ON THE ROAD AGAIN... AGAIN

Well, friends, needed to get this out to you so you can, hopefully, keep some of it in mind for me and others over the next few weeks.

Tomorrow afternoon I will be hitting the road. 

 And have blessings laid on my table tomorrow... and my heart.

Before I leave, I will go to the Bhutanese service.  As soon as church has ended, a first-birthday party will be held for my "great-granddaughter" Sneha. 

 She turns one on the 19th, but, partly since I had to leave now, they planned this get-together it a bit early.  After Dave and I return from that, and have a bit of sharing and prayer time together, I will leave.  Probably about 4:00.

First part of the trip is a ministry-related friend a couple hours north of here.  She's a treasure.

Monday morning I will be meeting Jennifer.  Hope she'll put up with me; I promise to try to be nice.

Then I head north about 400 more miles to Susie  SHE always puts up with me.  Has for about 50 years. 

 And I'll have the blessing of staying with her until Thursday morning.

After that, I'm heading to the Northwest, beginning through North Dakota, then Montana, Idaho and Washington.  Will see friends and family all along the way... meet new blog friends, which is really exciting to me.  I met Darlene on my last trip in May, '11.  

We did good; looking forward to seeing her again and spending the night.  I'm sure there will be a funny post of some kind.

In the Northwest, Seattle-Tacoma area and then northern Oregon, there will be lots of connections.  Can hardly wait.

I will probably be heading home around November 2nd.  I hope to make it home by the 5th.  Will desperately miss my dear husband by then.

So this is just details.  BORING! I'm sure.  I'll make it less boring for you when I'm on the trip or come home, because you will be seeing photo after photo of scenery, family, friends [including your blog friends].

Now, one side-issue.  Some of you know and some don't... I was diagnosed recently with peripheral neuropathy.  Basically, that means that my brain sends instructions to my feet and they don't get it in time.  Recently, I had to get a cane... and it's a very colorful one.  Fits my personality.  Driving has not been a concern.  I don't get dizzy doing that.  However, sometimes walking becomes very staggery and stumbly.  Supposedly, dizziness isn't part of that diagnosis issue, but it's connected to something.  They haven't figured it out, yet.  The dangerous part is climbing in and out of the car and walking to rest areas, or convenience stores, or malls, or anything else, when my body is used to driving, but not walking. 

Does the word "annoying" mean anything to you?  "Drives" me nuts.

Other side issue.  I believe this is my last trip.  Not necessarily to Susie's, but these long trips can be dangerous to my body... and that might increase over time.  It can well be a teary time for me... maybe others.  [Leaving mountains and ocean forever and beautiful falls... like Multnomah ... will be heart-hurting, also.]

I have four sisters, piles of nieces and nephews and their kids, friends that go WAY back from elementary to high school.  Every time I think of going I'm excited... and then I begin to cry a bit.

Have to get busy with cleaning the rest of the house, laundry, organizing my phone list and maps, and on and on.  So, need to shut up and go away.  Only 24 hours before I'll be on the road.  Whew! 

Thank you so much for being caring and loving...