Feeling grateful for my life

Mel on our Whatcom Falls walk

It's the end of an era. My friend Melanie and I went on our final Saturday walk together yesterday. She will be moving away, in just over a week, to a new home in Oregon, five (or more) hours away from here. Every Saturday for the past several years, we've gone out together, sometimes with a few others, but always the two of us. We hiked every Thursday and walked every Saturday through the pandemic, and now I'll be needing to find another companion, or maybe spend more of these days walking by myself. I've certainly gotten into the habit and don't want it to end.

Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival. —C. S. Lewis

Although she won't be in my usual weekly activities, she will always be here in my heart. I don't know what exactly brought us together when she joined us and started hiking with the Senior Trailblazers, but I know when the pandemic hit, she and I would continue to go out on walks together when everybody else either stayed home, or they went out on small group walks, like we did with each other. Mel is a retired law enforcement officer, and I've learned a great deal about how her experiences have caused her to see the world with different eyes than my own. She would tell me about situations she's encountered over the years, and now I see the world differently, too. Perhaps the two of us have blended our memories and both of us have changed a little in response. I know I will miss her presence in my life.

I know that I owe a great deal to her in terms of my current activity level. She always would push me to do a little more on our hikes, go a little bit farther, and consequently I think I am stronger and more likely to continue to improve as I age, instead of slowing down and stopping. It's always easier when you have a friend who is younger and more fit who is willing to accommodate you and encourage you to keep going. That's what Melanie has done for me, and I will continue to keep hiking and walking, even without her around.

Last week I purchased a new pair of hiking boots, since the Hoka version of a shoe I had been using for awhile, although very comfortable, wasn't adequate for a long mountain hike. I tried on several pairs before deciding to buy a brand that is new to me, Obōz. I tried on several different ones, and finally settled on the Sawtooth Low version. There is a waterproof version, but I wanted one that felt good on my feet from the first moment I put it on, and this one fit the bill quite nicely. And I bought the pair from REI, which gives me the option to return them if for any reason if I'm not satisfied with them. Yesterday I gave them their first test, when Melanie and I went on our 6.5-mile walk over varied terrain. So far, so good: no sore spots, no blisters, and my feet don't feel the worse for wear. I've had many pairs of boots that need to be "broken in," but I'm past those days and now only want good support and less pain. I'll let you know how they are faring in a couple more weeks. For now, I'm happy.

And I am seriously considering doing a hard hike this coming week in the mountains with Group 2: Church Mountain. I am only contemplating going to the meadows, a shorter hike, around three-plus miles, but those three miles also have an almost three-thousand-foot elevation gain. Although I have done this hike many times in the past, it's been since before the pandemic hit that I have been there. I enjoyed it many times and never had much of a problem getting to the meadows, but that was then, and I am older now and not sure of being able to accomplish it without embarrassing myself. But I think I have to try. You will know more next week whether I went and how the adventure played itself out.

I hate to gloat, but I am thrilled that we are experiencing just about perfect weather, while most of the rest of the country is sweltering. Yesterday we got to a sunny 69°F (20°C) and today it will be a few degrees warmer, but I am not seeing 80°F in the forecast for the rest of the month. July in the Pacific Northwest has never been better. Maybe it's a gift from the weather gods, or maybe we will pay the price in August, which is traditionally the hottest month around here. I don't do well in full sun and hot temperatures. My favorite hikes are cloudy and cool, especially when we need to gain a good bit of altitude. Thursday will be sunny and in the mid-seventies here in Bellingham and should be a little cooler in the mountains. Church Mountain is in shade until you get to the Meadows.

For someone who has always been a bit of a risk taker, with more than four thousand skydives under my belt, I'm realizing as I am aging that I am trying to maintain some semblance of that adventurous spirit. But it's different now, my body tells me to take care of myself and not try anything too foolish. It's been almost a decade since I've had my "knees in the breeze" on a skydive, and even contemplating one today makes me queasy. I could probably do it, but as I've said to others, "been there done that." One day I will feel that way about hiking in the mountains, but not yet, not quite yet. I may be losing one hiking companion, but I am gaining quite a few more in Group 2. 

What else is on my mind? I am still enjoying my latest new toy, my new MacBook Air, which has a quiet and responsive keyboard, plenty of speed, and a wonderful screen on which to enjoy some streaming series and movies. My hearing aids have made a huge difference in my life, too, and I put them on every morning before the teapot whistles. Recently I realized that one side was no longer working as well as it did before, so I went off to the audiologist's office to have them examined. They needed a good cleaning, and just like that, they are as good as new. They have a three-year warranty, and I figure after that time I will be wanting some new ones with the latest bells and whistles anyway. Right now I am happy with what I have, and I know they will continue to enrich my life. Anyone contemplating getting hearing aids, I highly recommend the bluetooth-enabled versions. It took some getting used to when the phone rings and I hear it inside my head, but now it feels just right. Oh, and I also love that they can be charged at night at my bedside rather than having to worry about batteries.

Well, that about wraps up my current world, other than my dear sweet partner who still sleeps next to me and keeps me entertained during the day, with an endless supply of puns. He laughs as hard at his jokes as I do, and sometimes harder. It sure makes me happy to watch him slapping his knees and guffawing when he tells a good one. He is a joy in so many ways. We do have our moments of annoyance with the other's foibles, but what the heck, they pass and then we are both laughing together again. I cherish every moment we have together.

And I cannot forget to give thanks for my vast virtual family, of which you are part. It enriches my life so much to know you are there, and to have your blogs to learn what is going on in your lives right now. As is true of all of us, there are good and not-so-good moments, but we share them and that makes them even easier to get through. Or enjoy together. Living through this moment in time, I could not feel any luckier or more grateful for it all. And I wish you, dear friend, all good things to come to you in the coming week. Until we meet again, be well.