Friday, July 20, 2018

i'm back...


Hello, hello, hello! I'm back from my month "retirement gift to me" and boy, was my time in Oregon wonderful. It was beautiful and calm and quiet and I was able to spend four weeks with Nick which was long overdo.
 I stayed in a lovely, one bedroom apartment on the Dechutes River. I would literally walk out my door, down my stairs, down a sidewalk, cross Reed Market Road and then I was at the river. Nick and I ate weekday meals together at my home-away-from-home ( It gave us quite time to catch up and he was able to enjoy most, no all, of his favorites!) and we would treat ourselves on the weekend to a variety of local cuisines. Weekends were also for  longer ventures to see waterfalls, kayak on lakes at the top of volcanoes and  hike both high desert or lush, green trails lined with Ponderosa Pines or volcanic rock.
I spent Monday through Friday days alone hiking the Dechutes River Trail near my place, going into town to lunch or shop or have a beer at a brewery. We dined with two of Nick’s friends a few times to share stories and I was happy to see that they are his family in Oregon. DJ and Michelle  truly listen to him and process with him and give advice when Nick needs to make major decisions.
When Brian arrived, our day trips got a bit more exotic. The three of us took a ski lift to the top of Mt. Bachelor to have lunch one day and ventured to Crater Lake where we hiked and stopped a scienic viewing areas and enjoyed a small picnic as we fed a chipmunk and looked at the blue, blue lake below us. That day was one for the records.
My time in Oregon never felt long as being with my guy daily was a treat. He is remolding his life which is hard work and living like few of us do. Nick does not spend time on social media or in bars. He hikes all the time, runs up a butte to exerise, will kayak  a lake alone and then set up his hammock to relax and read. He is learning to hunt which is difficult, it's about finding the prey, not the kill and often eats and naps on a rock when he travels far on foot before he returns home. Fishing happens all the time; fly fishing, and when he does it; it is quite beautiful to watch. The line gently flows back and forth through the air until it lands on the water to rest. His life is one that works for him.
Nick misses family but does not want to come back to Illinois. He talks about his next move, Montana is always mentioned, and saving to buy a small place to settle down. He will soon be taking some classes as he is working now to become a liscenced electrician in Oregon and in a year, Nick will be be in a better place.
As for me, I am now settled in back home. My life will be quite different when August arrives but that is okay; it was time to make a change and I did. I'm looking forward to  Baby Girl arriving in September and Baby ? arriving at the end of January. Brian will be retired at the end of July as enough is enough and we will enter the next chapter in our lives together.
Although I am teary writing this post, my heart is happy. I have three loving children, a wonderful son and daughter-in-law, two grandbabies, two on the way and a husband who is my everything.  I am lucky!💕💕💕

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