The Luckiest

July 29, 2020

When the clock struck midnight ringing in 2020, I was sitting with Mackenzie at the Grand Ol’ Opry in Nashville. We were enjoying the epic John Prine, and the world at that time was “normal,’ [oh to be normal again]. A new year was upon us — promises, hopes and dreams fluttered in my mind. We had our best duds on, enjoyed a fabulous dinner, and our tummies were full. I thought about all that had transpired in 2019, and wistfully hoped that 2020 would be the year of change.

Really, I had the same mantra for 2019, 2018…. And 2017. At least I was consistent. And persistent. I had one goal in my head: Bnb in Texas where the sun shines and the days are warm.

I said goodbye to Mack on January 2nd, and gave her a good long hug as a mother does when we know it will be many months till we see our kids again. I remember the flight home was like any other — busy making lists for groceries, and bills to pay, lesson planning in my head, need to connect with the realtor, get the dog, pick up groceries, check on folks, shovel … already looking ahead at what needs to be done.

What could go wrong.

Fast forward seven months. My father went into full time care in early January, I finally got my USA passport after a three year wait, the house sold, a world pandemic hit, I became traumatized to sit at my laptop, winter didn’t end till May, my Superstore stretchy pants stretched beyond capacity, I learned what “binge watching ” was on Netflix, my mother went into care in May, I bought a house in Texas on the screen of my phone, I learned I do have procrastination tendencies — and now I will be staying between two worlds– my folks house in Stony Plain, and “the lake” on Eagle Mountain in Texas. And it’s only the last week of July.

I had waited three years and then within a matter of days so many pieces clicked together. I had no earthly idea about Eagle Mountain Lake. I was aware it existed, but even in my 90’s stint of living in Texas — I never came out once to the lake. The house listing boasted “the ultimate man cave,” as one of the two outer buildings. Seemed to me those two outer buildings could eventually become the Gouse and the Baby Gouse [ garage/house squished cleverly together], and The Virginia May would come to life. Mark and Heidi came to check it out the last few weeks of May, and I did not see the lake property till I stepped foot on the driveway July 02 when it was too late to change my mind. It all happened so fast that I really didn’t even process what had actually transpired and where I was till mid July.

When I left Edmonton at the end of June, my goal was to write about the drive down, and blog about my time here in Texas. I even connected with a web designer to create my soon to be website to chronicle my exciting life plan. I was on my way! A house, my dream, all coming together! Somewhere in the recesses of my mind I was going to become a BLOGGER. I was going to write, and extract the meaning of life, suck out the marrow, live deliberately, Carpe Diem, walk the two roads that diverged, dream a dream, examine my unexamined life….. Oh to be undaunted…..

Ok the drive down was 3.5 days of solid driving with Gibson mostly asleep in the back seat, inside a very packed truck of what didn’t fit in the Uhaul. Not exactly gripping reading material. I did manage to take some state sign pictures. But I did miss the Colorado and New Mexico sign, so even that was a failure by some standards given that I had only five state signs to photograph. Mostly, I reflected on all that has happened this year. My folks in care, and a semester of school that ended abruptly. I teared up when I actually gave way to the emotions of how I felt about it all. For 31 years I have been a classroom teacher– and I have loved every second of this career. I thought about my students, those who graduated and those who will return, and I wonder how their lives will be changed by this pandemic, and what their summer will be like. I read enough of their personal thoughts on paper these past months to know that many are struggling. And, for my parents, grateful they are still together, [just celebrated 69 years this week] and taken care of in ways our family could no longer do. I marveled about how beautiful Montana and Wyoming were, and the speed limit of 80 mph was nothing short of miraculous. I reflected on Trump and how he will make America great, the Texas hot spot “Vid,” and if I get sick, just how fast can I drive to a Canadian hospital.

I crossed the dotted border line, sans health care, Sunday, June 28 at 10:45 am.

My time here in Texas has been this: get up, coffee, walk the dog, hike or bike, choose the pool, lake or beach. I have been the explorer of Eagle Mountain Lake area and all it has to offer. It really does feel like I won the lottery out here. Buying a house without actually “seeing” it is a little bit crazy even for my risk standard, but I have to tell you– it is pretty fantastic. I have done a few road trips around the area just to see where this road or that road will take me. After one week I took off my Siri training wheels and tried to figure out how to get to A B and C. I like to visit with my brother Mark, and his wife Heidi, and the neighbors across the street {Rhonda and David} have very graciously offered me a few swims in their pool. I have had lunches with teacher pals from the 90’s. I have visited a few banks to collect cash to pay the contractors, ventured to Bucee’s. I bought myself a $50.00 BBQ, and subsequently the charcoal, the lighter, the charcoal holder that I need to make said BBQ work…. I wear a mask everywhere in public. To date, no Vid yet! I take all sorts of pictures on my phone, and have learned what “dramatic cool” is and “dramatic warm.” Who knew I could make the water look teal…..

I have also connected with a number of contractors about the renovation for the house and the BnB, but again, not exactly the manuscript that everyone is dying to read, and will win the Pulitzer.

So as the weeks past and with my writing career crumbling before my eyes, I was glad I was a steller poster of Instagram. NOT. This has also proven to be far more challenging than I would like. I cannot write on a phone. Every post either has a spelling error, grammatical error or something that an English teacher should not do. I can only imagine the whispers of those who read the posts… and she calls herself an English teacher…. Oh the embarrassment of my tech skills. Mackenzie tried to give me an inservice about my posts, what they should look like, who reads them.

My social media skills are a work in progress. The salient point is this — “hey come to The Virginia May, it’s going to be magnificent, and look at all the nice pictures in cool and warm and black and white!”

So, as July soon comes to a close and I am just now getting words on paper, it occurred to me today that I maybe just needed a rest. Oddly enough it’s a bit cloudy today, still 88 F, the dog has finally decided to sleep on her new bed, and voila the words are flowing. I can appreciate my student’s writer’s block. I needed to rest my mind. I needed to be able to open my laptop without having one eye closed and wincing…. And very selfishly perhaps, I needed to not take care of anything, or anyone. I needed to keep the laptop closed, to not make a list, to just enjoy what is here in front of me. In questo memento…. Even got that tattooed on my arm so I would not forget to stop and just enjoy the day. I need reminders of this.

I am very much aware that this holiday will come crashing to a halt mid August, that the road heading north will be long and boring, that my tan will fade by Montana, and no one will believe that I actually have some good color. That the 16 books I brought with me will not all be read. I didn’t lose my pandemic 20, but I sure did make a good dent. My new apple watch has recorded 24 good workouts for July, with 5331 calories burned, and there is still a week left in the month. I have been enjoying Amazon shopping, and the emails letting me know something has been delivered.

I feel happy, and that I am meant to be here in questo memento.

The retirement goal of course has been the creation of The Virginia May, my BnB dream in Texas. Anyone within 2 inches of my life has heard me talk about this for soooooo long… Over the years I have enjoyed so many great friends at my house. So many guinea pigs to choose from to experiment with a variety of menus. One cannot have too large a party says Jane Austen. I concur. From the ladies at the table, to the pal on the other side of the island, or the full deck that spills out to the lawn — those are the moments I have felt in my element. I love the rush of the day of prep, counting wine glasses, fixing the food, displaying the table, the menu choices, or the informal BBQ — all of it. The role of hostess is as comfortable to me as the role of teacher. If I can sell enjoying English class to a bunch of teenagers all these years, I surely can sell my hospitality to adults who want to come and enjoy lake life awhile. I have missed cooking for friends through the pandemic, missed the banter around the table. I think we all feel a bit ripped off, and I look forward to when we can be together again. So, I will continue to enjoy the sun here in Texas over the next few weeks, and then say goodbye until I come back. In September, my brother Mark and his sidekick Jose, will start the renovation of the house and outer buildings, and I will make my way back north.

I have felt so incredibly shocked, and grateful that this house will be my life next year. That this crazy plan of buying a house over the phone actually worked.

There is a great song playing on the radio here in Texas. The Luckiest, by the Josh Abbott band. You know how you hear songs and then one day you actually stop to listen to the lyrics?

I am lucky that I come from where I come from.. And that I have friends

that got my back.. I can’t believe the life that I have been

given…yeah I am lucky….

And that I have all the good times that I have had.

I can’t wait for this new chapter to start. I hope to see you all here. xoxoxo