I'm A Podrishioner!

I'm a part of a great church in Minnesota from a distance

and I love it!  They did an interview post with me recently.

Check it out here!

Road Trip!

I decided to take a nice road trip into the mountains.

I wasn't sure if I'd head to Sedona (one of my favorite places in the whole

world is by a river there) or Flagstaff (it's cooler there and there are aspen woods!)

I decided on Flagstaff because I didn't think my ankle was ready for the wading

in the river it would have been sure to enjoy if I went to Sedona.

Here I am at Sunset Point!

It's a rest stop with a beautiful view.

I always stop!

(They had toilet paper.)

I used that black handkerchief as my mask when people were nearby.

Very pretty!

After a couple of hours, there was Mount Humphrey!

I stopped at Target for the bathroom and for some snacks. 

I found toilet paper!

It is the most terrible toilet paper I have ever used, but

if we get down to our last good roll, we'll be happy to have it!

Then I looked on the AllTrails app to find a short hike nearby.

I decided this gentle walk in the juniper pine trees would be perfect!

I didn't want anything too steep because 

1. ankles aren't great

2. it's around 7000 ft elevation and I wanted to enjoy myself.

I have to say, though, I didn't notice the elevation, so I guess the beets

are doing their job oxygenating my blood!  

I walked in about 30-45 minutes.

It was a gentle sloping trail without many other people on it.

It smelled delicious.

I felt calm and happy.

Do you know why this tree stump has an X in it?

I don't!

Look whom I saw!

A horned toad!

Look at his grumpy little face!

This fallen tree was loooooong.

I also saw butterflies.

I love it when tree roots are used as steps!

It was a little over 80 F.

I stopped by Whole Foods to get a few grocery items (I had a cooler along!)

so I wouldn't have to stop on the way home.

Then I went back to Target for another bathroom break.

The TP was all gone.

On the way home, I had a special snack!

It was dark chocolate with almond butter inside.

(Drooling).

I saw red hills on the way home

(I stopped to take photos!)

And of course, I stopped at Sunset Point on the way home!

Beware!

Poisonous snakes and insects inhabit the area!!!

It's often windy on the Mogollon Rim.

I hope you are able to get outside a little bit.

It does help the brain and the emotions for sure!

Change

Some changes are excellent.

Meet Charlie (orange) and Kelly!

They live with my brother and his sweet family.

They love cuddling!

The love these kitties are getting is warming my heart!

Officially they are fosters, but I dearly hope they STAY FOREVER!

Welcome to the family, Kelly & Charlie!

Other change is not as fun.

I won't be leading the 1:1 Team any longer

at the church we'd been attending.

Because I have a unique bouquet of skills, we will

 find another church where I will be able to put them to use.

Greg and I went to the facility to gather all the toys and equipment

(most of which were my personal property),

and it was sad.  I will miss the wonderful people 

I volunteered with and of course I will miss the kids and their

sweet families!  Thanks for sharing life with me the last seven years.

To encourage me and bring me joy, my friend Tanya

brought me beautiful flowers, a great card, and some candy!

"Lipstick speaks louder than words"

Look at these!!!

Sweet Cindy dropped off this card and

precious little dish!  Look at the wonderful cheerful springy colors!

"Success consists of getting up once oftener than you fall down".

Once we brought the toys home,

I needed to reorganize my office so that it looked neat and tidy. 

It gets worse before it gets better!

But I got there in the end!

Until the toys are in use somewhere else, I can be a lending library.

It sure looks like an early intervention play-based speech-language pathologist's office!

xo