A Great Haircut; A Healing Gift; Hail! Greenland? New Friends in Colorado Springs; An Angelversary

While in Fort Collins, I needed a haircut. My Lovely Bride looked up the closest one on her iPad – Floyd’s, what I expected to be a one-chair shop with a pot-bellied retired Army barber and a stack of Field and Stream and Deer Hunter magazines. A few minutes later I walked into “Floyd’s – The Original Rock ‘N Roll Barbershop”, and was stopped in my tracks. Instead of Floyd, the chubby old Army barber, there were eight lovely young women barbers, several with colorful skin art and short skirts, Kelly Clarkson booming out of speakers around the shop, posters of rock singers on the walls, etc… “Thank you, Suzanne!”   It was a little bit pricey:  $21 for the haircut, and $30 for the tip to Kiersten.  Smack! Smack!

While Bob and Jan were visiting, we used the campground’s showers because our holding tanks would have filled too quickly with four people showering daily. Suzanne was just walking out of the bathroom and shower building when a young girl about six came up to her and told her proudly that this was her very first camping trip and that she was staying in a tent. “Are you staying in a tent, too?”, she asked. Suzanne replied, “No, I’m staying in that bus over there”, pointing at our 42 foot motor coach. The little girl looked thoughtful for a moment and then asked, “Don’t you have a bathroom in there?”

On Sunday, I was blessed to receive a powerful energy healing from our good friend Debbie Svitavsky before we departed Fort Collins. Debbie is an amazing healer, author and speaker whose gifts allow her to unite your mind, body and spirit. She approached Suzanne after MLB’s presentation the day before and asked if I would be open to a healing session, because my daughter Susan had appeared to Debbie and suggested that she work with me.  I had experienced a few such sessions back in Florida when trying to heal my back, but none had the deep emotional and spiritual impact that this session did.  For the first time in my life I felt the waves of energy that Suzanne has been talking about for years.  I left feeling like I was walking on air, and much more peaceful and balanced. For some reason, Suzanne is giving extra thanks to Spirit for my going to the session and the results.  I don’t know if I should be insulted or not.  I keep telling her that I am a New Age Kinda Guy.  Thank you, Debbie, for your generous, loving and transformational gift on the anniversary of my daughter Susan’s passing. You can find out more about Debbie at www.vibrantspirit.net.

We loved Fort Collins, but we had to get moving onto the next stop on our summer adventure. We got underway on Sunday afternoon for an overnight stop in Colorado Springs. On the way we encountered some nasty rain, and drove through the remains of a hailstorm (note the white stuff on the side of the road) that had passed only an hour before. The temperature was in the 40s, and it was windy and miserable. This is summer in Colorado?

I knew we had made a wrong turn when I noted a highway exit sign for Greenland… “Hey, Suzanne, I thought you were supposed to be navigating!”

 

We spent the night parked outside the home of Sally Meadows and her husband Bob Shanks in Colorado Springs. Sally is the sister of our good friend Catherine Cote in The Villages, and she attended the grief workshop that Suzanne did on Saturday in Fort Collins. Bob is a retired airline pilot who flew KC-135 tankers in the Air Force. They graciously hosted dinner at their home for us; their longtime friend and Air Force general’s wife G.G. was also there, and is one of the most delightful ladies you’ll ever meet. We enjoyed a gourmet dinner, and traded Navy and Air Force stories for hours.

I had to add a photo of Sally’s exceptional sorbet, fruit and cookies dessert complete with sprigs of fresh mint that Bob harvested from the yard. I was ready to have thirds, but didn’t want to look like a little piglet…

As we were leaving, Sally took us into her living room where she showed us a candle that she had gotten to light to remember our Susan, whose Angelversary was that day. I was very touched at her thoughtfulness and kindness. Sally’s candle and Debbie’s healing earlier in the day had both given me a lift when I really needed it, and I felt Susan and Liam’s presence and love throughout the day.