Tag: #cambria

Did I tell you…?

Posted on April 20, 2024 by JANET L BARKER

Did I tell you, I’m working on a novel? I started it more than a year ago, but somehow, in my travels and wonky internet connections, lost the first five chapters. Which was a major bummer. So I ignored it, knowing I couldn’t recreate… Continue Reading “Did I tell you…?”

Category: #camping, #education, #gmashavingfun, #grandparents, #hope, #lifeizgood, #teaching, @retirement, stepupandtakeaction, Uncategorized, unconditional loveTags: #cambria, #camping, #centralcoast, #solowomencamping, #solowomentraveling, #vanlife, #writing, book-review, book-reviews, books, fiction

Lucky Enough

Posted on March 15, 2024 by JANET L BARKER

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The sun warms my shoulders as the ocean re-charges my gaze as the gregarious Snow White singing birds kerchief my ears as teeming black tea stimulates my soft-focus high school yearbook portrait ala 1970s brain. Adjust the lens and it becomes clear, sharp, bursting… Continue Reading “Lucky Enough”

Category: UncategorizedTags: #50threunion, #bestfriends, #cambria, #camping, #faith, #findinghope, #god, #godslove, #grandmashavingfun, #hope, #inspiration, #peace, #pleasureway, #retiredteacher, #ruhs, #solowomentraveling, #thebeach, #theocean, #vanlife, @grateful, @retirement, jesus, life, love

Ordinary Greatness

Posted on February 8, 2024 by JANET L BARKER

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Hope and sparkling crystals and all things magical and misty-eyed are Queen Melancholy’s cousin. Like George of the Jungle, I swing between the two, between longing for Kauai’s turquoise waters and Cambria’s soul-fortifying coast to the anticipation of missing the icy-slick-sidewalk-skating rink of Winter… Continue Reading “Ordinary Greatness”

Category: #gmashavingfun, #grandparents, #hope, #lifeizgood, @retirement, unconditional loveTags: #babies, #cambria, #children, #faith, #kauai, #loveeverymoment, #newyork, #newyorkcity, #parenting, #thebigapple, #travel, #winstonchurch, baby, book-review, family, grandparenting, love, motherhood

The Last Day

Posted on October 31, 2023 by JANET L BARKER

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To say I’m in mourning isn’t exactly accurate. I’m Grateful with a capital G, but also stunned that so much time passed so quickly. Almost two months. Gone. Just like that. Snap! A trip I imagined for years and years and years. My dream of taking off… Continue Reading “The Last Day”

Category: UncategorizedTags: #cambria, #campervanlife, #centralcoast, #faith, #findingpeace, #godslove, #grandmacamping, #gratitude, #hope, #love, #morrobay, #retirement, #sansimeon, #selfcare, #selflove, #solowomencamping, #vanlife, lifeizgood

With new eyes

Posted on September 22, 2023 by JANET L BARKER

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Celluloid images—about family, friends, departed loved ones—flash, flash, FLASH across my mind’s movie screen. When I walk. When I drive. When I talk to people. When I’m at the grocery store. When I read. When I listen to music. Run, run to the laptop, my… Continue Reading “With new eyes”

Category: #education, #gmashavingfun, #grandparents, #hope, #lifeizgood, #teaching, @retirement, coastal camping, stepupandtakeactionTags: #bestfriendsforever, #blessings, #bucketlist, #cambria, #goodfortune, #harvesthost, #love, #pleasureway, #thesunwillcomeuptomorrow

The Gift of Change

Posted on September 13, 2023 by JANET L BARKER

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My new, next life begins today. I’m sitting at the edge of San Simeon Creek alongside the best campsite I have ever had watching the ducks and native birds enjoy the early evening sun. I am in my happy place. Another happy place. I left Happy… Continue Reading “The Gift of Change”

Category: #gmashavingfun, #grandparents, #hope, #lifeizgood, #teaching, @retirement, coastal camping, stepupandtakeactionTags: #breconwine, #California, #cambria, #centralcoast, #harvesthost, #hope, #lifeizgood, #myhappyplace, #newlife, #pasorobles, #portofinoapartments, #rvlifestyle, #sojourn, #travelinggrandma, #writing

Demons and Saints

Posted on June 16, 2023 by JANET L BARKER

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What makes a person sit down and write versus not wanting to write? Time, not enough. Distractions, too many. Demons, and the opposite: Joy or lack thereof. The list of excuses goes on. What I know for sure is that when I take a few… Continue Reading “Demons and Saints”

Category: UncategorizedTags: #cambria, #camping, #campinggrandma, #forgiveness, #glamping, #grandparents, #grandsons, #hope, #love, #loveeverymoment, #retiredteacher, #retirement, #workinprogress

Live Like a Warrior

Posted on May 3, 2023 by JANET L BARKER

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My microscope these days zooms in and out with the speed of my unsatiable van’s fuel tank. I feel everything. See everything. The blue jay that feeds from Monet’s dog bowl, the bushy tail of the red fox weaving in and out of the damp, Oregonesque fauna here… Continue Reading “Live Like a Warrior”

Category: UncategorizedTags: #bestlifeever, #betterdays, #California, #cambria, #camping, #change, #hope, #lifeizgood, #livelikeawarrior, #newlife, #peacelikeariver, #retirement, #vanlife

Swimming Solo

Posted on December 3, 2022 by JANET L BARKER

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I am, at last, an almost-nomad. I have been on the road since August. Not exclusively. I’ve had some much, much-needed layovers here and there; Kauai, Malibu, Rancho Palos Verdes, New York, for example. Not too shabby real estate, I’d say. But I’ve been picking… Continue Reading “Swimming Solo”

Category: UncategorizedTags: #California, #cambria, #camping, #centralcoast, #dogs, #eurovancamper, #grandparents, #hope, #lessonsfromadog, #love, #loveeverymoment, #retiredteacher, #retirement, #sologirlcamping

The Library

Posted on September 13, 2022 by JANET L BARKER

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This is the third time I’ve been to the Cambria Public Library on my trip to nowhere, my pause, before the next step. I am surrounded by masters. I am in a sanctuary of accomplished and one-hit (maybe) wonders and writers who got their… Continue Reading “The Library”

Category: UncategorizedTags: #California, #cambria, #cambriapubliclibrary, #education, #grandparents, #hope, #love, #loveeverymoment, #retiredteacher, #retirement, #teachers, #teaching, #thewriterslife, #travellingwithdogs

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