Arrived, Safe & Sound

I have arrived in New York City thanks to the intrepid work of my best friend Sandy!! I arrived last Friday (8/22)in New Hampshire and visited my Mom until Thursday (8/28). I went to Sandy's and we transferred all of my belongings from my car to her mini van. Friday morning we embarked on our drive to NYC. All went well until we were about 17 miles from our destination. Route 95 was backed up and we barely moved for 15 minutes so we got off in the Bronx and took surface streets to 35th & Madison (in Manhattan). We arrived about two hours later, frazzled but proud!!

The apartment is terrific, larger than I thought it to be with ample space for books, two clothes closets and a large storage closet. The three flights of stairs up to it will, in Sandy's words, guarantee that by years end I will have "buns of steel".

Today I went to services at Community Church and met lots of terrific people. It was a pretty strong turnout for Labor Day weekend. I am so excited to begin my Ministry here, I think it is destined to be an awesome year!!!

Tomorrow I think I will explore the city, more later on my adventures.

Peace & Blessings,
Suzanne

Almost there

I am writing from Webster NY, a suburb of Rochester. I am almost to New Hampshire, I will arrive tomorrow!! I have enjoyed this drive, but am ready to stop driving. I will stay at Mom's for about week and then head to NYC on Friday morning to settle in to my apartment there, beginning my church duties on Tuesday the 2nd. Not too much to take pictures of today, mostly turnpikes, but I have put a picture of my hotel in Webster NY.

On to Epping, NH tomorrow and no more hotels!!

Blessings,
Suzanne

Now, in Iowa

I'm here in Council Bluffs, Iowa just cross the river from Omaha NE. I spent most of the day driving through Nebraska, a very long state with LOTS of farmland. I was struck today by the vast areas of this country that have so few inhabitants and have wondered about the social and economic conditions that have driven people to the great urban areas, mostly on the perimeter of the country. I have driven so much of the last two days on wide open roads with so few cars, and I can tell you, it was very nice!!!

Today's pictures are the blue Nebraska sky and my Iowa hotel, which looks suspiciously like my Wyoming one!!

On tomorrow to South Bend, IN.

Blessings,
Suzanne

Musings from Wyoming

I'm now in Cheyenne, WY having driven 650 miles today from Elko. It was a long drive but the road through Utah and Wyoming is flat and fast (the speed limit is mostly 75) so it only took about 10 hours. I have posted a picture of the amazing hills near the Utah /Wyoming border, a spectacular sunset and my hotel here in Cheyenne.

As I drove through Laramie, I thought of Matthew Shepard and wondered if things have changed very much for GLBT folks in rural areas since he was attacked in 1998. I'm afraid of what the answer to that question is, those of us who live in urban areas, particularly on the West coast and in the East get complacent about the threats these folks face as part of the fabric of their daily lives. I refuse to accept that it has to be that way and will continue to work and hope that ten years from now it will be better. The rock will wear away.

Tomorrow on to Council Bluffs Iowa!!!

Blessings,
Suzanne

On the Road at Last

I'm posting this tonight from Elko, Nevada, the first stop on my trip across the country. I left San Jose at 6 am this morning and got here about 3 pm. Not a bad trip, the car is a bit loaded down (ie: I couldn't get much more in it) so the trip through the mountains around Tahoe was kind of of slow, but once I got into the flatlands it was smooth sailing!! I'm taking 80 until somewhere in Ohio when I head north thru New York and then to New Hampshire to visit my Mom. I'm not sure yet when I will arrive in NYC, but it will be sometime between the last Thursday and Saturday in August. I have posted a picture of both my loaded car and the Econo Lodge in Elko where I am staying tonight. Nevada has a whole lot of nothing......

Over the course of this day I have had a number of feelings, from elation to "what the hell am I doing?". Leaving this morning was very strange, almost dream-like, knowing I'm not going back there for almost 10 months and that I won't see my family until November. I keep thinking of the soldiers who get sent overseas and leave their families behind, including their young children. I'm struggling with the feeling that my relationship with my son will be permanently changed by this separation and even though I think it will be a good and healthy change, I can't help but be a little sad and wistful. Sigh.

More tomorrow from Cheyenne, Wyoming!!

Blessings,
Suzanne