Tango and I are settled into my friend Gennie’s house in the Williamette Valley, in Central Oregon. She is making the transition to becoming a full-time RVer and needs some help making forward progress. Sorting through things and making decisions about what to keep for this next phase of life is so difficult. What goes in the RV? What about mementos and family heirlooms? Do I have to decide about everything right now? Should I fix up the house or sell it “as-is?” Do I need to set some deadlines? Aggggghhhhhhh!!! So many decisions.

Furthermore, as we age, committing to fulltime travel is scary. What if I get sick? What about the mail? Doctors? Where will I domicile? I have been through this already, so I am hoping to be a good coach for Gennie. “Just put one foot in front of the other”. Some questions will take a while to answer. Some questions won’t even matter after the first year. “Let’s do this”, I say. Gennie exhales.

At the moment, we are in the park, manning her jewelry booth. She makes beautiful earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and wind chimes from fused glass. She has sold online and at art fairs for a long time and is quite skilled at talking to people. I am impressed and it motivates me to keep thinking about selling some sewn items online. In the fall, I think. Right now, I need to focus on writing about my Alaska trip. I really don’t want to get scattered in too many directions, a lifelong pattern with me.

The park! Small town America! Fourth of July! A church sells cookies in their booth and will donate the proceeds to a food bank. Several others sell hand-sewn items. Dozens of vintage cars draw admiring crowds along one edge of the park. Last night, a Blues trio and then a Big Band group played at the band shell. Today, locals have lined up their chairs for the parade, which starts at noon. Tango is asleep in the corner of the booth but he likes to stick his head under the canopy and catch the sympathy of people walking by. Ohhhh, look at the little dog. He looks like a little teddy bear. I have started to call him Grizz.

People are arriving now in the park for a classic, small-town 4th of July and they all seem in good spirit. After a slow day yesterday, vendors look hopeful.  My son just sent a text, wishing me Happy 4th. A small child walked by with a giant cookie. Life is good in the Williamette Valley.