The journey has its own rewards

 Happy New Year

A new year.  Anyone that has been living their life, and paying attention, knows that the past couple of years have been challenging.  Such is life.  2023 will bring many changes to Lori's and my lives, the biggest change we know of is our retirements.  I will stop teaching at the end of this school year, in mid-June, and retire September 1st.  Lori will retire maybe a week before school lets out. We have plans in June to travel and stay four nights at Kalaloch lodge on the Olympic Peninsula and then two nights at Paradise Inn at Mt. Rainer.  This seems like a good way to start the next book of our lives.  

Lori and I were talking about these things yesterday, thinking about travel, and of course the Camino came up.  It usually does.  We had planned to return and walk the Camino Frances (I know there are others, but we like the Frances) again in late summer/early fall 2024.  The idea was to allow time to adjust to retirement, get some much needed things done around the house, and get into shape. I mentioned that I wished we could go sooner and Lori says "why can't we"? Why indeed. So, we've changed our plans in a BIG way and are now planning to go this summer/fall, 2023.  Is eight months enough time to prepare?  We shall see, but I think yes, if we are dedicated and consistent in our efforts. My fear was that to delay it for a year increased the likelihood that it would never happen. I would become a slug.

The Camino calls, as it has for years.  I don't really pretend to understand it, but in the past it's call, and our response, has enhanced our lives.  We needed it.  We still do. 

So our second-biggest news of the new year is our return to the Camino.  I intend to use this blog, as before, to document our efforts to prepare and then document the walk itself.  Not for a wider audience, although we welcome you and your comments here, if you are so inclined, but for us. We aren't that interesting, but when we get to the "no-go" years of retirement (a long way off, I hope) we can look back and remember.  Perhaps our progeny may come to know us a little better when we are gone.  Writing is always a good thing.  It is part of the journey, and the journey has it's own rewards.  Stay tuned.  

Peace.