See this lunch?
You might see these fries, piled high with freshly minced dill pickles, slathered with some sort of dill ranch dressing and paired with fancy mango ice tea and think, oh, Kit’s health goals have really gone sideways. You wouldn’t be wrong, of course, but what you are actually looking at, is evidence that everything is, in fact, copacetic.
I had to look up the spelling of that word just now. I thought it was spelled COPE-A-Static. And I thought, well that makes sense. Cope. Cope is to manage. Static made if feel settled. Settled and circular at the same time. I guess that word is CENTRIC. But still, that’s what it makes me think of. It makes me think of a dog or cat, making circles and fluffing their beds before lying down. Being in a state of peace, in a state of rest. So, the reason these particular dilly fries became the embodiment of being relaxed in a place is this.
Today, I was at peace with stopping somewhere. For me.
That may not sound big, but I’ll tell you why it is.
When you travel with a dog and a cat, in a van larger than you are accustomed, there are real factors that need weighing before making a stop.
Is the temperature too hot to stop somewhere? Is there parking? Is parking in the shade? If I get into the parking space, is there a chance I might get blocked in by someone not realizing how much space I need to back out? This is also real.
There’s more. If I decide to stop, how long do I have realistically? Will Pips and Corny be content to sleep for a bit if I leave the van?
Our first three weeks on the road, I did not press myself to do those mental gymnastics very often. It was enough to remember where my toothbrush was and to make sure I had enough water on board for all of us.
Aside from caring for my four legged friends, I also need to factor in my own status. How are my legs today? How much energy do I have right now? Is there a bathroom? How far is the parking from the building?
There were times I wondered if I would ever venture much beyond the basic. Which is also fine. Great, really. I have jokingly referred to the bus as my Enhanced Mobility Scooter, because walking had become difficult this last few months. I was just grateful to be able to get out of the house.
That’s a lot of factoring, and to be truthful, the mental energy can be a bit depleting. New experiences run on high octane fuel and I’m usually running on something less than regular.
The block that is most sneaky is the one that flashes through your mind just as a possibility presents itself ; Will it be worth it? That one is the most powerful. This one disables action instantly. And it was no where to be found today.
It’s the one that keeps you from playing your Curiousity Cards, which is a game I made up for the kids when we were on long car trips. Everyone got a couple Curiousity Cards, and were expected to play them before day’s end. No one got to debate anyone’s choices. All curiousity was honoured. This kept us firmly in the “The journey IS the destination” realm and it helped us notice things through one another’s eyes. When you play curiousity cards, it’s assumed to be worth it.
Today I took a drive through Waupoos, which is another pin in a map full of memories from when the kids and I lived here Prince Edward County.
I see the sign. Dilly Fries, and it all happened so fast. You should have seen me whip the bus around! Like I’d just spotted the last rare bird on my list of rare-birds-to-see-before-I-die.
I did the fastest three-point turn in an unfamiliar farm driveway I have ever done (in truth I had done zero previously) and squeezed myself into a small spot under a perfect tree, doing mathematical calculations I was not previously capable of while navigating vehicle-consuming potholes. I decided I didn’t care if I got blocked in. Let them block. I want those Dilly Fries. WHATEVER THEY ARE.
And just like that, I had all three of us tucked into into a nook under a tree at Creasy’s Apple Dabble Farm and I had my Dilly Fries.
And like Pippa and Cornelius , I did three of four circles before I settled in to eat them. All is now Copacetic
I found my bus legs today and it happened because I played my first curiousity card, and it was so worth it.
The kids will be so impressed.
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This Wholehearted Life 