Well, not really. But we could … if we wanted to. And if we knew how and had poles and licenses. We don’t but that’s not the important part. We could … if we wanted to. We awoke parked adjacent to Pinto Lake where we scored the best site with nothing but green grass between us and the water. Happy first official day of retirement to Steve!

Life isn’t perfect. It’s drizzly and gray today. Our fears and the Vet’s suspicions were confirmed yesterday when Ginger’s x-rays showed heart disease (with meds we should be able to manage it “for years” and make her feel better.) Our carbon monoxide detector went off in the middle of the night, making for a stressful time with animals in the truck, windows open, fans on, all to the backdrop of a piercing beeper sounding in an otherwise quiet campground. It was a bummer but not as big of a bummer as if it hadn’t gone off. We think the problem was a burner on the stove got left on low by accident but we’ll be monitoring things closely to be sure. And we’re worried about Nicole who hasn’t responded to emails or phone calls since Sunday. (We’ll be pounding on her door soon as we are only 5 minutes or so away from her.)

Even so, it is a good day. I asked Steve how he feels this auspicious morning and he responded with the lines of a Greg Brown song … “free… free … we were boys and we were free.” He also said he felt “kinda playful”. Here’s to playtime!

p.s. Westi just called to say she heard from Nicole. She’s feeling blue but she’s okay. They’re picking me up in a bit and we’re going to get a pedicure together. See … it IS a good day!

Much as I used to get sick every December the moment I got home from college finals (a couple of lifetimes ago), my body succumbed to a cold as soon as the pressure of moving, birthdays and Christmas was past. But I awoke this morning with a happy feeling and desire to update gigglefern replacing the chill and misery of the last couple of days.

Birthday/Family Christmas celebrations at Nicole’s house on the 23rd were nice with pot roast and apple pie for Daddy made by his girls. Christmas morning started early with my favorite tradition of packing Meals on Wheels at Live Oak Senior Center with Westi, Deborah and David, Craig, Noah and Lisa. This might be the last year as who knows where we’ll be next Christmas? The passing of the years and the changes we are making seemed especially poignant to me as I looked at old photos in the Senior Center and remembered my time working there as an idealistic 23/24 year old. It was during that period that I wandered for the first time, taking a four month leave of absence, traveling around western North America in a VW camper van with my then-husband and cats. Clearly, my wanderlust wasn’t satisfied and so here we go again, this time open-ended with three dogs, a cat and a more mature relationship.

Back to Christmas … after packing meals we had a yummy Christmas breakfast with friends and former neighbors “on the mountain”. It was sunny and beautiful and perfect. Then “home” for a nap (me) and a bike ride (Steve) before ending the day with a long walk on the beach. The sunset was incredible and with a minus tide we could (and did) enjoy it all the way to the Capitola Esplanade (then back in the dark). I even learned to use my cell phone’s camera. Finally. Not bad, eh?