Celebrating 60 in South Africa

Yes, I’ll be celebrating 60 years of life today at Augrabies Falls in South Africa, National Park #10.

Blogging since 2008 has brought many rewards, including writing and sharing my stories and meeting many people online who also have dreams.  Then in 2010 I took my first step off my own continent and visited South Africa.  A magical land that captured my spirit.  I returned in 2013 and am back again in 2014.

My family thinks I’m crazy.  I come from a family of monkeys.

I’ve dreamed of traveling all my life, drooling over the images in National Geographic as a child.  Upon high school graduation I dreamed of traveling across the USA in a horse covered wagon taking photos and sharing my story in National Geographic.  We all have a dream.

But instead life got in the way.  I got a job, got married, raised step-children, went to college, got divorced, became a National Park Ranger.  And all that time I continued to travel, and dream.

I celebrated 50 years in Oregon with friends from Oregon Caves National Monument.  We had a big bonfire at a friend’s home and I’d asked people to bring something they wanted to get rid of to throw in the fire.  I wrote on a piece of paper that I wanted to be less impatient and for the next three months I waited for EVERYTHING.  So I learned patience and then decided I didn’t like waiting so I gave that up.  I dreamed of another 50 years ahead of me.

I’ve butted heads more than once. 

I celebrated 40 years in Mexico with my ex-husband camping along the Caribbean just south of Tulum.  I spent the day in a terrible self-imposed funk inside the camper with wind blowing the beach sand sideways.  I knew the marriage was over and hated myself for staying in it.  I dreamed of being single and by the next year I was happily divorced.

Sometimes I’m just a slow learner.

I celebrated 30 years in a hospital watching my step-daughter get her stomach pumped from taking all the pills in our medicine cabinet in an attempt at suicide, or maybe it was just a cry for help.  Being a teenager isn’t always easy.  And neither is being a parent.  I dreamed of a better life for her, and me.

I’ve gotten into a few scrapes along the way.

I celebrated 20 years in southern Illinois with the current live-in boyfriend.  In fact I quit a job to have my birthday off, because it is MY day after all.  I’d asked two weeks in advance for the day off from a job at a cafeteria where I decorated and cut pies and cakes.  Because my birthday fell on Easter that year I was told they would be very busy and I had to work.  So I gave them two weeks notice.  On my last day at the close of business I asked a fellow employee to send the manager into the back prep area for me to say goodbye.  I was waiting with a full, giant sized pastry bag full of whipped cream and squirted him all over his three piece suit as a going away gift.  I filled my dream of getting back at him for not giving me the day off.

I like to be sneaky sometimes. 

I celebrated 10 years in the suburbs of Chicago where I grew up.  In fact it was the last birthday party my Mom organized for me as I got in trouble the following summer.  We lived at the end of a dead end road next to a swamp where I was told not to play but of course did.  I came home one day covered in tar from a bucket that had been left behind by a nearby construction crew and after Mom scrubbed me down with turpentine in the tub I was informed, “No more birthday parties for you!”  I dreamed of a party until a friend threw me a surprise party for my Sweet 16th.

I’m not beyond getting into trouble while having fun. 

I wonder what 70 years of life will bring?  I dream of more travel and meeting more wonderful people from around the world.  And maybe more of you bloggers as well.

(After rain Monday night and waking up in a lake with my tent floating we are now dry and warm in a Chalet for the next two nights at Augrabies Falls.  Joan is taking me to dinner here for my 60th birthday.  A wonderful way to celebrate!)