FROM GOATS TO COWGIRLS

From Goats to Cowgirls

One minute I am on a farm, miles from anyone. The next minute I am in downtown Nashville staying in an area called “The Gulch” –  upscale, high rise luxury apartments and condos.  People, mostly tourist, restaurants and music everywhere.  It is home to the next famous band or singer.  Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Blake Shelton, and Kris Kristofferson, all started in downtown Nashville on Broadway. And let’s not forget Dolly!

I take care of a mini dachshund for my second “gig” and hopes of another 5 star review so I can get to Ireland.

Downtown Nashville is also home to bachelor and bachelorette parties- they are everywhere. Gaggles of young girls walking about with matching cowboy hats, boots and pink T shirts saying – “The party starts here”  or some other clever notation. I meet a group of 10 from San Fransico – they look out of place, all Asian, with matching cowgirl boots and hats.  I also meet a group of women from Honduras, where I use to live and am in shock at the distance they traveled for a bachelorette party.

As I age, I see all the parallels of life- one minute isolated on a farm and the very next in the middle of thousands of people.  One day I am living in a 55+ community ( 90% percent were much older) and the next I am in the gulch with only 30 year olds or younger in the building.

As I mentioned, one minute I was busy with children’s activities, dinners, housekeeping, work and the next I wake up to just me and all the time in the world.  I requested no party on the day I turned 70. I wanted to sit alone and reflect on the long past and the shorter future. As I said I plan to celebrate the entire year.

 But on December first there will be a party on the island of Utila off the coast of Honduras. I have a long history with Utila and great friends. So, this is an official invitation to my 70^th birthday party on Utila. It will last the entire first week of December. I can make all the hotel arrangements which are very inexpensive.  It is not for the weak of heart – but a great adventure and you can learn to scuba dive. Come on, be brave, have an adventure, you only live once. Learn to scuba dive at 70! Just reach out through the blog if you are interested and I will give you details.

September 12 update: After being “rejected” so many times in Ireland, I broke down and bought a ticket to come over and ask these Irishman what the problem was. Two days after purchasing the ticket I was selected to house sit. It was by default, the other person backed out, but hey at least I got the “gig”. I love how life always works out in the end. I know I have an angel looking after me. The house is a 20 minutes train ride north of Dublin and is for two weeks.   I arrived yesterday and am still in jet lag mode.  More about Ireland later.

Act like you’re the problem,

then act like you are the solution

and then you will start winning.

My life can be summed up in one sentence: Well, that didn’t go exactly as planned.