Brakes and Breaks

Today the rain is pounding on the roof and creating quite a racket in here. Of course, with every different sound I feel the need to check for leaks in the roof, even though it’s covered with the rubber roofing sealant. Other than that, I’m trying to remain relaxed through it all. The cats are all napping, coffee is hot, and it’s nice and warm in here.

This past Friday was a bit of an adventure. The kind of adventure that I wouldn’t wish upon anyone, even if I really didn’t like them. The brakes stopped working properly while I was driving down a narrow, steep, and very winding road on the side of a mountain in the Pisgah National Forest. I made it down safely and with no major mishaps and everything was intact. Roadside service was called and I was towed to a friend’s house, seven miles away. The bright side, of course, is that everything is fine or soon will be. The darker side is that I’m still having nightmares about rolling down a mountain with no one to help my cats. Yes, the cats were my first thought and I won’t apologize for how crazy that might sound. While I’m still not 100% certain what went wrong, I have time to get it looked at and confirm my own diagnosis (overheated brakes, low fluid).

When I arrived at my friend’s house on Saturday, she wasn’t due back in the country for a couple days so it was her sister who met me at the house. And, folks, I have to say that the first thing she said to me was, “How are you feeling?” I nearly broke down and cried right then and there. And the hug that she gave me was one of the most comforting hugs I’ve had in a long time. Needless to say, it was what I needed. Since that day I’ve been greeted by several other family members and have been made to feel very welcome here.

My intention now is to take a short break while I finish up things for my Journey Boxes, work on some orders as well as new items for the shops, and enjoy a little time with friends in the area. I have a way to stay warm  when the temperatures drop as well as a place to shelter if that doesn’t work. I’m near enough to auto parts stores and home improvement stores for the things that I’ll need for the RV as well as close to friends I made in the area a couple years ago. All in all, this is a good harbor to dock in for a while.

And the color! Oh, my goodness! I thought I’d missed out on most of the autumnal colors while I was driving through West Virginia and Virginia, but that is definitely not the case here in North Carolina. Through my windshield I can see one of the most fiery-colored tree I think I’ve ever seen (but can’t get the camera to cooperate). While I was driving into town (to look at auto ramps) I kept wanting to stop and take pictures of all the beautiful trees. Instead, I took a few pictures of the trees where I’m parked. The images don’t do the colors justice, but you will get the general idea. There are more found on Morrigan’s Nest on Facebook.

For tonight, I think I’ll feed the cats and turn in early. I’m still more weary than I should be and a little extra sleep will help with that.

May you all find shining moments.