Category: Memories

Here and There: Juggling Two Lives
family · Memories · My Thoughts

Here and There: Juggling Two Lives

Larada Horner-MillerLeave a comment
Here

“Here and there” has become the theme to my life. I just spent time in Albuquerque; now I’m in Colorado, but Panamá calls as my five weeks here is winding down. Here’s what juggling my life looks like.

Dancing Fun,

From Colorado, I returned on an Amtrak train to Albuquerque on Thursday, November 13, 2025 and enjoyed dancing with the Advanced square dance club, AWK (Advance Workshop with Kris) on Thursday night. Then over the weekend I danced at the Pat Carnathan square dance festival. Bob and Sally Nolen cued the rounds and made sure I had the opportunity to round dance with Bob as much as possible. Yes, my leg hurt, but you know how I love to dance.

Storage Shed Visits,

During the day I went to our storage shed and went through boxes to fill up the extra suitcase I brought from Panamá.

On my first trip, I went on the weekend and the manager wasn’t there, so I had to open the door. He had shown my friend, Sheri, and I how to do it, so I went alone thinking I could open it. But when I tried his method it didn’t worked originally, but I’m stubborn and kept trying. Finally I got it open—yahoooo!

Lin did a great job of staging the boxes to go to Panamá, but there were specific things I had to have. So, I moved things around and found most of them. To see all of my precious belongings in boxes in that storage shed touched my heart. My life in boxes!

When I returned a second time, I FaceTimed Lin again because he’s the one who organized the storage shed. I squealed when I found what I was looking for, but I’m still looking for a couple things.

I had a great idea how to decide on what to take back to Panamá. What I did was open up the extra suitcase in the back of the rental car, so I stopped adding things when it seemed full. Then the manager of the storage company helped me weigh it. At that point it weighted 42 pounds—it has to be under 50! So, I have a couple packages of Monk Fruit to add to this suitcase, so I think I’ll be okay.

A Full Sunday: Denver Broncos & Chicago—What a Great Play!

For years, Sheri and I have texted each other during the Denver Broncos’ games but never watched a game together. What an important game to finally sit together and cheer: playing Kansas City Chiefs—and we won! We were hyped!

Sheri and another square dance friend had tickets to Chicago that night, so when I originally arrived, I got a ticket—not with them but near. So Sunday night, November 16, we went to the play! And it was fantastic!!!

And then Medical Appointments

Then on Monday, November 17, I had two medical appointments. In Raton, on Thursday, November 13, as my brother and I waited for the train to come, I put a stick of gum in my mouth and lost a crown. I called my dentist immediately hoping to get it fixed that afternoon or the next day. He had a 3:00 PM appointment, but the train didn’t arrive in Albuquerque until 3:30 PM. He didn’t work on Friday, so he fixed it on Monday at 1:00 PM. It was a short appointment, providing me time to do other errands I needed to do.

Then I had a 3:00 PM mammogram appointment. So glad my primary care physician urged me to do this. Again, it was a short appointment—uncomfortable but not as bad as it used to be!

Another Train Ride

On Tuesday morning, November 18, we dropped off my rental car and went off the train depot in Albuquerque. When I made my reservation, the lower level for “Elderly and Disabled” had filled up, so I checked my big suitcase. Then I wrestled my two bags up the stairs to the regular seating. I had no prayer time with two friends, but I love sitting up higher because the view is spectacular!

Now My Here

So, I’ve been in Branson for five days and I have six more. We’ve done much-needed ranch business.

As I’ve been in this so familiar place, memories surround me. It has been melancholy at times as I yearn for the people and joy of the past. So this moved me to write this poem:

Here & There: Juggling Two Lives

A Crescent Moon
A Crescent Moon
A dead tree ravaged
A dead tree ravaged
A windy trail up named Scotty Trail
A windy trail up named Scotty Trail
Beautiful lichen covered rock
Beautiful lichen covered rock
Dried sunflower, cholla & yucca
Dried sunflower, cholla & yucca
Stately Cholla
Stately Cholla
Saddlerock stands stately over Branson
Saddlerock stands stately over Branson
A view done the canyon
A view done the canyon
The familiar train whistle blows
	And I know I’m home
		In Branson,
A sound that echoes through my childhood.

The wind blows
	Dust devils twirl on the plains.

The mesa towers to the southwest of us.
Saddlerock hangs to the west
	As another reminder of home.

This my "here" now!

Our family ranch calls to me
	Dad’s voices his familiar stories in my mind
	Granddad looms large in my history
	Mom’s sweet presence and squeals of delight
		Memories overflow

Now, I sit beside my brother in our truck
	With our stories.
He’s the only one who can verify their truth
	Our stories
	Our family’s legacy

Sometimes quiet fills the truck cab
	Dust swirls
	Silence
	Reverence for our shared lives

My brother opens up while we ride around
	Safe
	With deep stories
		His childhood disappointment
			At our community church.
		I never knew!
			Why???

The familiar sights
	Cholla cactus
		Graceful with multiple arms extended
	Yucca
		Sharp spikes pointing heavenly
	Pinon pine trees
	Cedar trees
		The smell I love!
	Oak brush, orange at this time of the year
	Dead trees ravaged by drought and bugs
        A windy trail, bumpy with rocks
An evening graced with a crescent moon!

We try to make daily trips to the ranch,
	But our busy schedule doesn't allow it.
Each trip feeds my soul, my spirit, my heart!

The train whistles in the background
	Of my life here
		Several times a day
		Welcomed and comforting!

This house I inherited overfalls 
	With Mom and Dad
I just used Mom’s pressure cooker
	To cook spaghetti noodles
	She called it her “Poor Man's Microwave.”
Dad's pot on the floor stove
	To add some humidity to this dry climate.

Here my life is
	Ranch business,
	English, English, English!
	No one knocks on my door anymore	
		My brother only
                I visited my nine six year old friend
                     but she is failing!

That's the "here," but underneath
	The "there”" beckons!

Life there!

Our new life in Panamá
	Green jungle surrounds us
	New friends live near us
		They knock on my door.
	Beautiful mornings as we look towards
		Vulcan Barú
	Rainy afternoons during the rainy season now.

Our life carved out
	Two markets per week for fun and people
	A knitting group
        My recovery group
        Basketball games, following one of our landlords

A more relaxed life
	Less stress
	US politics not the focus

No dishwasher in our rental house
	Gives me time looking out the window
		At the green
		The colorful flowers
		The hummingbird buzzing the lavender flowers
			Being present
				A gift!

Here my life is
	My book business
        Lin and our life
	Spanish, English, Spanish
		Which I love!

I never planned to move
	To Panamá
I planned to live and die in Tijeras 
	And visiting Branson monthly
My here and there
	Used to be Tijeras, then Branson

But we stood on our decision and morals
	We said "no" to the insanity
	We took action,
		Well planned by Lin
	And it happened

Here and there—juggling these two lives
	When I'm here, I think of there.
	When I'm there, I yearn for here.

Finally,

As you can see, most of this post features my “here “in Colorado because I’m here. This busy time has continued in the States; however, I have had some quiet time. I have worked on my book #2, but I haven’t had dedicated time to finish it. Hopefully soon!

Be Here Now

Here and there—two lives! That’s my life today!

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Our Scouting Trip — Boquete, Panama: Week #2
Memories · My Thoughts · Panama · Travel

Our Scouting Trip — Boquete, Panama: Week #2

Larada Horner-MillerLeave a comment
Our Scouting Trip - Flower & Coffee Festival Ground, Boquete, Panama
Our Scouting Trip – Flower & Coffee Festival Ground, Boquete, Panama

Our scouting trip to Boquete and Volcan began. The official work in Panamá City faded behind us—now to decide what area of Panamá we wanted to live.

Tuesday – Flew to Boquete, The Scouting Trip Begins

Again, we rose early at 5:00 AM to fly to David, a short flight in a smaller aircraft on Copa Airlines. Our dependable Uber driver, Yoel, picked us up at 5:45 AM, and we enjoyed a quiet ride to the airport with not a lot of people out.

When we arrived in David, we deplaned on the tarmac—small airport! Anna, our driver from Cowboy Cars, drove us to Boquete to get our rental car. She spoke little English, but we communicated in my and Lin’s Spanish and her limited English.

After we picked up our car in Boquete, we used the navigation app, Waze, to find our hotel, Casa Reina, Alejandro Villa. We wove our way through a residential area, then Waze directed us off on a dirt road that turned into a primitive rocky, dirt road. It was worth it though—our hotel was new, clean and perched on a cliff overlooking Boquete below. The Volcano, Volcán Barú, towered behind us over the city in the distance. But the electricity was off.

After asking the maid, she offered to do our week’s laundry for about $11—we felt that was a good deal for sure! And she finished it and had it in our room when we returned. The electricity was back when we returned.

Sadly, Lin arrived in Boquete with a cold. In driving through the mountainous town of Boquete, we found a much sought after parking space in front of a pharmacy. I went in to see if they had any of our medicines and if I could get something for Lin’s cold. The pharmacist didn’t speak English, but we conversed! We both used the app, Google Translate, and it was hilarious!

We ate our first meal at Retrogusto—delicious food! Next, we went to Rey, the largest and newest grocery store, to stock up on groceries. Lin immediately bought a papaya and enjoyed it!

Lin Enjoying Papaya! Yum! Scouting
Lin Enjoying Papaya! Yum!

Wednesday – A Down Day! But Some Scouting!

Looking down from our hotel - scouting
Looking down from our hotel

We slept in after our days of early risings. Lin’s cold worsened, so it was a good to have a leisure day. After breakfast in, Lin brewed coffee for us and we sat on our balcony overlooking a part of Boquete—you can see Rey, the grocery store below us.

After Lin rested, we took a drive through Boquete up to Jaramillo, a development higher in the mountains and where friends of ours are moving. Lush green, mist hanging over the mountain tops!

During our drive, we found where the Boquete Writing Group meets—yahoooo! Lin researched on the internet before we leave Tijeras and found them. We ate at BlancTerra Restaurant and had another great meal, enjoying the lemonade varieties!

Back at our hotel on the balcony, at about 4:45 PM, we watched the fog roll in—all the mountains covered and then it thundered! We played cribbage and watched TV, a nice relaxing day to unwind.

Thursday – More Exploration and Scouting

Why did I wake so early? 6:00 AM! Oh, well! We played cribbage, ate breakfast and left our room at 10:00 AM so they could clean it.

On a mission, we found where the AA meetings are held! I had downloaded information, but apparently it was old. We went back and forth on the major road to David, feeling it was there somewhere. Finally, we found new information on the internet, and there it was with a big sign with the traditional symbol visible! We had passed it several times and never noticed it.

Then we went downtown to find the physical therapy location. Luckily, I made an appointment for the next Wednesday. Afterwards, we drove back down the road to David and ate lunch at El Granito de Oro Restaurant, next to the AA Clubhouse. While we ate, the Catholic church named their new Pope—how exciting! I will never forget the moment and where I was! As I read more of the pope’s position on different areas, I became a fan of Pope Leo XIV! I had a blast messaging the members of my international meditation group about him.

At 2:00 PM, I attended an AA meeting, getting acquainted with the local recovery community. While I shared, the rain came and down poured! I had to shout so they could hear me! Welcome to the tropics!

Once again, we returned to our room after 4:00 PM to look out on our balcony and see the fog roll in! We played cribbage again and then watched another movie!

Friday – Jason Lara, Tour Guide Exceptional!

At 8:00 AM, our tour with Jason Lara began! I took fifteen pages of notes in my 6 X 9 notebook. He told us specific information about Boquete—different places to live, the difference between Baja Boquete and Alto Boquete, Jaramillo, Los Naranjos. All of these are like suburbs of Boquete. For clarity, he made us aware of multiple microclimates in a short distance there.

“The mountainous area of the central spine of Panama has the most microclimates because it is impacted by both oceans and mountains.  The Boquete area alone has 13 microclimates.” from https://livinginpanama.com/climate-weather/

As Jason drove, we went higher and higher up into the mountains. Looking out over what appeared to be jungle, he pointed out shiny leaves and that coffee plants dotted both sides of the road. We were driving through coffee farms that looked nothing like what I thought they would. We ended up at the Café Mirador Crystal, and enjoyed a latte and gorgeous view of Alto Boquete, below Boquete. When we talked about the torrential rains, Jason said, “The streams get mad.” I loved how he phrased that.

Looking down at Alto Boquete from Cafe Mirador Crystal- scouting
Looking down at Alto Boquete from Cafe Mirador Crystal

Friday’s Serendipity

 Early in our conversation with Jason, he commented that he knew a couple, John and Ruth, who we square and round danced with. I racked my brain! Lin and I have danced all over the USA. At lunch time, he showed me a picture and I gasped! I knew Ruth really well. They met at the Duke City Singles Spring Fling in 2003 and married! I was the chairperson for that event! OMG! So, after our lunch at the Boquete Sandwich Shop, we drove over to see them. What a reunion that was! We sat and visited for an hour or so. On top of that, they rented a house from Jason’s family.

Afterwards, we drove through many more areas but stopped at a house of one of Jason’s previous clients had rented. So gracious, they spent over an hour telling us about their experience there. They rented the house we stopped at, but are building one as we speak.

From there we went down to Alto Boquete and Dolega, the warmer and windier parts of the Boquete district.

Jason told us as our day ended, he had a town team (over 40) basketball game that evening so we went to watch them. What a treat! Luckily, it appeared to be the quarter or semi-finals.

Saturday – Lin Reconnects with a Friend

Learning about the area of our hotel, we woke up intermittent available water, so no showers! Oh, my! After a leisure morning, we drove over to Volcan, one of the towns we were considering. But the reason for this trip: a reunion of Lin and Wilbur!

The day before, Jason showed us the best road to take to Volcan, instead of a crazy, windy road! It was a bittersweet reunion. Lin hadn’t seen Wilbur in nearly thirty years, knowing him when he lived in Costa Rica. Wilbur had aged a lot. He was recovering from a broken leg, so he walked with a cane. Lin wasn’t sure he really remembered him. We met his daughter and son who planned to continue his flower business.

From there we drove up through Volcan to find Hotel Bambito, a hotel and restaurant Lin knew thirty years ago. First, we drove on up to Cerro Punta, the bread basket of Panama with agriculture all around us! When we returned, we ate at the restaurant at Hotel Bambito, and Lin connected with the restaurant maître d who had been there when he ate there years ago and who knew Wilbur. What a wonderful connection!

Cerro Punta sign - scouting
Cerro Punta sign

Sunday – Toured Boquete’s Attraction & Scouting

What an active week, so we slept in. Then we played cribbage before going to downtown for brunch. We ate at the Boquete Sandwich Shop. Normally Lin makes blueberry pancakes on Sundays, so we had to have pancakes! Wow! They were thick and delicious. During breakfast, we visited with a young man from Idaho.

Afterwards we walked around downtown, looking at what the stores had to offer. We also looked in the tourist shops, and boy, was it hard not to by souvenirs for myself! I did buy my brother a Panamá shot glass. Then we walked through the Flower and Coffee Festival grounds—a flower explosion and it’s not even festival time.

Pictures of the Flower & Coffee Festival Grounds - scouting
Flower & Coffee Festival Grounds
Flower & Coffee Festival Grounds - scouting
Flower & Coffee Festival Grounds
Lin & Larada at the Flower & Coffee Festival Grounds - scouting
Lin & Larada at the Flower & Coffee Festival Grounds

Our day ended with another movie.

Finally,

As you can see, we filled this week with all we could. Lin recovered from his cold in record time. Why a scouting trip? With all the variables in the Boquete/Volcan area, we had been advised to come and check it out for ourselves.

It felt like a successful scouting trip so far. Next week, I continue with this scouting trip to Boquete.

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Enjoy Our Christmas Letter & Some Haikus
Christmas · Memories · My Thoughts · poetry

Enjoy Our Christmas Letter & Some Haikus

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Writing a newsletter - Enjoy

Enjoy our Christmas letter 2024 and some of my holiday haikus! The newsletter has all our pertinent information. Every year, we update you with news about our travel and dancing. I like to share what’s happening in my writing world. And we update you with Lin’s gorgeous garden.

Obviously, we had a different year this year! You will see why!

Our Christmas Letter

Enjoy our Christmas letter

Enjoy My Holiday Haikus

I write haikus all year and have shared some with you this year—more are coming. Enjoy these holiday haikus I wrote this year.

Today I stand in

awe of God’s blessed master plan—

a baby to touch!

Believe in something,

a God greater than yourself.

There’s a God—not you!

People desescrate

Jesus’ birthday and his life!

It’s more than Santa!

Finally,

today is the fifth day of Christmas—five golden rings from the famous song we like to sing. It started on Christmas Day and will end on January 6, Epiphany. My church (Episcopal) as well as the Catholic church observe the 12 days of Christmas. I love it because it extends Christmas from one day to twelve, so continue to enjoy this holiday season for seven more days!

50% sale on most of my books at my Etsy Shop, Larada’s Reading Loft.

Get an autographed copy!

Hair on Fire

Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Christmas Memoir e-book on sale for $1.99

Was It a Dream?: Navigating Life’s Journey Through Poetry e-book on sale for $.99

Is My Truth Universal?: A Woman’s Poetic Odyssey e-book – FREE

This Tumbleweed Landed e-book on sale for $.99

Buy My Audio Book:

Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Christmas Memoir

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Let Me Tell You a Story 

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This Tumbleweed Landed

A Peaceful 4th of July
family · Holidays · Memories · Mom · My Thoughts

A Peaceful 4th of July

Larada Horner-MillerLeave a comment
Lin's luscious garden - a peaceful 4th of July

I enjoyed a peaceful 4th of July morning this year, sitting in Lin’s luscious garden doing my daily Quiet Time which includes Julia Cameron’s practice of “Morning Pages”—three handwritten pages of what’s going on in my life. Then I joined online an international meditation group I belong to and enjoyed an inspirational poem, “Lady Liberty,” then twenty minutes of meditation and then an opportunity to list three ways I saw God working in my life during the last twenty-four hours.

Peaceful, calm! For sure! Normally, I sunbath, starting in May, but I’ve had some health issues the last couple years and haven’t, so I decided it was time to enjoy the sun again. I donned my patriotic two piece red, white and blue bathing suit and soaked up the sun.

For lunch, Lin grilled hot dogs, then we drove to Albuquerque to drop by garden club friends of ours and enjoyed a lively conversation there and a lovely garden full of blooming lilies. This gardener has been one of Lin’s mentors over the years.

Instead of Fireworks

For the evening, we had decided a couple days ahead of time we would watch the movie, “Oppenheimer.” In May, I heard the co-author of the book, Kai Bird, talk at the Santa Fe International Literary Festival. His comments ignited my interest, so I bought the book there. Then in the last month, the movie came up on Prime, so we decided to watch it.

Peaceful, calm—it wasn’t! What a sad, horrible treatment of a man who should have been deemed a national hero but the insane “Red Scare” and McCarthyism grilled and grilled him. Watching his metamorphoses, he had to deal with what he had done by being the “Father of the Atomic Bomb.”

“. . .after World War II, Oppenheimer lobbied vigorously for international control of atomic energy, proposing that the Soviet Union and the United States submit to a supranational organization designed to allow sharing of peaceful atomic energy information while keeping weapons development to a monitored minimum.”

https://www.atomicarchive.com/history/hydrogen-bomb/page-15.html 

At the end, both Lin and I felt he got the raw end of the deal. Robert Downey Junior played Lewis Strauss superbly and won an Oscar for his performance. At first, I didn’t want to believe him as a villain because I like him so much, but in the end Downey Junior had us cheering when he lost his appointment he sought to be in Eisenhower’s cabinet.

So, no fireworks—no outlandish party with insane behavior! Just a mindful consideration of a piece of our country’s sad history.

As a Child—Peaceful?

When we were younger, I anticipated the first fireworks of the evening: sparklers that we could draw figure eights in the black sky around us. Then all the families in our little country town pooled their money and bought fireworks for us to enjoy, mostly bottle rockets in the 50s. But they lit up the sky and thrilled the gathered celebrants and me! It seemed magical.

As a child on this celebratory day, I focused on fireworks—Black Cat firecrackers my uncle and aunt brought from New Mexico to us in Colorado because they were illegal there, not peaceful! It fact, that was the farthest thing from my mind—I wanted explosions, noise, family around and fireworks.

Many years, our family and friends gathered and picnicked at the Folsom Falls during the day. I always wore my tennis shoes in the water because of the crawdads. I knew they’d bite my toes. Then we returned home for our firework display.

Cuchara, Colorado As an Adult—Peaceful?

Cuchara, Colorado on the 4th of July - peaceful
Cuchara, Colorado on the 4th of July

Later over the years, Mom, my brother and I went to Cuchara, Colorado for the 4th of July, a small town in southern Colorado that celebrates this day with a short parade, live music with lots of families and dogs (the Dog Bar encourages people to bring their dogs.). What a cool respite on a hot July day.

Pictures in Cuchara, Colorado - peaceful
Mom, my brother and I 2010
My mom dancing in the Dog Bar
Mom, my brother and I 2011

First, it was Mom, my brother and I who enjoyed this mountain retreat, starting 2010—cooler weather, fun people and great music. We had so much fun the first time with some rowdy Texan women dancing in the Dog Bar, we had to go back the next year.

Larada playing putt-putt golf - peaceful
Larada playing putt-putt golf

After Mom died, my brother, Lin and I kept up the tradition of going to Cuchara, playing putt-putt golf and dancing at the Dog Bar.

Lin and I at Cuchara, Colorado - peaceful
Lin and I at Cuchara, Colorado

Then my brother’s youngest daughter and her family joined us there. We played putt-putt golf and enjoyed the mountain getaway.

Red River, New Mexico As an Adult—Peaceful?

My niece and I all dressed up for the 4th of July - peaceful
My niece and I all dressed up for the 4th of July

In 2018, we moved this celebration to Red River, New Mexico and found out they had more fun activities for my niece’s two young sons. We also had the privilege of attending a Michael Martin Murphy dance/concert at the Mother Lode bar.

Michael Martin Murphy at the Mother Lode - peaceful
Michael Martin Murphy at the Mother Lode

Branson, Colorado As an Adult—Peaceful?

As for so many, the pandemic changed everything, so we stayed away from the mountain resorts where there would be a lot of people gathering. In 2021, my brother’s two daughters brought their families to Branson, Colorado and we went out on the ranch and shot off our fireworks.

Fireworks on our ranch - peaceful
Fireworks on our ranch

For the last couple years, Lin and I have stayed home—peaceful and calm. But I still remember those family-filled holidays with loved ones and am thankful for the memories.

Finally,

This 4th of July in Lin’s garden and being with him felt good—the right way to celebrate this patriotic day. Peaceful and calm has become something I enjoy these days.

How about you? What did you do for this holiday?

Buy My Audio Books:

This Tumbleweed Landed

This Tumbleweed Landed audiobook cover - peaceful

Let Me Tell You a Story 

Let Me Tell You a Story audiobook cover - peaceful

Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Memoir Audiobook

Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Christmas Memoir audiobook cover - peaceful

Enjoy my interview on the podcast, The Writing Table