Day Three: limping, laughing, and life lessons

Well, we walked over 13 miles today, and every step was in the rain. It was a wet, miserable, marvelous day. We walked from Pontevedra to Calbas de reis. Got my permanent walking stick, which helped quite a bit. When I thought I couldn't go on, Bob (who is 82) saNg walking songs so we could find a regular rhythm. He then told stories about his adventures in India where he grew up and also returned there to teach. He is the one who insisted I have a walking stick today and told me he would carve the handle. A welcome stop at two small stores along the way- at the first I had two coffees which got me warmed up again and the second where I bought the best nectarine I've ever tasted. Today we walked at our own pace rather than trying to keep the leader's pace (he is a gym teacher and a coach...) limped into the hotel and crashed for a couple of hours. Laughed our brains out w our friend Kathy, with whom I also had a very difficult but insightful conversation for several hours on The Way, limped out to dinner where we had delicious Galician soup and I had pork and coca (Coke). Limped back to the hotel (which has a hot springs spa in the basement) and are readying for day four. Folks, if I can do this, I can do anything. I am out of element here- way, way out. But as grandma used to say, just put one foot in front of the other. Adios.

Day two

Oh my. Day two was a struggle. But, we kept going. When we got to the hotel, the energizer bunny, known as Margaret, wanted to walk around town! I told her to go scope it out while I took a siesta. Felt good enough to eat dinner sitting at a table in the street with a waitress who didn't speak English and me with almost no Spanish. We laughed our way through and Rick Steve's guidebook kept us from getting some strange dish! Day three begins.

El Camino, day one

Well, we lived. And actually there was never any doubt about it. Mom and I held up the back of the pack- slow and steady.... We walked about 13-15 miles today, over a mountain. We are now in Spain. We walked over the bridge that separates the two countries this morning, and spent the day walking in the Spanish ( more accurately, the Galician) countryside. I can not describe to you how beautiful the landscape is here. The weather is perfect(actually, very similar to LA) the air fresh and breezy, the path occupied by no one but us, the company good- Mom and I walk with our new friend Kathy and often one of the tour guides, Luisa. Sometimes we talk, sometimes we don't. The pace is pretty fast, set by the people in the front, and mom and I found our rhythm or slightly faster than we normally walk and very steady. I'm learning a lot, and I had to buy a new pair of hiking shoes as the ones I brought were use too small and squeezing my toes.i don't think you ever value your feet completely until you've done something like walk the Camino. You learn to take care of those little piggies! During this one day, I've had two kinds of lotion, runner's Glide, biking Butter, and moleskin on my feet. I've taken my shoes and socks off ten times, and although my feet are sore, there are no blisters! I'm doing something right. I'm still working on how to post pictures- I'll get it. If I can walk the Camino, I cando anything. We have been told that the hardest day on our pilgrimage was today! Much more flat land from here on out. Did I mention we crossed over a mountain? The colors still amaze me- and there are wildflowers growing everywhere, in the village towns, there are magnificent gardens, and everywhere in the countryside there are grape vineyards (grapes help up by granite posts). Heaven. I guess we'll see what I think when I wake up, though I have confidence that though I'll be sore, I'll be fine. Ciao

Starting El Camino

We start on El Camino in the morning- I'm not nervous but I do feel like I must be underestimating its difficulty, but I guess there is no way to know for sure until you've done it. I'll know more tomorrow ATP this time. Wish me good luck.

Arriba !!!

Finally!!! On the plane, in my seat next to Mom. We're on the side where there are only two seats so that will be more comfortable. The people seem nice, and I am really getting pumped!!!!!!! Love you all! My life is about tO change. Santiago de compostella here I come!

Waiting for the quest to begin

Sitting in O'Hare waiting for the Iberia counter to open so we can check in. Left the house at about 4:45 to fly out of EC and don't leave from here until 4:40. Good job, travel agent! They couldn't even check our bags all the way through so we're sitting by baggage claim with all our luggage. Nowhere to go, nothing to do, nothing but plastic seats. Ug. Strangely, I still found a way to take a doze with my Bucky and a metal railing. Don't ask! Nancy came over for July fourth and brought Ike. Talked and caught up, went grocery shopping (there was no food in the house!)and went to Best Buy to pick out iPad accessories so I can bring it on the trip. She left around 8 and I decided right before 10:00pm that I wanted to see fireworks. I went down to Phoenix Park and they were really good! Yesterday I slept in, puttered around in circles, and Mom came to my house so that we could both fly from EC. Did errands, packed, and Nichole came over. Finished packing around 1:30am so I'm pretty sleepy! Not late this morning, and so far I've read 1/2 of Shirley MacLaine's book called "The Camino." Paid bills, just need to find somewhere to mail them from, and I'm going to submit a grant application from my new iPad with the help of a Boingo Hotspot! Off to Madrid and then Lisbon- here we go! I've got blister packs, Gu, trail mix, hiking shoes, rain gear, sunblock, and my backpack- let's do it!!

Home sweet home....briefly

Back in EC from the Orlando conference.  I'll catch up later with more detail, but in general the conference went well and I made it home without adventure.  Some highlights:

Poster paper session on "Chaminade in America" with Jordyn
Installment as Vice President of Discretionary Funds and Field Activities
Neuroplasticity
Interacting with the board members
Rooming with Tanya
Being involved with the NATSAA semi-finals and especially finals in a  small way
Florence Henderson- stand up comic and Broadway singer- who knew?
New Bolcom collections coming out
Nathan and Julie Gunn recital
Buying drinks for Nathan and Julie Gunn at the hotel bar (yes I did!)
WI NATS dinner and the entire restaurant singing to Dick Sjoerdsma

Jordyn brought me a wand from Harry Potter World (or whatever it's called) and I bought the new edition of Scott McCoy's pedagogy book and a new art song translation/IPA book that looks useful.

Sat by the pool both during the day and at night:

Chicago Style pizza with Reverie and Pam

Got home last night, tried to sleep in today but my body clock is messed up with all the changing time zones.  Did laundry- it was 100 degrees here today- oy!  Nancy came with her doggie, Ike and they spent the day.  Had a nice dinner, went grocery shopping, went to Best Buy for iPad accessories (I decided to take the iPad to Spain and Portugal after figuring out they could text to other Apple devices with only wifi!  Played around on the iPad, and found that my city library has subscriptions to some online book and music programs, so I downloaded a few things for my trip.  Am so tired now!  Am partway packed for Spain and will finish in the morning.  Mom is coming in the afternoon, we're consolidating and repacking and then flying out of EC at 6:00 a.m. on Friday. And then we're off!

More soon...