Universe Strikes Again (Go With It...)

The Wine: Brancott Sauvignon Blanc (Happy Hour Offering)

The Winery: Courtyard by Mariott Bonvoy (Chandler, AZ)

The W(H)ine: Universe Strikes Again (Go With It…)

On a special day celebrating Fathers (Shout out to my dad, my son, my other son – a godfather, my ex, my father figures, and all of you who are or acted as fathers to God’s precious children) & Freedom (Juneteenth, because not all Americans found freedom on Independence Day 1776, and shamefully, some still haven’t, as racism, discrimination, and disparagement still exist), I write tonight from just south of Phoenix, Arizona, after a day celebrating another notable, albeit personal, occasion: Reclamation Roadtrip Driving Day One.

4:20 am, iphone softly offers a composer friend’s piano melody as a gentle wakeup

5:30 am, submit client’s deliverable due day before, with gracious apologies

6:30 am, walk Lucy one last time round the neighborhood, adding generous treats

7:30 am, run last minute errands including Trader Joe’s, my favorite general store

You get it…all things required to leave your life for nearly a month and ensure the one you love and are currently responsible for (my rescue pup, Lucy) has everything she needs while in the care of others.

I wrote lots of lists. And then forgot to review them before driving away at 10:30 am

12:39 pm, somewhere in the desert between Palm Springs and Quartzsite, because that’s a place, I remembered I forgot to review the list.

1:02 pm, too far from home to turn around, I remembered I forgot to pack extra contact lenses, and thus decided to avoid reviewing the list in case there were other omissions…just keep driving…and prepare to wear geeky glasses a good part of trip

3:42 pm, 100 miles from destination, my receiving party at said destination informs via WhatApp (I’m one of the cool kids) that due to Friday’s airlines cancellation of 3000 flights, the flight to Phoenix wouldn’t land until at best bet, late tonight; worse case, we would miss each other entirely

4:30 pm, I broke the Reclamation Roadtrip Rules and made a hotel reservation

Universe = 1, Lisa = 0

Or? An even score?

Universe = Go with it…

Lisa = Okay, but I blogged…oh, okay…I’ll explain in the next blog…oh, my goodness, Lisa, this IS THE TRIP…just Go with it!!!!

So, checked in with superb last-minute AAA, Marriott member rate, under a setting 105 degree Phoenix sun, I sipped my favorite Sauvignon Blanc poolside, breathed deeply the dry, desert air and gratefully accepted the change of plans, knowing that sometimes (okay, ALWAYS), the Universe knows best.

Let’s Go with it… #reclamationroadtrip #whineonthevine #phoenixarizona