​Good Relationships are a lot like walking; one partner steps up, then the other - supporting each other during life's little trials - moving forward in combined strength and love. Long distance relationships seriously challenge that notion, since lovers cannot be there for each other when unexpected difficulties arise.

So, what brought that on? I think I should have met my partner-in-crime before today. In order to walk, I need crutches or a scooter. Today, I'm IMMOBILIZED in a Catch 22 situation: My new scooter is ready to be put in the trunk of my car, but my old scooter is still there, all boxed up - waiting to be taken to the UPS store. I can't carry it, plus I need packing tape to seal it. Unfortunately, I can't walk into a drug store to buy the tape because the rubber tip of my crutch just popped from overuse, making it dangerously slippery on hard floors. It's down to the metal. I need a new crutch, but can't go to Kaiser for a replacement because I can't get my scooter into the car. Oy vey! 

​This is why we are better in Twos. I'm usually the strong one. Not today. I have three different friends helping out with separate portions of my dilemma, but wouldn't it be lovely to roll over in the morning and ask, "Honey, could you please help me today?" It makes me smile to think about it, knowing how good it would feel to reciprocate. 

Well, yesterday felt like a Mercury retrograde kind of day. Was it? I have no idea, but everything seemed to be going wrong. First, my knee scooter had a flat tire. One of the maintenance guys at school told me the inner tube was popped. Not only that, but the back wheel was bent, which explained why the handbrake kept getting stuck. He suggested I return it to the manufacturer. That meant I was on crutches all day, traveling from one side of the campus to the other. Not an easy task. Then, one of my clients failed to get back to me, leaving me to wonder whether or not I was tutoring after school. As I waited for her text or phone call, my iPhone died! Nothing. It flatlined. Okay, no scooter, no phone, and no work. Despair began to press down on me like my own personal rain cloud. Move over, Eyore! 

Well, I went online, and Amazon immediately sent out a replacement scooter and told me I had 30 days to return the old one at $0 cost to me. The new scooter will be on my doorstep in two days! It's a minor miracle of customer service. Then, one of the tech guys at work taught me a trick for rebooting my iPhone. Hold down the on/off button and the circular menu finger indentation at the same time for about 10 seconds. It worked! My phone is fine. And, finally, my client emailed me saying she had her dates mixed up and asked if I would please come work with her daughter. Yes! 

If life is a work in progress, with little glitches along the way, my life is moving along just fine. Obstacles are only that if they cannot be fixed. I feel lucky. Every glitch had an easy resolution.  There is no sense falling into despair until a little time has passed. So often, events just need time to work themselves out. 

These days I'm easier to catch, but harder to find. Crutches! I'm becoming a homebody out of exhaustion. Just getting to and from work is a job in itself. One week in, five to go, and I feel like an expert on living life in the slow lane. I single-task, move cautiously, ask for help, and feel grateful for everyone around me.

Did you know there's an industry built around immobility? I'm buying all the accessories! The crutches given to me by Kaiser are lightweight and shiny, but tough on the hands and they bump under my arms causing bruises. So I bought Crutcheze pads. And then there's the problem of not having free hands to carry anything. So I bought a crutch bag and a backpack. Of course, after hobbling short distances, the thought of crossing my school campus on one foot loomed overwhelming, so I bought a knee scooter. It looks like a tricycle, and rides like a scooter with one knee propped up on the "seat." I also watched a YouTube about going up and down stairs, and seem to be catching on pretty well. Yes, I think I'm set, for now. 

The funny thing is, I was just feeling fabulous about my life -- no more longing for a partner or worrying about my future. This little set-back has me, once again, diving into the unfathomable randomness of our existence. Just when you think it’s going all wrong, inexplicable joy happens. And just when you think you’ve finally got this Life thing down pat, you break a foot. Well, I’m learning to walk all over again, and that humbling experience finally brought the lesson home – Change happens. Life is short. Deal with the broken bits, get some rest, and move on to the next beautiful thing. I'm going to go put my foot up now. Later...
~ c

Warm golden beaches
Paddles dipped in soft waves
The taste of salt on lips

I love my little San Rafael townhouse. Having a safe harbor and home base allows me the comfort of traveling with a semblance of peace of mind. But do I really want peace? It feels like time for The Next Big Thing. I have nothing to hold me here. My daughters are grown and have lives of their own and I don't have a lover. That means the world is mine for the taking. Why not go out and explore again? My two year stint in the Virgin Islands pretty much blew my mind. I have gone back to visit my VI friends every year since 2008 because it feels like home. Perhaps it's time for me to adopt another exotic locale and make it my own. Where should I go next? I've always wanted to see Greece, Italy, Egypt, Fiji, and pretty much anyplace with a warm climate and golden beach. Wanderlust strikes again!
"I'm so glad to be on my own." Joni Mitchell