Summer/Fall 2024, Life With Alyx Part 2

8 October….I think we’re all set to greet hurricane Milton…been getting supplies and grub for the upcoming days…power will probably go out during the storm…not a problem with me being totally independent with the camper…family members however are dependent on the grid…my two Honda generators are filled with gas and ready to help if needed…Alyx is out of school Wednesday and Thursday…the storm will pass right over us early in the morning Thursday…I told Alyx we’ll take the side-by-side out after the storm to look around…she’s excited cause I’ll let her drive a bit…will park the camper in front of my sister’s house…my truck will be on one side and my brother in law’s truck will be on the other to better shield the camper from flying debris…hopefully…I may take the cover off the canopy I usually park under but will decide tomorrow…lot’s of work and sometimes I’m lazy…temps finally have been pleasant…highs in the mid to upper 70’s…good…still humid so I only open the camper up once or twice a day to change the air inside…12 volt AC system is working flawlessly…my sister has been in the hospital for a few weeks recovering from some health issues and should be returning today in time to enjoy the storm 🙂

12 November….well it’s been nice here in Florida with family and friends for a while…camper is perfect…I love living in my tiny home on wheels more and more each day.

If all goes to plan I’m heading out right after Thanksgiving….will take six days to cross the southern U.S. out to Quartrzsite Arizona….I’m really looking forward to boondocking in the quiet, beautiful high desert…taking the buggy for exploring…can’t wait.

It will be something new this time as I’ll be spending Christmas out there….with mom’s passing it’ll be much easier to be away….Christmas has become, to me, so commercialized it’s not enjoyable anymore….the message and reason for the celebration has been lost for most people…I did however get my niece a beautiful Lectric Bicycle as her present from me…Christmas day I’ll sit alone in my chair looking across the vastness and say a prayer of thanks for all I’ve been able to enjoy….I’ve wanted to do that for many years.

25 November…well, I was going to head to the mountains a couple of days ago but the weather up there is not nice…decided to stay put here in Florida until after Christmas…loving hanging out with Alyx and doing silly stuff when she’s not in school or with her dad….when she’s not around there are only so many walks I can take, books I can read, or naps I can take…so…to fill in the gaps I bought a new Honda NX500…a mini Africa Twin…had one a while ago and loved it…I realized I truly love going for rides to relax and clear the mind…I can’t wait to get back to North Carolina and ride my favorite twisties!

2024 model with upgraded suspension and bodywork…all good…not planning on doing a lot of mods to this one…just gonna ride and enjoy.

13 December….it’a 5 am…the start of another beautiful day here on planet earth…I’m still trying to figure out why the first cup of coffee is always the best…maybe I shouldn’t even try to under stand…just enjoy it…been a few days since I’ve been out on the bike…will try to get a nice peaceful out and about in the country…always nice…I got a Yeti coffee mug the other day…it’s pretty…thirty bucks it better be…does seem to work well though…Alyx decided she’d like to hang out with her friends during her school’s Christmas break so the trip to NC to play in the snow is not going to happen this year…still hoping to get away back out to Arizona after Christmas…geez I make plans all the time and then change them…I run hot and cold on ideas theses days…the Christmas decorations are in place here at my sisters home where I park up…I love this time of year…and hate what it’s become…all about giving people stuff they won’t use more than a few times then tossing it out…maybe one day we can all sit together without our faces buried in a phone or computer looking at Amazon…I want to be by myself more and more…it’s lonely sometimes but the alternative is not something I long for…my sister in Augusta is hanging in there but has stopped any chemo therapy…I think she misses her husband so much she wants to move on…. 😦

30 December….my beautiful little sister is on her way…her fight is over and she’s in the arms of our Lord…her husband is waiting for her in Heaven with outstretched arms and a smile…I’ve kept this poem for many years and now I’d like to share it.

“Possibly when tomorrow starts without me and I’m not there to see,
the sun will rise and find your eyes all filled with tears for me.

I wish so much you wouldn’t cry the way you did today,
while thinking of the many things we didn’t get to say.

I know how much you love me as much as I love you,
each time that you think of me, I know you’ll miss me too.

But when tomorrow starts without me, please try to understand,
an angel came, called my name, and took me by the hand.

She said my place was ready, it happened far above,
that I’d have to leave behind all those I dearly love.

I had so much to live for, so much left yet to do,
it seemed almost impossible that I was leaving you.

I thought of all the yesterday’s, the good ones and the bad,
of all the love we shared, and all the fun we had.

If I could relive yesterday, just even for a while,
I’d say goodbye, kiss you, and maybe see you smile.

When I walked through heaven’s gates, I felt so much at home,
God looked down and smiled at me from his great golden throne.

He said, this is eternity and all I promised you,
today your life on earth is past and here life starts anew.

So when tomorrow starts without me don’t think we’re far apart,
for every time you think of me I’m right here in your heart”.

I’ll miss you sister but only for a while…TTYL.

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