Sometimes the Facebook memories are just too good to ignore. Today, it had entries for the last five years which was a study in contrasts. Too good not to share a snapshot of one day across five years, so here it is.
2016
My first camping spot as a full-time vagabond after giving up my West Seattle apartment. I found a spot at Larabee State Park, still available a week before Memorial Day weekend…
Yes, that’s three little trailers in a spot meant for one. Mine. The people at the next campsite over “moved in” before I showed up, saying a tree had fallen where they were supposed to put their trailers. Honestly, it seemed like they could have gotten at least one trailer in their spot. This was my first experience with crazy campers. And with the craziness that is Memorial Day weekend in a campground. Both were unforgettable experiences.
2017
Never put yourself into a situation where you end up at the ER on Memorial Day. It doesn’t end well. (I fell while running and smashed my hand on the edge of a concrete sidewalk while driveway surfing at a friend’s place in Terre Haute, Indiana.)
Two doctors after the ER doc plus 8 weeks of occupational therapy 2-3 times a week, and I had 90% of functionality back. That’s considered good enough to be offically “not disabled” by the injury. Four years on, the tip of that finger doesn’t bend right and the knuckle is out of alignment but I can do almost anything except play guitar. I kind of miss playing guitar.
2018
I self-published a book of my photographs and one of my customers was Sina, my niece in Germany. She makes this book look so good! She shipped it all the way across the ocean. Now that is a good niece <3
2019
While on a one-night hotel stop in Roanoke, VA, I met up with fellow Alto owners (at the time), Leigh and Janet, who took me to a local brewery for a wonderful dinner outing.
A few weeks ago, I met back up with them for two nights of camping, where I got to inspect their very cool (and very big) truck camper. We might have to do this bi-annual thing indefinitely, ladies!
2020
Last year, I was in pandemic lockdown land, the Alto in the side yard in Gainesville, and me in an airbnb to escape the hell that is known as summer in Florida. The big upside was the magnolia blooms, which I photographed a lot on my daily walks.
And in 2021?
I learned in 2016 that holiday weekends are things to be planned well in advance. I learned in 2020 that reservations sometimes exist to be changed. In 2021, I don’t put up with a crappy camping spot if I have other options. Today I moved from a spot way too close to a loud family with a noisy propane heater and into a quieter, bigger spot where the neighbors are a decent ways away from me on all sides. My kind of campsite. Also, my kind of view!
The only time you should look back, is to see how far you’ve come.
Anonymous
Lenette, it’s been a while, I’m going to ping you for a chat, my friend!
Thanks Annie! You have inspired me to take stock of how I’m changing on this road of life. And that while comparisons with others are not helpful, comparisons with ourselves can be revealing…
Annie, I love following your blog and having a window into your adventures, the good ones and the ones you may prefer had a different outcome.
As always I appreciate your insights and the info your share. We are looking forward to our (Susie & Bill) adventures in an Alto sometime soon. We still don’t know if we’ll be picking up in Quebec or Durango, hoping for Durango at this point.
Keep finding new adventures and glad you had a good plan for the pandemic lockdown. Take care,
Susie
Your book is on my coffee table and I still leaf through it. Matter of fact, time to leaf through it again on its anniversary.