Goodbye Trippin' Thursday...

no more Trippin' Thursday meets In-Between-Years

I have to tell you, I haven't been very excited over this Thursday slot on my blog. Am I boring you, too? Back when we had the farm, there was more than enough to write about. Our experiment with growing both veggies and two families under one roof never left me with a blank page. When that time in our life ended, we took to limbo pretty spontaneously. We're happy. But limbo doesn't offer much excitement for a reader. So, until the next chapter, the one beyond these In-Between-Years, gets going, I think it best to throw Thursdays into limbo, too.

I'm looking forward to 2018 much more than I did 2017. There are changes on the horizon every direction I gaze. Stay tuned.

Keep coming back for Muse Monday, Wicked Wednesday, and Fearless Friday. Meet authors and new books. Visit with those you know, yet learn something new. I'll throw in some local color now and then, and keep you updated on my books. Discoveries of all kinds lay ahead in 2018 and I'll take you along on the ride.

If you haven't followed me on BookBub yet, I invite you to do so: Please click HERE!

And there are many other places you can connect with me now and in the year to come:

Visit my web page at www.brendawhiteside.com

Or on FaceBook: www.facebook.com/BrendaWhitesideAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/brendawhitesid2

I blog on the 9^th and 24^th of every month at http://rosesofprose.blogspot.com

All of my books can be found on my Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003V15WF8

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3972045.Brenda_Whiteside

Discover...

TRIPPIN' THURSDAY

A few years back, we retired from the day jobs. You followed our farm experiment on Tortuga Thursdays for three years, but we sold the farm. We traded in the little RV for a bigger one, but we aren’t ready to hit the road fulltime. What comes next? We’re not sure. It's all about transition these days. These are...

The In-Between Years

Tonto Creek

The last few weeks have zipped by. Cooler days and chilly nights have come to Tonto Basin. It's all about being outside now. Nearly every morning, on average five days a week, I get in a three mile walk with either a couple of neighbor women or FDW. We've taken some side trails and had some adventures finding our way out. That's what I'm leaving you with today...get out and explore your neighborhood. 

Friends

Beaver was here

Atop the hill

So perfect for Tonto Basin

Eagles

Strange Cloud

Mature, Wrinkle, Spots WTH?

TRIPPIN' THURSDAY

A few years back, we retired from the day jobs. You followed our farm experiment on Tortuga Thursdays for three years, but we sold the farm. We traded in the little RV for a bigger one, but we aren’t ready to hit the road fulltime. What comes next? We’re not sure. It's all about transition these days. These are...

The In-Between Years

There’s more to the In-Between Years than figuring out if we’re going to stay parked, get a land-locked base, or hit the road. I know that’s what I meant by the term when I geared the blog in that direction, but the term in-between years conjures other images for me. There comes a time in a woman’s life when she feels mature, but not yet old. Let’s go with that today.

Back when I probably didn’t need makeup, I wouldn’t leave the house without putting on my full face. Nowadays, I’m bare faced more often than not, not because these years look so good on me, but the process eats up precious time when I could be doing something else. Plus, the attitude—this is me so deal with it—kind of rules my days.

I’m not implying that I’m “letting myself go.” No way. I’ve tried some new techniques for mature upkeep, had some disasters, and learned a few things. I kind of feel like I’m talking to the ladies here, but my guess is guys think about these things too.

Take a walk

Walk every day. I normally get in 6,000 steps—short of the recommended 10,000. If you can reach that, go for it. I also do a squat routine when I remember. Squats will keep your butt from trying to migrate onto the backs of your thighs.

Thinning hair? Peppermint oil is supposed to stimulate hair growth. I read that somewhere, didn’t quite remember the formula, but hey, how hard is it to rub oil into your scalp? I now think the directions said a drop, maybe two. I put quite a bit in my palm and applied to my scalp. First my skin tingled, then my eyes burned, and the fumes were so strong I ran for the shower. I dove under the water which washed the oil out of my hair and down my face and neck. Face was on fire! It took a lot of soap and water to stop the burning. Maybe I’m not losing all that much hair.

Go easy on the makeup

Mature skin tends toward dry, lined, and what the hell are all these brown spots and red marks? If you can’t afford the high cost of laser or any number of other cosmetic treatments, retinol is a great fixer. You can find quite a few over the counter products that contain retinol, but to get it strong enough you’ll need a doctor’s prescription. Yep, $$$ again. Mexico was my answer. There is a woman here on the Ranch who makes frequent trips down there, and she brought me back a big tube of .05% retinol cream for under $20. Here’s the point…it works! My skin is more evenly colored. Not really sure if it helps wrinkles but it doesn’t hurt. So, if you don’t have a Mexico connection, you might want to spend the money for some. Just make sure it’s that percentage. And invest in a good moisturizer at the very least.

Eat right

If you are going to wear makeup, invest in hypoallergenic. Go easy on powders on the face. They only make wrinkles show worse. You aren’t covering anything. Liquid is best, and massage it in.

Last piece of advice—eat well. You are what you eat so skip the fast food, prepared foods, and go really light on sugar.

In Between Here and Insane

TRIPPIN' THURSDAY

A few years back, we retired from the day jobs. You followed our farm experiment on Tortuga Thursdays for three years, but we sold the farm. We traded in the little RV for a bigger one, but we aren’t ready to hit the road fulltime. What comes next? We’re not sure. It's all about transition these days. These are...

The In-Between Years

In-Between Years has meant in-between cities and decisions over the last few weeks…

Son explaining national anthem to his daughter

We were in Phoenix for a couple of reasons. Christmas is coming up so we took care of a surprise for several people in the family. I can’t say what just in case they read this post. It’s really cool, and I’ll share in January. We spent a couple of days with our son and family, and we all took in

Me with DIL and GD

a Diamondback’s game. Great game. Go DBacks!

Prescott…well, you know I go there all the time to see Mom.

Jerome…what a fantastic time I had. My sister took me there for my birthday, which was a few months back. On the right of this blog, under Index, click on the word Jerome to see more pictures of our trip.

Standin' on the corner...

FDW and I went to Winslow for the day to visit friends who leave the Ranch for half the year. We had lunch and of course had to stand on the corner with Glenn Frey.

Decisions…some made, some still in limbo. When we sold the farm, our household stuff went into storage. Then it went to our son’s home because he’d rented a portable storage unit that had space. Some of it went in there, and some into his house. Now, he’s moving his family to Tucson. I said, “let’s sell all of it.” FDW said, “hold on.” We reached an impasse. I handle the budget and have refused to rent another storage facility. He managed to sell our antique clock, antique camera, but the coffee and end tables are still on the market. And what to do with the rest? I was still pushing to sell when our son proclaimed they’ve rented a house big enough (3 car garage) to handle our “stuff.”

I guess our stuff is going to live in Tucson. That’s all I’m saying, but can I whisper crazy?

Wild, Wooly, and Hot

TRIPPIN' THURSDAY (sorry, fell on Friday)

A few years back, we retired from the day jobs. You followed our farm experiment on Tortuga Thursdays for three years, but we sold the farm. We traded in the little RV for a bigger one, but we aren’t ready to hit the road fulltime. What comes next? We’re not sure. It's all about transition these days. These are...

The In-Between Years

Are you someone who rises with the sun, whose energy is at it's peak before others put their foot out of bed? I love the morning hours. Here in Arizona, once the sun is halfway between the mountains and straight up, the heat

Horses looking for a treat

blankets the Ranch. Creatures in the basin know this, too.

I walk early morning with my friend Cindy. I'd walk with FDW, but he's on a different clock than I am. By the time he slides out of bed, I've not only walked but written a chapter and had 3 cups of coffee. He prefers the night. Of course, there are lots of night creatures in the basin...owls and coyotes among them...but it's not advisable to

Vulture posing

walk after dark. So, he walks when it's hot. If you haven't heard, I loathe heat.

Early morning is cool and fresh. The sunrise is usually spectacular. There are always bunnies

Cotton tail

skittering through the bushes. This guy spends his time on the Ranch and isn't too fearful of humans. Vultures hang out high overhead.

Makes me a little afraid for the bunny rabbits, but we do have an abundance. There are horses and cows on either side of the RV Ranch. The horses are friendly. The cows refuse to come too close.

Wooly tarantulas are a treat to see. I know we have plenty of

Tarantula by my door

them here, but they aren't roaming around in the open too often. They're good spiders, and not harmful to humans. They still creep me out.

Javelina wander through the park, regularly eating from flower pots. They're up earlier than I am so I've yet to get a really good

Can you see javelin?

picture. I don't care to run into wild pigs anyway. They're unpredictable.

I saw a bobcat yesterday morning. He was no more than a blur as he darted across our

Standoffish cows

path several yards in front of us. That was close enough!

Hairy Lizards at the Top of Our World

TRIPPIN' THURSDAY

A few years back, we retired from the day jobs. You followed our farm experiment here on Tortuga Thursdays for three years, but we sold the farm. We traded in the little RV for a bigger one, but we aren’t ready to hit the road fulltime. What comes next? We’re not sure. It's all about transition these days. These are...
The In-Between Years

me

Taking a drive used to be a popular and cheap form of entertainment. Probably where the blasphemy Sunday Driver came from.  On any given day of the week, my dad would complain about slowpokes in front of him on the road: “damn Sunday driver”. I assumed people drove slower on Sundays, but I never understood why. 

We took family drives when I was a kid. Sometimes it had to do with my dad’s job, other times we’d head north to see snow, but most of the time it was for a simple ice cream cone or spin outside the neighborhood. 

Taking a drive has come back into our in-between years life. We’re lucky to be living in an area where there are back roads and natural wonders we haven’t explored before. 

On top of the world

A few days ago, we drove the 300 road which is a dirt road that runs along the Mogollon Rim. (pronounced moe-ge-own) This mountain road, not much more than a path in some spots, puts you at the top of the world. Our drive began at the turn off for Woods Canyon Lake and ended at highway 87. There are a few lakes along the way and lots of signs to warn you to watch for animals. We checked out one of the lakes, but I’m

FDW walking down to the lake

sorry to say the only wildlife we ran into was two hawks, a squirrel that looked like a hairy lizard, and a bird. 

The last half of the forty-four-mile trip was rough road because of all the rain they’ve had up on the rim. We had to slow to a crawl to get over and around boulders. And in order to keep your spirits up, the mileage markers were a joke. At one point, we saw a sign for twenty-two miles to the main highway. We drove five miles and the next sign said twenty-two miles to the main highway. Eventually, we came to a sign that said eleven miles. We drove four miles and a sign posted eleven miles to the highway. We drove six miles and the mileage sign stated twelve miles to the highway. FDW figured we’d entered The Twilight Zone. I started singing “And the road goes on forever, and the party never ends.” 

We did make it out alive.

Sweaty Butt Cheeks Where the West Still Lives

TRIPPIN' THURSDAY

A few years back, we retired from the day jobs. You followed our farm experiment here on Tortuga Thursdays for three years, but we sold the farm. We traded in the little RV for a bigger one, but we aren’t ready to hit the road fulltime. What comes next? We’re not sure. It's all about transition these days. These are...

The In-Between Years

Sign over the road coming into town

We're living life on the RV Ranch these days. If you're from the western United States, you might have a feel for a little town, that's not a town, like Tonto Basin. There are two gas stations, an IGA Market, a Dollar Store, and numerous RV parks. And don't forget the local hardware store with local color. One day, I complained to the counter guy that it was really hot. He said, "my granny used to say if you wake up and there ain't sweat tricklin' between your butt cheeks, then you're dead."

Up the road is Punkin' Center with a post office, school, and library. Down the road is Roosevelt Lake.

I dislike the desert...well, most deserts. This part of Arizona is what I call pretty desert because we have mountains and trees. It's also only a thirty

Get our slogan on a shirt

minute drive to pine country.

There's an owl who lives in the tree outside our door. Javelinas (nasty wild pigs) stroll through the park early mornings, and bunny rabbits are everywhere. At night, the coyotes howl.

A tribute to deceased dogs

Most everyone owns a dog. We don't. Can't seem to replace Rusty. AND a dog does limit mobility. The people here are from everywhere. Some are year round, others are weekenders, and still others come for the winter months.

These in-between years mean our household goods are in storage. I want to sell it all and if or when we get another real house, buy more. FDW isn't entirely on the same page. This month we compromised, and we're selling

Buy local and gain wisdom

some. The antique German clock sold last week. There is some interest in two of FDW's cameras. I really want to sell our hand carved, teak tables from Taiwan. No bites yet.

How will it all shake out? Not sure, but I'll let you know. For now...I'll go with the flow.

The In-Between Years (special edition)

A few years back, we retired from the day jobs. You followed our farm experiment here on Tortuga Thursdays for three years, but we sold the farm. We traded in the little RV for a bigger one, but we aren’t ready to hit the road fulltime. What comes next? We’re not sure. 

These days, FDW fishes when the weather permits or reads (2-3 books a week), and I write my novels of discovery, suspense, and human relationships. We don’t want to go far from our young granddaughter or my elderly mother for too long, so the next BIG adventure will come when the time is right. For now, the adventures will be small, short, common, drastic, or ecstatic. My outlook has always been that we lead a charmed life. We’ve been where we needed to be, when we’ve needed to be, with what we’ve needed. As a result, I’m changing the drift of my Thursday blog again. 

It's all about transition these days. I hope you’ll check in every other week. These are The In-between Years…