Escape from Sheltered-In

Yea! Freedom...perfect place...we escaped to the woods. 

A 'trail walk' was perfect for our get-away!

We wore our masks. We met a few people and were able to stay six feet away. They stopped and stepped away or we did. 

It's great to breathe the fresh air and get a little exercise. 

Highly recommended!

Coming Out of Retirement

Okay, my friends are right. I have failed at 'Retirement'. I am working harder than I ever did in the 'Real' world. The 8am-5pm five days a week world was a piece of cake. 

My Heritage Quilt
Double Wedding Ring
Hand-pieced/Hand-quilted

When I retired in 2005, I had a bucket-list of things I wanted to do that I didn't have time to do when I 'worked'. The problem is that there are too many things on the list. In order to get them done I have to change my mind set. Therefore, I am no longer retired. I am working as always, but my hours vary from day to day. However, I am working not retiring. My work is different. I volunteer at the library, quilt, paint, sell stuff on Etsy, blog, and read. The only way I can get it all done is to work at it.

Garvan Woodland Gardens
Hot Springs, Arkansas

We even take vacations from retirement. 
Sometimes it's a day-trip. 

Crystal Bridge Museum of American Art
Bentonville, Arkansas

Sometimes it's a longer trip to visit family or enjoy each others company.  














I already feel better. I spent today checking things off my list and still had time to read, watch a little (very little) TV, exercise, and nap.

Rocky Mountain High, Colorado (Part Three)

...and we were high-8,500 feet! 

Tips for walking a trail at 8,500 feet!  Take deep breaths, no rushing ahead of everyone else, and drink a lot of water!  

Starting Point - Ranger Station

Trail Walkers are duly warned!

We are at Wild Basin
Back Woods of the RMNP

There are several trail options...
We chose this one because..
a. it was short .6 of a mile round trip
(There was no b. or c.)

The Falls

Upper Falls

Lower Falls

Back to the Beginning
The Experience was Major!

A Wonderful Day for a Trail Walk - Lake DeSoto Multi-Purpose Trail

Perfect Spring weather sent us outdoors on April Fool's Day.   We headed to the Lake DeSoto Multi Purpose Trail and a 3.4 mile trail walk.  Yes, you read it right...3.4 miles.  This was the longest trail walk we have taken.  We were armed with bottled water and our cell phones...one of which is my camera.  

We took the top trail. We parked across from S. Pego Way;
walked along the DeSoto Golf Course to Barcelona;
and back along Calella Rd.

Only .9 mile to go...gasp!

.4 mile more gasp! gasp!

Yea!!!! The End at last!

We decided the next time we walked this trail we would walk only the first mile and double back. It is the prettiest part. The remaining 2.5 miles was mainly along one of the main roads or streets in front of houses. We had to walk the full trail at least once. Didn't we?

Everyone needs a day off...

We are 'off list' today....

We have been 'on list' for six months and it was time!

We did what we wanted when we wanted....

Of course, some of what we did was 'on list', but we gave ourselves permission 'to do it or not to do it'!

We did put up our Christmas tree...it didn't fit in our new house so we put it outside at our entry.  I even put up a couple of wreathes.

We did go to the Tomorrow's Fitness to our 'Silver Sneakers' workout.

We did go to the grocery store.

We did watch 'Elementary' which we had recorded.

We did work in the yard. I planted pansies and Chuck cut a couple of trees and put deer repellent on our new leafless azaleas.

We didn't fix breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  We each did our own thing when we got ready to eat.  

It is amazing what you can get done when you don't have a list:)