Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there!

Gosh, we’re enjoying this simple life. This morning after our walk, we made breakfast of scrambled eggs with onions, Tom’s were topped with hand-grated white cheddar cheese, and mine were topped with Wholly Guacamole and Pace Picante sauce. On the side, Tom had crispy uncured bacon, while I had wild-caught salmon in the package, not the can.

It’s delightful to be able to purchase products here that aren’t available in other countries. We’ve stocked the refrigerator with such items as full-sized romaine lettuce leaves (which we can’t get in South Africa), large eggplants, zucchini, and robust stalks of crispy celery, things we’ve missed for years. No doubt, we’re getting spoiled.

Last night, we had one of our favorite dinners, lettuce-wrapped “unwiches” with slices of ripe red tomatoes, onions, cooked bacon, sliced provolone cheese, and Primal Kitchen’s bad-oil-free mayonnaise, made with avocado oil and chemical-free deli meats. What a treat! They were delicious!

With a salad on the side with homemade sour cream salad dressing, it was a perfect meal we’re repeating tonight. This morning, I cooked fresh bacon, washed the romaine lettuce, sliced the tomato and onion, and this evening, we’ll put it all together, wrapped in tin foil which we peel down as we eat it.

Today is Mother’s Day, an occasion celebrated in most countries. I am grateful to hear from our kids and have no expectations of anything special. We send love and warm wishes to all the moms worldwide to feel special on this celebratory day. We’d contemplated going out for brunch, but with all the moms and grandmas in The Villages, it’s unlikely we’d have ever been able to get a table. Also, our homemade meals are much more suitable, especially with me on a diet right now.

Years ago, Tom and I agreed it wouldn’t be necessary to purchase gifts or cards for one another, regardless of the occasion. We told the same to our children, and now we only purchase gift cards for the grandchildren until they are 18 years old. After that, love and warm wishes will have to do, as we’ve done for our adult children and their significant others.

With our baggage weight maxed out, neither of us needs a thing. Also, with our short time here, there isn’t anything that would be a worthwhile purchase to use while we’re here. We have everything we need.

Will we become spoiled with all of these “extras?” This morning, as we’ve been doing since we arrived, we washed the bedding. In only two hours, we had the bed remade with clean sheets and pillowcases. It’s all so easy. Tom enjoys having a dishwasher, and I like having a garbage disposal.

The whole house air conditioning keeps us oblivious to the hot weather, which we only experience in the mornings on our walk and when seated at the table on the veranda, which we do a few times each day. Also, sitting here in the living room right now with the TV on is enjoyable, something we haven’t done since we left the US. The digital service even has On-Demand so that we can choose a show.

Again, this morning we watched CBS Sunday Morning, a show we always liked in our old lives. Sure, this reminds us of our old lives, most of which we thoroughly loved. But, regardless of all these luxury amenities, we have no doubt this life is temporary. Although we don’t wish the time to pass quickly to be on the move again, we anticipate the future with hope and excitement.

We’ve always accepted the differences in other parts of the world and have made a point of adapting to our surroundings, however challenging they may be at times. Once we get settled in at a new location, in no time at all, we find workarounds, and as time marches on, we barely notice the differences, if at all.

Again, a Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms and grandmothers out there and to all of you…be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, May 14, 2013:

No photos or a post was uploaded on this day, a travel day in the country of Jordan—exciting photos are coming tomorrow.

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