Man in the Moon

Tonight's glorious full moon courtesy of the beaver. It si the right time of year to find their fur wonderfully warm thick and waterproof.

 

When trapped.

 

And killed.

 

And skinned.

 

Or you can just appreciate their fur and what a wonderful job it is doing for them.

 

While they swim around and glance up at the moon.

Tonight's Harvest Moon is big and bright . . .  very beautiful.

 

Now, what shall we harvest?

 

1. good intentions

2. superficial remarks

3. good music

4. a bowl of chili

5. things to share with others

6. stories to tell

7. smiles & salutations

8. the good will of nations

9. an Olympic host city for 2016

10. in South America

 . . . but if this Michael Franti video doesn't make you want to visit Brazil?

 

Check your pulse.

 

 

Last month in California we "won a free stay" at Bearpaw Meadow. It's the high sierra camp 11 miles in from Crescent Meadow trailhead in Sequoia National Park.

 

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1468778908058949933UJffUY         (Not my picture)

 

Trail hiking is one of the joys of life & the Sierras are one of th efinest places in the world to enjoy beautiful mountain scenery along with perfect weather. For people who do not want to backpack self-sufficiently but want to be in the mountains for more than a day hike, the high sierra camps are a good, but pricy, alternative to camping on your own.

 

Bearpaw has a series of tent cabins with real beds, a showerhouse, a cooking and dining tent and a few other facilities including the official Ranger station for the trail. It is a messy little compund nestled on a height with a beautiful vista facing with good sunsets. There is a porch and there is wine available. That pretty much sums it up.

 

The cooking is excellent, but "campy" with large portions of hearty food well-prepared. (Plus being hungry and being oudoors always increase enjoyment of al foods.)Dinner and breakfast are included in the nightly price. Sandwich lunches and wine are extra cost. Giant brownies are available for snacks at all hours of the day as well.

 

The hike up to Hamilton Lakes (it is an 8 mile up-and-back day hike from Bearpaw) is breathtaking and highly recommended! It took about 6 hours including about an hour messing around in the lake.

 

If you want to know how we were able to "win" a free stay at Bearpaw, just scroll down to the post below that says "Free trail ride."

 

Here is another link with a bit more info:  http://www.raysadventures.com/united-states/california/bearpaw-meadows-high-sierra-camp/

Tonight's moon (especially  huge and luminous) brings . . . Loba . . . en espanol:

 

 

(slightly different video)

"The moon's awake now

With eyes wide open."

 

Last night 's moon (nearly full) looked pretty impressive, and tonight's could be even more so. Wednesday night is the actual full moon, but it should look full tonight as well. It's the Sturgeon Moon.

 

Be careful with your coffee mug. She-wolf is out.

 

 

 

Let's say there is a certain someone who wants to go on a nice long trail ride, on a beautiful mountain path, and let's say that she doesn't want to pay any money but just go for free. I know a certain special someone who has figured out a way to do this. And it worked. But . . .  I'm not sure I recommend it. You decide.

 

First, you get a lot of backpack gear together. Make it enough stuff that you could camp out on the trail for about ten days. Plenty of food. Tent, sleeping bag, all the good stuff.

 

Invite some other people along who want to go backpacking in the mountains. Make sure they have their own stuff, because you are going to abandon them as soon as you can.

 

Start out on the trail, walking along just minding your own business waiting for a trail ride to come along. Horses and riders. Make sure they have mules too.

 

When the trail riders go by and the mules are just alongside, spook one of the mules so they all get scared and start sliding around in the general vicinity of your feet. Keep your boots on for this. Just when one of the mules picks up its hoof slide your own foot right underneath so it "accidentally" has to step on your own foot.

 

Act really surprised, pretending that you are now in quite a bit of pain. HINT: the harder you let the mule step down the easier this part will be.

 

As soon as the mule gets off of your foot, take off your boot to check your "injuries" and point out the black and blue sections to passersby. If you don't have any black and blue sections see if you can get another mule to come by.

 

Put your pack down so someone else can carry it for you all the way to the semi-luxurious High Sierra camp that is pretty pricy unless you can figure out some way to get a free stay for a night or two.

 

Check what they are serving for dinner that night.

 

And breakfast the next morning.

 

Hobble around camp while using the shower, tent cabin, and outhouse as needed.

 

When the pack company that is running the horse and mule train offers to let you ride out so that you don't have to hike anymore, act all hesitant and take a couple of days to "think it over" while sitting around on the scenic porch sipping tea, coffee, or lemonade. Make friends with the other people who are staying at the High Sierra camp but have to pay actual money for the privilege.

 

Finally, after thinking it over as long as possible, "decide" that you should go ahead and take their offer of letting you ride out on horseback. 

 

Act all concerned about whether you will be able to "make it" on the four-hour ride. Also tell them you want their nicest and cutest wrangler to lead the ride.

 

Tell your husband that he will have to hike out. But you're willing to carry all the heavy stuff so he can be there in time to get the van and drive it to the trail head so that your ride will be waiting. (Then just let the mules carry all of the heavy stuff.)

 

During the trail ride make sure that you don't smile too much so no one will think that you are enjoying it. Act all worried about how uncomfortable the ride might be.

 

When you get off of the horse four hours later walk around all stiff acting like your legs are really, really sore from the ride.

 

Especially your knees.

 

Vow to come back "someday" to actually go backpacking.

Lycanthropy = delusions of being a wild animal

 

"Nocturnal creatures are not so prudent,

The moon's my teacher and I'm her student."

 

 

 

"There's a she-wolf in your closet

Let it out so it can  breathe."

 

I guess when full moon shines on she-wolf, it turns her into . . . a dancer?

 

 

 

 

1. Might be a tad obvious

2.( Due to paucity of postings in July)

3. Things have been BUSY in Gordland

4. Traveled to California

5. But now we're back

6. Went hiking on backpack trails

7. Sequoia National Park

8. Yes, that's the tree one

9. Despite disaster

10. Had a pretty good time

11. Scenery?

12. Perfection

13. Weather?

14. Admirable

15. Animal life?

16. Uncooperative

17. Even vengeful

18. Also did a bit of business

19. SanDiego

20. Better entry of our various adventures

21. Arriving here quickly

Tonight's full moon is awesome. Where I am (California) it is big, round, and bright. Just the way it should be.

 

It's the Buck Moon.

If you were elected Governor of a major state, would you . . .

 

fly to ARGENTINA instead of hiking the Appalachian Trail for your "vacation"? (South Carolina)

 

meet up with an expensive "escort" in DC?   (New York)

 

never show up at the state capitol or meet iwth any government leaders, but instead stay home in Chicago? (Illinois)

 

No?

 

Don't you know what it takes to be Governor?

 

Well, we still have 47 states to go.

Tonight's full moon is this year's Strawberry moon. I am hoping for some clear skies here, though last night's skies were perfect and it was so close to full. We were leaving a retirment dinner for a wonderful colleague who I will miss.

Well, the usual May blizzard of time-consuming commitments has left me not posting anything for three weeks straight!

 

Everything is good in Gordland . . . just busy. And the aging in-laws are moving back home and out of their "insisted living" arrangement.

Full Moon coming.

Friday evening.

Flower Moon.

For obvious reasons.

Just look around.

As promised (last time) here is a continuation of the Adventures in Aging. My in-laws are experimenting with Insisted Living a few miles away from their ordinary home.

 

They don't like it.

 

They promised to give it a try for a month, but it is turning out that their "try" is basically consisting of hunkering down in their unit and not interacting with anyone unless they have to. Such as meal times. Which they don't like.

 

Beautiful Spouse's Mom doesn't feel that they need to be there at all. Of course, if she could remember that she was in the hospital two weeks ago that might help her to see the reality of their situation. Beautiful Spouse's Dad on the other hand is being more strategic and is just trying to tough out the month, so that they can go "home." He feels that once they get "home" they'll be fine. He cannot remember his doctor's appointments, or how to manage his diabetes numbers. They haven't paid their own bills, or shopped for groceries on their own for a couple of years now, but he feels that they'll be just fine.

 

Their four "kids" (ages ranging from 42 to 56) have been trying to convince Mom and Dad that the move is for the best anyway, plus there really isn't a good alternative. Since their doctor advised them that they shouldn't live on their own anymore because they cannot take care of themselves, the number of options is limited to moving in with one of the kids (all are married and have houses with stairs) or finding an appropriate senior facility that they can afford. Plus they have their dog and would like to keep him.

 

The "experimental" month has a long way to go. Tomorrow will make one week.

My in-laws are at that . . . Age.

 

I suppose we will all get there sooner or later. Or at least I hope so, because the only alternative? Really not much better. They are at the age where instead of finishing each others' sentences, they just leave them trailing out there, sometimes with the intent to get back to them later. The age where the medications take up more kitchen space than the food. The age where you not only forget what you were talking about, you even forget that you forgot.

 

They are 83, and moving into a new building. It is in a facility  called . . . "Insisted Living." This is because if you don't come down for a meal, someone will come and knock on your door. They take out your garbage for you every day. They come in and vacuum and dust. They will do your laundry for you.

 

At first they fought this. "We're fine! We're fine! We're doing just fine!" However when both ended up in the hospital at the same time, then went to rehab for a week, then were ready to be released, the question was, Where are they going? Home to their townhouse that has stairs, three bathrooms to keep clean, and a refrigerator full of food going quickly out-of-code? Or: to one of their three daughter's houses, all of whom live in the area, but none of whom want to file for divorces just yet?

 

Or: moving into a nice two-bedroom unit with kitchenette (put the accent on the "ette") and (this was key) a policy that allows "small dogs." Fortunately for all concerned, it turned out that this facility is measuring "smallness of dog" by height off the ground and not by gross body weight. Because he is a basset, so he stands about nine inches off the ground and weighs somewhere near 225. I'm not sure, I haven't picked him up in a long time. No one has.

 

Here is how the arrangements work out: they have two bedrooms, each of which has full bath. Mom-and-Dad-in-law share one bedroom, the dog has the other one. His night cage fits nicely into the oversized shower unit wit built-in sprayer. (He might be in for more baths than usual. This is not a bad thing.) Each room is equipped with a little pull-cord for Emergencies. He hasn't learned how to pull these yet.

 

The rest of their unit consists of a single central room that has space for living-room furniture, plus one wall with cabinets, a medium-size frig, a sink, and a microwave on a shelf. It is actually scaled and layed out a bit like their vacation cabin's kitchen used to look. Back when they had a vacation cabin. No oven or range, which they don't use anymore anyway. (Sometimes they'll make soup from a can and that is about all the cooking they have been doing over the past year or so. Which was one of the issues). (But just one.)

 

So we had a big moving day with lots of relatives volunteering, and a real rental truck for furniture. As far as moving OUT: each room of their townhouse has walls covered with wallpaper (in attractive patterns) and then with framed items. Approximately 25 to 30 framed items. Per room. Their dining room alone has 46 decorative plates mounted on the walls. I counted them. We decided that the "small items" would be left for another day, and we would just move the "big stuff" that requires a truck and some moving power.

 

We ended up moving their queen-sized bed, a large dresser, a few clothes, enough kitchen items that you could have toast and coffee (or some soup) without having to go to the dining facility. And enough living-room furniture to be comfortable sitting around in the main space.

 

All this moving was accomplished with the two of them standing in the middle of the rooms watching everything going on. Eventually they ended up pretty confused about what was moved and what wasn't and where it is going. Their townhouse included a living room on the main floor and a smaller loft space upstairs where they have had their TV and sitting chairs. As they have become less mobile over the past year or two they have stayed in that space ("the den") more and more. However in choosing what items they want moved they decided to bring some of their lving room's "good furniture" as well. So, now their Insisted Living apartment has a mixture of the two rooms.

 

Mom-in-law has a bunch of paraphanalia including a strong lamp, and a little storage case with scissors and implements. These are for doing needlework, mainly counted cross-stitch (which she really can't do anymore), but which Dad-in-law refers to as her "sewing stuff." Once the living rooom chairs were in place he wanted her sewing stuff to be put "in the bedroom," by which he meant their loft den, which used to be upstairs by their bedroom, but which they don't have anymore. (The reason he was hospitalized this month was because he needed shoulder surgery from using his left arm to help pull himself upstairs on unsteady legs, so the lack of an upstairs is really one of the biggest advantages to Insisted Living.)

 

So the move OUT was completed. The move IN was completed. Then two days after moving IN, they decided that they are moving OUT again.

 

(to be continued)

 

 

There is an epidemic sweeping through my family and friends. It's not my fault, but they are all blaming me for passing it on to them.

 

In case this happens to anybody else, here are the main symptoms: irritability, inability to speak in a civil tone, and eye-rolling. Yes, that's right. They have caught  a bad case of Swine Flu Jealousy. And they all blame me.

 

It's all because my workplace has a suspected case of the dreaded Swine Flu. So the whole building is shut down. No one can go to work. It's not that I don't WANT to go to work. I can't. The county health authorities have shut us down at least until next Monday.

 

Now my first question is: how did everyone I know get wind of this development? Sure, when I got my phone call (while at my in-laws' helping them moving into assisted living: yeah, that's another story) there was  a SMALL amount of fist pumping and a tiny whoop, but they wouldn't have noticed that. Maybe it was the goofy smile that was plastered all over my face for the next three hours?

 

Of course, the next question is: Is there any danger? I really don't think so. Sure, they're jealous, and there is no one left that I could turn to for help (my spouse caugt the jealousy immediately and she has a  particularly bad infection), but I don't think they would do me any actual harm.

 

A cold stare is probably about as bad as it will get.

What's it like to ride in the "Little 500" bike race? I have no idea. But I'm guessing that it might be almost as nerve-wracking as watching from the stands with other parents.

 

Here's the last two min of the two hour race:    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSD8VX2WPtM   (the good guy is in yellow #3)

 

Having a son (or daughter) who is into bicycle racing is like having a house on a beach. It's a fun and engrossing experience, as long as you don't get washed out to sea by a big wave. Any parents who have gone to several races have probably seen their loved one crash and (road)burn, then get up, and hop back on. That is always a fun one to see.

 

The "Little 5" is actually not so little. It is thousands of screaming college students all focusing their considerable energy on a banked oval covered with mud and cinders. Teams have four guys and ride 200 quarter-mile laps in just over two hours. The guys take turns, but not in any preordained way. Each team strategizes how to get their best sprinter onto the bike with a couple of laps to go and either a tiny lead or at least a clear vision of the lead riders's bike shorts. (If you're tucked in behind the lead rider you can draft off the leader's energy, saving some gas for the final big push.)

 

Being a big-time bike race there is a fair amount of planning and adjusting. Being a college weekend bike race there is still a fair amount of "just get out there and peddle as fast as you can." Part of the fun is seeing the balance between the two.

 

 

This weekend was spent watching a historic bicycle-racing three-peat.

 

   http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/htoxtras/galleries/indexdev.php?e=749

 

You'll have to use the scroll bar at the top, my youngest is the one with the upraised arms in the yellow jersey.

 

He crossed the finish line, but it was a team effort with four riders and a whole lot of support and love. and some tradition behind them.