Monday was a day of cleansing. Laundry and the scrubbing of a stinky, muddy pug were the big plans on the agenda. Once those were out of the way, there was time for a quick meet up with my niece for lunch, and then I was on the road. I hadn't planned on going to Austin, because it was a little out of the way, but then I thought, whose schedule am I on? Oh right...mine! So I took a little side trip to see my childhood friend Mindy and her family. She has a beautiful home, and it was really lovely to talk to her and her family. I hadn't seen her boys since they were little kids, and I really loved being able to get to know them as full functioning grown people. They are all really smart and funny, just as I would have suspected, since their parents are too! I left there this morning and headed to visit my friend Mykal, whom I hadn't seen in almost 8 years...SO good to catch up with him as well. It's always so comforting to know that I have friends that I don't need to talk to all the time to feel right back at home with them the second we do meet up. Mindy and I, and a whole group of our friend since childhood, can always fall right back into conversation without missing a beat. It never matters what has happened in between, how different our lives are, or how far apart we live. We are always 'home' for each other. I feel so fortunate to have them still so there for me. The love and support, and total understanding of what I was going through with my dad, and then being there for me during the funeral, and then fully supporting me on this trip...it's more than I can really process. Love them, with my whole heart.
On down the road this evening, I found myself agreeing to something I never thought I would. My search for a place to park Odin for the night was proving difficult. After a couple RV sites told me they only rented by the month, I was getting the impression I would be camped by the side of the road. Just as I pulled in to my last hope, I saw a guy walk down from his mobile home and ask me if I needed help. He was about my age, and looked like a sweet, corn fed country boy. When I told him what I was looking for, he said, 'Well, just pull up right here! It's no problem!' While I know I should have been thinking 'STRANGER DANGER!!!' I was instead thinking, 'He seems sweet. I'm in.' So I backed Odin into his yard. We started talking like we'd know one another for years, and he was really sweet to Clem. He asked if I was hungry, and then said "Do you cook? Get on in there and find whatever you want and cook something up!" So I did. He chatted away with me the whole time, about his businesses, the house he's building, his aunt that used to live in New York, the art work that he does, and life lessons he's learned. It was great to cook for someone, and really nice to have conversation with a random dude I met in a tiny Texas town and have it be worthwhile. He might be my favorite road friend yet.
