There And Back And There Again

 I am writing this from The Ranch this week.

As you may recall, we had a rather quick turnaround as I was here just over a week ago as well.  An odd set of circumstances created the situation:  on one hand, my monthly visit in July; on the other, The Upcoming Hiking Trip in August and getting here meaningfully enough to be able to work, prepare, and do the tasks around The Ranch that need doing.  After my departure late this month, I will not be back until the end of September.

This is a close to a "road trip life" as I have led in many years.

If I look at the last period of the month, it feels like a blur:  within that period and the short upcoming one, we will have had a public holiday (Independence Day), been away on travels for 5 days, been in Old Home two full weeks, will have taken a 1.5 week back country trip.  And, of course, the passing of TB The Elder.

I feel a bit disoriented about where I am and in what time zone I am currently living.

This all calms down at the end of the month, of course.  I will be back to my once a month trips.  No more hikes or vacations on the book at this point.  Just plodding through life, awaiting patiently word from Japan whether or not we will be able to travel to train next year.

For someone that finds myself to be a homebody, this almost seems farcical to me.  I have almost been away more than I have been at home.

Part of me is not done, of course. We will see how I feel after the end of the month, but I have enjoyed the training hikes The Outdoorsman and I have taken.  This may be something that can be continued next year, or perhaps even this year (although Autumn and Winter will come quickly).  At the same time, there are things that are not getting done, or really focused on, because of all the back and forth.

I wonder if my interpretation of "life" has changed over the last two years.

Prior to July 2020, life was pretty much New Home, with occasional visits to Old Home.  Since then (and as I have written elsewhere), a quarter of the year I am in Old Home.  Being a quarter of the year somewhere else changes how you interpret your life, in both places.

Would I change it?  No.  The travel was at the right time as it was needed; when my parents needed me, I was able to be here and continue to be here (let us be honest:  the ability to continue to come see them and take care of The Ranch once a month is a strong motivator to not upset any career apple carts).  But it definitely does impact how one views their life in both places, and what they are able to do in each place.

I would like to think that all of this is leading to some kind of dramatic denouement, something that will alter the course of my life.  But perhaps I am wrong in thinking that:  the denouement may have already happened and to see it, I need to look in the rearview mirror, not the windshield.