I haven’t been posting any original posts lately so thought I’d ramble on here a bit about what’s going lately. Time to exercise my creative fingers a bit.
It’s Saturday morning and I am being lazy. I’m just moving around really and it’s almost noon. I love days like this though. Days where there is no work, no commitments and really no “have to” errands, though there are some things I can do if I want. The house does need cleaning and I probably should swing by the grocery today. It’s already in the upper 80s here in Tampa. Sun is shining, sky is blue. The motorcycle is whispering my name and that may be what today brings about.
This past week my best friend’s brother died. He’d been battling brain cancer for a few months now. In a sense to the family it was a relief as he never had any pain or real suffering in that sense. Grant it, it wasn’t enjoyable however, he didn’t linger here suffering immensely. At the end they had him at a wonderful Hospice House the family could not praise enough. The funeral was yesterday and though the grief of loss and absence of their brother was evident, the service was a beautiful celebration of his life. A marvelous tribute to the man he was. I knew him, though not very well. I have been blessed to have been taken somewhat into their family fold so to speak. Being single and not close with my immediate family I have been blessed by friend’s family tremendously. I spent almost every Christmas Eve the past several years at my friend’s brother’s house (the one who passed this week). It was a precious thing to be included in. I too will miss him, though not nearly as much or in the sense his family and close friends will. I’m glad he did not suffer there at the end and died peacefully with his sister (my friend) by his side.
On an entirely different note, I have been working on travel plans. I am really branching out of my “comfort zone” and doing some things I have never done before. First, I told my boss of the past six years that I was actually taking a vacation this year (you know, time off where you actually do NO work - I usually end up working whenever I take time off or go out of town). Then I told him that I was taking an entire week off (Mon-Fri) which I have never done. I’ve always worked at least part of a week. On top of that, I am taking two extra work days off. Woo hoo! I can’t wait.
I’m branching out of my comfort zone as I am off to the North Pacific (Seattle, WA specifically), gonna meet a new friend, then ride motorcycles up to Vancouver where we are going to check out The Fringe Event weekend. I’ve never been to any of these places and have NEVER attend an event such as this. It will be an interesting event I am sure. And, it will definitely be a new adventure; especially. for this motorcycle rider who is used to the flat land riding here in FL. This all came about very quickly and I am very excited about the trip. Admittedly, I’m still a bit unsure about The Fringe Event, yet I am interested to meet new people and check it all out. I’m very excited to explore the Pacific Northwest some and Vancouver, particularly by motorcycle. We are evening staying an extra day in Vancouver to ride the Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler. The trip is a little less than two months away. I can’t wait!
Interesting enough, I am shipping my ride out to Seattle. This all came about in an interesting way; yet the cost ended up being only a couple hundred more than renting a motorcycle. I much prefer to have my own ride as I know it, know how it reacts and such; yet most of all - I think it is cooler looking than any rental! HA! I haven’t told any of my family or my best friend yet about the trip. I haven’t as well, they may think me a bit crazy actually and then also, they all hate the motorcycle. They worry I think. Funny as this trip isn’t really very far in the motorcycling sense. It just seems far as it’s taking place all the way across the US and in Canada. Otherwise, I’ve rode the same mileage on trips within Florida. This trip feels different though and yes, I am VERY excited. I’m completely prepped too except for airfare. I keep hoping it’ll go down.
Otherwise, life here in Tampa is just the same ol’, same ol’. Working mostly. My boss and his family leave Sunday for a short vacation. They are going on a cruise and I am very excited. It’s just him and I at my work so when he is gone I actually do work as he promised I would (one of the MANY promises he never kept when he hired me). This means I get all the work done, yet work whatever hours. I’ll go into the office a little later, make sure all is taken care of and then leave. It also gives me the chance for appointments or things that need to be done during the week that I can’t really do when he is here. I will never understand why he can’t be by himself. He won’t let me work this way when he is in town as he hates being by himself; so a lot of days I have nothing to do and am just stuck sitting there. Oh well. I’m looking for other work, looking anywhere in the US actually. The economy is still bad though and I can’t make half of what I am making. So, I trudge on here.
Well, I am done rambling for today. I am off to do whatever. Have an excellent Saturday. Enjoy your weekend!
