Mountain Author Pondering City Trip

By Cal Orey

Feeling edgy leaving my slow-paced mountain lifestyle

This week has been one filled with days  that have been uneventful leading up to a big trip to Eastern Canada. In the near future I'll be leaving on a jet plane to the unknown. I have a mixed bag of emotions, including excitement and fear. But I sense it's all the preliminary hassle of planning a journey out of the country. If I could do a re-do a vacation to the coast seems more my style, somewhere rural in northern California...

Quebec by the shore

City Trip--What was I Thinking? But I'm sticking to the flight plan from hell and determined to go to Quebec City as my final destination. We're talking shuttle bus, large aircraft to small aircraft, and several states. It's a road trip without my dog(s) or cat. Flying solo. A lot of what ifs haunt me but probably most if not all will not take place.

Commitment-Phobic Chime Clock: As I focus on getting my dogs in a row, I did order a watch. It arrived new and scratched. Back it went to the seller. I realized there isn't a clock in the house so I ordered a chime mantel clock. I was hooked at first chime. 
But within three hours the charmer came with glitches like a new man. It began to make strange sounds. It began to chime on its own schedule. It didn't keep time. It was late. That darn clock that is supposed to chime every 15 minutes and on every hour started to miss its schedule. It has mega commitment issues. Haunting me throughout the night, chiming in slow motion. It's off. So, a replacement clock will arrive tomorrow and this quirky one is going back to its maker. I was infatuated in the beginning. Maybe the new, improved clock will keep time. I do love it when it works...

Train Ride, Recurring Dream...During Labor Day weekend I booked a train trip from Montreal to Quebec City. This seems full of novelty. Odd doing it alone but I believe I can amuse myself. Vegan meals (this is a big step for a vegetarian) both ways. Funny, this trip is supposed to be a vacation but it's turning out to be a go-girl type of adventure. I miss the sofa spud-author I've become with bursts of energy to walk the dogs and swim at the resort pools in between penning  books, articles and reading for people on the networks who want to know what the future holds. And yes, the Pet Horoscopes for a major online site did go out...There goes the off chime clock...Late, sounds sad. Maybe it's a defective battery. Too many problems. No wonder I like being single.

My Bags Are Packed (or will be)... Time to get acquainted with the French language (almost 100 percent of the locals in Quebec City are French), pack and unpack (promised I would take less than more), learn how to use a digital camera...

Each day I look at my Aussie and Brittany. The time I'm away will allow them to bond more. This is a good thing. Simon will get his teeth cleaned. Boys will get their nails trimmed. Baths when I return. I don't want to think about my separation anxiety from the Siamese...he is my sleep partner, my lap dog-cat that keeps my blood pressure below normal. I adore my Zen and he loves me. But that's the deal. I'm off to live life (like when I was fearless back in my twenties) and find my own balance.