A Blissful, Magical 3 Days - Ft Bragg, Gualala and Sea Ranch - Northern California

Looking back at what has happened in the last couple of weeks makes this Valentine's Day even more sweet and have meaning that touches my very soul.

I'm watching Phil sleep right now.  He has been fitful, uncomfortable and the emotion that is hardest to take, he has been sad.  He was feeling great before the biopsy and when dealing with brain and brain injury it is hard to predict sometimes when the emotion will creep in.  Vacillating emotions would be the way to describe what is going on.  

There is conversation, touch and I love you's.  Human contact essential and love is the prescription right now.  Please if you feel it in you, contact him and let him feel the love.  Thank you to all of you who continue to support us, on this sometimes difficult journey.

When we had first heard that the tumor may be growing we decided to try to take a trip.  Phil had Amtrak and the Empire Builder dancing in his head.  We started to plan a trip only to find out that the cancer was growing at a rate the doctors didn't like which frightened us too.  They were rushing us in for an appointment.

We decided not to wait on taking a trip. Phil was feeling good, we had a little money, due to some sales of my images and a couple of friends gifts.  Thank you to each of you, what happened on this trip was nothing less than magical.....  (We will continue to save to take a dream trip, all sales on my Etsy will help us take a trip, as soon as Phil is feeling a little better)  We took the money we had and ran, and I'm very happy that we did.  

As we left town the first thing we saw was a whale blow, a heart shaped whale blow.

Phil and I left with the intention to live life with laughter, fun and just let whatever was going to happen......happen.

We enjoyed views, made sure to say all the words that needed to be said and giggled.  We giggled more in those 3 days than we have in a long time.  Long beautiful moments, that we never wanted to end.

We arrived in Ft Bragg as it was getting dark, it was a Sunday night and we checked ourselves in our motel.  We bargain hunt for our hotels using Expedia, it is usually a good experience. This hotel had wonderful parts and some that weren't so great.  The balcony was excellent and we spent a lot of time looking at the estuary below.   There was a huge bathtub, which I luxuriated in and the bed was comfy and we slept quite well.  There was an odor that I could not get rid of with all my essential oil tricks.  I wouldn't stay there again, but customer service was nice, and the room itself felt clean and livable.  We relaxed and just explored the area.

My sister, Patti and brother in law Ron provided fun t-shirts!

We explored the Ft Bragg area, walking on the beaches, enjoying the wildlife around us and just enjoying each others company.  We had fun!

Since Phil had wanted to go on a Railroad trip, we checked out the skunk train in Fort Bragg.  They weren't running while we were there, so we just enjoyed visiting the station.  Perhaps one day in the near future....Phil has been saying he needs something to look forward to.

Triceratops in a shop window, the store was closed, I will try again next time.  

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A picnic in a favorite spot in Mendocino, California.  Phil and I have spent many moments enjoying ourselves in that exact place over the years.

Walks, exploring and heading to the next destination....We started out at two nights, but we were having such a great time, we wanted one more night......To Gualala..

Point Arena Lighthouse

Patti, we love our shirts, esp the one with Klaus on it!

As we walked I kept seeing mushrooms everywhere.  We talked about our "Facebook friend", Janet  who had lived in Gualala,  I often see her photos of collecting mushrooms in the Gualala area.  I took photos of mushrooms with intentions of sharing the photographs with her on Facebook.  Janet is the aunt of a friend of mine from Arkansas.  I often heard stories of an aunt that lived in California.  It was our love of photography that brought us together on Facebook.  While talking online we found that we have many things in common.  She has been supportive of Phil and myself in many ways, thank you Janet.

We had to entertain ourselves while we waited for check in time at the next hotel in Gualala.

 We had a ball exploring from Point Arena to Sea Ranch.  Phil and I love this area, we ran all over the place just looking at everything, hiking and just breathing the air.  On the way back into town we decided to check out a motel that we did not choose.  We pulled into the driveway and turned around, when we did there was a woman pulling into the driveway and I said to Phil that it looked like Janet.  Serendipity had brought us together by a very round about way....

She told us to follow her to Sea Ranch to a friends and we would head out and go mushroom hunting.

We were stunned and laughed about how life plays itself out. 

Magical ....we headed to Sea Ranch, met Janet's friend Dibby.  A wonderful woman, who took us into her home, her very lovely home without knowing us.  It turned out that she was about to have an MRI and Phil feels that is why we were there.  He told her about having an MRI and it seemed to help both of them to talk about it.  Life never ceases to astound me on a daily basis.  Pay attention to the messages around you, they are everywhere.

I have always wanted to see what the homes were like inside Sea Ranch, this chance meeting turned out to be more than just coincidence and we all knew that we were suppose to be together at that moment.  Life is wondrous...we were off to explore the woods and look for mushrooms.

Janet and Dibby, thank you very much.

Janet, they were tasty!

We headed back to check in to our motel.  The Breakers Inn in Gualala.  I would have to say that I could have been more satisfied, since it seemed Phil and I were one of the only guests.  The good parts of the hotel was the view from the back patio, overlooking the ocean and a wonderful location.  The room was adequate, they seemed to be renovating the property.  I will say that we were comfy and the view was amazing.

We checked into our room as the sunset.  The view from our balcony was exceptional.

The next morning we knew we had to head back for the biopsy and to receive news that we probably didn't want to hear.  We headed off with optimism in our hearts and the will to enjoy the day.
We treasured every single moment of our mini vacation.  Every single blissful moment.

On our walk by the motel in Gualala we spotted a couple of Harbor Seals playing in the river that flowed into the ocean.

A walk at Manchester Beach, one of our favorites.

Point Arena Lighthouse in the morning light.  Lots of green, fresh air and long walks.

The ceremonial posts in the meadow at Gualala Point Regional Park were created by wood carvers from the Sakha Republic in far northeastern Russia.

We visited a very magical chapel in Sea Ranch.

Sea Ranch Chapel 

Phil signed the guest book as I went crazy taking photographs.

We loved our time at the Chapel.  Awe inspiring.

We held hands, explored, climbed and exhibited youthful exuberance on our trip home.  Stretching it out and making it last as long as we could.

Thank you to those of you who helped us take this trip.  It was shorter than we had dreamed but it was just incredible.  It was a dream come true.

It has been rough since we have been home.  The struggle of another surgery was hard on Phil and the emotional toll of what is to come looms over us.  We have been on the "cancer" roller coaster this week.  Love from family and friends is making life a little easier.  Sometimes the heartbreak is deep and it feels like you can't pick yourself up.  Today we were experiencing some heartache and then a package in the mail.

You know the smoked meat that Phil and I are always talking about? Noelle, Phil and I have visited almost every time we head down to Santa Barbara.  Phil love, love, loves Ruddell's.  One of the places he wanted to visit before the biopsy was Ruddell's for his smoked meat fix!

Well today a surprise - a gift from Ruddell's.
Their family is also going through their own heart ache with the anniversary of the passing of the patriarch of their family.
With love in our hearts we send hugs and thanks to the entire Ruddell family.
The meat is delicious!  Thank you!  I haven't seen Phil smile like that in a few days.  Thank you!

From our last visit.  If you haven't been you don't know what you are missing!