Looking ahead

It's beautiful fall back in this part of North Carolina.
I believe this is my last day to have fun updating my blog with memories since I left home October 4. There are many more photos and memories that have been put into my computer and may sometime get printed for scrapbooks, but not soon. I'm feeling thankful for all the recent experiences and invigorated to start my revised routine back home. I have a commitment with three weekly Baha'i Ruhi Institute new study circles that involve average drives of over two hours round trip each. These begin this week and will run for undetermined length of time, every Mon-Tues-Wed. In additin, I've made a promise to myself to put regular, almost daily (M-F) focus and energy into the Blackwell Book that's been a "must do this" in my life for over twenty years. This commitment will be a personal challenge because I want to treat those hours like serious uninterrupted work time, something I've not done recently except for temporary part-time work with Dine College in Tsaile, AZ. So........... Retured I am............but active with really worthwhile activities. Life is good.

As we approach Thanksgiving, I want to remember...........

"O thou handmaid of God! In this day, to thank God for His bounties consisteth in possessing a radiant heart, and a soul open to the promptings of the spirit. This is the essence of thanksgiving."

Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’ page 179

Jamaica treasures

Tom and Elsy really enjoyed the laid back joyful friendly tourist atmosphere of Jamaica. Favorite trinkets brought back include hat with dreadlocks and shirt for Chis and a wood carved guitar player.

Houston this morning...Sneads Ferry by mid afternoon. This is so much easier than driving!

8am Houston time. I’m in the airport, already through security, at the gate with about 45 minutes till boarding. The good news is that there is good internet connection, and I figure I can finish updating my blog. The bad news is that it is not a free service, and I’m not going to pay to get on the web. I can write some and then add it to the blog if I have time between flights in Charlotte or later today or tomorrow from home.
HOME….that sounds good. To be in my own home, my own kitchen, my own yard, in my own bed, driving my own car. Life is good.
Elsy and Tom got home last night. It was a good trip for them, from a business standpoint and more importantly from a personal standpoint. They are both much more relaxed than when they left five days ago. I had fun with both boys while their parents were gone. My son was impressed with the homework done and test grades received by his sixteen year old this past week. When Elsy hugged me good-bye this morning at the airport curb, she said, “Thank you for everything. You brought a lot of love into the house!” Who could ask for more? On the way to the airport, we talked about possible times together sometime soon.

Houston Baha'i Center and other Baha'i gatherings

It took almost a week until I established contact with local Baha'is. Then I found information online about the Houston Baha'i Center and drove there for a Sunday morning devotions service. It was wonderful to meet some of the local Baha'is. Because it took me some time and energy to locate Baha'is, I think my Kingwood family thought I'm the only Baha'i for miles around. Houston is a big city, and I drove a ways into it, not familiar with the highways, or even much with the family car I'd borrowed. However, it worked, and I was able to go again for Feast with a couple people from Kingwood. People are busy with their lives, and so was I, so I didn't spend as much time as I had hoped with Baha'is.
However, while here, I firmed up more details about the upcoming Atlanta Conference on December 5-6, one of 41 conferences called for by The Universal House of Justice in a letter October 20th, to be held worldwide over the next few months. It's wonderful, though not surprisinng, to be getting emails from friends all over the southeast United States who are making plans to get to Atlanta. Folks here in Houston are urged to attend the Conference in Dallas the weekend after Atlanta.
Arizona/New Mexico friends will be hoping to go to the Los Angeles Conference.

POW-WOW in Houston

Not nearly as big as those in the southwest, but it gave a small taste of a Native American celebration to my son and grandsons who hadn't ever seen a pow-wow. Of course, I looked forward to fry bread, and I talked a lot about it ahead, and I got in a short line to get some. It took a long time, and my son told his sons who were waiting nearby, "She's probably sending it back and telling them to remake it." Well, almost. I saw some come out that looked better than what was first handed to me, so I said I'd buy from the next bunch. Well, Pearl, you wouldn't have been able to eat it at all! For folks who have never had fry bread, I guess it was ok, but it sure wasn't like Bertie's or Pearl's or anyone's who makes Navajo fry bread. This was not Heard Museum or Pueblo Center fry bread! The costumes were fun to see, and we watched a couple dances. There was a small drum group. I miss Arizona and New Mexico.

Time in Kingwood

There's been time for reading and some crafts, alone or with my younger Texas grandson. My son updated music in my ipod, and I learned why the sound has not been good. I would turn the volume up on the ipod and the speaker, and still, it would be too soft to use in a room with anyone else. The reason? The master control setting for highest volume possible was set low. I could hardly believe it! I wished last spring at Louise's that I could play music in the living room that she could hear or at meetings. Well, now I can.
Most important thing was grandma time with both Texas grandsons. I enjoyed helping Kevin with homework. He's a math whiz like his dad. And he reads several grade levels above his school grade. I bought him a new book for his twenty minutes a day reading assignment. MARLEY. We took turns reading to one another and laughed a lot. My favorite photos from Kingwood will probably be those taken of the seven year old when he played in a water puddle outside the house one afternoon after school. It all happened in less than five minutes until he came in the house and changed wet clothes and shoes, but it was definitely a "kodak moment" for a grandma who loves to take photos.

Leave Tsaile again and fly from Albuquerque to Houston

Now when I say "good-bye" to friends on the Navajo Reservation, it no longer seems sad. Time goes by so fast, and pretty soon, it's time to plan another visit. This is one of the bounties that increases with age. I don't know when I'm going back, but I "trust the process" that it won't be long.
My son picked me up on Oct 23, at the Houston airport for my expected eleven day visit, and we began the twenty minute drive home to Kingwood. Before we even got to his house, he said, "You know, Mom, it would really help us out if you'd stay another week and a half. We're leaving on a business trip just a few days after your intended departure, and if you'd stay, you could take care of the boys." Well, within about another half hour, back at the house, we talked to family in NC, I knew there were no appointments or commitments that could not be changed, and my son had made new flight arrangements.
When I leave tomorrow, it's after twenty-two days here in Kingwood. It's been a good visit. This is a busy household. With the parents in their own business, there are apt to be activities, sometimes planned and sometimes spur of the moment almost any time. I've met some of their friends and some of their business associates, and with all the intercultural associations, it's really interesting. My daughter-in-law holds meetings in Spanish with many Latinos from the Houston area. My son does a lot of phone counseling and sometimes holds online chats with people, mainly in Mexico.
Hall-o-ween included a couple carved pumpkins, light sticks for all the trick-or-treaters, and fog at the front door.
We went to a "Dance with Parents" P.E. activity at the elementary school. Also my daughter-in-law and I went to a parent conference. I helped with seven year old's homework. I can almost keep up with his math, and I like math! I'm still a better reader than he, though not much. I bought a new book for his 20 minutes/day reading homework. The book is on middle school level, I think. I cannot believe his word approach to figuring out new words. His mom and I helped with a mock election held on November 4th. My job was to check the children's voter registration forms. What good practice for future voters. It was well organized, quite realistic, and the kids were appropriately excited and nervous and respectful.
The most sentimental comment from my son was his assurance that, regardless of whatever personal situation I have in my own home, there are so many family members in North Carolina who love having me close, and "You always have a place with us here in Kingwood anytime." I cried a little when I shared that comment of his with my daughter-in-law, and it could lead to a tear as I write his words here.

Get togethers with Baha'is

Pinon picking and frybread making and other laughing times together were wonderful, but the best times in Tsaile were the gatherings we had in the Baha'i community. We met at the Coffey's home a couple times, once for a Women's Circle and once for the Holy Day (Oct 20). In addition, Bertie and I hosted three evenings at her home to complete Ruhi Institute study circles with Book two. I don't have photos of those study circles, but the same women were there who were with us last spring. Now, over three weeks later, it seems like a dream that we were able to meet together all those times in the short visit for me this fall in Tsaile. What special times indeed!

Fry bread lessons

Bertie also spent time trying to teach me how to make fry bread.....AGAIN! This is an ongoing effort from Navajo friends.

Eight busy wonderful days in Tsaile

I stayed the whole time in Tsaile at Bertie's home. She was the secretary in our college TRIO program from 1990 to 1994. She's already been mentioned on my blog from when I was in Tsaile last spring, staying with Louise. It is so wonderful to have friends from so long ago who are closer now than ever.
Bertie had to work during the week while I was there. I met co-workers and her supervisor where she is so appreciated for her great work as a coordinator of activities and a teacher of special needs students throughout the Chinle School District. Since we worked together almost 15 years ago, Bertie went back to college and got more training and certification for her current work. She has really found her nitch, and I am so proud of her and blessed to have her as a friend. This time with her, she taught me more about pinons, about the trees, and how to find the nuts on the ground, how to tell if they'll be really good or not. Pearl has always loved pinons. (I think they are about the same, if not just the same, as the Pine nuts from Pineto, Italy, where two grandsons live, in the town named for those nuts....the pine nuts, not my grandsons!) I still have one in a film can in the kitchen that Alan (grandson) picked up for me when we were together in Pineto to visit his grandmother when he and his family lived in Brazil about 1995. One of the new recipes I've made calls for pine nuts. In the grocery store in Kingwood, Texas, the pine nuts are from China. Navajos almost all love pinons. They fall from the trees only every other fall or less. For a few weeks, when it's pinon time, it's obvious every where. Students bring them to school and eat them during class. In offices, it's very common to witness secretaries at their desks enjoying pinons. The shell should be taken off before eating them, but the first time I was given a few (early 1990's) I ate the first one shell and all. Well, that was another time added to others, when I was so culturally dumb on the reservation and provided laughs for my Navajo students.

Still away from home after a month more

It's been a month since I posted anything on this site. Tomorrow I fly home to North Carolina, and earlier today I figured if I don't update some of the time I've been away today, it'll probably not happen. After five days in Sedona, I drove to the Navajo Reservation, destination: Tsaile, AZ. On that drive, I went through Flagstaff. It's been a warm fall, and there was no snow by that time, mid October, on San Francisco Peaks. While in Flagstaff, I went to the visitor's center, right in the center of town, next to railroad tracks. While out of the car, I received a phone call from my sister, Pat. She wanted me to know that our brother's mother-in-law (almost 100 years old and just recently fell) was not recovering well, and there was the thought that she was probably leaving this world very soon. Just before the phone rang with Pat's call, a train went by, and I thought of our mother who told us that she loved hearing trains go by when she was a little girl because she always figured someone was on a trip going to some wonderful place. And now I realized that Carole's mom was on her way very soon on the best trip any of us make. It seemed an appropriate sentimental kind of thought as I said prayers for Carole and her mom and all their family during these days of change.
Then it was on to Tsaile for me.

Sedona, AZ -----as beautiful as ever ---- I say that every time I'm here!

After a wonderful Baha'i Fireside and potluck in a home near Curt and Pearl's on Saturday evening, I left Albuquerque on Sunday morning. The rental car I have is another good one. The trip went smoothly to Gallup where I met Lauren (1990's co-worker and owner of doublewide I rented in Shiprock in summer 2007) at Earl's Restaurant, and we had a wonderful two plus hours visit. We knew we could have enjoyed even more time together, but there were "miles to go" before my next stop. Arrival in Sedona was before sunset, so I got a good view of the beautiful red rocks from 89A. And it is wonderful to be here again. This is true inspite of the new "round-abouts" at 89A and 179 and lots of road construction right at the entrance to Los Abrigados. Actually, this last thing helps because it's always been a challenge to get out of this property, and now there are two traffic manager persons to help cars in and out.

A couple more photos from Ghost Ranch Friday trip

RV practice

Our second "day trip", on Saturday, just Curt and Pearl and I went for a ride up to about Sante Fe and over to Madrid (pronounced MA-drid with accent on the first syllable) where the funny movie "Road Hogs" was filmed. This day trip was for Curt to get more driving experience in their new RV. He wanted to see how it handled in wind. We expected a little wind, but while we were gone, a tremendous storm came up with winds predicted at 75 mph. We kept listening to the radio to know the whereabouts of the storm and avoided the worst of it. We never got driving in really bad winds, but Curt was pleased with the handling of the RV in the conditions we did experience. When we got back home, there were little piles of hail in the driveway.

Driving around Albuquerque, early fall colors and other sights.

We made two day trips the end of the week. On Friday, Curt and Pearl and her mom and I drove in Curt's car to Abiquiu and Ghost Ranch. Peg Dunn had taken Mom and me to that area about ten or twelve years ago. It is very beautiful. Several photos here of rocks and trees were taken at Ghost Ranch, as well as one of the "painted pony" at the office entrance.

Special shapes glodeo and fireworks

The evening we were at the Albuquerque Balloon Festival included the glodeo and fireworks. Balloons don't go up at night, but there were hundreds of them on the grounds, and often they would all fire up at the same time, creating the "glow." Pearl and I settled ourselves on the ground, she in a chair she carried, and me on a bath towel, and we were right in front of the Scarecrow balloon. In one of the photos I just posted of the stork balloon being inflated, the scarecrow is visable laying on its side, also being inflated.
After a while, all the balloons are deflated rather quickly. It reminded me of watching the disassembling of a circus show because it all came apart so fast. Then there was a really well done fireworks show, and I was able to get a couple photographs of that worth adding here.
Then everyone wanted to leave at once. Still, everyone being respectful and polite, but man! so many folks. When we got in line for our particular bus route (there were 8 or 10 routes using school busses from all over the Albuquerque area), looking ahead at all the people in line, I thought it would be over an hour wait before we boarded a bus. We called Curt, but he was in his car, in a lot, waiting for traffic to move, so that he could himself move at all. Pearl and I stayed in line, made friends with other people around us, took turns walking to the ladies room (there was a trailer of rest rooms, as well as portapotties all over) and we waited only about a half hour till we got on a bus. Well organized.

Special Shapes new stork balloon

The hot air balloons are so big! We went to the activities last Thursday night, the best day of 2008 Balloon Festival in Albuquerque. The weather was perfect. The crowds were huge, but everybody always enjoys the hot air balloons, so it's a joyful time and temperaments are always all positive.
Pearl and I were there for hours. We took the bus over from a church lot near her home. Curt was already there, volunteer parking for Civitan Club. This was the day of the "special shapes" with copies of Disney characters and other creative unique animal and building shapes. Many of the balloons return year after year, but there are always new ones. It was interesting to watch the balloons getting inflated, especially the new stork balloon. I'll post photos taken of the process, from seeing the very large flattened white fabric on the ground through the gradual inflation, seeing the shaped beak on the ground, and finally the total stork, complete with a bundle hanging from his beak (no baby inside that.)