Luggage + clothes = 15.5 lbs = one month travel

I have been packing. The goal was to take enough clothes and shoes for hot, cool and wet weather and to be able to dress up and dress down. I whittled the entire weight down to 15.5 pounds. (Yes, that includes curly hair products, moisturizers, etc!) Fifteen pounds is easily carried on the plane and easily hauled around on our travels.

 Packing is rather like life. You need to pack enough to carry you through life’s journey – social and survival skills, some type of educational training. We need the ability to love and laugh, and to find shelter, clothing and food. Those are the basics and then we start layering. We add judgement and criticism of ourselves and others. Clothes must make a statement and flatter our bodies. We want lots of choices. Our shelter aims towards the grandeur. And then we fill it with pictures, furniture, cushions, vases, rugs, books, china and on and on. We should be careful not too carry too much – we can become weighed down and then it becomes difficult to travel, to change, to try new things... to keep our intellectual flexibility. Pack light.

Heart of Darkness

Horne Lake Caves – A Caving Adventure. Hey, it was on Groupon and a great deal so I bought it. “Are you guys really this old?” asked our incredulous guide. “I can’t believe it.” Yeah – because we were probably the oldest people who had ever gone on this ‘adventure’ and he was wondering how he was going to get out bodies out. 

OMG, I thought I was going to die. For five hours, three couples (the other ones were in their early thirties and then there was Roger and me) lived underground crawling on our bellies in water, gravel and over rocks to get through 12 inch high openings in the rock. Do you have any idea how difficult that is???? I have renewed respect for navy seals. We belayed down a rock face searching for small finger holes and footholds… knowing that the worse was still to come. And there is was, a picture of hell. A narrow long silver ladder hung in the middle of a large cavern. One by one we belayed down to a rocky outcrop. Then we had to reach out to grab on to the ladder and climb down. It was hellish. Every muscle in my body strained and quivered as I tried to hang on. 

The problem was – we had to go back up the ladder, climb up the rock wall, get down on our bellies and slither back to the daylight. Climbing back up the ladder was incredibly hard. I can’t remember ever doing anything more physically challenging. And, I had such a large responsibility. I was carrying every 65 year old woman in Canada on my back. I had to make it to the top! I did and I made it back out of the cave. Wow, talk about a full body workout! I’m tougher than I thought.

Detachment

My new BF Jane Fonda taught me about detachment and how important it is to accomplish as one ages. She became my NBF after I read her latest book, Prime Time.... or as I call it The Third Act. The other day, I picked up the phone to call my son who lives 3,000 miles away in Toronto. Before I could dial, the phone rang and it was him. In a panic. "I've got bed bugs!!!!" he screamed in horror. Mother's instinct kicked in after the necessary OMGs. With my blood pressure and heart rate raising, I quickly scanned the web, and fired every known step, product, strategy about getting rid of bedbugs on to him. But despite the panic, there wasn't a whole lot I could do. and, being an adult, he actually dealt with it and I actually made myself detach from 'the horror'. Thank you Jane for pointing out the health benefits of detachment.

Canada Day

July 1 was my 65^th Canada Day. When I was in my twenties, I thought my life would be centered on the rocking chair at this age – if I thought of being sixty-five at all. So – this is what sixty-five looks like. Got up, put on my yoga gear, then jumped in my leathers and we motorcycled to Qualicum Beach where an outdoor yoga class was held looking out over low tide – absolutely spectacular. Then later in day, we bicycled into the village, wandered around and ended up at the Legion listening to a rocking blues band whose main draw is a howling woman who must be at least in her sixties – it is so good to have role models! Later it was down to Parksville for more music and a terrific fireworks display. 

Not a bad for my 65^th Canada Day!

Diversity

Diversity is a word of our era. Diversity of city neighbourhoods – low density mixed with high density, diversity of people racially and culturally. Every morning I am amazed at the diversity of nature that surrounds me: changing weather patterns, deer, rabbits, bear, cougars, seals, whales, sea lions, a plethora of bird life: eagles, herons, hawks, owls, robins, thrushes, hummingbirds. And now, I realize diversity even extends to retirement. Here I constantly hear people spontaneously exclaiming, ”Who would have thought that retirement would be such fun!” or “I feel so blessed not to have to work.” Then, when I am back in the city, the tune often changes… “Retirement is highly overrated.” “I never intend to stop working.” “I am working on my PhD and want to start working in my new field before 70!” My problem is I swing from the one camp of thought to other - I want it all.

tic toc

Last ten days were a whirlwind. Camping at Campbell River – highlight was lunch at April Point – fantastic wild environment. Back home for a day or two, then off to Ucluet and the stunning Black Rock Resort – our patio stretched out over the ocean. Enjoyed an exciting eco tour to the Clayquot Sound hot springs. Back home overnight and then into Vancouver for a 65^th birthday (another one bites the dust!), a birthday celebration with our daughter and an opportunity to listen to some Vancouver Jazz fare AND visit Ikea  (how fantastic is that?)! Now we are back home. Everything is a wild blur. Perhaps life, like fine wine or food, should be savoured slowly. But is that possible when you hear the clock ticking …tic (do it now) tock (time is running out)…..

I’m Baaack…

Two and half years since we moved to Vancouver Island. Two and half years since I wrote on this blog. Two and a half years since I stopped working. I really thought I would never quit working….that I if I did, I would become be irrelevant to society and hence totally invisible. So, unwittingly, on a whim, we bought a house in Qualicum Beach – the home of the oldest population in Canada! I still cant’ believe we did this – afterall, I firmly preach the necessity of diversity – diversity of age, race, sex – everything! Well my world has been turned upside after two and half years … I have no regrets.