Today’s a day of putting away and making sure that all lose things are secured – we head out tomorrow, all 61′ of us.  As usual, I am having mixed feelings.

For most of my life I dreamed of getting out of the mid-sized Ontario town where I grew up.  I wanted to see the world, adventure, but life, it seemed, had a different plan for me. Now here I am, trekking across North America in a motor home!  I have to pinch myself to believe that it is true.

“I would come back here,” Ric said yesterday, as we visited our favourite places for the last time.  “In fact when we are ready to settle, I’d think of buying a house here.”

I’m all for that.  The weather in Arizona is sublime and the dryness has been wonderful for my health.  Despite recent setbacks, I walked Coon’s Bluff yesterday without a walker (we’d forgotten it).  And I haven’t used my puffers for asthma since we’ve been here.

 The cactus wren is singing his creaky song outside my window, and the house finches are offering up their sweet melody, but I need to focus now on the next place.  Yesterday it was warm with clear blue skies and the birds were plentiful at the bluffs.  I stayed as long as I could, before saying my goodbyes.  It rained overnight and the clouds linger this morning, adding to my melancholy.

Every place we visit takes a piece of my heart, and I fill the hole with the sweetness of memories.

(Featured image is Superstition Mountain.  We have been staying in its foothills.  The other images are from Coon’s Bluff, along the Salt River.)