Autumn At Last

First true day of Autumn

The calendar, the phase of the moon, the sap draining from leaves...may all say, "Autumn is here." BUT until the temperature in Redding, California finally drops below 85 during the day, yes, only then do I believe it is true autumn.

97 degrees and the first red maple leave 9/26/19

Update Since Last Blog Post

After my last blog post an amazing coworker blessed me with a new (to me) bedroom suite. A family member had passed away and after reading my blog she asked if I would like a queen sized bed, dresser and bedside table. I was overwhelmed. Three days later my daughter, Mary, and I took the bit of furniture out of my bedroom and brought up a complete suite.

bed with beautiful bedding

The wood color matches my old desk

A place for the legacy set of bridal pictures
and some of my vanity jar collection

I work with some of the most generous people on the planet. I have slept so well the past week back in The Nest.

The Great Pumpkin Run/Walk

A month ago I saw this virtual run/walk that looked like fun. Get a Pumpkin and some friends and go for a run/walk, 5K. Well 5K is only a little over 3 miles. My route from my apartment to The Sundial Bridge and back is 4 miles. I decided since no friends picked up the hint to join me I would do my 5K today and make it a Triathlon of my own creation. 

Cool light weight hoody that was included with the fee

I made my friend to join me
#TraderJoespumpkin

I ran into my friend and principal to witness
this zany adventure I was on

The best view in Redding for anyone
who has gone up
the .5 mile hill up to Hilltop Drive

The Pumpkin and I left the bike at The Nest

Pumpkin and helmet went up then the bike

Another mile to Cinemark 14 to watch
Downton Abbey

No one stopped to ask why I was walking around town with a pumpkin,
but a lady stopped to say she liked my "Poe" Crow leggings.

I had a gift card for the movie from school
and a gift card for coffee from a teacher

After 6 miles of Bike and Walk/Run~
Pumpkin and I went for a Spa Treatment

Finally I opened my metal and ribbon

Special Victory Meal

There will be a few sore muscles tomorrow. It may have been more fun to share with a friend, perhaps next time. I love the speed of riding my bike down to Turtle Bay/ Sacramento River Trail. It was great to see the Canadian geese doing the "Duck Down Dilly" in the Sacramento River and see all the people walking dogs and having coffee dates along the river trail. Seeing the wonderful Mrs. G. and her handsome man was a bonus. 

We got a $10 movie card for safety at work and I had wanted to see Downton Abbey. I love Dame Maggie Smith and Michelle Dockery. The theater was packed and it was fun to hear people laugh at Maggie Smith's conversations with Penelope Wilton. As I have never watched Downton Abbey the movie was a fresh treat. (Before judging me please remember, I do not have a television.) I did however, watch a segment called, "Everything a person must know before seeing the movie in 5 minutes." 

Returning home I enjoyed some time in the 104 degrees hot tub. Our pool was still at 85 degrees, although the air temperature was only 70 today. Calling my sister, Elaine, I learned in Reno it was snowing as I watched the hummingbirds out my plate glass door. It seems her Autumn was only a few days long. We are expecting rain for the next couple of days and my hummingbirds seems to know it, as they dive bomb me when I go out the door.

Spilled a little wine when a hummer buzzed me

In 1985 I was a motel manager in Susanville. My husband of 7 years chose this situation the last year of our marriage to hide me away, while he had an affair with my "best friend".  My only break that year was to go to the store and purchase a bottle of Perrier Water and a Cosmo magazine.

Not too racey in 1985

My "Best Friend" would suggest that I take some time off from the office and she would fill in for me. May 1985 divorce was a shame I added to my life and self-care wasn't happening for another couple of decades. 2001 a woman asked me to go to coffee for the first time. This was such a crazy idea to me. I hadn't had anyone ask me out for coffee or anything. I was skeptical that it was even allowed. My second husband had "sheltered our family from the world" and that included getting together with friends.

Then when I went to college in 2009 I started taking my girls to coffee. It was a precious time to share and go to coffee. Thankfully, we have all began the healing from that time of our lives. I still like fancy bubble waters. Coffee has lost some of it's appeal in resent months. Lately, teas have been satisfying the need for morning caffeine. However, having a free hot peppermint mocha was not wasted on me. 

What is next at The Nest

A new friend suggested I look at the book, "Hope for the Flowers." She heard the story from my blog that told of my hungry caterpillar to butterfly analogy and told me I needed to get this book. It seems that the wings have started to dry and the flight of Deena Orr has begun.
Years ago, my children and I watch a butterfly come out of the chrysalis one day. It dropped onto some soil and I picked it up on my finger. It jumped off my finger after a few moments and onto Joey's head. She stood there with a "Real" Butterfly clip on her head as we all marveled at this amazing creature. Being a butterfly is scary as they are so delicate, but so resilient. 

That is the word for this season in my life: Resilient. Last Monday I went to a workshop on Resilience in the Schools. That is the buzz word for being able to self-regulate. Which is another buzz word for coming back into the present after having a meltdown. So many buzz words. The acronyms in education are even crazier than the buzz words. 

In January I hope to return to school to get my Bachelors Degree with an emphasis in Behavior. Our children need to be understood in a totally different way than my children or my own teachers needed to specialize. They say that one person had to care about you or you wouldn't be the person you are now. 

That person for me was Virginia Travis. She was our next door neighbor and a 5th grade teacher. 

My take home truth from the workshop was that each child comes to me with a load of baggage, just like I do. As adults we are expected to leave that baggage at home and come to work ready to do the task assigned. We expect children will do the same thing, but they are confronted with so many "adult situations" that they can't begin to process.

I had a group of children in which we were discussing the Big Words in the Preamble of the Constitution. 

...insure domestic tranquility...was an eye opening subject. I asked them if they knew what domestic meant. One said, "I've dealt with domestic violence." They all nodded in agreement, they knew what "Domestic Violence" was, but didn't know what tranquility was...in third grade! We expect them to understand that we are here to help them learn and be kind to one another. My school is one of the best I know of in this way. I have the most caring staff and the students understand that we are there for them. However, we all go home at night needing someone to care for us. Well in my case, that is me caring for me.

I have started a Bible Study. This group is beginning to get use to me and share. I have a few friends that I have made since moving to Redding four years ago that keep up with me. (Two lovely ladies came over last night for a little TGIF, it was great.) There is also one friend from my old life and one I met a year ago who take me to dinner or coffee once in a while. I am not alone anymore. My family checks in sometimes too. Mostly, I check in with them. 

Today was my first day of Autumn and I feel that I have been blessed in so many ways since moving to Redding four years ago. Self-care is a thing. Today it was: biking, walking, swimming and hot tub. I had a free coffee with a pumpkin🤣 and a free movie. My bike tires are full, as well, as my gas tank. A hummingbird buzzed me and I have a great bottle of wine. Radio station Air1 (FM102.7) is softly playing in The Nest as the wind blows in the rain clouds. The Nest is warm and cozy. Yes, I am very blessed.

Passport to the Sky

First Passport

Breathe~ Deena Marie Orr has a passport; this is my first passport. I don't know where it will take me, but I am ready🌻

Last Weekend with my Friends

Ducks

Dog

Cat

Coffee and Music

My friends have been in the Emerald Islands for the past four weeks and I have been enjoying their place with my: Duck, Dog, Deena and Cat Team.

    The week they left we had a forest fire scare. After the awful fires of 2018 that caused the displacement of thousands of people and the loss of many lives the California Fire First Responders were very careful. The fire was 10 miles away as the crow flies, but there are few roads out and really only one major road. I am staying near the Highway entrance (less than a mile). To open this main thoroughfare they closed the Community College and had an emergency evacuation of the Staff and Student Body. I had just returned to my house sitting "home"  when my daughter, who drives a bus for the college, called to say that the college was evacuating and she would be taking the entire preschool staff and students from the college. I got a call from the son of the "home", who lives in Chico, to say that he would come up and watch the house through the fire, as the college is basically across the street and I did not sign up for "Fire protection". Meanwhile, my friends had just arrived in Ireland.

    A neighbor had snuck in the back after the road was closed and told me that he would help me collect animals. The wind had double the fire from 300 acres to 600 acres in an hour and was headed our way. Then the wind switched direction with a near tornado force... the umbrella in the back yard taking off like a bamboo-copter. I had never seen anything like that! The umbrella was open and in a stand through the table one moment, then it rose into the sky like it had been twisted by giant hands and spun across the patio landing four feet away. The glass table tipped over, but did not break!

bamboo-copter

 The "son of the home" stopped in to check on me just as the main road was reopened. The fire was contained within a few days. The smoke cleared in a few days and life went on. 

A New Year

These same friends went on their first trip after retirement just a year ago. I began house sitting for them on September 11, 2018. In the past year I have spent over 4 months in their home with my: duck, dog, cat, chicken, fish and froggy family. I had two major skin conditions start here; one a serious insect attach  and one may have been shingles. Neither were as a result from this house, but life in general. It was so great to spend a month here and not have any itches. 

  I have been visiting my apartment to prepare for Fall and moving home. My down stairs neighbors had politely mentioned that my bed squeaked so loud that they heard it below. My bed is a daybed with rusty old springs that were not too great on comfort. So, I spent one afternoon taking the bed apart and dumping the squeaky part. I then moved the old "Click Couch" into my bedroom as the base for my box-spring and mattress. Now there are clean sheets and a quieter, sturdier base awaiting me after work Wednesday night.

home sweet home

My Second Job

  We have had a big change in staff at Pier1 this past couple of weeks. I'm excited about the new Manager and feel really great about the changes that the company has been making in the past couple of months. We spent over a month changing the local store layout per the Corporate Plan. Fall has come in and we have an event in a week to show off our new look and new management. I love our events, it is a party at my favorite store. 

  Since the click couch decided to move to the bedroom, I got a new chair for my living room. My landlady came up to be my first guest to sit in the Markus. That is one way to remember the furniture names, if I buy a piece 😂

A chair for my long legged guests

  In the two years I have worked for Pier1 I hadn't gotten to create my own statement in the store until last weekend. The new manager had mentioned wanting to change out the dishes on display in the front and I asked if I could do the change. It was a lot of fun. I also got a 35 cent an hour raise this week. An extra $25 a month is better than a kick in the pants.

A new pillow that looks like Reba, my 3 legged dog friend

   This is my Chas chair I purchased last Fall. Using velvet place-mats to protect the back and arms like Grandma did with doilies is a fun way to change the seasons. The cat was a P1 fall favorite that made a come back this year. The lab which resembles my buddy Reba is new this Fall.

New Bible Study

   I started a new Bible Study at RCF this past Tuesday. My sweet friend, Virginia, who went to heaven on my birthday had been attending RCF for a while. We went to the first service on the occasion that her folks were out of town this past year. Before her passing it seemed God was telling me it was time to settle into a church home. It has been four years. An evening study once a week is doable. I have my reading chair all set and an alternate with my new left-handed desk. This was another Pier1 find that I repainted. 

𝆕Dust in the Wind𝆕

   Today I have been on a musical adventure. I started with "Passport" by Blue Sky and have gone from "How do you like me now?" by Toby Keith, to "Trains and Boats and Planes" by Dwight Yockam, to Mama Cass, Toto, Justin Timberlake... None stop Youtubing my favorites. "You are welcome", to my friends who hate people Verbizing Nouns. 

   I have spent 60% of my past year at someone else's home while they traveled the globe. The GIS-Butterfly has been in a cocoon the past four years. The chrysalis is splitting and this Butterfly is about to spread her wings. 40 years as a "Hungry Caterpillar" who was thirsting for knowledge. Now is the time to fly. The passport is ready and now...I wait on God to show me where and when.

   People have told me they have met few people who are as giving as Deena Orr. She gave so much to her family as Deena Burnham that she lost who she was...but as a hungry caterpillar, she grew and grew until she burst and sat in the cocoon of The Nest these past four years. Flying will take practice. For now small trips: the grocery store, two jobs, Bible Study, workshops, diner with a friend...then a drive, an airplane...the sky is the limit.

   

Namaste