Wandering Words

Posted By Heather on September 23, 2009

Well, this view is from the 2 minute pitstop along the Rogue River last night. It’s a horrible photo that happened a moment after the steelhead and lept out of that seam of water, and disappeared again.

The fact that I didn’t string up a rod and fish, didn’t really strike me as a sign I was out of balance or on the wrong priorities. It didn’t becuase I don’t like driving after dark, and I was pushing to crest the pass between Medford and Bend before it was completely dark.

I wanted to get home, to my own bed, and I wanted out of the dark tunnel of trees that are haunted with mystery shapes that look like deer. I don’t want to strain my eyes fearing the deer in the dark and shadey place. So, I drove fast for the open country on the eastside of the mountains. Driving fast, was not a sign.

Earlier that day, it didn’t strike me as a sign that with only 3 hours of sleep I “hit the wall” an hour before the presentation I had to deliver. I just became exhausted, befuddeled, in need of a shower, and a nap. It was not pretty.

My solution to getting back in the game for doing the presentation was to hit the ladies restroom, and do a Sarah Palin beehive on my increasingly awful looking hair. I washed my armpits with a paper towel. I tried to scrub the grease spot off the front of my silk blouse with a wet paper towel that shredded all over me in spitball like fashion. The coup d’etat of my bathroom makeover was to spritz the bathroom air freshner in the air and walk through the “fresh breeze” cloud, becuase it surely should be fresher than me. Nope, that didn’t occur to me as a sign. Crazy crazy, and I did that? Yep, I did that.

The presentation miraculously went well, and I hit the road, which I already showed you the photo of the start of the trip.

The end of the trip diving north on HWY 97 was an eternity. I kept wondering where I was? All I knew was that I hadn’t come to my town yet. I couldn’t remember or distinguish all the little road marker towns of Chemult, Gilchrest, La Pine it was just a blur of straight highway heading north. I wasn’t there yet, so I kept driving and somehow, thank god, got home. (I won’t ever do that again!) Still this was not a sign.

I got up late this morning and was racing to make a 7:30am business meeting. I couldn’t find my car keys anywhere. I usually put them in the little dish by the door. Finally I grabbed the spare key and I open the door and find my keys are still in the lock from when I came home last night. This was not a sign though.

I had my purse, my phone, my to-do list for today that really was about 3 days worth errands, phone calls, and things to mail from Bend. (Yes, I’m at the point of reminding myself where I’m at, becuase I’ve been on the road so much, it’s blurring.) Anyway, I’ve got my keys and my list and I’m out the door. I’m gonna make it in time.

So after the meeting I accomplish items # 1-5 on the list and am onto #6 “get new tent stakes”, so that I can leave at o-dark thirty tomorrow for a camping trip to Eastern Oregon. So this 2 minute task in the local Mountain Supply store, led to getting a new rain jacket that I needed anyway and so it was then 30 minutes. And I hear the clock ticking and I’m breathing fast and my mind is racing.

After ringing up at the register, I start digging in my purse that is exploding with receipts from traveling, that need to be filed into the business receipts folder (item # 18 on today’s list). The sales gal was giving me an odd look, and that’s when I realized that I didn’t have the car keys. They were locked in the car.

Standing in the parking lot, looking at my keys locked in the ignition and my cell phone that was out of reach and laying on the center console, IT WAS A SIGN!

I flashed back on the last 24 hours – walking through a cloud of bathroom air freshener, driving like a crazy woman, leaving the keys in the front door, the receipts falling out of my purse… I took a deep breath. Then I slowed down and took another deep breath. This was not on my plan.

I went back in and left my package at the counter, and let them know I would be walking home to get my spare key. They suggested calling a locksmith. Nope, I need to go for this walk. It’s a couple miles home. It’ll take me an hour or so to get back to the car. The sun was shining. It was beautiful.

People were smiling as they walked by me. The sky was blue. I was thinking – This is a pretty town to walk through, I’m glad I live here.

A couple blocks from home I heard someone calling my name, and a good friend, pulled over just to catch up and talk for a bit. Audrey gave me a ride to my house, and she took me back to my car. It was such a beautiful, little opportune connection with a friend. This town is just small enough for things like that to happen.

And the sun is still shining, and I’m only going to get to item number 10 on today’s list.

I’ve been given a sign. It’s time to stop and smell the ..zzzzzzzzzz

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