I haven’t written anything in quite a while. It’s like summer kicked in and I had better things to do. I really didn’t, but a girl keeps busy when the weather is nice! I actually have had an adventure or two, and have a few ore on the calendar.
My dear friend Jamie got married in June, in Colorado, where she has lived for probably about 12 years of the 14 I have known her. She is absolutely one of those people that you meet, and there is an instant connection. Her whole family is that way, like they are sprinkled with some magic fun dust that you are just drawn to and once you are in, they are your bonus family. When she said the wedding was happening, I said I will be there!
I made my plans, and bought the plane ticket. She lives in Durango, which is in the Southwest corner of Colorado. You can’t get there from here. It was a 3 flight extravaganza! But it wasn’t bad. I was there by 4:00 in the afternoon. My last flight experience was my company vacation to Cancun, and that was not a smooth travel day, or 2 days, so 3 flights that were basically all on time was a piece of cake!
It’s been a long time since the last time I traveled alone. I forgot how much I enjoy doing that. You can make your own agenda, not worry about anyone or anything but what you want to do. I have had fun adventures with other people, but it was really fantastic to do my own thing. I highly recommend it, if you have never traveled solo. I know not everyone wants that, or feels comfortable going somewhere unfamiliar alone, but if you think you might want to, do it!
I stayed in an AirBnB for the first time, and it was a neat little guest house on a ranch, just outside of Durango, and as it turned out less than 4 miles from the wedding venue, the farm they live on. I had no idea, just lucked out like that. The place was really neat, and quiet! The people that host were nice, and there were horses, and dogs and it was just excellent. And reasonable! So much cheaper than the hotel prices I had seen online. I couldn’t have done better if I had known what I was doing!
For many years, Jamie worked for the railroad in town, a narrow guage train, that is the tourist thing in Durango. It goes up into the mountains, and the long trip goes to Silverton, and then back. It’s a 10 hour thing, but there is also a shorter one and I chose to take that one, so it didn’t eat up the one full day I had open. It was really fantastic, except of course I had to be sitting near the chattiest know-it-all in the whole of southwestern Colorado. He had ridden the train previously, and just would not shut his pie-hole. He was a guy around my age, with his mother, who I would say was in her later 70s, but a real young at heart type. He was a killjoy, and she was making the best of what a D-bag he was being. I tuned it out the best I could and enjoyed some pretty fantastic views of the river that cuts through the mountains. It was worth all the nonsense out of that dude.
Then, that same night I went to my first Rodeo!! That’s right, bull riding and goat roping fun! It really was fun, and people are so into it. I had a great time watching the rodeo and all of the people. The horse riding skills of some of the young kids there was so cool. They obviously have been riding since they were little kiddos, and it’s amazing. The bull riding was pretty cool, I have always wanted to watch that. It was a fun day, and even though I was by myself, I never felt like I was alone. It was a dusty, dirt filled day, but a great memory.
The wedding was everything I knew Jamie would do, and it was beautiful and full of her fun spirit. It had dogs, cowboy hats, an obstacle course race, games, Mexican food, and a beautiful country setting. The only bad thing was mosquitos more aggressive than any I have ever experienced, but that was small in the big scheme of things. I was so overjoyed to see my beautiful friend so happy, and she not only got a new husband, she got some kiddos in the deal as well. If anyone should have kids in her life, it’s Jamie. Her sense of wonder, humor and fun with her big heart is a gift to any person she meets. Those girls obviously adore her. My heart was beyond full to be able to see her, and them, so absolutely happy. It was worth every penny to travel for the event.
What a joy it is in life, to have friendships. We are living in a pretty ugly moment in time, as far as all the noise political factions are pumping into our lives. We can easily slip into a negative place, and it is scary. But, for a minute, if you listen carefully to your heart, and the voices of people you truly love, you can escape that noise for a very much more happy noise of a bride’s family in blow up costumes running an obstacle course, and it is all completely normal because that is where real life lives. In the happy moments you are lucky enough to catch, if you just listen to your heart instead of the other stuff. Take a little trip, get away and do something for you, and see your people have a happy life. It will make your life a happier place to live.
Coco's Veiw of the World 