Memories Lost

Easter, 2008 With My Man

I seem to be missing most of my memories from 2007/8 through 2018. There's a few lingering wisps of memories floating in my mind, and if someone brings them up I can sometimes locate the memories, but I can't bring them up on my own. They sort of swirl together with a few standouts as the exception. Granted, 2008 through 2013 was helping my husband, and 2013 through 2018 was dealing with serious cases of attack of the brainz, but I would like to be able to know what happened in my life! So I have been trying to nail down memories and, the much harder part, logging them with where they fall in time. Photos are helpful, but there just aren't that many during the early to middle part of that time. I can reference them easier in later years, but that is mostly a bunch of photos of Link, so that isn't much help.

In frustrating news:

One.

Pound.

That's all that separates me from the magical number of 200 pounds. *Breathe in* It's just a number. *Breathe out* It's just a number. A number of significance to me, apparently. I've been hovering at 201ish for the last week and a half and it is bugging the hell out of me! I've been exercising every day since the end of August and at least moderately watching the calories that go into my mouth. I even upped the intensity of the exercise! Maybe that's it. I may be gaining some muscle, so the scale isn't changing. Grr. 

I have been scouting around for new places to explore and have a few ideas for the coming weekends, all within 30 minutes from the house. Not much shade to be found on these adventures, but one of them has a chance to explore for fossils while hopping around on mostly-unmaintained gravel roads with Loki (the SUV). I am looking forward to that one! The other has a chance to see lots of birds and some shade on a longer hike. Plot plot plot...

On one last note: I'm all triple vaccinated (well, four if you count the flu shot)! Good to go for work and self/family protection. If you haven't gotten your jab, please do. Even if it isn't a 100% effective vaccine, it is a hell of a lot better than no protection at all for yourself and others around you.

Emerging from the Fire--A Little Lost

 

Life Thriving on the Destruction

Yup, that's a lava flow with a healthy population of plants that have taken root and made a place for themselves. I've had that destruction, that complete wiping away of what was. Yet, I am finding that year by year I am finding more of myself--more life, more of me, not just what had happened in the past. And it feels good. Confusing, not having a concrete goal in life and rather a nebulous 'do good work' type of thing. Not having an end point feels strange. When helping Jason along there were several end points that eventually all played out with his death. And with the Rheumatoid Arthritis the goal was always to get the stress low enough to find remission. That too happened. So I was left sort of drifting for many years. Volunteering helped, as did a few vacations to push me to move. With a job that I love and feel needed in, and more importantly that I am doing something good for other people, I am finding new purpose. New life. No. More life. 

I'm taking care of myself, exploring when I can, and in a brain space where I am *gasp* semi-to-mostly stable. And COVID-19 be damned, but I am living life. (I even have colored masks to run my errands--something else to make me happy.) I suppose that my hermit tendencies have served me well during lockdown on down to now. I am having to poke out of my hermitting to go see people again since there is no real reason not to anymore. Small steps.

So yeah, I'm emerging from the reset of the lava flow of life and taking hold where I can to bring about a new me. A better (?) me. Different. Yes. A different me.

Of Quiche and Adventures

Quiche! A birthday food if I ever did see one. That and posole were the perfect lunch for my birthday. I did take that day to eat everything in sight, even if it was not the healthiest of choices. Meh. It was worth it.

I took another long hike on Thursday and had a great time getting lost on the trail due to people having broken trails for shortcuts. I eventually made my way back to the car after about 4.5 miles and almost running out of water. Not the most ideal of situations, but I didn't run out until I tried to take a drink once in the car. None to smart on my part. But it was worth it. Next time I will remember to fill the Camelbak all the way before leaving for a longer hike!

See that tower up there? Yeah. I climbed it.

I also went exploring up to the top of the mountain yesterday, by car of course. At the very end of the line was a strange rocky outcrop with a tower atop it. There were some serious and uneven stairs, which might be why my knees are quite as vocal as they were today. Worth it. 

Dog approves of the View

So today I had about a two mile hike, cut short due to complaining lower half. But I went out. Tomorrow? Back to the treadmill or flat ground again. *sigh* So it goes.

And now it is time to find lunch, chill, and YouTube my way through the rest of the day. Not a darn thing wrong with that. Maybe even open up the manuscript and get some editing on it that I haven't even touched since I got here. Meh, I see no problem with that.

Trails and Tails

 

My Buddy Taking a Break

I'm out and about again, this time to a new set of mountains. Link is with me, spending his time mostly asleep in his couch when he isn't out with me on hikes. It's a tough life, being my dog. He started out the trip with a Cone-of-Shame since he had licked a hole in his tail last week. After a visit to the vet he is now on antibiotics, pain killers, and lotion. At least now it has healed enough for him to be without the cone!

 

Four hikes so far, with three around two miles long and the fourth, and most difficult one, ringing in at just short of  four and a half miles long. Up and down hills even! I got very lucky in that I just ran out of water as I was sitting in my car ready to head for home. Next time I will plan accordingly and really fill up the Camelbak! I probably overdid myself by the end of the hike, but I was handling the trail well, as was Link. He even go to play in the creek. (He also had a larger creek to play in yesterday as well on a shorter hike.) I managed the hike with hefty elevation change that was longer than twice my previous walking or hiking mileage, and yet I seem to be doing pretty well so far. Awesome boots meant no blisters or hot spots too. Going to continue my hiking through Saturday, probably another run of today's hike once I am rested up from this one--probably on Thursday if things pan out.

I've been eating pretty well, even managing to not eat out so far this trip. I do plan on Friday to be my eating out day, with a lunch tomorrow after my morning hike. There is a consistently packed restaurant just down the road that is just asking to be tried out. 

The cabin has a family of skunks that live on the property, much to the displeasure of the owner and occasionally me. Mostly only whiffs of eau de skunk, but I am careful to take Link out on a leash and make myself known when we circle around to the back of the house. Also interesting is that the well is heavily laced with sulfur in the hot water. It isn't ideal, but the location is great and it is comfortable. Probably won't be staying here again, but it will do. Next time I will dig around on the internet for similar things out here not on AirBnB. Live, travel, learn.

And now it is time to get ready for bed and take care of the pooch.