WALKING FOR SANITY

It has been hard to start living alone just as this stay at home way of life started.  I know it has been hard for pretty much everyone.  All of us have our different dynamics, challenges and feelings.  The exception has been my youngest daughter.  She has been working non-stop in the food and beverage industry since she was in high school - she was furloughed  and has had the first break in 10 years!  But I digress.

 One of the reasons I decided on the little house I live in now is its proximity to Rancho San Rafael Regional Park.  It has a huge dog park, an Arboretum & Botanical Gardens and covers about 600 acres of space.  I have been going walking through the park several times a week all through the late winter and spring.  

It turns out Reno is really windy.  Did not know that before I moved here.  As a cyclist, I hate the wind - but as a pedestrian, it isn't all that bad. However - gale force winds gusting 30-60 mph is not conducive to a walk in the park.  As a Californian, I am geared for warm weather to start in March. It snowed and hailed and froze the water in my birdbath on June 7 here! 

When I go for a few days making excuses for not walking and then shove myself out the door I am always so happy my better nature took over and sent me out into the fresh air - be it cold and windy or scented with new blossoms.

This past week I discovered that the iris finally bloomed as did the lilacs.  There was a heavenly scent coming from the Mountain Roses. There are little cotton tailed bunnies all over the place and ducklings in a row paddling across the pond.

My sister got me started painting little rocks to be left behind when out and about, and it is always fun to see if my latest rock has been discovered and carried off.  I am no artist - the rock pictured here is my homage to Kandinsky. I made a whole series of them!

I usually walk for 30 to 60 minutes.  I go pretty early and find people are good about distancing and are still friendly.  I bring my mask but have not needed to wear it. 

I have made an effort to reverse my routes and find new paths and to climb at least 1 or 2 hills on each walk.  I don't listen to music on headphones, I listen to the birds and rushing water from the snow run off while it is still melting. I like to walk past the dog park and watch the romping pups.  I usually stop and find a bench and do a brief "meditation." Then head home again glad I made myself go.

CHEERS FOR A BETTER NEW YEAR

I spent the last day of this year shopping with my sister for a big staging job we have later next week.  We overflowed  3 shopping carts at the Home Goods store.  Others in line guessed that we must be staging a home - that or just having way too much fun!  We then re-grouped to a restaurant to have lunch and gather our thoughts about what we have and what we still need - this job is a big house with a mother-in-law unit downstairs which we decided to stage with a man cave/party room theme.  And yes.  It is fun!

We are certainly hoping that these two jobs are a signs of a busy new year in our new venture - the shopping is enjoyable, but expensive and it is hard to know what to keep and what to return when we are unsure of the number of jobs we may have at any given time and how long the homes may remain on the market with our inventory inside! 

My "day job" may go full time soon, too.  As I know I have mentioned over and over, Tom wants me to be the one to bring in the medical benefits so we don't have to fund them through his business.  The hotel offers benefits for 4 shifts per week and someone has left - unfortunately, she is the other Saturday/Sunday person.  We are trying to figure out if there is a way to make me full-time by working double shifts every weekend for the time being.  Crazy, but I would do it...

As for the New Year's Eve happenings - we are home, I am cooking and I can't say if I will see the ball drop as 2011 is welcomed.  I will say that I am much happier and healthier going into this new year than the last.  I wish the best to all my friends!