Wednesday, May 15, 2013

My blog, my blog...

... where art thou?

Just out of the habit again. But things are shifting, so it makes sense to see if I can get myself back in the groove.

I have always preferred to use my own pictures for my blog posts, when I can... but as I don't even have a camera anymore, and have lost that habit too, I turn to a very small collection of pictures of the cat on my crackberry. This is sweet Maui, enjoying spring, in the front yard.

I do, of course, have a gazillion photos from my big trip 4 years ago (??? how did it get to be 4 years ago?!?!). Can't wait to do more sorting.

I mention things are shifting, and they are. First up, for those who are interested (I am), my mom is doing great in residential care. It was a bumpy road for awhile, but she has settled down, is very happy, and is receiving great care.

Right now I am enjoying living alone for a few months. After more than 30 years living alone, there is nothing like it. I am who I am when I am living alone. It's how I know me, can find me, because it's what I most know. I can listen to myself, know what I need, and be authentic, when I am in this blessed 'space' of being alone. My sister is here half time, which is also awesome (love my sissy!), but as she is back in Vancouver for a stretch, I am revelling in my solo-ness.

My BIG news is that I am in the middle of a major career change: I am a Cruise & Vacation Consultant, with Expedia CruiseShipCenters, in Victoria. Exciting! I'll say more about that in a future post, but you can follow me on Twitter at @cruisetravelbug, and here's my website:
http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/en-CA/RobertaWestwood/home

Right now I am in the process of recovering from cataract surgery, just had my second eye done. I can see better than I have in my life, since maybe when I was about 12.

I am legal to drive, even though I don't have my new glasses yet (they make you wait, while your brain adjusts to your new eyes!), but have decided that it's an opportunity to get used to riding the bus again. So, until I get my new glasses, I am taking the bus into Victoria, to work, and to visit mom. It was an easier adjustment than I expected, though I should not be surprised. In Vancouver, pre-Europe, I had given up my car about 5 years previously, and transit was just a way of life. Will probably do a mix once I have glasses again, though I am loving the savings and relaxation. For example, today I had a snooze on my way home... can't do that when you're driving!

If you haven't noticed, look at the top of the right hand column of my blog for my new citytravelbug book shops, aka city booklists. This is a germ of an idea I have been working on for awhile. I've got about a dozen cities done already, and many others half-built, putting them alive as I finish each one. Feel free to explore! There is no obligation to buy from me (feel free to shop local or visit your library), but if you care to shop online, please do consider following my links, as I will earn a small commission from each sale. You can also follow my book tweets at @citytravelbooks.

I am sure I have more to say, but that's all that's jumping to mind right now.