Reflecting, a moment, planning, farm chores

It is just a pensive reflection, but it seems disconnected to realize that all the events in a 24-hour period - conversations had, the actions taken, the decisions made – seem inconsequential when we try to reflect back on them. It is a fact that each day adds to or takes away from each subsequent day, but when I look back on yesterday, it was so common a day that I must pose the question, “Did anything significant happen?” Ever had one of those days? This is partly due to the fact that our focus is event driven at the moment. We are going to Honduras. Planning for that overshadows everything we would normally give our attention to. One of those events that you cannot reshuffle once you have left the house. Most of the work happens in the planning. Executing that plan is an outcome of the foresight given to that plan. We are deep in the planning stage. Executing will begin Saturday night as we begin to load the Sequoia. we are keeping up with everything else required of us, but it is like we are sleep walking through those actions.

Mama and I shared a fun moment in the early afternoon. I sent a text to Mama asking her to look at our Amazon Prime account to evaluate a luggage set I had placed in the cart. She was easily able to do so. Her opinion was that we needed to avoid soft sided luggage with excessive outside zippered pockets. A new luggage set Victoria had bought has not fared well in the last two trips to Honduras. With that in mind, Mama added a hard-sided set of luggage to the cart for me to look over. Before I got the texted instructions to do so, I added a set for her to look over. This went back and forth for several sets of luggage as our cart total grew astronomically. We finally settled on a set that was in our price range and could be at the house this week. Today actually. Mama cannot wrap her head around selling or advertising on an electronic device, but she sure has figured out how to buy items over the internet. My relationship with Amazon Prime is a love-hate relationship.

On my lunch break yesterday, I deposited a check into a local account so that Mama and could withdraw the cash before we left for Houston Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, Mama called a hotel near our Houston contact and made reservations for Sunday night – confirming we would have a ride to the airport Monday morning. The La Quinta staff assured her we would be taken care of. Mama also talked to our Houston contact to ensure his help Sunday evening. We will leave our Sequoia at his house and he will take us to the hotel for our overnight stay prior to our departure.

Mama started the drawn-out process of selecting the clothing she would be packing for our stay in Honduras. That should occupy her attention for the next several days. It is so much easier for me. Some pants. Some shirts. Some undergarments, socks and pajamas. Maybe swimsuits. Two pairs of shoes. One for church. One for daily wear. Done. I do enjoy watching Mama struggle through the process of packing for a trip. Coordinating clothing. Considering ambient temperature and weather conditions at the travel site. Forecasting situations where each article of clothing will be most appropriate. Etc. Etc. It used to bother me. Now it fascinates me in its bewildering complexity.

Grandma and Grandpa are also gearing up for their role at the farm during our absence. They will spend the days staying fulltime at the farm. Caring for the animals. Especially the dogs. Mama will have our bed ready for them and we will stock the fridge with items they prefer. Victoria will have to deal with the intrusion into her privacy throughout the evenings she shares the house and farm with Grandma and Grandpa. Sunday may be a challenge for Victoria. Explaining her need to go to church while they continue to argue against the need to do so. But hopefully, needing to get the girls to church will provide the impetus to follow through with our normal routine. Anyway, that is borrowing trouble from tomorrow. God will take care of it. We are very happy Grandma and Grandpa are willing to step in during our absence. Mama is greatly relieved to have the help while she is away since Victoria tends to be a minimalist when it comes to feeding the flock and herd.

Things are coming together bit by bit.