Moving on and up…north that is

Hello folks.I know its been awhile since I’ve set fingers to my keyboard, but with a laptop computer at my disposal now, I thought it was time to try my luck with keeping in touch again.  For those of you that I haven’t spoken/written to over the past few months, here’s a quick synopsis… I arrived home from my journey out west and landed back in Fredericksburg, VA.  I spent some time reflecting on my life, working , volunteering and enjoying the down time presented to me by working two very part time jobs.  Woo!  I was happy to develop a more ‘at-home’ relationship with ‘the ‘burg’ and the people in it.   Amidst all of that, I did some more serious research on graduate programs (which I had done in the fall, but nothing materialized since I took the job in Montana).  I knew I wanted to get a certification to teach science, but didn’t want to settle for a cookie-cutter program that focused mainly on SOL testing and lecture based learning, even if a school system would pay for my education while teaching.  That’s how I came across Antioch University New England.  A co-worker of mine from Adventure Links had attended this school a few years back and as it turns out, had completed the same program I was applying for.  The specific degree that ended up on my application was a Master’s in Environmental Studies with a Science Teacher Certification (Biology).  Since I began the application process at the end of April/beginning of May, I had no time to waste.  I made the necessary phone calls, sent in the numerous forms, and before I knew it, I was scheduled for an interview with the head of the Education Department in Keene, New Hampshire. *..is this really happening!?!* After all the talk of not wanting to go back to grad school, I surprised myself with how determined I was to attend this school. I drove 12 hours up to New Hampshire with my boyfriend Brian, interviewed, ate lunch, then drove 12 hours home.  Hello-goodbye! Despite the very brief visit, I immediately fell in love with Keene and the feel of a small, New England town.  After returning to VA, I figured I’d be playing the waiting game, as we so often do in life, especially when it comes to good things, but NO!  I received a call a few days later from Admissions welcoming me to the program.  lkjasl;dkjl;ajksdfl;kjl;k jasdflfkj;lkajdsfl;kjasdfkkl;jasdf;lkjkl;ka sddfl;kja sdlflkjjl;k….yeah, that’s how excited I was.  Although, my excitement was a little more organized.  I started the process of planning a move….for real this time.  :)  Brian expressed interest in coming with me, so of course, the excitement only got better.   But just as a sugar high is followed with an unpleasant crash, the excitement would wane into a puddle of worries; where are we going to live?  work?  will we still have a vehicle to survive the bitter cold of a New England winter?  After a good bit of effort, the housing search became a game of cat and mouse since I couldn’t afford another trip up to NH before the beginning of classes.  So, we’d just have to wait.  Despite not finding a place to live right off the bat, I made some great contacts and got some great tips about Keene and the surrounding area.  Folks were fairly open to helping out where they could, even if they couldn’t provide us with a place to live.  That made the efforts worth the time and frustration.  Work would also have to wait unless a visit was to be planned, so I left VA knowing that I wasn’t sure where I would be living or what I would be doing to pay the bills.  All good challenges…After tying up loose ends in the ‘burg and saying goodbye to friends, I hit the road again on the 17th of Aug.  **as a side note, my car had been in the shop since the beginning of July due to a failed distributor assembly, sucking $450 bucks out of my wallet. I had only driven it a week or so before leaving on journey** I stopped in SilverSpring, MD to visit with my aunt and uncle, along with their friend that was visiting from Italy.  On the 18th, I headed out of the city toward Zanesville, OH where my mom and brother(along with grandfather and partner) are located for a quick visit before heading north.  I made it to Cumberland MD when my car started overheating.  It was off and on and I wasn’t sure whether I was experiencing a similar problem to what happened on my trip home from Tennessee a few months earlier (my radiator cap had broken).  I made it over the next mountain and I knew it wasn’t something that would pass.  I made it into Frostburg, MD and was pointed in the direction of an auto shop that *may* take my car the next day (as it was 5:30 and whole lot of nothing was open).  It took me about a half an hour to fight back the tears, but once the urge had passed, I realized I had everything I needed to have a good night in a town I had never visited before, even if my initial travels were on hold.  I took my bike off the back of my trouble-maker Honda and found my way to the public library where I could do a bit of research on what my options were.  #1: where am I going to sleep tonight?  #2: what am I going to do if I can’t fix my car and #3:  what the heck am I going to do with my car!#1:  Hotels are far too expensive, so that’s out of the question.  No couch surfers in town that I can find online…bummer.  Camping?  I love my hammock for the sheer fact that I can set it up just about anywhere.  I ended up landing on the Trail Inn and Cafe, located approx. 1/4 of a mile down the road from where I was sitting with my computer.  $30 a night for a dorm room set-up, access to a bath house with fresh linens, soap, etc., wireless internet access, a cafe on site, the Allegany Highlands Trail of MD across the RR tracks…um, yes please.  I’ll worry about my car later:)  The Inn managers, that also ran the cafe (Linn’s Pizza) checked me in and I spent my Allegany sunset hours chatting with them, overlooking the RR Depot and mountains beyond.  Beautiful.  I gave them a loaf of banana bread (of course) and hit the sac.  To make the best of my time there, I awoke with the sun and hit the trail to explore and find the 900 ft. tunnel a few miles north.  A good hour on the trail prepped me for my visit to the auto shop.  #2:  The bay doors opened at 7:45 am and I was in the door 20 sec. later.  The guy at the front desk wasn’t sure whether he would even have time to look at my car that day, much less fix it if there is anything wrong.  Without meaning to, I gave a deep sigh and was like what the heck am I gonna do??? I explained my situation to him while scratching my head…and he asked where my car was.  YESSSSSS!!  My relief lasted for, hmmm, about 3 minutes.  His diagnosis is a broken/warped head or head gasket and thought it would cost at least $1000 to fix.  haha.    hahahahaha….hahahahahaha.  Ok, now to my next concern.  #3:  ”Would you be willing to buy my car for parts??” Yeah, for $75.  Good to know.  I headed back to the Inn to do a bit more research.  I made a few calls to local auto body shops/used car dealerships and was finally referred to a friend of a friend that might buy the car.  He drove an hour to Frostburg, with the disappointing news that he wouldn’t be able to take the car.  My angel was listening over my shoulder and sent a whisper through the window of the Inn, and the manager came out on the porch inquiring about my meeting with the mechanic.  I explained to him what may be wrong, the price he quoted to fix it, and he asked if he could look at the car.  Whoa…really?  An hour later, it was decided that he would buy my car from me.  With my mom on the way from Ohio to pick me up, I decided to do the first thing that came to mind. RELAX, continue knitting, and help my new friends out by bussing tables at lunch time.  I had a wonderful visit to Frostburg, and when my mom finally arrived at 1:30, we had lunch at Linn’s and bit them a warm farewell.  **Linn’s Pizza is an excellent, privately owned business that is run by two very hard-working individuals.  I recommend visiting them if passing through the area.  The Allegany Highlands Trail is an extension of the C&O Canal path, extending from Cumberland MD to Pittsburg, PA.  They were very good to me when I needed a hand, so my request to all of you reading this entry, stop in if and when you’re in that area, support their cafe and pay it forward.  Bus a table if its busy.  Offer to take out the trash.  Leave them a thank you note or note of appreciation.  Tell them a friend sent you.  :):):)On the road again, this time in my mom’s mini-van heading back to Ohio, we discussed our hopes and dreams for wholesome community living and touched on religious beliefs (my mom has recently been ordained a Presbyterian Minister).  I love getting into long discussions with my mom about lifestyle decisions.  She is an excellently smart woman, that despite the adversities she has had to overcome in her life, she has held onto what makes her happy and does her best to create an open, working community where ever she goes.  We are far more alike than I ever could have imagined, and I treasure our time together, despite how limited it may be.  During my Ohio pit-stop, I had to decide how I was going to get to Ohio, how I was going to pay for it, and what my estimated time of arrival would be so that I could plan for a place to stay until I could find an apt.  Again, my angel could hear my inner thoughts, and I was blessed with all the help I needed via friends and family.  Within two days, my grandfather’s partner had offered to drive me all the way to Keene, then drive back the next day (12 hours from Zanesville to Keene), my mom had already picked me up from MD, which was a 3 hr drive each way, I had a few offers from family members to help cover expenses until I could get my feet on the ground, AND a friend whose family still lives in Keene put me in touch with her parents who offered to house me as long as need be.  The emotions that accompany experiences like these is hard to explain.  I’ll leave it this:  keeping a positive attitude, no matter the situation, and accepting what comes your way will overrule any doubts you may have about life.  In almost exactly 12 hrs, I arrived in Keene to open arms, open hearts, and a feeling of well-being that I have only felt a few times in my life.  My first experiences here in Keene have been memorable and those details will have to wait.   Until next time…. Take care, be well, and love thy neighbor as thy brother/sister.  ~*~The Lady Jess~*~ 

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