March 9--after a brief absence...

[zyzyly]

...of three months.

Not much has been going on in my life, which is a good thing. By this point, I have learned to appreciate the lulls in life where it seems like nothing is happening. Something always happens soon enough, and not always something good. I can think back to any number of stressful times and wishing there was not much going on. So I am savoring it.



As I mentioned toward the end of last year, back in July I started walking every day. At first I could only go about a quarter mile without having to take a rest. Eventually I increased the distance, and am now walking 9-10 miles a day, divided up into a morning and afternoon walk. I mostly walk in the light industrial area behind our neighborhood and listen to audiobooks. I have lost a little less than 70 pounds since I started walking, and feel a lot better. None of my clothes fit anymore. I'll buy some new clothes before I go to Thailand in May.

Hopefully we go to Thailand. At the present, there are no quarantine restrictions, but that has changed in the past and could change again. We are hopeful. We have still not seen our completed house on the rice farm, and are anxious to do so, as well as see the family.

I have not taken very many photographs in the past few months. I had been planning a photography trip to Death Valley next week, but decided not to go because of gas prices (and Malida grumbling a bit about not being able to go with me because of work). I am not in a photography mood lately. I'm not sure why. For some reason I just feel the need to stay close to home. Much different than I thought it would be after I retired. I imagined myself out there every day.

Instead, I am spending a lot of time in my yard, cleaning things up and getting ready to do some planting when the weather gets a bit nicer. I like being out there, and find myself with enough energy to do all sorts of things I couldn't do before.

Back in January we took a trip up to the Mendocino area. Rather than stay at the place we normally stay, we got an airbnb outside of Fort Bragg. It was lovely, and had a nice kitchen, so we could prepare our own food.



A waterfall along a nice trail at Russian Gulch State Park.

I guess that's it for now. I am expecting my LJ to disappear any day now as the war continues to rage in Ukraine and the Russian government continues to act like barbarians. I made a separate entry over on LJ letting people know I am over here, so hopefully we don't all lose touch.

Comments

[gracegiver]

Hanna was asking about you. She's still on LJ only but I encouraged her to create an account on this side of the blogosphere.

Meet for coffee?

I'm here!

[pinkrooo]

Ugh, I hate it. Lol. Mike, so nice to see you. Deb, I'll try to transfer my stuff like you did. We shall see.

Re: I'm here!

[zyzyly]

I hope so--your entries are always unique!

[zyzyly]

Coffee sounds great! I'll send you a text.

[luscious_purple]

Yes, I saw your post over on LJ. Glad you already established yourself over here.

I really, really need to archive my pre-Dreamwidth LJ entries. I've done it for only a few.

[zyzyly]

I was able to migrate everything from all my various LJ's over the years to here a while back. Forgot how I did it, though.

[susandennis]

70 pounds????? That's like a whole 6th grader! Wow. Congrats and good work.

[gracegiver]

"That's like a whole 6th grader!" LOLOLOLO!!

[mallorys_camera]

Ha, ha, ha!!! 😀

[zyzyly]

haha! I hadn't considered it in that way!

[threemeninaboat]

It's good to hear from you!

[zyzyly]

Good to see you again! I will have to read back and catch up.

[summersgate]

Happy retirement! Sounds like it's been really good to you.

[zyzyly]

I love it. The reduction of stress in my life has been remarkable.

[thoughtsbykat]

It's nice to see you posting. You have done great with walking and losing weight. I hope that you will be able to go to Thailand in the Spring.

I am hoping that LJ won't disappear. I haven't felt like posting but I do read & comment.

[zyzyly]

I hope it doesn't either, but I can certainly see how it might, given all the crackdowns in Russia currently. The last thing a repressive government needs is an open forum.

[wantedonvoyage]

Glad to have synced up over here and that you are doing well and walking! I have walked quite a bit since the pandemic hit but nothing like you. It's interesting, though, how your perspective changes and you notice more going around what seems like a pretty mundane neighborhood.

Lovely images as always!

[zyzyly]

I see a lot of the same people day after day, and yesterday an old guy who is always out in a field with his little dog came over and said hello. We ended up talking for about 45 minutes. He is from Italy, and came to the US to see Elvis, and decided to stay.

[mallorys_camera]

Always good to "see" you. You have such an uplifting spirit. I'm glad you're happy and thriving.

[zyzyly]

Lol, I am in some online bible study/meditation group with someone I met years ago on LJ, and we have both decided we are not quite as "uplifting" as we should be.

=^..^=

[tristesse]

...and Chocko?

Re: =^..^=

[zyzyly]

Chocko is in her last days now. She is starting to have more pain and we have started to give her the medicine the cat hospice people gave us. We will take her in on Tuesday to say goodbye. We are heartbroken.

Re: =^..^=

[tristesse]

I am really sorry to hear that. I have been in the same place many times, and it never gets any easier. I have a link to an entry that I like to think about at such times. I'm sure you and Malida have seen entries like it here and there. Give Chocko a hug for me and tell her she is welcome to run with my pack over the Bridge. ♥

https://tristesse.dreamwidth.org/14825.html

**I changed the location.

[valdelane]

I wondered how you are doing. Thanks for checking in.