A Month in a Minivan: Day 13

Lucky 13 🙂

Balance Restored. I woke up rested and peaceful, back at a long term visitor area but not in the circle. Just the nearest one to Quartzsite, so I could easily get on the road this morning.

This morning Pip and I woke, walked, gassed up the van, poured a “double-the-caffeine” cup of coffee at Chevron and I tried to get most of the desert dust off my windows so I could see where I was going!

Then off we went: bound for Lake Havasu. Reason? Mostly because I like it there! Ha Ha! Ok, and two other reasons: I needed a hair cut, and I needed to stock up on Pippa’s favourite food and chewy treats.

In order to make a CONCERTED effort to SLOW DOWN in my travels, I made a stop at Buckskin State Park just after Parker. I’d heard a day pass was expensive at many of the State Parks, but I thought I’d investigate myself. I’m quite sure this is a new behaviour, this “Investigating myself.”In the past I would likely have driven right by.

What I discovered in stopping, however,  was that for $3 I could hike the trail that is near the entrance to the park. I’ve already forgotten what the day pass cost, but $3 seemed reasonable, and we enjoyed a lovely hour on a trail that went up the big hill. There is also an educational cacti garden nearby, where I discovered what a “prickly pear” and a “beaver tail” cactus was, as well as desert holly.

After our hike we headed directly for Havesu, and stopped first at the dog park this side of the city. Pippa squeaked with delight as we arrived, clearly happy to be in a familiar place. We stayed almost two hours, she with her buddies, me with mine. This is hands-down the most social dog park I have ever been in. EVERYONE talks together.

Next, a stop at the pet food store, and finally to get my hair cut. Nothing like a hair cut to perk one up a little 🙂

This evening I enjoyed a recovery meeting here in Havesu, and I actually talked with two people who remembered me from when I was here before.

We arrived at our BLM camping area just south of the city at dark, and I took my time putting away Pippa’s food, making a small dinner for myself and feeding Pippa. Then I rubbed cream on my poor feet. A month of dry desert air and lack of attention have once again resulted in cracked heels. Must remember to tend to them each day for a while, otherwise they get to the point I can’t walk on them!

Yesterday’s internal chaos feels as though it were a dream, or maybe just a very long time ago.  I read yesterday’s post twice, and it feels almost as if written by someone else. But it wasn’t a dream; I have days like that sometimes. Today I am grateful that instead of taking days or sometimes weeks to get to the other side of that sort of chaos, I have internal helpers who step forward more quickly to show me the pathway back.

Guides. Soul Sherpas.

Today I am grateful for friends I have been blessed to make, and for friends I will make further on down the road. I’m feeling braver.