NEW YEAR----NEW PAGE----NEW DAY

Add Trail Ridge Road to the list

I would like to add to my list of things to do. I want to add riding a motorcycle across Trail Ridge Road in Colorado. I've done this in a car, terrified about falling off of the narrow road that has no safety features on one side, the side that drops off of the mountain. This road , open only in the summer months, takes you from Estes Park to Grand Lake. It save 3 hours of driving when you are staying in the Rocky Mountains, as we did for 20 years during August, and you want to visit your daughter who lives in Steamboat. It cuts through the Continental Divide. You can actually see where the stream can go to the Atlantic Ocean or to the west, where it eventually finds the Pacific Ocean.The whole drive is breath taking. You go above tree line, then dip down to a glacial lake.You pass areas that have names like Never Summer Ranch. And if you take a Kodak moment and stop at an overlook, it is extremly cold. You see the snow that hasn't melted yet from the winter snows and you know that in a matter of weeks, there will be fresh snow fall. Once you commit to the drive, You are committed. It is 48 miles long. It has switch backs. It is the scariest drive I have ever done in a car. It is a one way drive after a certain point. There is no turning back.

I want to do it on a motorcycle because then I can ride in the middle of the road, near the center line, and not be afraid of driving off of the edge. That seems to be the way I notice a number of motorcycle riders doing it. That would calm my nervousness about falling off of the road. I know that motorcycle's are really dangerous and I probably am too smart to do this, but it is never too late to at least think about how much fun it would be to ride this scenic road on the back of someone elses motorcycle.

Spirit or Adventure

It's been awhile since I've seriously talked about making Aliyah. I haven't forgotten about doing this, just so much is going on around me that my focus became unfocused. I still faithfully read the Nefesh B Nefesh information and I search my thoughts to figure out how I will fit in to a country that has so many enemies and challenges. I check my reasons for wanting to put myself in this situation. Is it a spiritual drive, is it the adventure,and is it all of these things.

I bought a travel case for Cricket and I am supposed to be training her to get in it and be happy. It is getting dusty. Every now and then, she will poke her nose in, looking for a treat. She is not enthusiastic about the carry on. I sing the Shema to her every day. I think she thinks it means let's walk. She isn't ready yet.

My daughter is the closest to being there. Her plans are coming to fruition. Lucky her. I will rely on her experiences to determine where I will live .

I am really unhappy with the politics here in the states, with gun lobbies,pork bellies, crooked politicians, debt ,appointees to important cabinet positions,unemployment, hunger.Take away the pork bellies and I think I will find the same things in Israel.So this isn't what will drive me to Israel.

What will lead me there is something that I read in a NBN group email. The writer was someone who made Aliyah. Her name is Caryn Lipson. Her list for going to Israel reminded me of why I want to be there. It is never too late to add her list to mine.

1. To live in a state that runs on the Jewish calender

2. Proximity to the Kotel.

3. Live among Jews.

4. Being welcomed home when you make Aliyah,knowing that you've come home.

Beauty

I went to the beauty parlor today. I think that it is now called a beauty salon. The beautician is now called a stylist. I am a client, not a customer.Tipping is very descrete. You are given an envelope to put your gratuity in. They make change.

Men also use this beauty salon. My husband used to go to a barber. For $10 bucks and a baseball game on the radio, he had a pretty nice hair cut and he spent a pleasant couple of hours in the company of men. I really don't mind having a man getting his hair cut ,whoops, styled in the chair next to mine. As long as when I go to the bathroom, I want the shoes in the next stall to be going in the same direction as mine.

And another thought, all of the stylist are young, trim and nice looking. What happens to the older stylist. I am just asking.

There are, in some beauty salons , along the mirror's edge, pictures of some favorite event or person in the stylists life. Not in this salon. All that you see in the mirror is yourself . And the stylist with a hair blower and a large brush, working magic.

The best part of getting my hair done is the scalp massage that comes along with the shampoo. I'd pay extra for this luxury. I've tried massaging my scalp when I shampoo in the shower, but it isn't the same.

It's never too late to appreciate the skill of my stylist and just relax and let the scalp massage be the message.

Table Top

I'm not sure of what this means, but I just read a "to do" list. There were 29 things to do. I have done 15 of them. The list says to master another language. I am really try to master Hebrew, but I can't check that one off yet. I've run a marathon, I've gone on a Safari, I haven't done a cross word puzzle without reference material. Some, I think I will pass on. Like skydiving. I'll replace it with mountain climbing. The highest I've climbed is 12,000 ft. That worked for me. There was another 2,000 ft to the summit, but I was scared enough at 12,000. I still have to dance on a table top, though. I look forward to that. The author Colette said " do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm". That's the way I want to live the rest of my life, with enthusiasm. I won't be dragged down by negative thoughts, overwhelming responsibilities, nay sayers, or world events. I'm just going to look forward and plunge ahead. After all it's never too late to be foolish and enthusiastic and maybe I'll dance on that table top sooner rather than later.

COLD

Some wise person has said that if you are sick, maybe you should stay home and take care of yourself. I decided to take that advice. I stayed home for two days. It was hard to do. How would the world get along without my input. Funny, but it did. I coughed and sneezed for two days. I wasn't motivated to do much, so I watched TV during the day. I'm not a daytime TV person, so I wasn't sure what to watch. It was hard to stay awake with the choices I made. That was a good thing. It helped my cold.

I'm better now and tomarrow I expect to be back in circulation.Everyone should listen to their body and when it says to stop and have some chicken soup, it's never too late to do just that.

INTERNET

So far, so good. Day 4 and this year is starting out on a good note. My youngest grandson emailed his first eletter to me. I hope we have many years of emailing to each other. I also received an email from someone who is 90 years old. Both of their enthusiasms are contagious. The younger was proud of his bank account and that he contributed to Hurricane Sandy relief.The older friend was in awe of how the internet has opened up a world of information to him as he sits at home. Aren't we lucky. We live at a time when most of us have access to all of this information. How can we not keep our grey cells stimulated when we can look up anything we can think of. How limiting when someone says that they don't "do" the internet. It can be daunting to learn the ways of the internet, but so rewarding. I can email someone at midnight (not usually) and at 5:30 AM (more usual) I don't have to wait to look up something to check a fact. I don't ,but I could check on what my grandchildren are doing in their own world. I even was able to find a classmate that I've known since the 6 th grade, but haven't had contact with since the day we graduated from high school.

I am becoming more electronically sophisticated. I'm not so quick to randomly click a tab. I'm learning that once I click "send', I had better be prepared to take the consequences. If I make a blunder. I can't take it back. That makes me somewhat more cautious. And it should. The internet is a great learning machine. I'm glad that I am on board. It's never too late to use my search engine and not be afraid to learn something new.

Sunshine

My sons significant other has a Grandfather who will be 101 years old in February . I attribute it to his living in Florida.My son says that it is the Norwegian genes , not Florida.In our congregation, we have a member,Charlotte, who is 104, going on 105. She is not Norwegian, as far as I know. We have members in their 90's who are as active as any 50 year old. I still think it's because they live in Florida. When you aren't bothered by snow and the possibility of falling on ice, and the sun shines so many days a year, you just are so glad to be alive that you get up and move about. I think that may be the reason for a longer life in Florida.

But maybe it's the orange juice. So far, I don't remember hearing anything bad about Florida oranges. California may have oranges, but they have more stresses in California. They have mud slides and earthquakes. And they don't have Grandpa Wohlhaupter and Charlotte. It's never too late to be thankful that we decided to come to Florida.

Peeves

I just want to get some things off of my chest as we start this new year.  Ever notice how men will scratch what ever itches where ever they are. You almost never see a woman doing that. Why is this? Do the men think no one is looking? Don't the men care that someone is. Like me. Seeing a fly open doesn't qualify as a peeve, but do you just tell the guy? I usually tell his wife.  Is he embarrased or does he just zip and go his way? These are questions that I will work on answering this year. Another peeve that I have is cigarette butts. I really hate to see them in the gutters and side walks. It's nice that fewer people are smoking,so I should be happy about that. I guess because I am closer to the ground than most ,I see these butts when I am walking Cricket,and it bothers me. Either take your butt home or don't smoke.

I have one more peeve. People who throw their trash out of the car window.Would they throw their trash out of a window at home ? When I am driving, I don't want to see a hamburger wrapper come flying out of a car window.

OK, I think that does it for pet peeves. Wait. That reminded me of one more. People who don't clean up after their dog. I do it for them because I don't want a hassle when I walk Cricket and I meet a dog unlover. It's never too late to let these peeves go, pick up the poop and just start a peeve list for next year.

Love

Well, today is day one of 364 more days to follow for this year. Thank goodness it begins on a Tuesday and not a Monday. I have another week to start my diet. Everyone knows that you start diets on a Monday !

I can't remember ever actually doing the resolutions that I said I'd do. I think the list usually starts with " I will work out every day, I will become a vegetarian, I will work toward world peace."

For the second time, I watched the movie, "Bucket List". When you see a movie the second time, you pick up on phrases and themes that were overlooked the first viewing. I had remembered the adventures, but not what the movie was really about. Family and love. Without them, there is nothing. Some people trek to the mountains to find it, but for us who live with our feet on solid ground, it is right in our own house. I will work on remembering this every day for the rest of my life. It is never too late and you can never say it too much, I love the people I love.

lynn 01.01.2013 22:22

I could not have said it better! Happy Birthday Leona, love to you and Bob. Always.

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Latest comments

01.12 | 14:15

Safe travels. See you soon. sally

04.07 | 12:10

I read the last page first too. It’s a family curse.

22.05 | 12:38

so glad youre here mom!

29.08 | 17:45

Don't quite know how this got to me but it was on the top line of my computer (not in email) But I really enjoyed it. I truly admire you.