Desert loving walk-about

So this is how it has been the last two weeks. I stay at a friend's house in Tonopah and go to work; my man and the kids stay in Big Smoky Valley-Kingston and wait patiently for Mommy to call. On the weekends it is reunion and laundry catch up. I won't lie, it has been rough for the family. But, working has been so good for me. My feet, not so much. I know I will build up what has gotten soft the past couple of years while I was on full-time Mommy watch.

I had hoped that by the time this Friday rolled around we would know (yes or no) about the house we picked out in town; spend the weekend U-hauling it; and next week settling into our new life together. No game. We did not hear. I was disappointed, but as it happens, that was probably for the best. Blessings are often disguised by the initial disappointment of not getting what you want.

When I awoke on Friday I had a feeling that things were about to get good...real good. Then, when we had time to kill, the family wandered out to the Old Bottle Dump, off Knapp Ave. and the ace (ahem, sign) I had been waiting for, was found.

Meet my boys first real introduction to desert living... a baby Horney Toad!

Friday was the type of day that puts the wind back in the sail of the sailboat that has been just drifting. As much as I want to share the details...somewhere along the line I learned that when you have a really good poker hand, it is best to keep that fact to yourself until betting is closed. So, since bets are still open you will just have to take my word for it. I have one Ace in, and even with no word on the house, my hand is looking like one that will probably win this round. The Lord Blesseth Me.

Because we were not set to move this weekend, something special and much needed was able to happen. It is good to feel loved, and the boys, the dog, and the cat have been very snugly with me. Wherever I go, in or out, or for a walk down an old dirt road, everyone wants to go with me.

It has been some time since I took regular, desert loving, walks. Far too long. So, on Friday night and Saturday morning, the whole gang, (minus my man who is still helping Wild Nevadan Kim with her straw bale house) went on walk-abouts.

I have never had a cat follow me on a walk so I found it funny. I laughed often when she meowed and panted, and her and old Toby Dog tried to find shade under a pine tree. Laughter is a good stress reliever and was appreciated by all of us who have trudged the past two weeks while the family is apart, adrift. A month into this new life, we all want to have our things around us, a roof over our head to call our own. A schedule. A routine. Do not ever tell on me for wanting those two things. I am usually against such rigid things as schedules and routines. But, right now, we ALL need them.

And, so much of the stress from going and going and going was finally relieved. The Lord Blesseth Me.

Being apart from the boys makes me appreciate them so much more. In this photo, my wild Nevadans in training were discussing pine nuts. I had not realized they remembered, or knew of such things. They are small boys and while they have had pine nuts before, I never expected they would remember it. Colton told his brother, "They are tiny and we eat them." I laughed some more. It was a day for throaty chuckles and smiles all around. Boy do I love a good desert loving walk-about.

When you are as busy as I have been, it is hard to stop and appreciate such things as blessings. It was so nice to take that deep breath this weekend. Also nice to have time to appreciate what is around the corner...now that there is wind in our sail and one Ace in the hand that will be revealed soon enough....It is nice to stop and blog and share what I observed this weekend with my walk-abouts. The weather has turned. There is chill in the air, which, at the moment is laced with the sweet smell of wet sage. It is almost time to pick pine nuts. So begins fall. Rabbit Brush blooming. Hunting. Pine nut picking. Yellow aspen. And, jacket weather.

Thanks for reading,

HjB