My three R's
RED (Retired-Extremely-Daring), wRiting, and tRaveling
I found my silver lining and never looked back!
It was time.
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| Doing what I love, wRiting Lady and the Sea in Belize 2011 |
browse around my little corner of the world.
I'm a simple lady,
but I've been around the block a few times.
I was born in South Carolina.
I took my first cross country journey
with my parents on a train to Long Beach, California when I was five-months-old.
And there's where we settled down.
with my parents on a train to Long Beach, California when I was five-months-old.
And there's where we settled down.
Raised among the palm trees in sunny southern California,
I spent my teen-age summers tRaveling via Greyhound bus to
sultry Surfside, South Carolina where I
sultry Surfside, South Carolina where I
frolicked under the palmettos with my cousins ...
... and experienced my 'first love' at fifteen.
A stay-at-home mom in the 70s
I discovered and joined the running craze,
I discovered and joined the running craze,
and eventually taught a women's running class with the theme,
"How to Run your physical race and your spiRitual race
--at your own pace."
My first 10K race (6.2 miles) was part of the first
Los Angeles Marathon.
Crossing the finish line in the
Los Angeles Coliseum (home of two summer Olympics)
was a thrill I will always remember!
I now felt empowered to do anything!
Los Angeles Marathon.
Crossing the finish line in the
Los Angeles Coliseum (home of two summer Olympics)
was a thrill I will always remember!
I now felt empowered to do anything!
After completing the Rose Bowl half-marathon in 1979,
I was promoted to Superwoman!
However, due to my busy schedule,
I decided to stick with 10K races,
which included my favorite Morro Bay 10K run to the Cayucas Pier
with running pal Mary Haworth.
However, due to my busy schedule,
I decided to stick with 10K races,
which included my favorite Morro Bay 10K run to the Cayucas Pier
with running pal Mary Haworth.
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| Mary, my mentor and friend (54) and me (32), the day we ran our first half-marathon in 1979 |
During this time I also discovered my love for wRiting.
After my morning runs while the kids were at school,
I sat down at my Smith-Corona, with my cup(s) of coffee at my side, and
lo and behold, after much blood, sweat, and tears,
lo and behold, after much blood, sweat, and tears,
I wRote two novels, Lady on the Run and Victory Run (YA).
I've been writing ever since.
A work injury that I incurred in 2001 caused knee damage,
so in 2006 after running with my daughter and granddaughter
in The Pacific Shoreline Marathon/5K in Huntington Beach, California,
I settled in to running a few miles several times a week.
A note: No matter what your exercise of choice,
the important thing is to keep that body movin'!
So at the great age of seventy-six,
I'm walking the boardwalk in my community several times a week.
A work injury that I incurred in 2001 caused knee damage,
so in 2006 after running with my daughter and granddaughter
in The Pacific Shoreline Marathon/5K in Huntington Beach, California,
I settled in to running a few miles several times a week.
A note: No matter what your exercise of choice,
the important thing is to keep that body movin'!
So at the great age of seventy-six,
I'm walking the boardwalk in my community several times a week.
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| I'm now a happy RED* ~~ *Retired-Extremely-Daring |
My husband Robinski and I now have a blended family of
two grown daughters and two sons,
four grandchildren, three great-grandsons and a baby girl!
It wasn't until 1991 that my dream to tRavel the world became a reality.
And what a year that was!
And what a year that was!
Rob and I tRaveled through Russia and Estonia,
then a few months later, we moved to Sweden for a year
to attend an international Bible College.
to attend an international Bible College.
That summer after trekking through Israel
we traveled the Trans-Siberian Railway on
the former Youth Communist Propaganda train
the former Youth Communist Propaganda train
from St. Petersburg to Abakan
to share the Gospel and give humanitarian aid to
fourteen cities throughout Siberia.
fourteen cities throughout Siberia.
A summer that I shall always remember.
Upon our return home to the good ol' USA our plan was to
stay home, never more to roam.
But God had other plans ...
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| Our trip to Istanbul in 2008 (yes I look tired) |
We were living the good life in So-Cal
when out of nowhere in 1994
when out of nowhere in 1994
we volunteered for a week in Seattle, Washington on a WWII knot ship
recently christened the MS Restoration
whose sole purpose was to transport Russian Jews
from Sochi, Russia to Haifa, Israel.
We've always had a heart for Isreal, so
what began as one week ended up fourteen months
on board the MS Restoration.
whose sole purpose was to transport Russian Jews
from Sochi, Russia to Haifa, Israel.
We've always had a heart for Isreal, so
what began as one week ended up fourteen months
on board the MS Restoration.
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| Our home on the MS Restoration 1994-95 The old gal cleaned up well. Restoration's maiden voyage sailed from Seattle, WA to ports-of-call throughout Scandinavia, the Baltics, England, Greece, Russia, and Israel. We felt honored to be a small part of God's prophetic words to help bring His people home to Israel. |
Upon returning home--again--we settled in a beach bungalow in Huntington Beach,
never more to roam ... until the summer of 2006.
Rob and I packed up and left Southern California to
return to my southern roots in South Carolina.
return to my southern roots in South Carolina.
I love traveling (24+ countries at this writing),
and more recently we had been traveling the USA in our 40-foot motorhome.
We've driven to California and back,
north to Lake Michigan, south to the Florida Keys,
and many states in-between
(40+ at last count)
In 2018 our son Jason surprised Rob with a big
70th birthday present:
An all-expense paid trip to
Italy, Spain, Germany, and Sweden!
and more recently we had been traveling the USA in our 40-foot motorhome.
We've driven to California and back,
north to Lake Michigan, south to the Florida Keys,
and many states in-between
(40+ at last count)
In 2018 our son Jason surprised Rob with a big
70th birthday present:
An all-expense paid trip to
Italy, Spain, Germany, and Sweden!
(I tagged along of course!)
The best part of the trip was traveling and making memories with
Jason and his sweetheart.
Jason, Xyla, Rob and I touring Tuscany in a Fiat!
The best part of the trip was traveling and making memories with
Jason and his sweetheart.
When we're not tRaveling, I'm content hanging around
The Leaf Lake House,
The Leaf Lake House,
sipping FoldgeRs, Reading, wRiting, and Wining
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| I miss our 40-foot home on wheels, Moon River |
Through the years, God has been my source of
strength and encouragement, and
He shows me daily that His Love never fails.
I consider myself a boomin'-bloomin' trail blazer.
I received a degree in theology at sixty,
published my first novel,
Lady and the Sea at sixty-five,
published Lady on the Run at seventy-five,
proving that it's never too late for another dream to come true.
I wrote Lady and the Sea
to encourage readers of all ages that ...
You cannot discover new oceans
until you are willing to lose sight of your shore.
until you are willing to lose sight of your shore.
My latest novel Lady on the Run
has a similar theme:
has a similar theme:
You cannot discover new roads
until you are willing to lose sight of your front door.
I wish you smooth sailing and oceans of blessings,
and may you find faith for those forgotten dreams.
And remember ... keep those bodies movin'!
Your almost-famous author,
Sharon Leaf
2 comments:
Love to see how you are doing and still looking for new adventurous things in life. Looking back with joy on our time together in Sweden. Lena
Hej Lena! Thank you for stopping by! I miss my friends in Sweden, and that certainly includes you! Thank God for the memories that give us warm, fuzzy feelings! I wish you oceans of blessings.
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