hello again,,,

I am returning after 3 years away. I am in Izmir, Turkey nearing the end of my 90 day assignment here working with the military. I am absolutely in love with swimming in the Aegean Sea and the people who have shared joys, laughter, life discussions, and adventures. It has been respite and energizing time reminding me to not get lost in the search but to enjoy the treasures in the moment.

I am taking another twist and turn in the writing of this blog as it continues to search for its voice on the winding road of change, surprises, and uncertainties. Also, check out and like Creative Psychotherapy Resources(CPR) on Facebook to find links to workshops, books, movies, and other offerings in the community.

Discovering San Miguel

NEW ADDITIONS to My SEARCH 

our goodbye to padre Isand 

padre island castle

Mexico welcomes us     ----- signs along the way

ubiquitous 7-11....

                                                 

10 hrs. later the sign to SMA .... we arrive



 San Miguel is alive with street music, festivities, and artisans.  Neighborhood taco shops; convenience stores selling shoes, bread, milk, t-shirts; stalls of fresh fruits and vegetables and, even, neighborhood dwellings serving fresh cooked evening meals all nestle beside the cobblestone streets. Rather than government regulations and corporate establishments being the norm,  economic gain and  connections remain within the neighborhoods.

Tortilla Shop around corner from Joan's house

not 7-11 convenience shops

Joan's home is beautiful and full of life with two little boys and two dogs. And she demonstrates the ultimate kindness in her soft and generous presence.

x

Youth Lagoon - Montana

San Miguel de Allende

With a little help from our friends (Dolores, young man at visitor's center, Adrianna, and Mr. Mapquest), border crossing was smooth and easy and slow as was the 10 hr. 46min. drive down central Mexico.
We arrived tired and happy. I am loving Joan's home here....beautiful and comfortable
...more later...Buenos Noches para ahora.....

Laredo, texas

Our night time preparations for early morning border crossing and, then,  to find the most simple and quickest route south consists of 2 GPS's; mapquest; a local map and instructions from Larado visitors center; and an i-phone map.  All with differing instructions.
Joan is organizing all the options and I am writing the blog.

We will be in touch in Mexico...

WHEW ... here we are

travel time is slippery as is memory. 

Today is Tuesday and where have we been since Sunday? 

As we leave on Sunday, The New Orleans trees with the same gesture, wave goodbye and beckon us to stay.


Traveling for two days (10+ hrs.), I find the long Texan highway to Padre Island tedious while Joan points to the positive possibilities wherever we are.

 Lots of dead corn, dead palm trees, and dead gas stations on flat lands going 75mph dropping to 55 for no known reasons and back to 75.

I am entertained by the stories Joan and I tell about the people we see along the way and our guesses about the geography and making up our own names for the brown topped dying folliage.  Our word games and road- giddy- tearful- bellyful -laughter keep me awake. Then there was the adrenalyn lift when we were literally running on empty in some strange part of south Houston searching for gas and accommodations for  Sunday night.

After turning down 4 motels south of Houston on endless US 77S, we chose Super 8 where we need to change rooms because the toilets don't flush. Tired and hungry, we order chinese take out which I fed, the next morning, to the stray cat at our door.  (If you are coming with us on this journey then you must know about the tedium, also.)

I just want to know who is licensed when I meet them

Arriving in Padre Island on Monday in midday squelching heat we rest. Then running down the center of the road we, two 'old' ladies, wave down the WAVE, the local free bus, to take us to dinner. After ordering a chocolate martini, taking one sip and, then, returning the Herseys chocolate syrup in water and vodka, my cynical skepticism from our ride through the endless barren Texan road is fueled and I held low hopes for the dinner.

 I was surprised and put in my place. Our dinners of Mahi Mahi and crab cake and salads were quite good.

An evening walk along the gulf in the salt air before bed and,then, rising to a long early morning walk  and a dip in the Gulf before breakfast clears away the road weariness.

Only a few hours later to be startled alert in our quest to firm up our preparations for what's to come at the border.

The woman at the Visitors Center and her friend, a border officer, clearly warned us against crossing the border.  Joan asks "what is the best entrance to Mexico?" Raolle answers "Fly"
We revisited and discussed and belabored about 14x's and 3 hours how to and where to make the crossing.

Thus, we will rest and enjoy this lovely island tonight and head to Laredo tomorrow for an early arrival at our hotel. Where we will put together our car, ourselves, food, water, and our direct non stop route to San Miguel for early Thursday morning.

our view tonight as we ate fish taco's a short walk on the beach from our hotel.