Day 133

The drippy fog is down to the ground. I will go out in it for a walk. I like the feel of the mist on my face. There are so many peas on the vines that they are hanging down. Need help picking and eating them besides the dogs. Interesting conversations yesterday with a biker who has spent the last 22 months riding around the U.S. He is headed for home in Montana. I have no desire to travel.

Day 132

I bought the last three home-made pies and took them to church for coffee hour today. The museum made over $1700 from the social. I like being part of it. I did rest most of yesterday. Felt good to do nothing except water orchids and do a quick sweep. I’m pondering the idea of redoing the bathroom. May walk down to Home Depot and scope out the choices. I’ve had it in mind for some time now. Or not.

Day 131

Tired morning. Poor Minnie shook and drooled in misery until after midnight when the noise finally stopped. I’m tired from standing in the cold doing coffee duty. I find the noise and crowds tiring too. It was fun with Hollie and I’ll do it again next year. Had a great slab of peach pie and savored every bite. Today I’ll walk to the farmers’ market for green stuff. May have the rest of the day for quiet and resting. 

Day 130

Hollie will be here at 8:30. We will walk to the museum and get busy preparing for the pie social. Hollie does money. I do coffee. In between us, others will cut and serve pie and get ice cream on top. Tables will be ready and we start serving at 9 while people congregate for the parade. The cannon will fire off noise and paper and the line begins to move down the street. It’s a grand event here.

Day 129

Madet 11 K+  steps yesterday. Will have a go at it again today. The senior center is having hamburgers and watermelon. Probably be a zoo. I will go with the flow and not get involved in the noise and crowd. I can insulate myself and not get my nerves sandpapered like Cinco de Mayo. It’s not my job police the place. The museum was quiet. It is a pleasant interesting duty. Everything is ready for the pie social tomorrow.

Day 128

Lots of phone conversations and meeting friends yesterday. I like a social day. The museum today and I like the duty there. I want to get 10K steps again. I know that the nutrition, supplements and walking are coming together to bring progress to my body’s restoration. I can tell that my physical energy is higher. Will be happy when I have deeper breathing too.  Hollie is back from their road trip. I’m glad she’s home from heat.

Day 127

Walked 10K+ steps yesterday distributing Senior news. It was hot. Over 80 here. The house is cool this morning. I’ll close it up and hope it’s cooler outside. Today I have errands and then Karen for massage. Good way to begin July. I am thinking about the times with Gene, patrolling in the police van was a private place for sharing. I admired how he overcame his early life and how it informed his generosity and compassion. Good man.

Senior News column

If you are looking for a place to visit this summer that supports a healthy lifestyle, look no further than Del Norte County. When I volunteered at the Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center, I talked to tourists about their road trips and asked what they like to find in a new location. Our natural beauty tops the list, along with our clean air, clean water, and beaches that are free of crowds and litter. I call it postcardville as any direction a camera is pointed is beautiful.  In our small county, we have a wealth of resources for people who want to hike, camp, or simply hang out until a gorgeous sunset paints the ocean with Nature’s extraordinary palette.

Our Fourth of July celebration is worthy of a Norman Rockwell painting. The parade begins with the firing of the cannon on the lawn of the museum. A spray of paper accompanies the big bang and the participants move down the street to the appreciation of the crowds. The Jed Smith mountain men add the roar of their black powder muskets as they walk by in their authentic outfits. I will be serving coffee at the annual pie social. Homemade pie and ice cream will be served on the lawn of the museum. I see so many old friends and have quick catch up conversations. Later people will congregate at the beachfront for entertainment and food from a variety of vendors.

Another place to visit is the harbor. After the 2011 devastation from the Japanese catastrophe, the construction is over and the result is a state of the art tsunami proof harbor. Engineers come from all over to appreciate the innovations. The harbor is full of visiting yachts, working boats and the busy fishermen preparing for their trade. Harbor seals, sea lions and many birds are there too adding to the activity.  And beaches galore! Rocky beaches for tide pooling, sandy beaches for walking, and beaches along the rivers for picnics and swimming. We have everything for the visitor who loves the outdoors. The Redwood National Park office has maps of walking trails that show the difficulty of the trail so people can choose what is best for their time and ability. They also book the park camping spaces. Come visit our neighborhood. Touring doesn’t have to mean a long road trip. We have so much right here to offer.