THE LAST FEW DAYS....

Sunday, my last full day with Patrick, we went to Huntington Beach Dog Park. California affords a dog a great life!! The beach went on forever and there were dogs and people walking and swimming together, like nothing I ever saw before.
What a wonderful climate to enjoy the outdoors; Florida without the humidity...very beautiful.
I was able to have a visit with my friend Violet who was kind enough to meet us there; I had not seen her in over 2 years, what an unexpected treat. It was tough planning my visits with friends since Patrick & I were working with one car and priority as far as I was concerned was on his personal and academic needs; after all that is why we were there.
After spending the afternoon at the beach, we headed back and had dinner near where Patrick lives, without Bosley.



Violet and me along with Bosley overlooking Huntington Beach.









I left California Monday (8/10) afternoon and arrived home at 2am Tues (8/11) morning. I am very glad I went, it was important for me to be a part of Patrick's initiation into the academic world of Vet Medicine.
On the way home I had a layover in Las Vegas for a few hours; my first time ever in that town. I was amazed at the airport environment, it felt like the casino world came right out of town onto the runway; slot machines all over and people obviously aglow in the ambiance of a party town. After getting a little glimpse, it seemed like a place I would like to visit sometime.
It was emotionally challenging for me to arrive home, I felt very grounded but very sad. There are some very powerful energy flows occurring in my life right now and I am in awe over it. It is surreal to me!
Today was a down day for me, I began easing back into my routine.
I will end this blog now after having traveled approximately 7500 miles around the U.S. over the past 18 days. I want to thank all of you for supporting us through this journey, it was a lot of fun along with many personal awarenesses.
As I close I wish to say the Paddy's went west and one Paddy has returned east but looks forward to visiting with the western Paddy from time to time.
I want to ask all of you reading this to send Patrick (and his other 104 classmates) much positive energy, prayers and intentions for a successful academic and clinical experience over the next 4 years. I know one animal lover who Patrick has on his side, watching over him...Karen.

I send love and blessings to all of you...

Patrick (the older chap)

Re-establishing communication

We finally arrived in Pomona, Ca. about 2:30pm on Saturday, 8/1. The last part of the journey was approximately 3 1/2 hours from Needles, Ca. to Pomona. Patrick's new home was still a work in progress or refab when we arrived. It is probably about 90 years young and really cool. It is a duplex and has recently been updated.

What a view from his front door, GORGEOUS! Not like the mountains of Florida!

The landlord seems to be a great person and "oddly" or "coincidentally" has recently lost his wife to cancer; so a similarity for me. When running into someone on my life path who has similar or common experiences it always feels like a special bond or connection.

After arriving we wasted no time; we assessed local resources with help of landlord and new neighbor and rented a U-Haul truck to pick up some needed furniture.

Off we went to GOODWILL with economics and low budget at top of priority list. Since Patrick traveled here with me and dog in small Hyundai, there was no furniture with us, so he only needed EVERYTHING!




We managed to get him a bed, couch, entertainment center and hope chest/coffee table. We also became freqent visitors of WalMart this week.

The first few days were challenged with work being finished up in the house but we made do.
We also had the usual "move-in" stuff to deal with like gas and electric being connected or not, depending on the day we are talking about. I spent one day waiting for Verizon to hook up Internet only to find they were not coming at all. Last bits of touching up by contractor was being done until Wednesday about noon. I was glad to be here, I was able to see shortly after arriving that I was needed and it was and has been an honor to be there for my son in this capacity. "It was meant to be", something Karen always said.
For the first few days it was necessary for Patrick to have car at school, so it was me and Bosley against the world during the day, just being "homebodies". Bosley is just a great dog, close to human I believe.

Temperature in the day is similar to Florida but at night it cools down more than Florida. There is a large population of Hispanic people here, so Patrick will have opportunity to refine his Spanish language skills. His apartment is less than a mile from school, very convenient.

THE BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAINS IN PALM SPRINGS

Thursday I got a chance to visit with a few friends from Florida who now live in Palm Springs, just a little over an hour ride from Pomona. Howard is someone Karen and I met when we first moved to Florida and I had not had a chance to see him in quite a few years. It was a short visit but great to see him, as well as Meg. The last visit I had with them was when Karen and I were leaving New Mexico to fly back to Florida. Karen and I had gotten married in Santa Fe, N.M. and we frequently visited there. The time we last saw Howard and Meg was our last visit there.

Howard and Meg

Howard with me (probably could have figured that out)

I have another friend of mine, I am hoping to visit with before heading home on Monday, but the weekend schedule will be busy with school ceremonies and final "things to do".
This trip has been a very cathartic experience or me, I am amazed at the depth of sadness I have experienced during our journey as it has given another window to through at the life I have had with Karen.

I will close for now and hope to update in the next day or two as my time here comes to a close and I head home to Florida.

love & blessings to all....

Across the Cally border about 9:00pm Pacific Time

Hi to All...

A challenging day. I had a headache during a greater part of the day. I think a combo of lack of sleep, stress and experiencing varied elevations. We left Kanab (near Zion Nat'l Park) about 12:15pm MT, crossing border into Arizona about 15 min later. /We decided to head for Grand Canyon (GC) and forfeit other ideas of Zion Park and Vegas due to time constraints.
Taking back roads to GC took quite a long time, we got to GC about 4pm and hung out there until about 5:30pm. We then headed south to US40 West.


US40 took us right into California, arriving to Needles, Ca. for a nights rest. We are both looking forward to completing the last few hundred miles of this long drive. Today we drove about 45o miles, not much in length but very tiresome.
We arrived in Needles and it felt like we were getting out of the car into a clothers dryer, wow was it "close". We got a bite to eat and I swam in the pool for a little bit






Poor Bosley was suffering today, his head is black and a magnet for the heat but what a great dog.










Plan for tomorrow is to get to our destiny and begin setting up house for Patrick.
Set up means getting least expensive furniture as possible where it be 1st hand or 2nd hand, it does not matter...dealing with LOW budget.
I will continue with the blog until I head back east in about 10 days. There are some friends I hope to visit while out here and I will also be attending some functions at Patrick's school that will start off his education in Vet Medicine. The next week should be interesting and very enjoyable.

I am pasting some random pics from our day today, it is easier than thinking of what to write. I feel very tired and need a good nights sleep tonight.

K is for Kanab, the town we stayed in, and of course I thought of Karen as well.



PJ, PS, & Bosley in Arizona on way to Grand Canyon. What awesome scenery, red earth, white earth and mountains as far as can be seen.











Countdown....L.A. is about 80 miles further than where we are going.












Driver with sleepy co-pilot. He is apparently studying road through his eyelids. Also, imagine how versatile the driver is subbing as the photographer as well.














One of the day's stops. This was located in Seligman, Az. The store contained items found in a traditional hardware (General) store and a load of souvenirs.









Pic of Grand Canyon



Sunset from Arizona

Love and blessings to all of you on your paths,

Patrick J.

Across the ROCKIES -- WOWSERS, WHAT MAJESTY !!

Hello to all...

We made our way across the Rocky Mts. today, what a majestic part of God's creation; just AWESOME!! The weather reminded me a bit of Ireland. It was rainy, sunny, windy, rainy, sunny, windy...cycling like that throughout our journey.
We left Evergreen, Co. about 10:45am. The driving day was just as long but b/c of the mountainous terrain the miles traveled were less. We stopped a few times in the Colorado Rockies, once to purchase a "hoody" (sweat shirt) and another time to walk Bosley and walk down to the Colorado River for some inhalation of some magnificent beauty.















We had occasion for some adrenalin to get pumping, have some laughs as it was going on. Yep, the pic tells all, the gas tank was on "E" and we were in Utah miles from a gas station. The car tells how many miles are left to go prior to running out of fuel and we were within about 8 miles of the estimated distance to the next gas station and when we were to run out. Patrick said he never saw the indicator show so low. It was funny but I am glad we did not have to "hoof it" or call for help. Who knows how long help would have taken to get to us. We had passed thr
ough Grand Jct. leaving Colorado with plenty of restaurants, gas stations, hotels, but we said no we would wait and get gas just after passing into Utah. Well, it was about 46 miles into Utah before a gas station was available. It seems there is hardly any life in the NE area of Utah.

Ran into someone at the gas pumps where we stopped in Thompson, Utah, who struck up a conversation with me. He spotted our NY Lic Tag and told me he was from southern California near San Diego and that he is heading home from Pittsburgh where he just dropped off his son for school. I told him where Patrick is heading; we had something in common, it was nice to experience the openness with a stranger on the road; someone who I will probably never speak with again but just for a few moments.

Stopped in Richfield, Utah for dinner. Decided to get some pizza and I ordered a pie for a local shop. It was ready and cold in about 5 minutes. I was informed that the pizza place was "take and bake", which I had never heard of. I told them this will not work for me and for a minute a few of the young men working there seemed just as stunned as I was that I wanted to return it. The manager came out and she returned my money. We headed to old reliable Pizza Hut.

The weather in the late afternoon in Utah was very windy and dusty. It was not what I would think a summer day would be like. It must have been a storm passing b/c after we ate it had calmed down quite a bit.

The view while taking the drive through Utah was both boring and breath-taking. We passed along side of a massive thunder and lightning storm and I was assigned to get some pics from afar of the lightning strikes...I failed!! Me and the camera were out of synch, so maybe next time.
There were some great shots of the sunset, and after the sunsets the sky remains lit for a very long time.
Tonight we are bedded down near Zion National Park. We are both beat, it is currently 2am and I will be heading to dream world in a few minutes. Tomorrow we will make our way to or very near southern California and Saturday will shift into "set up house" mode for Patrick.

This has been a great journey and wonderful gift in my life. Experiencing all of life is one lesson I am learning on this trip. Yes, I think and feel sad about Karen a lot but I also feel happy and grateful for what we had and what I have now with my son, and all of my family and friends. Karen lives on within me, and that is a tremendous comfort.
I have been noting numbers since Karen passed and yesterday, my birthday, I was quietly thinking about her and feeling sad. I looked to the side of the road and saw the mile marker, it was 197 as we were passing (the numbers contain Karen's birthday), I then looked to my other side and saw the numbers of a license plate just up to the left of us and they were 32029. March 20 is our wedding anniversary and of course the 29 is my birthday. It just hit me, I can't figure that stuff out and don't know what if anything to make of it but it was certainly a reinforcement to me of her presence in my life.
Have not been to this part of the country in about 3 1/2 years; the last time was with Karen in Jan 2006 when we attended a conference in Santa Fe. Part of me wanted to go to New Mexico and another part did not. I basically let things flow and be with my son for this trip. As it turns out we are skirting around the areas where Karen and I have been. Perhaps God is doing for me what I might not have done for myself.

With that I will close.

May you have wonderful and blessed things happen to you on your life path...you deserve it!

love from the trail...

Patrick J.

EVERGREEN, COLORADO --- about 900 more miles to go!

LATE UPDATE DUE TO SOME WI-FI CHALLENGES....BUT ALL IS WELL. Pic above taken in Colby, Missouri...looks pretty threatening!

Today, i.e. July 29th, began with Patrick S. (P.S.) treating me to the free breakfast offered at the hotel. We headed out from Columbia, Missouri about 10:20am CST (earliest start so far). The road was free and clear, we were able to make great strides as the day progressed, averaging between 75 to 78 miles traveled each hour on the road. Our first stop was around 2:20pm for gas, doggy walk and a couple of personal sized pizzas from Pizza Hut. After 1 hour got back on road and drove to Colby, Missouri just east of entering into Mountain Time Zone....53 miles from Colorado. We stopped and low and behold the mail came through, I received a birthday card from P.S. and an expanded memory card for my camera. Coooool, watch or much improved photo reporting now!!!
Colby was first Starbucks we saw for hundreds of miles, so we took the opportunity to imbibe in some of that.
We shifted seating arrangements, PS taking wheel for a while (500 miles completed up to this point - 6pm CT) and we plodded on.




















Arrived inside Colorado border about 7:30pm MT and stopped at welcome center. It was COLD,reportedly in the low 50s, a surprise (especially for a Florida resident) and not much shelter on the highway either. Played around with dog and moved on with the goal to be another 2 to 3 hours of driving.
Got into Denver area about 9pm and stopped for gas at Harlan St. exit off of I-70. PS has friend from Long Island who lives in Denver and area but we did not know where. He called while we were filling up on gas and low and behold he lives 4 blocks from gas station. He came over and visited with us at gas station for about 20 mins. at 9:30pm. Some "coincidence"!!
We were getting tired and shortly after that about 11pm we checked into hotel. Completed close to 800 miles today!! BIG DAY!!

Across the Mississippi... ZOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!!

Hello All...

We are continuing our journey, getting closer to California and further from the east coast every day. We spent some time in Boston Heights, Ohio this morning, did a little nature walk with the dog; it was good for all three of us. We went to Brandywine Water Falls in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park...very pretty and peaceful.



We adjusted our route today, we headed more southerly, leaving I-80, taking I-71 south and getting on I-70 west. I was driving from our start time until about 5pm today. I have been doing much of the driving last few days, but Patrick (my son) asked to take wheel back and I became passenger for the remainder of today. It took away my task and left me with time to ponder, look at maps and pet dog from time to time. As we approached Indianapolis, I began to think about the only other time I was on that road. It was about 10 months ago with Karen at my side. We were headed for treatment (a new protocol for her throat cancer) and it was to be the beginning of a very difficult last 5 months in Karen's life. I felt very sad as I reflected on that journey and how hard it was for Karen to endure those times. She was very brave and chased after all her chances for survival with great zeal. As I thought, I cried and just sat as my son was playing some Raggae music which is also music that Karen would have loved.
Parallel worlds but criss crossing just the same; he listening to his music and I experiencing my sadness but his music influencing me and he also taking notice of my sadness and acknowledging it.
These thoughts today as the other unsuspecting thoughts I have described over the last few days have sort of surprised me; these were not things I had thought of or planned to even think about as I traveled across the country. Once again I am shown to embrace life, the whole entire ball of wax...it is a beautiful journey; there is so much more than just the goal or goals we strive for...there is one "hell of a ride" to be had!!!

Today we have traveled from Ohio to Columbia, Missouri, about 675 miles. We gain an hour, so we used it to travel a little bit more. Bosley, the dog is just great...most times I/we forget he in in the back seat. Tomorrow we will pass the half way point. We are planning on heading along I-70 at least to Denver and probably head south from there.

Tomorrow, or actually today at this late hour, it is my birthday. I am glad to be spending it on the road with my son. This is really a very special time for me to experience with him; my birthday is secondary in my mind to what is happening over all here. Not sure what we will do to celebrate, maybe get some rich dessert somewhere and Patrick can practice his singing voice with a few lines of Happy Birthday... I am sure he will love that.

I close or today and wish you all peace, love and harmony on your life paths....

Patrick J. "the old(er) one"

500 miles down about 2300 to go....almost there - NOT !

Hey All...

Arrived tonight for some rest in Boston Heights, Ohio near Cuyahoga Falls. Plan on checking out Cuyahoga Valley National Park in the a.m. before getting back on the road for California.

We left Long Island at about 11:27am and made brief stop in Queens, N.Y. Stopped in Lake Hopatcong, N.J. about 2pm. Lake Hopatcong is a place I spent several summers at during my youth, in fact it is where I met my first wife, the mother of my children. I visited the old neighborhood there and saw many changes. My parents home (2 story house, was single story when we lived in it) as well as my ex-wife's parent's home (single story home) look very different. It is amazing to be recalling memories and visiting a place that was so important to me 40+ years ago.

After leaving N.J. we made our way into Pennsylvania, stopping for a bite and dog walk somewhere just south of Wilkes-Barre. Left there about 5pm and found ourselves in Ohio for the night about 9:30pm.

It was slow going today getting out of NY was a hold up, leaving late plus hitting some traffic.

Hope to post some pics tomorrow.

We look forward to happy trails and send wishes for the same to you on your daily journeys,

"the Paddys" & Bosley