On a Spyder (three wheel motorcycle) from Arizona to Colorado through Utah, I tried to ‘catch’ rural women’s stories. I met the women spontaneously and serendipitously. The stories are short because our conversations were quick and happened in passing. Interesting and accomplished rural women are across our country. The pictures correlate with the town or area. Enjoy!

I walked into the Mesquite, Nevada Holiday Inn Express breakfast room, and a cheerful woman with Jami embroidered on her shirt, said, “Good Morning, welcome! If there is anything you need, you just let me know. Waffles, pancakes, and cereal is over there. Juice, coffee, and biscuits are over here. You enjoy yourself!” I was a little startled by her overt greeting, but once I figured out she didn’t need my room number, which I didn’t remember, I relaxed and overfilled my plate.

As she scurried around cleaning tables and stocking the buffet, she saw me playing Words with Friends on my phone, and said, “Oh, I love that game too. That and Yahtzee.”

She stopped to visit. I learned this was one of two jobs. One started early in the morning, and the other was retail and ended at midnight. I said, “Wow, you are a busy lady!”

“And I have seven kids. They range in age from 39 to 7. Six girls and one boy, 26 grandkids, and one great-granddaughter.”

Again, I said, “Wow.”

“Yes, well, this is the second marriage, and my husband is eighteen years older than me. We never say the word step. We just don’t think it’s right. His are mine and mine are his. I have a daughter two years younger than myself.”

As she hurried away laughing she said, “Now you come back anytime, I loved having you!”

I told her I wrote rural women’s stories and asked if I could write her’s. She said, “Of course.”

I couldn’t help but think how amazing she was. She was over-worked, and probably under-paid, obviously had some challenging and painful experiences in her life, but held an attitude of good and great, with the possibility of better.

What a happy way to start my day.

Thank You Jami. Wow!

Until the next time: Live while you live!