I wasn’t sure how to entitle this however this feeling of things being stripped from me has been popping up in my head over the last 24 hours or so and probably since I left in November.
 
I arrived back in Catalina State Park excited and nervous as I drove Gold Member and Foxy Cleopatra into the Ringtail Loop that is an overflow section of the park.
 
There is no electricity and there are two spickets for water (aka their name for water taps).
 
In I come and I’m super nervous to back Foxy Cleopatra into her spot. It probably took me 30 times before I got her in.  
 
I had to do some deep breathing and collect myself, as she doesn’t like anyone who is in a hurry to do anything.
 
You’ve got to be calm, cool and collected and make little movements or she goes haywire in another direction on you.
 
I have been running on battery since yesterday at noon and for whatever reason I was super nervous pulling out my new solar suitcase that arrived the night before.
 
It was the afternoon at this point and I had my solar set up and not yet plugged in. I wanted to Google it first as there were no instructions in the box to find out I had zero cell service in this Ringtail loop.
 
In that moment, I wasn’t sure what to do.
 
The thoughts  and profanities running through my head out of of shear frustration that I couldn’t watch or read on how to do what I needed to do in that moment were incredible.
 
After freaking out in my mind I started to laugh inside. I mean what the hell did we use to do in the old days?
 
I had these feelings that everything was slowly and surely being stripped away from me and at the same time knowing full well that ALL of this was happening for my own greater good.
 
I’ve gone from a beautiful condo to my gorgeous tiny Foxy Cleopatra to no electricity, essentially no water and no plugs to recharge my devices or use any of my small appliances of which I have two, my coffee grinder and my blender.  

Right. That was another thing I learned the night before last. My 120V outlets do not run off of a deep cycle battery.
 
I mean come you guys and ladies, coffee grinders and blenders are essential and I use these every 4 or 5 days or so and I must recharge my devices daily. {Laughing at self … yes some sarcasm with first world problems.}
 
These feelings were real though. It’s like I just got myself into a routine and then presto, the cards get thrown into the air again and my routine has to change.
 
Fuuuuuuuuck!
 
So here’s what I think is happening and the lesson in all of this.
 
I have said for ages that I suck at time management.
 
Sure that is not a positive way of looking at it or the right language to say I suck at something however I know it’s something I have to work on.
 
That being said, I get distracted easily. Social media is a BIG one, new shows that I can stream is another and so the days slip away and I haven’t done all I could have.
 
In fact so much time has been wasted on things that DON’T MATTER.
 
So as I was freaking out and saying MANY profanities in my head, and at the same time I’m also thinking … hmmmm … why is this happening?
 
What is the lesson in this?
Universe, what are you trying to tell me?
 
And the answer inevitably came pretty damn fast with no distractions let me tell you.
 
Slow down sister.
Stop wasting your time on shit that doesn’t matter.
Here is your chance to better manage your time.
No Internet = mass organization when you do = getting your work done faster.
 
It means reading those books that you’ve always meant to read to make you a better person, coach, friend, daughter, sister to those you love.
 
I mean to be quite honest; if I had Internet you very likely wouldn’t be reading this blog post because I wouldn’t have taken the time to write it.
 
Now all I have is time.
 
And as much as I was frustrated as all hell yesterday, I’m actually going to embrace this change.
 
Sure I could go to a sketchy RV park up the road. What I know in my heart from being in the Ringtail Loop for a day is that:
 

• there are all ages of people here – young and working from the road to retired
• there are kids running around which makes me smile
• the views of the mountains are still as stunning as ever
• there are people standing outside there tents this morning with puffies, toques and mitts on with coffees in hand
• people are chatty and super helpful
• generators are running in the big rigs to stay powered
• solar set-ups are everywhere
• people are closer together so it would be rude not to say hi and get to know your neighbours which is awesome and different

 
And to me there is something cozy about all of this. We’re all in this together over here in the Ringtail loop.