Author: cometsgirl

Several years ago, during our second trip to Iceland, my friend and I stayed in a wonderful hotel in Húsafell. As we drove the last thirty miles, we worried the hotel may be so luxurious that we might not fit in. And we wondered why in we had booked this hotel.

Our uncertainty was for naught. It was luxurious, but not ostentatious, and we fit right in. However, when we requested a second robe, as the room only had one, we learned our room did not include two robes. We dubbed it “entry-level luxury”.

The true luxury was seeing the super-wide waterfall just down the road!

This morning we presented ourselves at the Centurion Lounge at Houston Intercontinental Airport. We had entry because my friend has some upper level American Express credit card.

At the entrance to the lounge, live plants make up the design below.

We settled in, paying little notice to the small “reserved” sign on the table. We made ourselves comfortable with quite a repast for our pleasure. Make-your-own espresso drinks, and much more.

Then we were asked to move as that table and couch were reserved for a higher level card carrier. Yep. Entry-level luxury once again.

Now seated in seats 1F and one 1D on United Polaris air craft, I’m thinking whatever luxury level I have is way more than enough.

As some of you know, when I tuned 80 recently, I decided to use some of the settlement $$ I received from my 2019 car accident, to give $100 to 80 helping organizations.

This morning I received an email from Mary’s Meals in the U.K. I learned of this group years ago during travel to the isle of Iona. They are this morning’s recipient of the 80×100 project. I have abundant luxury to share.

After a few hours layover in Newark, it’s on to Iceland. We’ll take off today and land tomorrow. Registration to enter The country is complete.

Traveling mercies.

Have you ever heard this saying? It refers to an old expression used in the New England area, most frequently in Maine, by persons being asked for directions to a far distant location that cannot be accessed without extensive, complicated directions.

That’s how I feel about getting to the Faroe Islands. A self-governing archipelago and part of the Kingdom of Denmark, Faroe Islands comprises 18 rocky, volcanic islands located between Iceland and Norway in the Norwegian Sea.

My travel begins with a half-hour drive south where I will take a COVID-19 test for entry into Iceland. Assuming it is negative, I will board a flight the next day to Houston, with an overnight stay with my best friend. The next morning we’ll fly two legs (one an overnight flight) to Reyjkavic, Iceland, where we’ll spend a couple of nights. Then it’s on to Faroe Islands. A short one-hour flight takes use to Vágar Island. After picking up a rent car, we’ll have a 45 minute drive to Torshavn on the island of Streymoy, via a three mile tunnel under Vestmannasund strait.

Finally we’ll arrive in Tórshavn for a week’s stay at Havgrim Seaside Hotel!

You really have to want to get to this place. And I DO want to get there! This trip has had to be canceled twice over the past two years. It’s time.

Come along!

Oh, about that test….

Traveling mercies.

This is a word with shades of color and meaning. I’ve been thinking about awe for awhile now, having read a recent article that touched on the benefits of recognizing and experiencing awe.

I thought about it early this morning. I was sitting in my son’s backyard watching the geese do a fly-by, and a short time later arrive on foot as they walked up the alley. They were here for the daily scoops of corn my son or my daughter-in-law toss their way.

These stunning birds have been daily visitors, when they are in town, for years. I thought about the promise of food in this place, and of the geese memory that guides them here.

I thought about awe as I spent some time with the tree in the backyard. It suffered during the extraordinary freeze across Texas earlier this year. Its trunk split and has been slow to repair itself. On the other hand the tree has branched out along the trunk, instead of along the arms as one would expect. There is hope in the novel way the tree has chosen to heal.

“Trees pro­voke awe—that emo­tional re­sponse to some­thing vast that ex­pands and chal­lenges the way we see the world”, according to Dacher Kelt­ner, a pro­fes­sor of psy­chol­ogy at the Uni­ver­sity of Cal­i­for­nia, Berke­ley, who studies awe. Re­search also shows that awe de­creases stress and anxiety. It can quiet our men­tal chat­ter,

Of course I thought about being in awe of my grandson, Jack, as he set a goal and worked toward it for a number of years. He was then tested on his ability, strength, perseverance and courage. He succeeded and now has his 2nd Degree Black Belt.

I will say, too, that I also needed strength and courage to sit through the six hours of testing.

And how can I not be awed by God and God’s presence in our lives? God has brought together my Keller family’s church parish and their new rector. A wonderful man of God now serves the church where my family worships. I have known Alan for many years and now here he is with my family. Today was his first day, and here I was in town. It was a wonderful reunion!

And lest I forget the reality of travel by air. I’m awed by how planes accomplish takeoff, landing and all the time in-between. I’m in awe of myself for having the ability to fly – and do so with ease. I’m flying as I write this. The scenery is awesome. Just look outside my window.

God’s palette. I’m in awe.

Look around. Find your awe.

I flew to Texas today. My son met me and had some surprises for me in the car.

I cut quite a festive figure as I walked into Starbucks on the drive home. Everyone wished me a happy birthday and then comped my drink!

But wait there’s even more.

Another peppermint chip chiffon cake! And this one was gluten free no less. It was delicious.

Now, as I “lay me down to sleep…“, this is my view as I turn off the light.

The Lord almighty grant each of us a peaceful night and a perfect end. Amen.

Well that was fun! Turning 80 didn’t hurt at all.

There was joy in one fashion or another all day. The word “ joy” popped in cards

and conversations. In faces and voices. In smiles and glorious laughter. In balloons and flowers.

Donations were made in my name. Breast health and basketball; protection and promise for God’s people.

I was somewhat surprised by the multitude of my healthcare providers who sent emails and texts to wish me a happy birthday.

I was gifted in so many different ways, most especially by having my sister by my side.

And of course, the Peppermint Cake.

It was as good as I remembered. Newbies to the peppermint cake, along with seasoned tasters, enjoyed this wondrous treat.

This morning this sight caught my eye, and I began to sing, “the party’s over, the party over…”

But not really. It’s just begun.

I’m currently in my air-chair, headed to be with the Keller Heckels. My grandson will test for his 2nd degree Black Belt. I was there for the first level years ago. I wouldn’t want to miss being there for this one.

God willing – and those previously mentioned healthcare providers, I’ll have more joyous milestones.

Traveling mercies.

I have a significant birth milestone coming up in a few days. It’s what I call “joining the 8’s.

I’ll be 80 years young. My good friend, Nannette, did this about four years ago. At that time it seemed remarkable to me that she was 80, and that I had a friend that age!

I have a few family members and several friends in my church parish that have accomplished this milestone. I feel I’ll be in good company.

One of my dearest friends made the transition just two weeks ago. A few days before her birthday we Face-timed at the end of one of our monthly calls. We had not seen each other for about 15 years. We declared one another pretty. That was a smile moment.

Now my turn to join the 8’s is fast approaching.

A bouquet sent from my best friend arrived today from Farmqirl Flowers. Its description is Sunset. The accompanying note from her said “Looking forward to sunsets in Faroes and Iceland”, a reference to our long awaited, upcoming trip to celebrate our milestone birthdays. I’m so ready!

The past several years I have referred to myself as “oldering”. I wonder if I have drifted into old age. And just as with other times and events in my life, I will need to take time to grow into this particular era of my life.

I’m reading May Sarton’s Coming into Eighty. It’s a collection of poems written in her seventy-ninth and eightieth years, declaring herself “a foreigner in the land of old age”.

In Coming into Eighty, she writes:

Glancing through the poems before I settle into a rhythm of reading, I note there are often lines about pain. Perhaps this is just the book to accompany me for the 8’s journey. With one of my favorite writers along, I’m in good company.

My sister arrives tomorrow. I’m SO glad she is coming! At the top of our to-do list is bake the cake my mom made for each of my birthdays. A Peppermint Chip Chiffon Cake.

The recipe appeared in a 1941 issue of Lady’s Home Journal. It was a Gold Medal Flour advertisement, and bakers are advised not to risk failure by using any other brand of flour.

This cake is a big deal to make. It takes some skill to bake an old-fashioned chiffon cake (which incidentally must hang upside down on a glass milk bottle to cool.) The Candy Mountain Icing takes some skill to pull off as well. I’m pretty sure these two sisters have got this.

I’ll be thrilled when I slice the cake, which I just may do BEFORE dinner! After all, this cake represents my Joining the 8’s.

I look forward to astonishment during my 8’s.

Now the long weekend lark comes to an end. To sum it up, it was fabulous!

Yesterday….

Today…

I’d like to go back in time to last Thursday and do it all again!

Traveling mercies.

As we drove into Taos in December 2017, we spotted a coffee sign attached to an old pick-up truck.

It was late afternoon and they were closed. We knew we would return the next morning to check the place out. And so we did.

Thus began our friendship with Lydia and Pablo, owners of Taos Coffee Apothecary. They had been open just weeks. Young, determined, delightful young people.

Over the past four and a half years they have become skilled coffee roasters and have built a successful craft coffee business. Each year we return to Taos, we begin each morning enjoying coffee and conversation with the couple.

During the pandemic year they have been open for take-out only. Yesterday while standing in line for coffee, we realized that inside Pablo was roasting coffee beans and Lydia was packing up coffee bean orders for shipment to customers around the country. It turns out one of the packages was to be shipped to me.

Lydia looked up and out the window only to see us waiting in line. She gasped as she held up the note to me she was placing with my boxed order. We could see Pablo at the roaster and he paused to give a simulated hug. Lydia came outside to visit with us as we waited in line. What a joyous reunion!

Later in the morning we joined dear, dear friends at the Harwood museum.

The featured exhibit was Santo Lowride:Norteno Car Culture and the Saints Tradition. On our family travels in the 50’s we often saw “low rider” cars as we drove through this area, so it was great fun to see the evolution of these cars from the streets to museum display.

Next we enjoyed a delicious lunch filled with delightful conversation at Martyrs restaurant.

I’ve found when you return often to the same travel destination, deep friendships can develop. Part of the anticipation of these travels are the sweet reunions to come. These friendships are rich beyond measure.

“A sweet friendship refreshes the soul.” Proverbs 27:29.

NOTICE FOR ALL TRAVELERS: As of May 3, 2021, Taos County is considered “Low Risk” or at the Turquoise Level according to New Mexico’s state guidelines.

We are finding out what it’s like to be in a a state with COVID-19 restrictions still in place.

It was disappointing at first to have to line up outside, but reading about the pandemic restrictions in New Mexico in general, and specifically Taos, it was kind of comforting. We are being kept safe-ish in this place.

Best of all I love being outside under the New Mexico blue sky with crisp mountain temps.

The drive yesterday from Albuquerque to Taos was filled with the joy of returns.

Lunch at the Range Cafe in Bernalillo.

Iced Lattes – and peonies at Ikonic Coffee Roasters.

And the scenic drive!

The return to la Casa de las Abuelas.

An evening walk down the road, complete with lilacs!!

And the healing llamas. Since we forgot what names we gave them on a visit in 2019, we have renamed them.

Now to see what’s next for today.

The Land of Enchantment is calling me. New Mexico is in my heart and soul.

As a child growing up in Colorado, my family made frequent trips to Taos and Santa Fe. Sometimes that was the destination; other times we passed through on our way to Mexico. Regardless, I was always enchanted.

When I moved to Texas I vowed to have mountains find their way into the souls of my two sons. New Mexico’s Sangre de Christo range had to stand in for the Colorado Rockies, simply because northern New Mexico was in driving range from Houston. I found a summer camp outside Santa Fe where my boys spent a month each summer during middle school and high school. The bonus was for me to drive over and pick them up.

On my first drive to pick up my boys at camp, one of my most dear friends came along. We had our own most memorable trip ahead of the camp pick-up. Glorious scenery with glorious joy!

I’ve made many trips to this enchanting place. My best friend and I have journeyed here at least once a year for over twenty years. Our trip to Taos in January 2020 was just about the last trip we took before COVID-19 took hold of our lives. While I’ve flown off to distant places a few times since being vaccinated, this trip feels like cementing my return to travel. I’m soon to be in a place where my soul is quieted and rejuvenated at the same time.

As May Sarton wrote: “I was unprepared in every way, unprepared for the air itself, seven thousand feet up, thin and dry so there is a bubble of physical excitement in one’s chest; unprepared for the huge bare landscape that reminded me of Chinese paintings and of northern Spain”– The Leopard Land

So off I go!

Traveling Mercies.