Beach Feet

So, I just got back from a long wonderful weekend in Oregon. My sister, Janet, picked me up at the airport and from the first hug I knew I was in for an amazing time. We drove in her car filled with buttons and knick-knacks about peace and love and acceptance. We called Mom and she said she wished she was in the back seat spending time with us. At Starbucks, the waitress put an empty chair at our table and we immediately felt Mom was with us. Janet took out an index card and wrote "MOM" on the card. We took a picture of Mom in the back seat. We went to a few different stores looking for a sweatshirt for Ava, my granddaughter. Picture of Mom at Fred Myers and Old Navy. We went to Barnes and Noble and bought colorful little books to write dreams, plans, ideas, and BE KINDER inspirations. Picture of Mom on a shelf of books.

Next we went to the library in Prineville so I could see where Janet checks her email. Picture of Mom on the shelf between the computers we were using. We met Dan, Janet's husband at a Mexican restaurant for a delicious chicken chimichunga and company. Picture of Mom at dinner. We stopped at a little grocery store for snacks and stopped at another place and got lottery tickets, taking pictures of Mom along the way.

At Janet's home, Mom sat on the couch and posed with bunnies in the warmth of the fire. Janet has thoughts and sayings all over her walls and shelves and shelves and fridge. It is a homey home. We spent hours sitting at the table drawing on my jeans bag, sweatshirts, and our books. The company was great. We seem to inspire each other. We enjoy each other. I slept on the comfortable couch with an ergonomic pillow.

The next morning Dan went out early and brought me coffee and I helped him figure out how to take pictures and put them with the names on his phone. We left for Portland early and met a strong, healthy-looking coyote on the road. The drive was beautiful with the mountains, trees turning color, and the river along the side of the road. We shared deep conversations, opinions, advice, and just listened. We are a lot the same. We are a lot different. We are parts of each other.

We got to Tayo, my son's house. Sigh. I love him so much. Ava giggled when I tickled her and loved her sweatshirt. We took pictures of Mom and the group. We gathered our things and left for the dollhouse show. Ava loved seeing all the little things and had to touch everything. She would pet toy animals and pretend to drink from little cups. I bought her a swing-set to keep on their fireplace mantel until I could get her dollhouse from Arizona to Oregon. We took a picture of mom in front of a display of little dollhouse people.

We left for the beach. Tayo drove. We talked and sang songs and enjoyed the nature outside and company inside. The time at the beach was amazing. They had predicted rain and wind and it was sunny and dry...still cold and breezy...but sunny. We walked on the beach and Ava and I walked in and ran from the cold water. "Gramma Sandra, I want hot water!" Squealing, laughing and crying all at the same time. We took pictures. Janet put her thongs on the beach and I propped Mom up and stepped back to take a picture. Mom decided she wanted to run in the wind. I had to chase her down the beach, all the while laughing and hearing Janet, Tayo, and Ava laughing too. We finally got the picture and went up to walk through the little shops of Seaside. A salt water taffy store with 171 flavors. Picture of Mom in her favorite black licorice taffy bin. Ava rode a carousel...all by herself. We went to a restaurant for dinner, and took Mom with us.

After dinner, we went back down to the beach to watch the sunset. Amazing....as always. I took the picture of our feet then. It is funny how many thoughts this picture provokes in me. I think of the physical part of the picture, like being close. I think of where those feet have walked and will walk. I think about what it would be like to have a different pair of feet. We took a few other pictures but it was took dark to really feel the atmosphere. Tayo drove us the hour back to his home. Ava serenaded us with school and church songs. We finally figured out where her fear of trolls came from. Topic for another blog. It was a peaceful, comforting, closer-growing drive.

At Tayo's, Ava fixed Janet's hair and we all just visited and learned more about each other. Tayo moved Ava's mattress out to the floor and settled her in under a quilt that Mom had made her. We took pictures. I read a Winnie The Pooh story to her and we were ready for bed when Ava jumped up and announced that she was "sleeping with my daddy". With a quick wave and grin she was gone.

In the morning, Tayo drew in a square on my bag. Ava did too. We talked about my BE KINDER campaign and the room was alive with positive energy. Tayo drew a tattoo on my wrist BE KINDER. The touch was heart-warming. I gathered sticks with moss from their backyard to add little birds to for the fireplace mantel and to take home. We packed up the car, hugged a little bit tighter, and waved as I felt part of my heart being left behind.

Janet and I drove through wet roads and fall-colored trees and found a tasty bakery with calories just oozing from everything. This bakery/country store had old fashioned taffy, candy, pop, and toys. We took a picture of Mom in front of a display of cream-puffs and ate sandwiches and cookies. When Janet and I drive places we like to ask questions. We take turns and both answer the questions and explore the answers. It is an amazing way to learn about each other and ourselves. Sometimes the answers are surprising. Those times are some of my favorite memories. Janet dropped me off at my brother Doug's home and we hugged a little tighter.

Doug. Oh, I love my brother. He is sort of gruff and talks a little tough, but the sparkle and glint in his eyes gives him away. I took a picture of Mom on his drum set and Mary, Doug's girlfriend took a picture of Mom, Doug, and I. It was fun getting caught up with each other and talking about things from our childhood. Funny how memories are different depending on what your perspective was at the time. I shared my plans for, and thoughts about, BE KINDER. Patrick, Mary's brother was accepting of it and thought it was a good idea. Mary thought it was a nice idea. Doug gave me a bad time, jokingly. "Why do you need to remind yourself to be kinder? By writing that on your arm, aren't you saying you're not kind enough?..." It was all in good fun. They fed me pork-chops, salad and wonderful baked potatoes with spices. Doug and Mary went to bed and Patrick and I stayed up late talking and sharing about how messed up the world seems to be. About how nice things were for the 6 months after 911. He went to bed and I called Mom to check in and share about my day.

The next morning, Doug and Patrick left early to get supplies for a plumbing job later. Mary and I spent the morning visiting and watching Dr. Oz. When Doug came home, he bent my bracelet into a ring for me and packed up my things. He picked two strawberries for me. I ate one and the other one was heart-shaped so I saved it. In the truck I said, "I know you think I'm a little hokie sometimes Doug. But, I think that I am a bright spot in your life." He laughed, smiled, and glanced at me with those sparkling eyes. "Yeah." He helped me into the airport and hugged me hard when I left.

So, you'd think that was the end of my trip. When I got home, I called and told Doug I made it okay. He said, "You lost something off your bag. It is on a green ribbon and was in the truck." (I have probably 10-15 different charms and things hanging off my bag.) I said, "Oh, heck. What was it?" He said, "It was on a green ribbon and was silver. Let me go get it out of the truck." I was trying to remember what charm it was. He came back to the phone and said, "Okay, it's on a green ribbon, little silver charm and it says.........Be Kind." I laughed so hard. "See! You're supposed to have that!" We both laughed and bantered back and forth. He said he was going to mail it to me, throw it out the window, etc. But, I bet he'll leave it in his truck's console and think of that moment whenever he sees it.

It was an amazing, thought-filled, miracle moment-filled, memory-making trip. I can't wait to do it again.

Today's challenge: Take a picture of your feet with a friend or family member.