I am realizing a very interesting thing about me. I am actually resistant to change. Or maybe I just don't like it. Here I am in beautiful Bali, living the life. It took two days to get over the inevitable headache ( got one when I went to treatment, too), then two beautiful days of bliss - yoga, walking, reading, and a lovely dinner. We took off the next day for another town and I got homesick for the first town. So we stayed one night and returned to Sanur. Now, honestly we were the only people in a pretty good size hotel, at least 20 rooms. It was on the water and cool and beautiful. But the other side of the hotel was the only street that ran through town and connected East Bali to the rest of Bali. Trucks, trucks, trucks. So I'm thinking, aren't I supposed to be chilled out and relaxed? Aren't I suppose to be enjoying this experience?

So here we are now, starting to relax again, doing yoga, eating well and planning some day trips to chech out other places. This is wisdom from age. But I really must work on my adaptability. It used to be out of sight loose. I just rolled with the flow. But I'm working on breaking all those habits I picked up during my more structured life. I want to have a hippie mind - or at least what I thought that was.
Thanks for listening.

LI'm starting to pack things up at the house so my son, Will, can move in. He's taking care of the dogs, Enyce and Cali, while my husband and I explore the world.
We're starting the journey in Indonesia. With all the touring I did, I've never been to Asia. Bali seems like a good start. I'm hoping to free my mind of all the crap that's taken so much space over the last years and make room for some personal reflection. I think this is a good place for spiritual trekking.
So from now on, my blog will record this journey.
Lets start with the mess - physically and mentally.

Well, it all began here.  Meet my parents, John and Barbara O'Dell.  Now, granted this is an older photo.  They wouldn't want me to use a recent one because they're 87 and don't like the way they're aging!  I made that up but I'm sure they'd agree.  My dad was a teacher and coach and is slightly amazed and happy that I've finally found sports!  He coached basketball, I love football.  My dad taught me about music and Elvis, and is a man I am extremely proud of.
My mom went back to college when she was in her 30's (something unheard of in the sixties and got her nursing degree.  To this day she is the oldest living graduate of the University of Arizona School of Nursing.  She taught me that women deserve whatever they want in life.  I'd say she is a feminist in a way, but she wouldn't know that.  She just did what she thought was normal. 
My parents started in the mid-west and moved to Oklahoma and then Arizona.  They are drifters, though, and have moved many, many times.  Today they live in Tucson.  It's taken me a long time to really appreciate my parents and understand what great gifts they've given me.  I simply would not have been me without them!
May we all spend a moment in gratitude for the people who gave us our lives.  Some were not as lucky as I was.  I had love and laughter amongst the angst and anguish of growing up.  THANKS, MOM AND DAD!

I began to realize the other day that the 'family' I live in - The United States of America family - is about as dysfunctional as it gets.  We're divided down the middle, or close to it, by beliefs, biases, and bullishness.  The red and blue is divided by a thin strip of white (I guess that's the independence) and no one can hear the others point of view.

This reminds me of when my sister and I shared a double bed as children and we used to draw an imaginary line down the center, reminding each other not to cross it for fear of death!  I love my family and still am blessed to have both parents living.  My sister and I have become good friends in the past few years and I'm blessed she's more in my life than ever.  But back in those days it was full-on war.  We didn't understand each other and didn't really want to.  This caused me to eventually leave the family home and head out for greater lands.  I did this by moving to California and then England.  Not a bad move as it turned out because it gave me the many opportunities I've shared in my book.

Well, guess what?  I'm doing it again!  I'm heading for Asia in October and leaving all this crazy B.S. behind!  Today, my family is the world and I'm off to visit my cousins!