Waynesboro, VA -- I had no internet access the last two nights, so I have been doing a lot of traveling without any posts. First night fairly tired, only got as far as Cocoa. Second night I made it all the way to brother's house (he's Jack, wife is Barb), a log cabin mansion on top of a mountain south of Asheville, NC. The road up is gravel, one lane, a cliff going up on one side and a cliff going down on the other. Sheesh! (But this am I drove down all by myself! for the first time. Earlier trips I made my brother drive my car down the mountain for me.)

Petey saw his first horse this morning and did mighty, mighty growling. He is so a city dog.


Tonight we are in a motel in Waynes- boro, with Petey needing a 7am arrival at puppy camp, Mrs Doolittles Kennel in Nellysford, VA, a place I love. I will take a pic there tomorrow.

VA is expecting spring. Sky is grey, everything is damp, and my feet are cold. But there are hints, daffodils blooming everywhere, the dogwood is out and the redbud trees are (say this phrase in a breathy voice) softly, softly hinting at MAH..., and GENT..., and TAH. In a week you will cry when you look at them.

I have been looking for happy, happy, joy, joy coming up the road. Maybe I am really tired, maybe I need more spring, maybe I need an attitude adjustment. I can't quite grasp it. When I see the beauty beauty things, I say, "nice." And I look for the hhjj experience and it's not there. And I can't "fake it til I make it" on this particular agenda.

In meditation, on the Staircase, in the red area "Expect", one is taught not to look for a repeat, but something new and unexpected, a "never before" sort of experience, So okay, that is my assignment. Look at things with new eyes, feel with new feelings, think with new thoughts, and love with new lovings. Just laying out this assignment give me lighter shoulders and a feeling of relief. Nothing is lost. New will be gained. Wheee! I wonder what is the next incarnation of happy, happy, joy, joy.

Tomorrow I will be at The Monroe Institute (http://www.monroeinstitute.com/, program is called "Creative Flow") for a week. I will not have internet, I probably will not post until next Friday, April 3rd. I will take pics of all the creative produce of all the people, and then I will post mine and the best of the rest.

I am more excited about this trip than I have been for months, maybe longer. I am enchanted with the getting ready process -- update the Garmin maps -- gather music for the road, wrassle with the insurance people about getting two months worth of prescriptions instead of only one (some wrassle, that one!). Petey to the groomer, me to the groomer (you should see my toenails), car to the groomer, what clothes, what does Petey need at puppy camp, what side trips, who to visit, and many other decisions delightful to contemplate.

The trip is about going to the Monroe Institute program called "Creative Flow". Use the hemi-sync technology as prep for a creative endeavor. The emailed today to say they had music making thingies, drums and such, and lots of paper, crayons, paint, and clay. I expect to be transformed. I expect to experience a sea change in my creative process and in my creative produce. In anticipation, here is a pic of my latest finished painting (I have one in process as well, but not done enough to show) so we can all check out where I am now and where the week takes me.

First night out I will spend somewhere in Georgia. Second night, at my brother and sister-in-law's house near Asheville, NC. I have promised myself to toe the line on my eating program. I am following the book, "Dr. Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Diabetes." Long story short -- low-fat vegan, low glycemic carbs. While the weight is not melting off me, I actually have lost 10 lbs. in the past two months. There are two hollows in my cheeks and my pants are loose. But I am not sure about the temptations of the road (mostly the radically different BBQ philosophies, and ribs!, existing between here and central Va. And my brother is an amazing cook.