I JUMPED!

So in my last brief blog entry, I was in Houston preparing for jumping the great blue pond. In one of the most recent family gatherings, as we were sitting together around the table, I invited everyone to make a pact with me, that we would all be happy no matter where we are physically on the planet. And we did it!

Then Dad and I got the Sherwood communication station set up for Skype, adding a microphone to the computer and setting up Skype.com, so the family can call me (once I figure out which is the best phone connection from this end. And meanwhile I can call everyone from Skype and it is pretty cheap!

So the last day in Houston, everyone's wondering...OK, how do you go from a condo full of possessions to 3 bags full? I had the same question until I realized I didn't have to figure out 'how'. It just sort of evolved. Becky my sister not only volunteered to help me with the garage sale, she invited herself over the night before, so we could put signs out at 5:30am! Thank goodness, I didn't go with my automatic reaction:too much to do in the last week to get complicated with a sale.
Instead I opened my mouth and said, "YES!"
So we estimated we had 150 people there that Saturday. And the whole day was an experience of love exchanges with people. People found love in something that was perfect for them. A woman said she wished she could meditate, so I dug out one of my chanting CD's. A 10 year old boy wanted to learn how to play keyboards so he bought my keyboards for $40 and felt like he'd won the lottery. A 5 yr. old picked up my Mae West stuffed pink lamb and I told her to keep it. A father bought some of my handmade jewelry to give to each of his children.

Becky, my sister and Robin Bressie helped with the sale. We attracted more people than I ever dreamed of, and by the end of the day, we were ready for all of the Mission Burrito fixings!

The day of departure, Robin drove me around to all of my favorite haunts...half price books for some animated DVD's, Whole Foods for buffalo jerky and fruit bars,
the jewelry store for repaired gold ankle and wrist bracelets(which they did as a special favor and rushed it!),my former Washington Mutual bank on San Felipe, to close-out and say a final thanks and blessings(I brought them cake once after I had 8 checks bounce) By 1:00pm I was at home and had five hours to finalize what I would pack. ( I had been narrowing it down, slowly,slowly) So for five hours I ran from room to room, saying, "go, Annie, go!" You can do it! An hour to go and Robin is watching me in full faith, I'm throwing clothes into the last two suitcases. And off we go to the airport. At the check-in counter, I'm the only one there, and they wisk my bags to the security station to be opened up. It all happens so fast, I miss the chance to put address tags.

And I know that it happened that way because I created the intention of a smooth, easy, on-time flight, with everything arriving with me! My parents and sister are there, along with Robin, and we have time to sit and laugh about how our family makes trips. The last time I went to Europe, Principe was with me. In our stopover in Paris, I found a wheelchair bathroom, and there, I unfolded a litter box, poured litter into it, and Principe promptly peeed into it, explored the little enclosed room before I put him back into his carrier for the next 6 hours journey to the Jewel in Spain. We had an almost smooth flight on that trip, too. He had his own seat on a totally booked Air France flight to Malaga. That's the Principe!

This time the flight to Paris/Munich was uneventful...and what I'm saying it was so, so smooth and on-time. In Houston, as I went through security, my family watched me then go up the very steep escalator...and poof! I disappeared from physical view!
That's what I keep saying...who we are now for each other is being able to be with each other without our physical bodies being in close proximity.