THE WORLD IS FULL OF PLACES

“The world is full of places to which I want to return”, Ford Madox Ford.

I read this quote in the Leisure Seeker, by Michael Zadoorian.   Now a movie with Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland, I always try to read the book before I see a movie.  Two old coots traveling in an RV named the Leisure Seeker, traveling along Route 66, on their last trip to Disneyland.  He has Alzheimer’s and she has cancer.   It isn’t the most uplifting book but has nice humor about the end of life.  

Places I want to return, this quote is on point.  I have been many places and might say to myself, “I want to come back here someday”.  China in 1985, Montague Island, Italy 1973, Australia 1985, Jordon Lake, etc., etc., etc.  I have not traveled as much as my dear friend Mary Ann, she has gone to exotic places, many I have never heard of.   She is the only person I know who traveled to Syria (before the war, of course), and now every day when I read or hear the horrible Syria news I think of Mary Ann.  I never considered Syria a vacation spot, even before the war, but not Mary Ann.

I have no desire to travel abroad.  I hope never to step foot in an airport.  North America has everything I want to see; and so many places I may never get to, let alone return.  We live in a beautiful country with very friendly people. 

Maude and Maggie (Austin, TX)

Lola and Maggie

As a single woman traveling alone I think people take some pity on me.  Also, walking Maggie helps, because she has to greet everyone.   How many times can I answer, “what kind of dog is that?”  She is adorable and a conversation starter.  Maggie is a rescue, and was listed as a Bearded Collie.  This picture is of Maude, and Maggie.  Maude is a “Beardie”, but who knows what Maggie is, other than a great ambassador.  However, I did chase down a guy with a dog that looked exactly like Maggie.  That dog was an Australian Shepard and Poodle.  Maggie’s best friend Lola is an Aussie-doodle, so could be.  It really doesn’t matter, other than keeping the conversation short.

Dusk at the Bay Breeze campground dock resulted in me being covered with bug bites.  No-see-ems are horrible at dusk, and white vinegar seems to be the best treatment.  I dislike bugs and bug spray equally.  I tell my fellow campers in Alaska the mosquito is the state bird.  I have been pleasantly surprised that until this last week the bugs haven’t been terrible, could be a sign that winter is over, and spring and summer are on the way, complete with bugs.

Last night a terrible storm blew through the Gulf Coast, thunder, lightning and barrels of rain.  I love a good thunder-storm and last night was a doozy!   Wonder what happens if lightning strikes an Airstream, I assume the rubber tires will serve as a ground.  Maggie hates thunder and lightning.  We woke this morning to high winds and a cleanly scrubbed sunny sky, too cold and windy for the beach.   At least it isn’t snowing.

According to the weather report it is snowing in the Great Lakes on April 15.  On a stormy day my favorite thing to do is going to a movie (maybe two).  My movie record for a snowy Saturday in Washington, D.C. is five movies in one day, one ticket and lots of popcorn.  I entered the theater at 11:00 a.m. and left at 8 p.m., and that was before theaters started serving beer and wine.  Yesterday I went to a huge Cineplex that was all but deserted.  There were 4 other patrons to see Beirut, with Jon Hamm (Mad Men).  In this very touristy area there are three movie theaters within a 20-mile radius, and they are ALL showing the very SAME movies, Hollywood blockbusters, and a few religious movies I have never heard of – it is ALABAMA.  If three theaters have 10 -14 screens each, why can’t they show a few independent (Indie) movies?  I am so spoiled having lived in Washington, D.C. where there are five independent theaters, in addition to Cineplex’s.

When I think about life after my Road2Reinvention, where I might live, one very important criteria is: there must be indie movie theater(s).  D.C., Tucson, Austin and of course Los Angeles have wonderful theaters that show independent movies, have huge reclining chairs, and serve dinner and drinks during the movie!   I am not a foodie, but I love a good movie on the big screen.  I also want to live near a beach and the ability to walk to local restaurants.  So the search continues, in the mean time there is always NetFlix, Hulu and Amazon, but watching a movie on an iPad, just isn’t the same as a BIG SCREEN.