Gert
I went 15 rounds with Gert at 4:30 this morning. I won, but as you can see from the picture, she did leave a body part in my hand. There I was, outside in the pitch dark trying to start Gertrude, our generator, because naturally the one time the RV decides to have electrical problems is the same time Gert decides she ain’t working before sunrise. Pull. Nothing. Pull. Nothing. Pull again. Nothing. Apparently Gert and I had different plans for the morning. Then I gave her one more mighty yank and RRRRIP! The pull cord broke clean off. I just stood there in the darkness holding it in my hand, staring at Gert like, “Oh, so THAT’S how we’re gonna play this?” Fortunately, Gert has an electric starter. Unfortunately, I didn’t have jumper cables. So I went and got the Jeep, cut off some wire from an old trailer and rigged power from its battery to where Gert’s battery is supposed to hook to the starter, and gave her another shot. VROOOOM! GERTRUDE LIVES! ❤️ So here we sit, Breezie and me, drinking our coffee while Gert is outside doing what she was asked to do about 15 rounds ago. There’s probably a lesson in all this. Life is going to break your pull cord once in a while. Sometimes it’ll do it at 4:30 in the morning, in the dark, before you’ve even had coffee. But don’t give up. If Plan A breaks off in your hand, there’s always Plan B, and sometimes Plan B involves a Jeep. Hope is a stubborn little thing. So am I. Life is good, my friends. ❤️😊☮️ #finiustheskinniest #truestory
STORIES
8/24/20261 min read
We often think of adventure as something that happens far away, involving airplanes and exotic locales. But lately, we have been practicing the art of the slow wander right in our own backyard. It is amazing what you can discover when you stop rushing to get to the end of the trail and start looking at what is right in front of you.
Finding Wonder in the Familiar
There is a specific joy in revisiting the same path at different times of the year. You notice how the light changes, which flowers bloom first, and how the birds migrate. By slowing down, you give your mind the space it needs to breathe and your heart the chance to feel wonder again.
A New Way to Explore
Next time you go for a walk, try to find three things you have never noticed before. It could be a strange pattern in the bark of a tree or a hidden trail you always overlooked. Adventure is a state of mind, and it is available to you every single time you step out your front door.