Taking Care...of Myself

First, an update on Jewel the black bear - she had two cubs, and the researchers have named them Fern and Herbie!  I still check in on the bears - it's a great way to pass the time in Australia.  And yes, I'm in Australia again.

I spent 3 weeks here last month, and I'm 1 day short of 2 weeks this month.  I love the city (Brisbane), and the people, but geez, I miss home too!  The work is challenging, frustrating, fascinating, infuriating, fun, and tiring all at the same time.  During my last trip my Aunt and Uncle both died (husband and wife), and I still feel like I haven't dealt with that yet.  My uncle was my Mom's favorite brother, and his wife was my Mom's best friend.  But it feels like I've been swept up in a wave that's rushing away from the shore; away from everything I love; everything I need to pay attention to.

My day starts really early.  When I arrived, Brisbane was 16 hours ahead of Dallas.  The easy way to calculate that is to take the current time in Brisbane, subtract 4, and that's the time in Dallas, except reverse the morning to night and vice versa.  This weekend though, Dallas changed to daylight savings time, which means we only subtract 3.

So if I want to talk to my colleagues in Dallas (and I often do), I have a window of opportunity: from about 5 am Brisbane time (2 pm DFW) to 8 am Brisbane (5 pm DFW).  I need to work Saturday here, since it's Friday in DFW, but no relief Monday, since the customer is busy that day.

I'm not complaining - it could be worse in so many ways.

But today I voiced a dream.  Someday, I want to hang up my traveling shoes and move somewhere not Texas (Minnesota I hope, but I'm keeping the dream open just in case).  I want to contribute as much as I do today to my work, but without ever leaving home.  I'd have a lovely organic garden, and keep chickens in the backyard for the eggs.  I'd always have at least 2 cats, whom would of course never leave the house (I do want those chickens to be happy).

I'd rarely if ever have to pay for a petsitter, a house cleaner, or a lawn mower.  That alone would save me about $500 a month, which I could put towards more plants, or chickens, or chicken feed.

And you know what?  I don't care if I live in a camper, an apartment, or a mansion.  My dream isn't the house I live in, the car I drive, or the power I have.  It's about contributing, loving, and taking care of myself.

One more day here in Australia, three weeks in Fort Worth, then back again.  Then it's time to move to my Summer Palace!