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.

The more things change...

Summertime waterfront view

Last week, Melanie and I walked to the harbor on the waterfront, one of our favorite Saturday walks. This week, we walked to Fairhaven and the ferry terminal. Next week will be my last Saturday walk with her, before she moves to Oregon, making the commute a bit longer: like impossible. It will be our last walk together, and she agreed to let me take her out for lunch afterwards. She is almost all packed up and has just returned from a visit to her new apartment in the little town of Canby, Oregon, and has signed all the paperwork. I am reconciled to what will become my new normal. Nothing stays the same, and I will certainly miss my hiking and walking companion during the past few years. We started during the pandemic and never stopped after everything opened back up.

This is my first Sunday meditation post on my new laptop. Meet "Mavis," my new faster and better designed MacBook Air. I decided to go with the M2 chip, although it's a bit more expensive, because it's faster, and with a high-resolution screen where the colors pop right out! It's not going to seem any different to you as you look at my pictures, because I import them to the desktop in a lower resolution. It's all a bit more complicated than I understand, but I know that in just a few days I've already grown used to the speed and the much different keyboard. In fact, when I pull out my iPad at the coffee shop, I'm reminded once again what it's like to have to wait for things to appear, instead of seeing them instantaneously, as happens on Mavis.

I have also modified the pointer to a larger size, and I've learned how to make the outside of the pointer a different color, and now I don't have to keep searching for that pesky little cursor any longer. Unfortunately, though, the laptop has not learned how to create the post for me, so I'll have to continue to write it myself. Maybe I should learn about AI to do that part for me, too. But frankly, it scares me a little bit. Will we become slaves to the new AI mental ability? I'm reminded of SkyNet from the Terminator movies, which became self-aware and then decided humans were to be eliminated. But that couldn't really happen, could it? (shudder)

We have been enjoying the most perfect weather imaginable, while most of the rest of the country swelters. We'll most likely get our chance later in the year, but for now the temperature and cool breezes are delightful here in the Pacific Northwest upper corner of the country. I will be happy when I learn that Texas, where many in my family live, has returned to normal hot temperatures and not the extreme heat of recent days. I read that more than a dozen people have died because of it.

On my other blog, I lamented that now all of my four siblings have become grandparents, with me the only outlier. But my brother reminded me that his daughter has not had any children, so I was wrong about that. It did make me feel glad to know I am not the only one and have company in the grandparent-less family universe. I am an aunt and great-aunt many times over, and that makes me very happy indeed. I love the fact that there is no shortage of little ones in my immediate family. Mama would be proud, if she were still around. Maybe she does know anyway. I was reminded that by the end of this month, she would have turned 100. Instead, she didn't even make it to 70, while I, her eldest child, has managed to turn 80. Yeah, I know I bring it up all the time, but it's a huge milestone and weighs on me.

The most important thing I can tell you about aging is this: If you really feel that you want to have an off-the-shoulder blouse and some big beads and thong sandals and a dirndl skirt and a magnolia in your hair, do it. Even if you're wrinkled. —Maya Angelou

Well, it will be a long time from now before I decide to dress that way, but I'm glad to know that I can if I want to, right? Maya Angelou certainly did. She died at 86 and accomplished great things during her lifetime. She is still relevant and will remain so for a long, long time. When I die, nobody but my immediate family and friends will remember me, but it really doesn't matter in the long run. Sometimes I think I should write a book, or publish my posts in some fashion, just so that I won't fade into history without any trace. But I fail to see what difference it would make in the world; I'll never be a Maya or an Eleanor Roosevelt or even a published author. I will make my own history as I live and love each day of my life and let it go. My need for creativity and writing is pretty much satisfied by blogging, and making new friends through the magic of the internet. It's enough for me, and my happiness at the way my life has turned out is boundless. 

I am also filled with gratitude for so many wonderful ways I get to enjoy my days. To continue to be able to hike and walk, albeit more slowly than I once did, to have enough to eat and a place to live that suits me well, and to have my partner to share our days together, well, it's enough. 

Mama and me in 1943

When she was a young woman, Mama had no idea how she would live her life, how many children she would have, or how it would all turn out. I think if she were to look back from the vantage point of a century later, she would be pleased and grateful, too, for having had her moment on the stage, with a magnolia in her hair and an off-the-shoulder blouse, because she was like that. She imparted her infant with oodles of love and safety, and I feel it still today. As long as I live, my mother will continue to visit me in my dreams. Who could ask for more?

And with that, I will wrap up this post and look forward to the rest of my day. It's getting warmer, so I'll take a walk earlier in the day, after having had breakfast with my friend John, and spending some time with SG. And giving thanks for everything the universe has blessed me with. That includes you, my dear virtual friends. I wish you nothing but the best week ahead and surround you with love and gratitude. Be well.

Summer 2023 has begun

I could smell these roses

I took this picture inside the lovely home I visited last Tuesday. The juxtaposition of these flowers with the ones seen outside caught my eye. It was raining lightly as we walked for most of the time, but I didn't mind, the coolness made it very comfortable for me. I'd much rather have clouds and a little rain than sunshine without any relief. However, as the summer wears on, I will adapt at least a little to the heat. Or, I should add, I always have so far.

This past week, I finally finished paying for my hearing aids, which I charged on my credit card, and now I'm thinking about the laptop I will be purchasing soon. It will be the same thing I've been using for awhile now, but upgraded and hopefully faster and easier to type on. This one has the blasted "butterfly" keyboard that has caused me some grief; the keys want to stick and I've found a way to fix them when it happens, but it's an annoying keyboard and I'll be happy to get a new replacement. The only bad part is that since it's an upgrade, there will be lots of new bells and whistles, with new and different ports and whatnot. They always do that whether you want them to or not. I'm in no hurry, obviously. I've had this laptop for three years now and can go a little longer with it.

I received my monthly massage on Friday, and the therapist told me she will be raising her rates soon, but doesn't know by how much. Although she doesn't really want to do it, her studio rent is doubling and just like the rest of us, other essentials in her world are increasing in price. I will continue to get my regular massage whatever the cost, however long I can afford to do so.

I ran across this quote and found it to be inspiring and perfect:

Your days are short here; this is the last of your springs. And now in the serenity and quiet of this lovely place, touch the depths of truth, feel the hem of Heaven. You will go away with old, good friends. And don't forget when you leave why you came. —Adlai Stevenson II

 Ah, yes, dear Adlai, you are right. I didn't know what I wanted to say next, but after  quick visit to brainyquote.com, you were right there to say it for me.  I especially love the line about touching the depths of truth and feeling the hem of Heaven. One wonderful part of having lived a long life is that I know exactly what that means. Just for fun, I went to Wikipedia and read the biography of Stevenson. He was someone I had heard about when I was young, and I would have voted for him when he ran  against Eisenhower if I had been old enough. But I wasn't; the first vote I ever cast was for Kennedy in 1961. I think Adlai Stevenson would have made a great president. Eleanor Roosevelt was a close friend of his and a believer in his abilities.

The politics of the world have been weighing me down as I visit the newspapers I follow daily. First the loss of those five men in the Titanic sub disaster, and now the situation going on in Russia, which is so fluid and unsettling that by the time I finish this post it might have changed again. So I'll leave it and concentrate on trying to keep myself on an even keel. That's really all we have any control over — our own internal equilibrium. I can't change anything outside of my own situation, and if I think of what the Buddhists say, it's all illusory and constantly changing anyway.

I was really fortunate in my early childhood, believing that I was the center of the universe and that everything revolved around me. My parents doted on me, and until my baby sister was born, I truly felt invincible. Then she became the one they doted on, and I was relegated to big sister status, no longer the only one they loved. I think I turned into a little bit of a brat, until I grew accustomed to the enormous change in my status. I did learn to appreciate and love the interloper, but it took me awhile. Firstborn children are the only ones I think who might have understood this toddler's dilemma.

These days, I spend most of my time following a pretty strict routine. Each day of the week has its own makeup, and Sundays always start here, with this post. I've been doing this long enough that it's very disconcerting if I cannot sit propped up in bed and ruminate about life during this time. Then, after having gone to breakfast with my friend John, the rest of the day is varied, depending on the weather. Since the pandemic altered my daily routine and made me seek out new avenues to satisfy my need for companionship, things have changed but are now settled into a new pattern that suits me quite well. Losing my friend Melanie due to her moving away has caused me to rejoin the Senior Trailblazers, and I've already made some new friends there.

I do sometimes let myself fall into what I think of as the "old age doldrums," when I awake in a grumpy mood and don't feel my usual ebullient joy at facing a new day. There are many ways that I choose to change things up, mostly by looking for serenity in the world around me. There are so many wonderful things to focus on, if I allow myself to do so. And there's of course the internet, which gives me a chance to see what Dr. Google says about how to find serenity. Here's what I found just now:

• Accept what you can't change or control. You can't actually control your mind and simply tell it, “Be more peaceful” — just as you can't control life. 
• Practice forgiveness.
• Practice mindfulness meditation. 
• Make time for yourself. 
• Keep a journal. 
• Get back to nature.

Oh, yeah! I do most of those activities already, and I just needed to be reminded of all these delightful ways to rediscover my own personal serenity. How about you? Do you have ways to buoy yourself up from the doldrums? If so, I'd love to hear them. 

For now, I think I'll wrap up this eclectic post and get on with my day. I have enough time before I need to get out of bed to visit my virtual family and see what you've been up to lately. And then a quick perusal of the news of the day, and I'm ready to spring out of bed and see what this irreplaceable special day has in store for me! I do hope that the coming week will bring peace and serenity into your life, and that you will continue to be well. I wish you all good things, dear friends.

Fun with old friends

Baat, me, SG, and Alan

We had a wonderful treat this past Friday, when a couple of old friends (also skydivers) came to visit us for the day. Baat and Alan returned from Israel not too long ago, and have decided to live in Boulder, Colorado, where the four of us were fast friends for around seven years. We had not seen them for almost two decades, and they brought two of their three kids along with them. (They, the young ones, were out doing whatever young adults do these days. Ever heard of an Escape Room? Me neither.) We grownups spent quite a bit of time catching up with our lives since we were last together. 

The two of them are involved in the esoteric computer world. Alan writes programs that I cannot begin to understand, and Baat designs conferences that are intended to help women become more involved in computer science and related fields. They are both, in a few words, fantastically talented and we are blessed to have them as friends. But when we knew them, they were just regular folks who jumped out of airplanes for fun, like us. 

I was afraid that enough time had passed to make our lives no longer relevant to one another, but that was not the case. After getting over the shock of seeing them with two grown young men (their daughter is off at a summer camp somewhere), we settled down to the long conversations that helped us reconnect to our old lives. None of us are actively skydiving right now, although Baat has just gotten recurrent after eight years away, so that she can participate in an upcoming activity. Other than that, we didn't spend much time talking about the one thing that initially brought us together.

I was fascinated to spend some time talking with their eldest son, Kai, who went to school in Israel and became proficient in Hebrew and learned Arabic as well. So he's got three languages under his belt and is going to be a real asset to the world as he matures. His brother is three years younger and didn't interact much with the adults before they both took off to that Escape Room. Once we said goodbye for now, the family set off for the Canadian border, since it looks like Kai will attend college in Vancouver. He was accepted at both Simon Frasier and the University of British Columbia. So they are off checking out the schools after having visited us in Bellingham.

Boulevard Park walk

We took them for a leisurely walk along Boulevard Park so that we could talk, as well as let me spend quite a bit of time grabbing Baat for a hug (she's so eminently huggable). I have to say this is the most I've seen SG without a mask in ages. He got so caught up in talk that he forgot to put it back on! Once the boys returned from their adventure, we made our goodbyes (for now) and we returned to our old lives. But both of us have been feeling amazingly buoyed up by the interaction and the act of bringing the past into the present and realizing how much we love them. And learning that they still love us, too. My heart is full.

In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit. —Albert Schweitzer

*  *  *

And here we are, today, experiencing another Father's Day. My own dad has been on the other side of the grass for more than forty years. But it doesn't change the fact that we are still, and forever, connected to one another. I idolized my father, to the chagrin of my mother, who warned me that he had many faults that I would discover as I grew older. But what happened instead is that I left home at an early age, pregnant at eighteen and moved to Puerto Rico with my then-husband. I didn't get to spend much time with Daddy after that. He was also an alcoholic, so many of my adult memories of Daddy were of him "in his cups," and as often happens with drink, he was not really himself much of the time, but instead became loquacious and ended up leaving the conversations early as he sank into a place where I could not follow. 

I didn't realize that all parents weren't like that, having impromptu parties every night after dinner. When I visited my parents, I spent more time with Mama, so my memories of interactions with Daddy are infused with a sense of unreality. Plus I don't actually have all that many memories that come up into my mind, when I think of him.

Daddy when he was young

But I loved him and was devastated when he died at 62, of a heart attack, along with so many other family members who also died of the same fate. Including, of course, my son who died at forty of a heart attack. It's one reason that I exercise all the time, in order to stave off the family curse of heart disease. I have a distant memory of Daddy's large hand and my own small one nestling inside, feeling protected and safe.

Now that I am old, I realize that the illusion of safety was just that; life is full of ups and downs, and we all know that eventually we will slip away, leaving the world for the young, who will also move through time to themselves grow old and continue the cycle of life and death. It's an elegant world, and once you allow yourself to enjoy it as it is, there are so many times when just simply finding ways to spread loving kindness will make everything better. And since we have a choice, I choose love and beauty.

And with that, my Sunday post is almost finished, with just a few reminders to take care of: remembering my dear extended family, you who visit me weekly, who leave a few words that always make me feel so incredibly fortunate to have found you. And my dear sweet partner who still sleeps next to me as I write this. Soon I will rise from my bed and will spend another wonderful day in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, happy to have another week to spread and receive joy and happiness. Until we meet again, dear friends, I wish you all good things. Be well.

Finally a little rain

Mountain scene with fog

 I live in one of the prettiest places on earth, if you ask me. This was taken a few years ago on a mountain hike with the Trailblazers. I don't know if I will ever again be strong enough to see this view again, but there are so many that are similar, and I am still able to be out there, even if "there" is not quite as high or as strenuous as in earlier days. It doesn't matter, really; I have so many chances to take a nice forest bath whenever I want. The term "forest bathing" comes from Japan:

The term emerged in Japan in the 1980s as a physiological and psychological exercise called shinrin-yoku (“forest bathing” or “taking in the forest atmosphere”). The purpose was twofold: to offer an eco-antidote to tech-boom burnout and to inspire residents to reconnect with and protect the country's forests (National Geographic).

We were very pleased to see the rain return Friday night. We got close to half an inch here in Bellingham, when we expected next to nothing.  We are still at least six inches shy of the normal rainfall we receive in the spring, with the normally dry summer season fast approaching. I am happy that it's wet outside again. I never thought I'd be such a fan of mist and fog. But I sure am.

I have accomplished quite a few interesting feats during my life, and sometimes I see how one activity emerges from an earlier one. In 2000, I had a life-changing parachuting accident when I broke my pelvis in six places, shattering the right sacrum and losing an artery in my right leg. After a long recovery of several months, I again returned to skydiving, but also became familiar with the need to take up long, brisk walks to regain circulation in the injured area.

It was one of the reasons to find a place to retire that would offer plenty of opportunities to get outside and learn about the local hikes in the Pacific Northwest. I decided to retire in 2008 with a pretty good annuity package and we moved from Boulder, Colorado, to Bellingham, Washington. (SG was already retired and collecting Social Security.) It was a fortuitous move, one that has given us both everything we need to continue to thrive.

And now it is fifteen years later, and we are finally through the pandemic years, with our lives substantially changed, but still quite functional. I no longer have daily classes at the Y, where I went for so many years, but have become more active with the local Senior Center, which offers many activities that I've taken advantage of. The Senior Trailblazers offer three different levels of hikes, one of which I began to attend every Thursday back in 2009. Now I've moved over to the next level of hikes, and am considering attending the easiest of the three groups this year. Many of my friends have already made the switch. The Senior Center also offers yoga and zumba classes, which I am enjoying very much. During the pandemic, my long-time yoga studio closed, so it was nice to try this very different yoga practice. It's not the same, but then again, neither am I.

It's been eight years since I last made a skydive, but I still think of myself as being a skydiver. That's where I met my dear partner back in the last century, and we've now been together for thirty years. That's an almost unbelievable feat for someone who didn't think it was possible for her to find a partner who could still bring her so much joy for so long, even though our skydiving days are far behind us. As I age, I notice how important it is to allow what's next to emerge without trying to direct or cause it to flow in any particular direction. I don't know what's best for me and am happy to let go and let whatever happens, happen. I am so fortunate.

Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone—we find it with another. —Thomas Merton 

Feeding a wild friend

I was looking for inspiration for this post and went browsing in my digital photo album and came across this picture. Although it was years ago now, I still remember the feeling of the bird's claws holding onto my fingers. Very strong and determined, always looking for food in that white landscape. These "camp robbers" are very bold, and if you are eating a sandwich and put it beside you for any reason, it will be gone in a flash, carried off by a hungry bird. I was happily sharing my trail mix with this guy.

I've had many memorable moments while hiking in the mountains, in spring, summer and fall. I don't venture out in the winter any more, and although this looks like it is taken in the middle of winter, it was actually in July. The snow at that altitude doesn't leave quickly, making for a scene like this in the middle of summer. The animals who make their home up there are strong because they must be to survive.

Because of the pandemic, my life has narrowed over the years, and I have lost a few friends who have either moved into other activities, or actually moved away. I am losing my long-time hiking partner Melanie next month, as she has successfully sold her home and signed the final papers this week. I was hoping she might change her mind, but now it's official. Fortunately for me, I've got other options and new friends to make in that hiking group. Last Thursday it was eight women, all new acquaintances, but fast becoming friends. 

I am also fortunate that I don't need to drive myself up into the mountains to enjoy the hikes, since we carpool and with my ancient car and failing eyesight, I am grateful that others can take over that task. Plus I really like sitting next to someone new and finding out all about her life as we drive to our destination. As long as I can continue to forest bathe and make new friends, I'll be fine.

Oh, and I almost forgot one of the most important aspects of today's existence: my virtual family. Who would have believed that people I will never meet in person but know intimately through their blogs could be such as important part of my life? And it's not likely to be going anywhere, since all I need is a good laptop and internet connection. Surely even when I can no longer hike, I will be able to continue this activity and maybe even expand it. But as I said earlier, I don't know where the future will lead me, and I will not try to make any predictions. What I do know is that I am a fortunate and very grateful person for all that life has brought me over the years. Thank you for being a part of that.

And with that, I will leave you for another week. My partner still sleeps quietly next to me, that dear sweet piece of my heart. My tea is gone, and my friend John will soon arrive to transport me to our Sunday morning breakfast. Until we meet again, I wish you all good things, and offer up sincere gratitude for your presence in my life. Be well.

June is here already

You don't say!

The little leprechaun actually didn't say anything as he sat inside one of the sandstone hollows on the Rock trail. I remember the first time we saw those holes, and somebody decided to yell inside to see what happened. I was surprised to find that they are quite deep, and once we trekked by to see lots of feet sticking out, which turned out to be a bunch of teenagers daring each other to check out the depressions. In the picture, one of the Trailblazers last week carried the little guy with her and set him up for the photo shoot. I didn't know the photographer took it and captured the moment so well.

This was my third excursion with Group 2 of the Senior Trailblazers, and I am pleased to have learned that I will not have to stop hiking completely, once Melanie moves away. She put her home on the market last Wednesday, and she already has two offers above her asking price. She has signed a pending agreement with one of them, and once home inspection has been made and signed off on, she will need to be out of there by the end of July at the latest. She figures it will probably be in the middle of the month by the time she gets everything all sorted out and packed up.

We walked yesterday morning as she told me all about it, and she is happy that I am doing so well with the new group, but I realized as we talked how much I am going to miss her. She reminded me that she will be back to visit often, and that she will be much closer to her family, which makes her happy too. It won't be the same, but change is inevitable and unavoidable.

I figure after she leaves, I will still do the same Saturday walks, probably by myself or maybe with one other friend. But it is now part of my weekly routine, and I won't want to leave the activity behind, just because she's not there. She suggested that I rejoin the Saturday walking group of ladies, but they start an hour earlier, and she's shown me how nice it is to enjoy the morning in a more leisurely way. Plus, they walk way too fast for me these days. 

I pondered last night what I might write about this morning, and nothing much came to mind. First I thought about books I've recently finished, but they are all the same stuff, some Buddhist nonfiction, and a few others that are not all that interesting to write about. Maybe it would be fun to recall some of my more exciting adventures over the years, but nothing seems to be popping out to present itself. So I guess I'll just riff on one of my favorite themes: gratitude.

As a healthy senior living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, I have plenty to be grateful for. I have countless places within walking distance that are lovely and majestic, forests and parks with ancient trees, shady and filled with birds of every sort. And squirrels. I noticed on my last walk that there seem to be way more of them than this time last year, chasing each other and somehow mostly managing to evade the cars as they cross the streets. And I often share the trails with deer, who also seem quite healthy and robust in an urban environment.

I am also happy to have found some new friends in various avenues of my daily life. At the coffee shop, I've made a new friend who sits at the table next to John and me. Steve is a science instructor at the local college and sits with papers to grade most mornings, and we've gotten to know each other over coffee and conversation. By the time he arrives, he has already worked the daily Wordle, so as I sit there pondering what the solution might be, he keeps the solution to himself until I solve it. Then we discuss it. Our friend RJ sometimes shows up to join in the fun. He usually has coffee and a breakfast sandwich, so we have established a new and enjoyable routine at our newest coffee shop adventure. 

I walk to the bus on weekday mornings and catch it to downtown, and I know all the usual people who ride the same bus, but I don't talk with any of them. It's partly because I still wear a mask on the bus, along with a few others. I wonder where they are going, to work probably, since they are there almost every day. A few of them are students going off to school, I suspect. School is still in session here, but it must be just about time for summer break, so I should stop seeing them soon. So many people on the bus never look up from their phones, and I sometimes wonder what is so interesting and absorbing. Occasionally I can look over the seat at the person in front of me, and mostly it seems like endless scrolling through some app or other.

Although it's later than usual for me, I finally finished potting all the flowers in my front porch garden. And I also decided that I will not plant anything in our community garden this year, because I am really tired of dealing with the slugs for not much gain. John grows asparagus and has gifted us with plenty of it, and there are so many expensive but abundant veggies at our local store that I just don't feel like doing it any more. Perhaps if money were tighter for us, I'd be happy to continue digging around in the community garden. For now, we're doing fine.

This year's front porch garden

I just now went out to the front porch to take a picture of the flowers, so you can see them. They should continue to grow and expand a bit more, but I didn't get any geraniums this year and will be content with petunias and pansies, along with some other pretty gems. In any event, I am very happy to be enjoying the perfect spring weather as we move into June.

My dear partner still sleeps next to me, and my tea is gone and I'll thinking about getting up for good and starting my daily routine, now that this gentle and rather rambling post is finished. I do hope the coming week will bring you something to be happy and grateful for. If you look, I'm sure you will find there are plenty of reasons to say THANK YOU for your life. You certainly do add much to mine, and I am definitely grateful for your friendship. Be well, dear friends.

Things are looking up

Looking up

Yes, just a bit of a joke here. I was looking up at these lovely trees while on my hike last Thursday, and noticed how beautiful it is up there above eye level. The entire eight miles (well, four out and back) is filled with gorgeous trees and green splendor. And it wasn't too hot, since I tend to wilt pretty quickly in the heat, so I made it without incident.

I am feeling better about how I will adjust to Melanie's move, now that I've made the leap into the other hiking group. They stop more often and don't always travel as far as Group 1, which is all I knew about them before I took up with these hikers. I've slowed down a lot and appreciate the slower pace. And I still get to walk with Melanie on Saturday mornings. Her house goes on the market on Wednesday, and how long she will stay in town depends on how fast or slow it sells. Then she will move south of Portland to be closer to her relatives in California. 

As I mentioned in last week's post, two weeks ago we had our annual gathering of all three hiking groups, getting ready to start the summer season of travels into the High Country. I'm not sure how many of these I will attend, since last year one of my favorite hikes just about did me in and warned me I might need to skip them, especially if it's hot and sunny. Most climb at least 2,000 feet in elevation, much of it in full sun. Not my idea of fun any more. But we'll see. I am optimistic and will take it one week at a time.

One thing about hiking with other seniors, everyone is dealing with health issues now and then. Since we cover the gamut from mid-fifties to mid-eighties in age, there's quite a difference in abilities, which is why there are three groups. You can check them out here if you're interested. Between my two regular hiking days, I also walk every morning to the bus stop, about a half-mile from my front porch. After visiting the coffee shop, my friend John drops me off at Cornwall Rose Garden for a two-and-a-half mile walk home. That gives me three miles for the morning, which is very much needed to keep myself in shape. But let's face it: there is a price to pay for accumulating so many years on the planet, and nothing will change the trajectory of aging. Well, one thing, but I'm not going there quite yet!

The aging process is not gradual or gentle. It rushes up, pushes you over, and runs off laughing. No one should grow old who isn't ready to appear ridiculous. —John Mortimer

 Yeah, I know. Now I am old enough to know the truth of this statement, and I intend to get older yet, I am braced for all that comes next. The only real problem I have with my aging process is the gradual loss of my eyesight. I have been experiencing AMD (age-related macular degeneration) and am dealing with a darkness that has appeared in both eyes. Fortunately for me, what is missing in one eye is mostly covered by the same area in my other eye. But it makes for a darkening landscape, since there are really and truly visual holes, and nothing I do will change that fact. Wet MD actually has some ability to be slowed down, but dry, which I have. is not. I take lots of vitamins for my eyes and wear broad-brimmed hats and sunglasses that might slow down the progression, but I see changes from one eye appointment to the next. I've also lost a good bit of depth perception, so sunglasses in dappled sunlight make it even harder to see where I'm going. But I'm optimistic, and my eyes have helped to get me this far. 

It's Memorial Day weekend, and here in Bellingham we have the annual Ski to Sea team relay race which, if you're not in it, means lots of disruption throughout the entire town. The race has seven segments, starting at the Mt. Baker Ski Area (with both cross-country and downhill legs) and ending with kayaks pulling into Marine Park in Fairhaven. In past years, I've gone to the finish line (taking a designated bus from downtown) and watched some of the finishers drag their kayaks out of the water. I probably won't do that this year, because with good weather it means it will be packed tight with raucous people, drinking and carousing around. Just not my thing, but I will enjoy reading about it in the local paper tomorrow. Hope it goes without incident and everybody is safe.

I'm thinking about all those in my family who have served in the military, although nobody in my family actually died in a war. My son died while serving, but he died of a heart attack while jogging, more than twenty years ago now. My niece Allison retired from the Army as a Colonel, the highest rank anyone in our family ever reached. Daddy was a Major, and my son was a soldier with a couple stripes. We have, over the years, given plenty of days and years of service to our country. I am grateful.

In re-reading my latest book, I was reminded of the ancient sages of Buddhism, Hinduism, and other Asian cultures. And also curious about the language that many ancient scrolls were written in, Sanskrit. It's a beautiful language, and I love to see it written. Nobody speaks it as their own native language today, but it still exists and is used in many cultures as a sacred language. Many sages wrote scriptures in it that are studied today. Here's a name you probably never heard before: Padmasambhava. In modern Tibetan Buddhism, Padmasambhava is considered to be a Buddha that was foretold by Buddha Shakyamuni. I was fascinated to learn that he made some astounding prophecies, among them foretelling today's world. He lived more than a twelve hundred years ago, and he made this prediction:

When the iron bird flies and the horses run on wheels, the Tibetan people will be scattered like ants across the world, and the Dharma will come to the land of the red men (western countries).

How did he know about airplanes and automobiles? Or about the Chinese invasion of Tibet? It makes me wonder whether the ancient sages were actually clairvoyant and able to see the future so clearly. Many books I've read say that is so, and this gives credibility to that fact. It also makes me wonder whether reincarnation and rebirth is also real; I'm still a skeptic when it comes to that concept. One thing I know for sure: we don't actually know very much about the true nature of reality. Maybe that's one reason why I am so fascinated with quantum physics and Buddhism: it feels like the answers lie in there somewhere. Plus it gives me something to study and fill my mind with; it's a very useful way to pass the time and fills me with wonder.

Life is full and my days pass quickly. Too quickly, mostly, and I'm often totally taken by surprise to look up from my laptop and see it's grown late. Looking up is the theme for me on this Memorial Day in 2023. But for now, as I look over at my dear sweet partner sleeping away, I'm thinking about whether when John picks me up for breakfast in Fairhaven, we'll be disrupted by the festival that will take place later today. Tomorrow should be a quiet day for me, since everything will be closed, and I'll go for a nice walk in the park and afterwards sit down, open my laptop and learn more about Sanskrit and ancient sages. 

I am truly blessed to have such a good life, and if it were to end today, it's been a very full ride, all the way to this present moment. I am filled with gratitude for so many different aspects of life to appreciate and enjoy. Hopefully you will also have a wonderful day and will remember to look up. You never know what you might see. Until we meet again next week, dear friends, I wish you all good things. Be well.