hard for me to hear, I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I signed up for 2 teams, "Death and Dying" and "Intentional Community".  Since I plan to settle here, I thought it might be good to help the community group with some facilitation, if they want/need it.  Plus who knows, I may wind up in a commune.  And as for D&D, I need to step into that even further to finish my own healing.  It has become clear that I'm not as far along as I want or hoped to be and I need to get back to doing some grief work. 

After the session, I wandered around Pritchard Park, Pack Square and Wall Street, enjoying the sunny day and all the people who were out and about.  I also had a session with an intuitive psychic and learned a few good things about my current state of being and how I might improve it.  I love this place!  And I love the people I encounter here.  I also enjoyed a street musician playing a bongo and singing a variety of songs, including "When the Roll is Called Up Yonder I'll be There".  It was mixed in with a Bob Marley song somehow.  Whew.  It sure brought back a flood of good memories!

Street musician and young lovers

Tomorrow I'll be back at Jubilee for the 3rd day in a row, and I may go to the early service to see someone I met during orientation.  Her presence was very calming for me and I also discovered she has a son who was a pilot in the Air Force.  We fell into easy conversation and seem to have a lot in common.  We'll see.

Thanks for stopping by!

Adjusting to Yin Time

Finally I decided to embrace yin time and reset my personal clock, and attitude, to match it instead of fighting it and not trying to be happy and content all of the time.  It seems to be working.  At least I'm not so stressed from going against the stream and life is at least okay once again.  I also acquired these yin/yang candle holders and along with my singing bowl, I have had some good connections with the universe and with my deeper self.  It is hard, and it is good. 

Yesterday Marcia and I rode the Burg up the parkway then cut across to Weaverville and the Zebulon Vance birthplace.  In all the years I lived and visited here, I had never even gotten close to it.  Much of the wood in the structures has been replaced, but the main fireplace in the house is original brick and mortar. 

In addition to the main house, the site also had several out buildings: a weaving house, tool shed, corn crib, smoke house, spring house and slave quarters.  The old, dark wood reminded me of the house at Briarpatch and brought back some good memories of that place.  This pic especially reminded of it.

It was good to learn of Vance's history and that his career as a lawyer began at Carolina.  Yep, he was a bona fide Tar Heel in the truest sense of the word.  He was also the most popular governor the state has ever known.  It felt good to know such a great man had come from such a humble place in the country. 

The main house sits on a slight rise and faces a large, flowing hay field and a low ridge.  I imagine it was shielded from fierce winds by the rise in front of and behind it.  Being the wise people that they were, all the windows in the house, which aren't many, are on the south side. 

The narrow stair way leading to the second floor was almost identical to the one at Briarpatch - same width, steepness and a little door at the foot to control the heat going upstairs.  Windows near the beds let in some light and heat, which added some comfort I'm sure.  Still, it had to be a hard life in the winter time. 

With the moon being at or near fullness tonight, it will be yin time for sure.  It will be a good time to remember what this season is about, and what I'm about, or not.  So I'll stay home alone tonight and and look at the moon reflected on the lake here.  Maybe I'll go for a walk, or just sit by the lake and be still. 

Thanks for stopping by. 

Yin Time Continues...

The past few days have found me feeling down in spite of the pretty weather, long rides and Jubilee.  However, Jubilee did more to give me a lift than anything else has lately.  More in a minute.

Saturday I rode up Davidson River, again, as it always brings me peace for a little while.  The beauty of that place is timeless.  Once at the parkway, I headed south toward Graveyard Field and went beyond there to Devil's Courthouse.  There was lots of traffic and many two wheelers, as it was another sunny day.  I talked with several bikers who were interested in the Burg and one also talked about the Tail of the Dragon, as he saw the little dragons on my helmet.  That was fun to remember!

Just past Graveyard Fields is a little paved road off to the right that leads to Black Balsam trail head.  What a view!  It overlooked the fields on one side and an endless expanse of forest on the other.  It looked like the highest point for miles around and the cool, thin air felt so good. 

Jubilee was about yin time again and yet was uplifting.  We sang Bob Marley's tune "lets get together and feel alright" interspersed with Howard's teaching.  The teaching was about passivity and the strength to be found in that.  It was so much fun to be there, acknowledging the darkness while singing such a happy song!  From the Tao Te Ching:  "Do you have the patience to wait till the mud settles and the water is clear?"  I actually did that many times as a young man hiking these mountains and drinking from the creeks and springs.  Moving the leaves and salamanders aside to lean down and sip from the pool, after waiting for the mud to clear.  It was so good!  And so is the memory of it. 

I walked along the river trying to find good light on the leaves and water for a good picture.  The one I found was okay, but I also got to watch a man catch a nice trout from the pool below.  I seem to be better at watching people catch trout than catching them myself, as that has happened several times this year.  Yes, there is a man in this picture catching a trout, but he is very well camouflaged. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Chimney Rock and a Chilling Tale

Yesterday I hopped on the Burg and took off without having a destination in mind.  I was just following my nose along Cane Creek Road when I saw a sign for Chimney Rock, so off I went.  It was a bit chilly but another gorgeous day.  I have so many memories of that road and that place.

The sun was so bright it almost glowed

Once mom and I were traveling on a bus along that curvy road.  We were sitting near the back right across from the rest room.  A rather large lady went in and closed the door.  The bus rounded a curve, the door flew open and there she sat in all her glory!  I was just a young lad and it scared me to be seeing that much of her, so I quickly turned my head while she grabbed for the door.  Momma just howled with laughter! 

Another time mom and I were coming to the mountains and we were in my Austin Healy Sprite.  It was red and pretty fast, so we enjoyed the curves and the view.  Moma loved Chimney Rock, too, and went there often as a young woman.  She even had her picture in the paper once while visiting there. 

Lake Lure near Chimney Rock

Then there was the Chimney Rock Hill Climb and my good friend George Holcomb racing his Lotus Elan to the top.  It was a beautiful car and very fast.  He didn't win any prizes, but we sure partied hard at the camp ground.  Gary Blake and crew even came up from Wilmington to enjoy the event.  We were camped right next to the river and the view was splendid.  It was a very fine time, indeed!

When I got back I went to the ABC store in Fletcher and the manager struck up a conversation as I was checking out.  With just a couple of questions, he quickly learned I was an IP (instructor pilot) in T-37's at Moody AFB around the time he was there as a student.  He and 2 others survived a midair collision in 2 Tweets and he had to eject to survive.  His IP didn't make it.  His parachute was missing 7 panels because of the way he had to punch out.  He wound up hanging from a pine tree with his feet just off the ground.  It was quite a story!  To say he was lucky is a gross understatement!  He went on to fly B-52s for the rest of his career. 

Fall Beauty

The beauty of this fall season is among the best I can ever remember.  Being on the parkway almost every day has let me see the changes, subtle and not so subtle.  The view from the scooter helps a lot, but the view from Hugh's Mercedes is pretty good, too!

On Tuesday I took my friend, Gail Cyr, on here first cycle ride.  We went up Mount Mitchell on a partly cloudy, cool and blustery day.  The weather man was calling for 80 and clear skies and missed it by a mile.  It got a little chilly, to be sure, but the ride was fun and the colors were awesome.  Gail was a very good friend in high school, so we had some nice chats when we stopped to enjoy the views and rest our rears.  Her husband, Byron, is a retired naval officer and submariner, the first I've ever met.  Though our meeting was brief, I was very impressed by him. 

Gail Setzer Cyr

Yesterday Marcia and I enjoyed a movie here, as it was a little too chilly to ride.  It was nice just to slow down and relax with each other.

Hugh and I had planned to play golf today, but the weather was iffy again: rainy, overcast and windy.  So we enjoyed a slow coffee at Earthfare, then went up the parkway in his Mercedes, top up this time.  We went to a favorite spot, Graveyard Fields, and walked down to the lower falls.  It was another spectacular day!  We enjoyed our conversation and the colors very much.  We never fail to find a lot to talk about!  

This evening Marcia and I went to see Secretariat and liked it a lot.  It was made by Disney so it made us laugh and made us cry.  Diane Lane was very good as the owner and the supporting cast was good as well. 

Hope the weather will allow a ride on the Burg tomorrow, as I miss it already although I've only missed a couple of days.   There have been a few nibbles on the Vespa, but nothing serious.  Its' sale may have to wait until spring. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Ying Time

Lake Junaluska

Yesterday at Jubilee was one of the most unique experiences I've ever had in a place of worship or on sacred ground.  Many times I've felt like the preacher/teacher was talking only to me, but yesterday went a bit beyond that.

Via Negativa is about the fall season, and the bulletin used the ying/yang symbol to help describe this time of the year. 

"Ying usually stands for the moon and winter.  That's where we're headed as we move into the autumn season.  Yin is dark, interior, stillness, and cold.  Yin times can be grief times. Yin times can mean uncertainty.  Yin time is when we find ourselves going inside. Way inside.  Ying time is when we sit quietly in the dark, allowing the darkness to have its way with us.  But it sometimes opens us to epiphanies of the mind and spirit." 

As "painful as it can be, emptiness, too, is vital to life's very existence."

The first song was "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" by Paul Simon, and I cried more than I sang.  The tears just flowed freely and I was...relieved...that I could do that there.  It was that safe for me.  I have come a long way since sitting in the balcony at Unity Church on a Sunday morning, crying hard and alone, yet not alone, and feeling the goodness flowing  from all the people in the space below me.   That was a bridge over very troubled waters and so was yesterday- they were the  same, and very different, at the same time. 

During the message, Howard Hanger, the minister of ritual, sang "Lean On Me" and I was able to sing some of that one.  The theme for his message was "Sorrow and Compassion". 

From Howard's Learnings:
"Ying times in our lives are the dark times, the cold times.  Ying times are not the mountain highs, but the valley lows.  While Yang is out boogeying at a party, Ying is home alone or perhaps taking a long walk by herself in the woods.  Yang is a rocky cliff in the bright sun; Ying is a glassy mountain lake at midnight. 
   Ying times, therefore, are sometimes lonely.  Sometimes empty or negated.  Vacant, chilly and uncertain.  Ying times can be grief times.  Ying times can mean uncertainty. Ying time is when we sit quietly in the dark, allowing the darkness to have its way with us.  Ying time is the hollowed out void that can sometimes scare the bejesus out of us and sometimes open us to epiphanies of the mind and spirit.  " 

"Compassion for me is just what the word says: it is 'suffering with'."  It is an immediate participation in the suffering of another to such a degree that you forget yourself and your own safety and spontaneously do what is necessary."  Joseph Campbell

"Nature requires that we form a relationship between our joy and our despair, that they not remain divided or hidden from one another.  For these are the feelings which must cross-pollinate and inform each other in order that the soul be enlivened and strong."
                                 Leunig, The Prayer Tree

After church, I went to my favorite pub for lunch, Jack in the Wood, having a Dead Guy Ale and a lamb burger and a dram of very fine scotch.  I drank the scotch in a toast to LaVerne and asked forgiveness from her for eating the lamb.  Ying/yang. 

Marcia and I rode the burg to Lake Junaluska on a gorgeous day, leaves just starting to change.  A little nip in the air.  Lots of bikes out and about.  It felt grand!  Lake J. is beautiful, with nice homes, retreat centers, athletic centers and places of worship.  We walked the 2.6 mile path around the lake and enjoyed the sunshine, water and each others' company.  Life is GOOD!!!

Marcia at Lake Junaluska

Remembering LaVerne: Our History

Our wedding day

2002  We met for the first time on June 3 of this year through a mutual friend, Jan Wynns.  On June 9, her husband, Joe, passed away.  It was my 55th birthday.  I sent her a note of condolence and said I would like to see her again if and when she wanted to.

2003  The next time I saw her was on January 2 on a business trip to Raleigh, as I was still living in Boone at the time. We saw each other more and more often as the year progressed and grew much closer.  In November she had appendicitis and an MRI showed cancer in her left lung.  She had a pneumonectomy in early December and said to me beforehand that if I had any doubts and wanted to leave, now was the time.  I loved her very much at that point and promised to stay with her.

2004  In April, on a break from chemotherapy, we went on our first road trip and L's first cruise.  She was hooked!  After that we took cruises whenever her health and time allowed.  In May we attended a party in Asheville for Wayne Caldwell's first book being published.  When my contract with the Montessori school was up in June, I moved to Raleigh to be with her.  It was a tough transition for both of us and we had some fierce disagreements and some wonderful makeups!  In September we went to the opening of the Native American Museum in Washington, DC and saw a fine show, "Spirit: the 7th Fire" on the mall.  It was a great trip in many ways.

2005  We went to Philadelphia in May to see "Spirit..." for the second time and toured the city as well.  It was another terrific trip.  In December, around her birthday, I gave her a ring and asked her to marry me.  Our love was intense and we wanted to celebrate that with our family and friends.

2006  We were married on January 28th at Unity Church of Raleigh by Reverend Susan Scott-Downs.  Everyone had a lot of fun and many said it was the best wedding they had ever been to.  LaVerne said it was the happiest day of her life and it certainly was one of mine.  We went to the Argonaut Hotel in San Francisco for our honeymoon with a side trip to Monterrey.  

Nick and his girls

LaVerne lounging at the Argonaut

   In April we took a road trip with her dad, Nick, to Savannah to see the 8th Air Force museum.  Nick was a gunner on a bomber during WWII.  He was like a kid in a candy store at the gift shop and that alone made the trip worthwhile.  The trip went well so the three of us went to Ft. Wayne, IN in may to see L's sister, Suzanne and her husband, Dave.    In September we went to London with a side trip to Amsterdam.  In London we saw "The Producers" onstage and were fortunate enough to tour Buckingham Palace, the first time it had ever been open to the public.  The highlight of the trip for LaVerne was a PITA protest outside the palace regarding the bearskin hats worn by the palace guardsmen.  She was by their side in a flash and reaching for her wallet!

2007  In May we took another cruise, probably with her sister Marianne and Lou, and in December we took our longest cruise of 10 days to the Panama Canal.  She was still feeling good and climbed to the top of a fort in Cartegena, Columbia.  She was a trooper for sure!

Lou, Marianne, LaVerne and me

2008  In February we went to Sarasota, FL for the wedding of my niece, Jennifer Sierra.  L got to meet my sisters Barbara and Nancy, their husbands Luis and Randy, as well as a neighbor of the Sierra's, Grace.  L and Grace hit it off like long lost buddies!  Except for some short visits to the condo at the beach, this was our last trip.  With the treatments no longer working and nothing else to try, we called Hospice on September 11.  By then her breathing was labored all the time and she was on oxygen 24/7.  Her spirits were up more than down, and she always showed great courage.  LaVerne passed away on October 10, 2008* at 7:30 pm in our home with me by her side and her sisters Marianne and Lorraine close by.  I had just found a Catholic mass on TV and within a minute, she was gone.
*NOTE:  It's October 13, 2010 and I just realized that I had typed 2010 above as the date of L's passing. 

LaVerne's look of mischief and Nick

Marianne and I became very close over these years, as she was usually there for L's treatments and doctor appointments.  She's truly a sister to me and I treasure her dearly.  We remain close and spend time together whenever we can.  Nick, L's father, is 88 and his health is slowly declining, yet he still has that laugh in his voice and twinkle in his eye, just like LaVerne's.    As I said last year when we put her ashes in the ocean, bon voyage, baby! 

On the Road, No Destination

Being on the road without a destination gave me a unique feeling of freedom.  I can't recall ever doing that before, although it's pretty likely that I have at some point.  I was definitely in the moment and stayed there for a while.  Thinking about where I would be at night fall would have put me in the future, so I just coasted for a little bit.  It was fun!  It was uplifting.  It was good.

As I drifted along, I remembered that I had a credit at a campground in Marion created when I cancelled a reservation there and stayed near Asheville instead.  So I went to Mountain Stream RV park about 8 miles north of Marion and it was beautiful!  I had a prime site next to the creek and could hear it clearly even without my hearing aids.  The parkway was a short drive away so the Burg and me hit the road for a little spin.  The colors were just beginning and it was fine, mighty fine indeed!

On Tuesday, Marcia came to visit for the afternoon, as we had been missing each other very much and didn't want to wait until Thursday.  As usual, we had a wonderful time together and enjoyed some laughter mixed with some tears, too.  There have been more sad moments than usual this week, as it was 2 years ago that LaVerne was nearing the end of her life on earth. 

Marcia is a good passenger on the Burg and had never ridden before I invited her to ride with me.  Since I've returned to Fletcher, we have gone on a couple of rides, one on the parkway and another to Hot Springs today.  Tomorrow afternoon we plan to ride to Lake Junaluska, a sacred place, and hopefully let the spirits help our healing a little bit more.

I've been to Davidson River twice since returning, and even caught a trout at the base of Sliding Rock.  I'd always wanted to fish there but it's usually full of sliders/swimmers.  It was a little bitty thing, not enough for a snack, so back he went.  It was gorgeous day and a thoroughly enjoyable outing.  Marcia and I were there the day before and there were several swimmers in spite of it being "closed". 

Marcia at Sliding Rock

Tomorrow I hope to post a memorial to LaVerne here, along with some of my favorite pics of her.  There are times when I still miss her very much, yet those times are fewer and farther between now.  Some folks had told me the second year was worse than the first, but that hasn't been true for me.  Thanks to the grief support groups, my fine therapist, my family and friends, I have been able to heal and find happiness again.  And in the process, I have found the place where I belong, my home. 

At the Coast-part2

On Thursday, September 30, it was still raining and had been for several days.  Sometimes lighter, sometimes heavier, but it was constant.  The inside of the trailer was like a sauna with all the moisture from my wet clothes.  I should have just left them in the back of the truck.

Around 2 that afternoon, there was a loud knock at the door and a drenched young man announced that the park was being evacuated and I had about an hour before they locked the gate.  He said I could leave my trailer if I wanted to, but he didn't know when the gate would be unlocked.  The nearby river was rising rapidly and they predicted the park would be under water.  So I loaded up the Burg, hooked up the trailer and was off to Marianne and Lou's house in Newport,a short drive away.  It sure was good to have a friendly and familiar place to go!

Saturday brought a beautiful, sunny day, so Mar and I went to play golf while Lou was off cowboy action shooting.  Neither of us played very well, but it was so good to be outside and not be wet!  The course was in good shape considering all the rain.  I had a brief hot streak of hitting greens in regulation and 2 putting for pars, but that was about it. 

Sister-in-law, Marianne

Fred at Cherry Point MCAS golf course

For a long time now I've been referring to the trailer as Howhee - Home on Wheels - Whoopee!  And Howhee had been needing a bath for a long time, so it finally got one while at Mar's.  I scrubbed it with a bleach and dish detergent solution to remove mildew and was amazed by how good he looked!  Like brand new!  With Mar's help, I even got up on the roof and cleaned the skylights. 

I can't thank Marianne and Lou enough for their warm hospitality and help during a rather difficult time.  It was so good to be with them for a few days and difficult to leave.  I left on Sunday morning without having a destination in mind, knowing only that I was headed west.  It was supposed to start raining again there and I'd had enought wetness for a while. My next reservation was for Wednesday at Rutledge RV park in Fletcher.  So for a while, I was "on the road again" not knowing where I was going, and that was just fine!

At the Coast-part 1

I left Chapel Hill on September 27 and headed for Cedar Point, NC, on the coast.  It's a beautiful little campground near Newport and is usually full on the weekends and doesn't take reservations.  When I arrived it was about 1/4 full so I found a very nice site and settled in for only $11 a day, senior rate. 

The next afternoon I headed to Wilmington for an overnight stay to work with my client at the Graystone Inn on Wednesday.  Derick had mentioned that his Uncle Gary always asked about me, so I decided to go for a visit.  It was terrific!  We told many stories and did a lot of catching up in a short time.

D. Gary Blake, former brother-in-law

  I had decided to ride the Burg, in spite of the weather forecast, and got wet just before arriving at his house.  The rain continued when I left there for the inn, so my first task upon arrival was a hot bath in the giant tub.   The inn is a restored mansion and very plush.  It was nice to be pampered in style!

Graystone Inn, Wilmington, NC, my room

My client was NCHARRP (North Carolina Housing Authority Risk Retention Pool) which provides insurance for public housing.  This was the third time I had worked with their board and staff on a 5 year strategic plan.  I was more than a little scared, since I hadn't done this type of work , or any work, in quite a long time.  Before we began, I felt like "Stony Burk getting ready to come out of chute number 5", a bronco rider TV show from long ago.  But once I stood up and spoke, I felt great!  It was wonderful to be working again and doing a pretty good job in spite of the rust.  Fortunately I had a fine group of folks who focused well, worked hard and accomplished all that they wanted.  It gave me a nice boost in confidence. 

Part of my group

It rained hard all day and the forecast was calling for 45mph winds that afternoon and evening.  I had foolishly left the canopy on the trailer out and was afraid it would rip off in the high winds.  So I called Marianne in Newport, asking if she would take it down for me and she agreed.  The group wanted me to stay over another night and I said okay, thinking the rain would slack off the next day.  By 5:00, the forecast had changed again calling for worse weather the next day.  So I decided to leave, hopped on the Burg and took off.

I drove  north in the driving rain for 1 hour and 45 minutes.  Luckily the wind wasn't blowing and it was very warm.  The windscreen on the Burg was a lifesaver and my light weight rain suit helped a little bit.  I sang and hummed nonsense tunes constantly to help me stay focused on riding a good ride and being safe.  I saw a truck hydroplane in front of me and wind up in the muddy median.  I was constantly looking for that in case I had to dodge one. 

Near the end of the ride my visor fogged up and I missed my turn.  With the visor up and looking around the windshield, I finally found it and got home.  When I lowered my arms, the water poured out of the sleeves of my jacket.  Rainwater had found parts of me that had never felt rainwater before, I'm sure.  It felt like I had been immersed in a swimming pool for all that time and everything was thoroughly soaked, including all the bills in my money clip.  Somehow my camera and cellphone escaped unharmed, though I'm not at all sure why.

Well, I wanted adventure and I got it!  I now own a brand new rain suit, purchased from a neighbor here at Rutledge for a bargain price.  However, I don't plan on doing that again any time soon. 

Stay tuned for part 2....tomorrow.  Thanks for stopping by!

Evacuation!

On Thursday at Cedar Point camp ground, they ordered me to leave within an hour or be locked in.  So I went to sister-in-law Marianne's house in Newport and stayed until this morning.  I'm now at Mountain Stream RV Park near Marion, NC, and will return to Rutledge on Wednesday. 

Once I get there, I'll do some serious blog entries with lots of pics and on Sunday, October 10, I'll do a special on "Remembering LaVerne" along with some pictures of her. 

Thanks for stopping by!  I have a story or two to tell about all the rain on the coast.  See you soon....