Author: Joyful Wanderer

Since 2018, I have been searching for a simpler, happier life. I first started blogging when I moved to Montana's Flathead Valley. (The earlier posts in this blog chronicle that year and a little beyond.) In 2022, I embarked on a new journey, this time selling my home, retiring from my teaching position, and taking up a nomadic life. The journey continues...

Last Bus Day in Porto

September 10, 2022

Yet another day of excessive walking. I knew it going in. I used my last bonus day on the tourist bus to ride to the city park. It was not nearly as impressive as Serralves, but I’m glad I experienced it. Seeing the locals out and about, walking and riding bikes was nice. The man feeding the geese was pretty entertaining, too! Parts of the park were more likable than others, but it was a vast park. I imagine it’s a lot to maintain.


I had a chicken salad for lunch in the park’s café. It was rather tasty, indeed! Baby greens, cucumber, sauteed mushrooms, carrots, chicken, and pineapple! The young woman who waited on me spoke excellent English and ensured my salad was gluten-free.

The day I arrived in Porto, my driver told me I would love the food.


After lunch, I strolled through the park and went down to the beach. I wasn’t sure how far I would walk on the beach, and I went farther than I expected because it was so captivating!

I made it all the way to where the Atlantic meets the Douro. Pretty impressive! I took some nice breaks along the way and even took my shoes off for a while.


At home, I ate yesterday’s fish (too tired to cook last night), fried potatoes, and sauteed green beans and zucchini. The fish was so-so. I ate half of it and threw out the rest.


After dinner, I was hankering for a snack and stepped down to the Pingo Doce. You know what they say about going to the store when you are hungry. I bought a small container of mixed berries, fresh coconut, a package of microwave popcorn, and a bar of shampoo to have a backup. (I should have brought the one I had at home.) The berries were yummy, and so were the gluten-free cookies. Cranberry-orange!

Walking Through Porto

September 9, 2022

Porto, Day Three: Another walk-until-you-drop kind of day!

I decided to get to some of the tourist sights nearby. I got lucky and arrived at the Palacio de Bolsa at 10:40, just in time for the 11:00 tour in English. The tour guide was fantastic, and the building was magnificent! I even met two men my age from Seattle. Again, it was nice to have someone to talk to.

Check out those amazing mosaic floors!
Yup, those are my new Sketchers!


Next, I was about to go to the San Francisco Church next door, but I felt the need for a Coke. (I rarely consume caffeine, but there are those days.) That three-story McDonald’s was staring at me, reminding me it had gluten-free buns inside! It was almost noon, and I was hungry, so why not? The funny part was that I had to walk up to the third floor to get to the bathroom, which was locked with a secret code! A few employees were having a meeting, or maybe an interview, and one of them let me in.

I don’t usually indulge, but I needed some caffeine.


I then proceeded downstairs to order my lunch. The fries were disappointing because they had been sitting under the heat lamp, but the burger was delicious, one of the best gluten-free buns I have ever had!
The church was pretty cool, with interesting three-dimensional scenes. There was a museum, too, and catacombs beneath. The price was steep to get in, though, eight euros.


My next mission was to get across the river to take a boat ride and try some port wine. It felt like a long wait for the bus, but I made it. Then the boat ride was in a different location than the spot that the map indicated. I had to ask a couple of people, and one assured me I should go right in front of the children’s playground. She was right, but I had to go to the bathroom! I ran to the market and had to wait quite a while because there was only one toilet for the women. Apparently, the other one was out of service.
I returned before the boat took off but didn’t get the best seat. I didn’t care, though. It was a gorgeous afternoon, the perfect temperature out. I enjoyed the leisurely cruise and the different perspective. I also noticed a second lower pedestrian bridge I could take back after tasting port.

View of the Palacio de Cristal from the Douro River

It was about 4:00, and once again, I felt hungry. I found a café called 7g, with some gluten-free items on the menu. The chicken bowl I ordered was delicious and hit the spot.

This makes up for the earlier meal at the Golden Arches.


I then made my way uphill to Taylor’s. I was in no mood for another tour, so I went straight to the tasting room. I ordered a glass of 20-year-old tawny along with two truffles. Of course, I preferred the truffles! So glad I did not go for a full tasting; I would have been sick.

When in Porto…


I made my way back downhill and across the river. Then it was all those steps up and a few blocks to get home. I made it, and I was beat. The tawny was not sitting well in my stomach. I finally relaxed and got a good night’s sleep, though.

Dogs are Barking!

September 8, 2022

I walked today; I walked a lot today!
First, I slept in, which was glorious. It was coming up on noon when I finally got to the tourist bus.

I met two college students from Boston who were delightful, intelligent young women. They are both studying bioengineering and smartly saved their “easy” classes for senior year. They are spending the semester in Madrid and are taking advantage of long weekends to go on trips. It sounded like they had the entire semester’s worth of weekends booked up! It was nice to have company and talk to fellow humans.

Gardens and view of the Douro from the Palacio de Cristal


I got off the bus at the Palacio de Cristal. It is primarily a park with beautiful grounds and fantastic views of the Douro River. A local had encouraged me to check it out. I could only partially enjoy the book fair that was going on, though, since I don’t speak Portuguese. Overall, the stop was worth it; I’m thankful for that recommendation.


I then returned to the bus to head to Serralves, a former estate with extensive grounds, gardens, and museums. The first part I saw was a modern art museum. Most of the things in it were garbage, really. I went through that part rather quickly. Then, there was a section with sculptures. That was more interesting, still weird, but interesting. The coolest part was a hallway with bars across it at angles. Partway through, you had to duck and weave to get through. That was the best one. There were two rooms, one intense blue and one intense green, with sculptures. They were cool, too.


Next, I walked the grounds and saw some of the outdoor sculptures. There was a large shovel, at least 15 feet tall, a round metal sculpture, and a mirrored sculpture. Then there were all kinds of gardens and a series of pools in front of the pink Art Deco mansion.


The best surprise was that there was a Miro exhibit inside the mansion! Such a treat; I adore his whimsical style, and I got the bonus of seeing the inside of the villa.

Exterior of the villa

There was still so much more to see, though! The treetop walk, the farm, and more gardens. I was wiped out after walking around.


Oh, but there was more walking in store for me! I got to the bus stop just in time to see my bus leaving. I sat on the curb, thinking I would wait for the next bus. Then I realized that I could walk down to the Foz neighborhood. I was also suffering from hunger and the need to go to the bathroom. Maybe I would see a café along the way. I didn’t have to walk far before spotting a Pingo Doce grocery store. Did I mention this was a ritzy neighborhood with sizeable mansions? So, it was an extra-nice grocery store. First, I went down to the parking garage to use the bathroom.
Then I went in search of some lunch. I put together some chicken lunch meat, Portuguese Fritos, and a fruit-coconut drink. The corn chips were better than Fritos, a little thinner and lighter.

Even though my feet were tired, it was a relatively easy downhill walk to the water. I ended up at the point where the Douro meets the ocean. I was so tired that I couldn’t even walk to the end.

But then I had some motivation to walk a little further. I saw a woman with a Daura Damm gluten-free beer. She told me she had found it at Go Natural, right up the street. I was darn tired, but I made it and hit the jackpot! They even had Celia, the Czech GF beer, and a GF Super Bock. Ahhh.

Blue Bus Day

September 7, 2022

Today was a good day. I woke up feeling almost normal, cooked a delightful breakfast, and walked to the Bolhao Market. It is in a temporary location, just until this Saturday. Then the vendors will be moving back to the newly renovated original market location.


The market was not crowded at all! It appeared that they were happy to have my business. In fact, they were all quite friendly, except for the olive oil lady who would not look up from her phone. I don’t know if she was deaf, disabled, or what. She would not look up. Maybe she was mad that she had to work and ignored all the customers.


That was okay because I ended up buying olives and olive oil from another stand run by a grandmother, her daughter, and her granddaughter. The teenage girl spoke perfect English and was the translator for her grandmother, who kept talking to me in Portuguese.


I wandered a bit more and ran into the Sao Bento train station with the tile murals. It was worth a look!

Then I found the gluten-free bakery, but they are closed for vacation until after I leave. I then looked for comfortable sneakers to allow my feet to breathe in the humid heat. I went with some Sketchers. The extra cushioning helps with the stone sidewalks!

Abundance from the Bolhao Market in Porto!


Back home, I put away my groceries and heated up some soup for lunch. Still delicious!

I had a massage scheduled for 4:00 PM, so I thought I might take a river cruise. On the way, I stopped to ask about the Hop On Hop Off Tour Tickets. The man showed me my options, and I took the two-day pass with a river cruise for 24 euros. I wanted it to activate tomorrow so I could fully use it. He activated it through the tenth and said I could use it today. Four days? Okay!

I decided to get on the Blue Line and ride to scope it out the whole way. The route went to the Atlantic with some really enticing spots on the way. I will make tomorrow my park day, or Friday when the weather is better. So glad I got to see all the sights and get better oriented. It’s nice to be here for a week and not feel rushed.

Sights from the Blue Bus


When I returned, I walked around a bit more and found some reasonably priced sunscreen and a smaller water bottle that would fit in my purse. I then got myself turned around and went in the wrong direction. It’s easy to do here since the streets wind all over!


The massage was fantastic! And only 30 euros. It was a full-body massage, and I mean full-body. She even massaged my abdomen. Wow! She must have been realigning my Chakras. She also slathered me with oil. Quite a cultural experience.


On the way back to the apartment, I stopped at the little cheese shop and got some of the smoked cured ham to try. I can’t say I loved it; the flavor was too strong for me. I chopped some in bits and sautéed it with my green beans. I made roasted sweet and white potatoes, garlic, and carrots in the oven. That turned out pretty well! I’m having fun in my mini kitchen!

Now I Have Arrived!

September 6, 2022

This trip did not get off to a good start for me. First, my flight was delayed by an entire day. The flight from Seattle to Dallas was an hour late, which meant I would not make my connection. Luckily, I learned this before arriving at SeaTac. (Always check your email before a flight!) It didn’t end up being too bad, though. I went back to sleep and got some much-needed rest. I then took a walk and relaxed, knowing that I would need to get up at 3:30 the following day for my 7:00 AM flight.

Today I feel relieved. The flights to Madrid went as smoothly as possible; I’m just not a good plane sleeper. Maybe someday I will be wealthy enough to fly first class. I arrived at my hotel on Sunday morning hungry and exhausted. Fortunately, I could check in at 8:00 AM because I had already paid for the room the night before. It wasn’t much of a room, but I can’t complain. I got a bargain rate for being close to the city center. My room had one window that faced one of those nondescript courtyards, you know, with a view of the apartments across. In other words, no view, just daylight.

I allowed myself some time to rest and got up around 11:30 to walk over to Retiro Park, about 7 blocks away. At that time, I realized I was dehydrated and constipated, a combination that often comes with long flights.

In my zombie-like state, I walked through the park and over to the Plaza Mayor and some other sights. It was warm but not oppressively hot, somewhere in the 80s. To ease my digestive distress, I stopped at a health-oriented restaurant. I had fresh-squeezed juice (carrot, pineapple, and orange) along with a custom-made salad. I walked as much as possible and returned to my non-descript hotel room.

I then realized that I was facing a severe digestive challenge. I drank lots of hot water through the afternoon; I was genuinely becoming uncomfortable. I should have made a trip to the farmacia right then, but I was exhausted. Big mistake!

By 2:00 AM, I was miserable. I got online and found a 24-hour pharmacy just a few blocks away. Given the hour, I asked the gentleman at the front desk to call a taxi. The driver showed me where to walk up the 24-hour window, and the pharmacist gave me the only remedy available without a prescription, laxatives.

It was a long night and a long day following that. I finally got relief at 4:00 PM the next day. Then I promptly got in the shower, walked through the neighborhood, and over to Eva Perone Park. Things were looking up! I would make my flight to Porto.

What a difference a day makes!

It was another early wake-up, at 5:15 this time. I still wasn’t feeling 100%, but I was well enough to get myself checked in at Ryan Air. Thankfully the flight to Porto was only 55 minutes.

Then, thanks to a free airport pick-up from Booking.com (Why I got this perk, I do not know.) I was greeted by my private driver, who took me directly to my apartment for the next week. He was familiar with Spain and was excited for me to become acquainted with his hometown. I should have taken notes as he went on and on about all the things I must do during my week here.

I received an early check-in, and the kind young woman carried my 18.5-kilo bag (almost 41 pounds) up two long flights of stairs.

The apartment is about as charming as it possibly could be. It is a studio in an older building with an updated kitchen and bathroom. It is small but perfect! I even have a Juliet balcony and two large windows—the complete opposite of my Madrid hotel room. The ceilings are at least ten feet high, and the street view is ideal. Not to mention, there is a sizeable grocery store two doors away. That was excellent news for this starving, exhausted woman!

View to the left from my Porto apartment
View to the right from my Porto apartment

I walked over and bought a bunch of groceries, including a grinder with salt and herbs. Such a great idea! I made a big pot of chicken and vegetable soup, perfect for my imbalanced digestive tract.

The salt grinder and herb grinder travelled with me for the next three months!

After lunch and a nap, I took off to explore the area. At first, I got a little confused with my directions, and, surprise, I ended up back at the apartment. Along the way, I booked a massage for tomorrow afternoon at 4:00. Yes, I will be able to find the place!

For my second outing, I headed down by the Douro River. Talk about picturesque; It is stunning! I had a feeling I would like Porto. I was having so much fun that I didn’t notice my phone was low on battery, and it quit on me. Initially, I panicked and thought something was wrong with it. I missed a few photos, but I am here for an entire week. I will get back over the bridge more than once, probably tomorrow.

The first of many amazing Portuguese sidewalk shots!
One of the seven bridges of Porto

I might have taken yet another nap before facing the challenge of the microwave-convection oven with Portuguese wording. Thank you, Google Translator. The soup was good the second time, accompanied by some potato chips and flan for dessert.

I have some gluten-free places scoped out for the coming days, but it is nice to have my own kitchen, too! Fruit, bacon, eggs, and ginger tea for breakfast tomorrow.

Delayed Adventure

September 2, 2022

Today was the day—I woke up at 5:00 AM, bags packed and ready to head to the airport. Today was when I was to leave on a long-awaited 90-day adventure to Spain and Portugal. Fortunately, I checked my email because my flight out of Seattle was delayed by one hour, so I would not make my connection in Dallas. So glad I did not learn this at the airport!

I waited in the kitchen until my cousin woke up, so I could share the bad news. But hey, my flight was rebooked for 7:00 AM tomorrow. That would mean heading out at 4:00 AM. We both decided to go back to bed. I crashed out and slept until 10:30.

I would have been devastated if this had been a short trip, say a week or ten days. But how can I be upset when I know I will be in Europe for three months? On top of that, school started this week, and I am not in the classroom. And hey, my hotel in Madrid is pre-paid; I can go right to check in when I arrive on Sunday morning. So much to be grateful for!

The past few years have taught me that I can make plans, but I need to be ready for them to change. I was supposed to be house-sitting in Valencia from September 4-20, but my new friends canceled two weeks after I bought my plane ticket. They decided to move back to the states in July. Then I changed my plans and decided to explore Portugal before heading to Spain.

I know there will be ups and downs, pleasant surprises, and devastating disappointments in the weeks ahead. This morning reminded me that I need to roll with it, and it will all be worth it. Adventure on—well, tomorrow!

Great adventures are worth the wait!

Unprecedented

That is the word that I keep hearing and reading: unprecedented. We all knew there was a possibility that something like this could happen, but we hoped it wouldn’t. Now we are forced to cope with a new set of rules.

At first, I thought everyone was getting just a little too excited. I’ve been a teacher for most of my adult life. I’ve seen the annual outbreaks of the flu, and I have fought off more colds than I can count. I even took a weekend trip to the Seattle area just nine days ago to see my elderly mother. I was using the usual precautions like frequent washing and hand sanitizer, but I didn’t think the virus was a big deal. The fact that I have pretty much been on a news blackout for two years may have something to do with my temporary denial or disbelief.

Then things started to progress last week. We saw the governor shut down schools in the three counties surrounding Seattle. When that happened, I felt for my friends and former colleagues. I was grateful to be up here in the northeastern corner of Washington where still, even today, no cases have been reported.

Last Thursday, it got real. The thing that struck me was the cancellation of the NCAA Tournament. Man, I have grown to love March Madness! It is a highlight for my son, a Gonzaga grad, and me. When the kids at school broke the news to me, I knew this was serious stuff. I felt a heaviness overcome me. How soon would schools be closed statewide?

The announcement came the next day, not long before school was out. At first, we thought school would be open today, March 16, but over the weekend, our leadership decided against it. That’s it. We don’t know when we will see our students again. I have to hand it to our governor, though. He is stepping up and taking the right precautions. (And yes, my news blackout is over.)

Things seem to evolve by the hour. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Most people appear to be taking it seriously and practicing social distancing. But weren’t we already doing that? I mean, think of what smartphones have done to people socially. They have distanced us in so many ways. People are feeling more stressed and isolated because of our use of technology.

My hope is that when this all settles down, and we adjust to our new normal, we will find a new appreciation for each other. Will we cherish face-to-face interactions? Will we visit in person more often? Will we call more frequently rather than text and use social media to communicate?

We often say things happen for a reason. We all have something to learn from this experience. We are all going to grow in some way. And hopefully, we are all going to take care of each other just a little more.

Gratitude Renewal

Winter arrived in full force last Friday. The snow started falling just before I left for work that morning, and it just didn’t stop. I asked the school attendance secretary if she thought we might have an early release that day. She responded kindly yet doubtfully, telling me that it had only happened once in her tenure at the school. Clearly, these northeastern Washington folks are much heartier than the people in the Seattle area. We seemed to close schools as soon as two flakes fell. (There are two understandable reasons for that though: lack of snow plows and numerous hills.)

School did indeed remain open until 2:50, and I walked out to see several inches of snow piled up on my car. Thankfully, a year in Montana prepared me well for these occasions. I no longer cringe at the idea of driving in the snow, and I now keep one of those long-handled snow brush/ice scraper devices in my car, along with emergency supplies. All-wheel drive and snow tires are confidence boosters, too. The 2018 version of me would have been a nervous wreck anticipating the drive home, but the calm and confident 2020 version was worry free.

The snow was forecasted to continue over the weekend, which was just fine with me. I had been anxiously awaiting an opportunity to practice one of my favorite winter hobbies: creating my own cross-country ski course. Last year, I did it on the golf course behind my house. This year, I am living on an orchard. When I signed the lease in September, I asked the landlady if I could make a ski course when enough snow fell. I think she thought I was a little goofy, but she smiled and said, “Of course!”

After arriving home Friday afternoon, I hurriedly strapped on my snowshoes to pat down a route. I needed to get a path started before dark. Quite a bit of grass was poking through, but a couple more inches would be plenty to create some smooth tracks. I guess it just comes from my need to create and my love of pure, white snow. Then there is that sweet swoosh of cross-country skis. It really is my Zen time. Being out on the snow is absolute bliss for me.

I had been recovering from a cold, but I got out on my private course for an hour or so on both Saturday and Sunday. I had thought about heading up to the mountain for the other kind of skiing on Sunday, but there was yet another winter weather advisory for Sunday afternoon. I figured I might regret the two-hour roundtrip drive if I got stuck in a blizzard. I think I made the right decision.

At some point on Sunday night the temperature rose to around freezing, and heavy flakes began to fall. Then I heard a loud “crack” around nine. I looked outside and didn’t see anything, but it was probably one of the trees in the orchard, or at least a very big branch. I took at look out at my porch. I had shoveled at five, and it was time to do it again.

I went to bed around ten, happily thinking about sleeping in, glad that I was inside in my cozy bed. I had a couple of doctor appointments scheduled for Monday which meant a glorious planned sick day.

I woke up in the morning around 7:30, walked in the bathroom to turn on the lights, and nothing! The power was out. Ugh. So much for my leisurely morning at home. This house is all-electric. That means the pump for the well doesn’t even work when the power’s out. Yup. Just a dribble of water came out of the tap. Flush the toilet, and not much comes back. A shower was out of the question. There is no fireplace; no gas or propane stove. Do I have a generator? Of course not. Fortunately, the house was only cool, and not unreasonably cold yet.

That began to change as the morning progressed. I left the chilly house in time to get a warm beverage before my first appointment. Then, after my second appointment, I went to the Mexican restaurant in town for a late lunch. At least I could enjoy the warmth and satisfaction of a hot meal.

I checked the electric company site on my phone and saw that my power was still out. I couldn’t quite fend off the anxiety that was stirring inside with the thought of entering the cold and almost dark house.

When I opened the door, the familiar whoosh of warm air was absent. It was a particularly cold day; I think we hit a low of nine degrees, and it was a bit windy to boot. I checked my phone again. The online report said that they expected to restore power in my area by 11:00 PM; I wasn’t going to be able to handle that. These are the times when it is particularly hard to be away from family and close friends. I initially thought that maybe I should tough it out.

Fortunately, I do have friends here, though. And without hesitation, they invited me to stay the night. When I arrived at their house, I was surprised that the day had completely exhausted me. Just the thought of sleeping in the cold had caused me more stress than I had realized. As we sat and watched a program on Netflix, I was continually yawning. I could have gone to bed by eight.

Thankfully, my power was restored late this morning. The whole incident was just a tiny disruption in my life, but it was an invaluable lesson in gratitude. For the past several weeks, I have been consciously practicing gratitude every morning, stopping to think about those things, big and small, for which I am grateful. It’s funny that hot water is often one of them, and so is hot food. The past couple of days have made me stop and think of those living in poverty who don’t have their basic needs met on a daily basis. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to be homeless in the winter. I’m able to go outside and play in the snow, knowing that I can come inside for a hot shower, bath, or cup of tea. And if I am feeling alone in the cold, friends will be there, graciously offering some help. I guess we all need reminders to keep it in perspective.

Change and Growth

I’m back! That two-word sentence has so many connotations as I write it today. In one way I’m back, but in other ways, I will never return. First, I’m returning to my blog. Starting this blog was one of the best things I have ever done for my personal growth. It took some guts to put my life out there on the internet. I felt it was worth the risk, though. It helped me share and process my new experiences as I jumped into a new life in Montana eighteen months ago. Do I have regrets? Absolutely not. I can only imagine my state of mind and health if I had stayed in my old job and old location. I truly needed to physically remove myself from that life in order to learn and grow.

Even though I haven’t been blogging for the past few months, I have been writing. I met a new friend last April. He too, is a writer. We instantly bonded and have become email “penpals.” I guess that relationship temporarily replaced my need to blog.

But this morning as I was out walking, I felt the urge to return. I guess it’s time to come clean and share what I’ve been up to these past few months.

By mid-August, my new job was getting to me. I truly did enjoy my coworkers, but something vital was missing. As a lifelong educator, my work life had been filled with stress and struggles, but my sense of purpose had been abundant. In my new work, I was providing a service, but the work was superficial. I needed more. My take-home pay wasn’t very satisfying either. I initially thought that wouldn’t bother me. But darn it, I was working hard every day, and at the end of the month, the paycheck was barely keeping me afloat. Any dreams of travel and adventure were going to be limited. Sadly, Montana is one of the lowest paying states in the union. I knew that when I made the move, but with my optimistic nature, I figured I would be just fine. I wasn’t.

As I was driving home on August 16th, 2019, physically exhausted from the week, I decided that I needed to move on. Before exiting from the profession in Washington, I had renewed my teaching certificate. I’m no dummy. A backup plan is always a good idea, and I knew that the teacher shortage was not going to be alleviated any time soon. I also knew that I didn’t want to go back to a large suburban district like the one I had left. If I was going to teach, it would have to be in a small town. And sadly, as an experienced educator, Montana pay doesn’t come close to my Washington earning power.

It was mid-August. I knew that I needed to check openings that night if I was going to get hired for the 2019-20 school year. As fate would have it, the first district that I looked at had an opening for a high school Spanish and English teacher. The job had been posted a couple of months earlier, so there was a chance that it had already been filled. I got to work writing a cover letter and completing the application materials. Satisfied, I hit send and went to bed. If it was meant to be, I would hear from them early next week.

My Monday did not get off to the best start. I was in a car accident on my way to work that morning. I was physically okay, just a little sore, but my car was probably totaled. When the tow truck driver arrived, he told that he was happy to have me riding along with him. He said that most of the time when he’s called to an accident scene, the drivers are taken away in an ambulance. Tears of gratitude began to fall from my eyes. Talk about a silver lining! I just knew things would start looking up for me.

Thankfully, I have good insurance. It didn’t take much time to get my rental car and head back home. When I had called work to tell them about the accident, my boss suggested that I go to the doctor to get checked out even though I didn’t feel too bad. Good advice. I had never experienced more than a fender-bender, and I might not have been thinking at 100% capacity.

The urgent care doctor was a real cut-up. Knowing that I had been in an accident, he clearly wanted to set me at ease. He checked me out and didn’t see anything too alarming. After writing a note to release me from work and giving me a muscle relaxer prescription for my sore neck and shoulder, he said that I could call if I felt the need for further treatment like physical therapy.

Back to that potential job opening… I talked to the administrator at the district office that day. They had indeed received my application materials, and the position was still open. We talked about conducting an interview via Skype, considering my current location.

To make a long story short, I interviewed two days later and was offered the position. I worked Thursday and Friday at the credit union, packed up my new car on Saturday, and hit the road on Sunday. In the meantime, I had found a temporary housesitter/renter for my home, and had an Airbnb rented for the next few days to get settled in my classroom and find a rental home.

When you decide to embark on an adventure, there are always challenges and surprises. First, rental homes were not abundant. I ended up staying in the guest room of one of the middle school teachers for the first week of school. Then a new colleague told me that she had a temporary solution for my housing dilemma. I could rent a home that was sold contingently. It was fifteen miles from school, but it had a fabulous view of Lake Roosevelt. I was there for only a month before finding my current home located on an orchard. Finally, I could settle in a bit.

In the meantime, school started. Wow! My new place of work is significantly smaller than anywhere else I have taught; there are only about 235 students. (The middle school where I last taught has over a thousand.) After my new principal took me on a short tour of the building, I was charmed and relieved that I would never get lost in the hallways. There were many adjustments for me. First was the five-period day. That means I teach four classes each day, seventy-one minutes each. The school is on a trimester system with each trimester equalling a traditional semester. I had had a long run as a middle school teacher and hadn’t taught high school in twenty years. One of the best changes was that I would have smaller class sizes; one of the worst was that there was no Spanish curriculum. Clearly, I had work to do! No more worries about lack of purpose.

So back to the reason I returned to my blog. I think I initially walked away because I felt that I was a failure. I had abandoned my dream of making a new life in Montana. I hadn’t found sufficient employment, and I had to go back to my former profession. A few months ago, I didn’t really want to share that with the world. I now have a different and more grateful perspective. And honestly, Montana is still there. I’ve already made a few trips to visit on long weekends.

But the best thing that I have received from the past few months is time to reflect and meditate and appreciate my resiliency. I live next to an orchard a few miles from town. My social life is limited here, partly by choice and partly because of geography. (Yes, I do have some wonderful new friends, but I’m not out and about very often.) I have had time to work on myself. I think about how hard it is for many people to get away and have a retreat. I come home to a retreat every afternoon. It’s been a priceless gift.

What I want the world to know is that I am fearless now. I appreciate the beauty and goodness of every day. I am learning to live in the moment rather than worry about the future. There is great freedom in that.

Deadlines Don’t Always Matter

Tonight while I was out enjoying some incredibly talented local musicians, I became acquainted with a family of British tourists. They are going to be making their way over to Seattle from here, so I gave them some travel tips for the journey. When I handed them my business card, which has my Montana Shan web address on the back, I realized that it had been about three months since I have blogged. I’m sure you all thought I had packed it up and moved back to Seattle by now.

Nope. I’m still here. Honestly, I can’t give a good excuse for the hiatus from writing. Maybe I felt like the Montana Magic was wearing off. I did feel the pressure of my first Montana anniversary coming up and was disappointed about some things that haven’t quite worked out as I had dreamed. Now that a year has passed, I’m over it. I’m still trying new things, and I still love the beauty of the Flathead Valley.

Making a living has been a challenge. At the end of February, I took a part-time job waiting tables. That’s what all artists do, right? I thought it would be perfect since I would be working nights and have days free to enjoy outdoor activities and work on writing and editing projects.

After about three months, I realized that restaurant work didn’t suit me. Working evenings was also killing my social life. On many Saturdays, I was too exhausted from work to get up and enjoy activities with friends like bike rides. Then, one night at work, I had an “I’m too old for this shit” moment and decided to look for a different job.

I’ve been working a nine-to-five job for more than a month now. I have to admit, I appreciate the predictability of the schedule, and it’s the kind of job that I can just leave every day. It’s not like teaching where I took stacks paperwork home, often accompanied by a load of stress. My evenings are free, I get all of the holidays, and I never have to work weekends. Not so bad. In true Montana form, my coworkers have been friendly and welcoming. They’ve all been showing me the ropes, and there is a strong sense of teamwork.

The ironic thing is that I was contracted to edit a novel just after I began working full-time. Talk about timing! It was the end of June; the 4th of July was just around the corner, followed by a visit from one of my sons. Somehow, I managed to squeeze in the editing work and reached my July 21st deadline. Now I feel like I have an abundance of free time.

It hasn’t been all work, though. I have been enjoying some mountain biking and hiking with friends. I experienced my first substantial day hike in Glacier National Park (11 miles), which included a grizzly sighting. The visit with my son was too short, but at least we had one full day of exploration together, and we got out to a couple of my favorite haunts. I continue to enjoy another summer of live outdoor music, usually three or four nights a week.

My first Montana anniversary passed a couple of weeks ago. I’m grateful for the numerous new experiences of the past year and the many friendships that have enriched my life. They have been even better than I could have imagined. Last year, I arrived with an open mind, ready for a new life and a lower stress level. As I sit and reflect tonight, I realize that I have found the most important things that I was seeking.