The Joy of Peaches

Saturday morning I managed another walk to the Brickworks Market - round trip 10kms. I took a 6lb backpack and wore my new walking (running) shoes. These were the Under Armour ones I got from Sporting Life for $40.00 - on sale. They were perfect - no blisters.

I upped the ante for the walk back, because I bought a basket of peaches that weighed 4 lbs. This meant that I was carrying about 10lbs of dead weight on my back. It slowed me a little and by the end I could feel my hips, but I still made it home in 1.25 hours.

 
Other joys this week were:

1. My son finished sanding and painting the wrought iron railing around the front porch. It looks amazing.

2. I got a good quote for power washing the stone work at the front of the house. Plus they will sand and paint the front door, the moulding, re-caulking as needed, however, the kicker might have been the fact that they would paint a wrought iron, indoor staircase railing to the second floor for FREE!!

3. Orders continue at work - this is always good.

4. Had coffee with a friend at Aroma. Always wonderful conversations about books, life and more...

5. The weather has been perfect!! I could get drunk on Summer!!

My Joy for the Joy Jar this week has to be my 10km, 10lb walk to and from the Brickworks. Yes, I like peaches, but I love the ravines even more and the fact that there is a busy market destination at the end of mud creek ravine, makes me want to walk forever!! 

Have an awesome week!!

Camino #1

This is my first post on my plans to walk a Camino next Spring. I made the decision to at least think about walking a Camino last month. Since then I have:

1. Joined several FB groups to gather information.

2. Ordered and received four books - one for each of the four most popular caminos.

3. Bought a merino wool singlet. I needed to replace one that never returned from the wash - I live in a crazy house!

4. Received and started reading a book my sister-in-law gave me, "The Gathering Place." It's about one woman's journey on the Camino France´s. It's a wonderful book. 

5. Started training.

 
Today I walked 9.1 kms. I did stop for coffee and a danish - there go any pounds I might have lost from walking!! I also developed a blister. Did I mention that I was carrying a 6lb backpack. Now I need to increase my distances and the weight of my pack.

I am also madly trying to find information about elevations. I would like to know what 250m of elevation looks like in real life. I think I found that 115m of elevation is the rise out of Mud Creek and maybe 160m of elevation is the rise out of the Sherwood Park ravine. I'm not sure about these, though.

I would like to get an idea of the difficulty of various climbs on any of the caminos. I guess, I'll just have to wing it (If only I could :) )

10.1 kms of Joy!!

 This week was a lovely week of summer weather. Most days were around 25ºC with sunshine. I harvested tomatoes from the garden and cooked some interesting meals using up tomatoes that were ripening too quickly. This is my idea of summer - lots of warm weather, lots of sunshine, lots of colour in the flower garden and lots of fresh meals from the kitchen garden. 

This week also had lots of mail!! Two packages arrived on Wednesday - a book on the Camino France´s from my sister-in-law in Edinburgh. "The Gathering Place" is written by a Scottish woman who walked The Way in 2020. It's a well written, fascinating read. In fact I finished it in three days. The second package was my fourth book by John Brierley. This one was also on the Camino France´s. I have decided to walk a section of this Camino from Sarria to Santiago - just over 100kms - hopefully next Spring.

 
In preparation for the journey, I managed two pre-camino walks this week. One on Tuesday for 9.1kms and one very early Saturday morning for 10.1kms. I actually walked from my house to the Brickworks market along the path known as Mud Creek. I had breakfast at the market and walked back!! It was amazing!!

In fact, my Joy for the Joy Jar this week has to be the length and enjoyment of my walks - Buen Camino. 

The pictures? Garden Joy.

Have an amazing week!!

P.S. I will be writing more posts with more detail about my Camino preparations. However, they may all just merge with my Joy posts. It's difficult to have a compartmentalized life.

 

The Joy of walking

 Today, I walked 7.2kms in an hour and a half!! It's my best yet. And....and...I'm not tired!! I also had a 6lb pack on my back. OK, I was walking on pavement and the terrain was mostly flat. However, I had walked this same path three weeks ago and I had to take a break at 6kms. I was also walking with a lighter pack and was really very tired. "Say not the struggle naught availeth." In fact, I could feel my hip bones before I left and didn't think I would get very far. I also developed a foot ailment at 2kms, but pressed on. Everything worked out. I do love mornings like this.

Next time I am going to push it to 8kms.

For the most part it has been a joyous week. 

 
1. They found a vein for a routine blood test on the second stab - always a relief.

2. I met with a friend for lunch and finally gave her her Christmas present. She in turn gave me an awesome handbag with sooo many pockets that I have still some empty.

3. Orders continue at work. This is good.

4. I finally took some ugly weeds from the garden.

 
5. I have tons of ripe tomatoes, which have been harvested today.

6. We had a great Civic holiday dinner with family and a family friend last Monday. My son smoked chicken legs and pork side ribs. They were delicious.

7. I am making progress on the revision of my book. Now to find a believable curse to drive the conflict of the plot.

My Joy for the Joy Jar this week has to be my 7.2 kms walk. It's been a fruitful week - all puns intended.

Have a wonderful week!!

The Joy of Birthdays....

 Yes this week, I had another birthday!! It was an odd-numbered one, so not pivotal. However, it ended up being a marathon day of "birthday greetings." My sister called at 10:00am, my friend for almost 70 years called at 11:00am. By then it was time for lunch. I haven't eaten lunch in my pajamas in years.

At 1:00pm, I started thinking that I should do a walk. I'm still focused on the Camino. After doing various household tasks, I left for what I was hoping was an 8km walk. I have walked this trail many times before. I guess I thought it was more of a challenge then what it was. It was a mere 4.2km - nothing. I consoled myself with the fact that it was over varied terrain and there was a significant climb at the end.

I arrived back from my walk to a birthday call from my sister-in-law in Edinburgh. I love the connection!! It was cut short (just slightly) by a call from a dear friend and fellow writer. I am indeed blessed.

My "kids," the two who are still at home, surprised me with a lovely dinner and gift of a new night dress. I guess they were tired of the "rags." I do tend to wear things out...I mean really out! It was a lovely birthday. I consider myself privileged to be able to still celebrate them!!....and to have a wonderful family to celebrate them with (with which to celebrate them)...ever the grammar nerd!!  

My eldest texted from Calgary and will call as usual on Sunday.

The cat who was on his ninth life last week (he is 18 and was ailing) has somehow rolled back the calendar with designer foods, which my son and daughter bought for him. He is now his old self again.... screaming for food and fattening up. He'll be with us for a few more years, I think.

The Joy for the Joy Jar this week has to be my 79th birthday.