Hello Friends
I pray you are all having a blessed day.
I am having a wonderful and quiet day. Last night was filled with family, food, laughter, presents and just the right amount of wine. But there was one present today for me. No one else would call this a present, but I do 😉
As many of you know my daughter Melissa has been on a hiking adventure herself. She and a friend flew to Chile and hiked to Patagonia. The bottom of the world! 🌎 She is truly an adventurous woman and I am proud of her. Part of my support for her was to let her borrow as much of my Camino equipment so she could save money.
Yesterday Melissa and her husband arrived in the afternoon to begin the holiday festivities. I’m not going to lie I have been anxiously awaiting the return of my backpack and when I saw it in the trunk I had to restrain myself from grabbing it and hugging it. Really! I had an internal reaction like being reunited with an old friend. Her husband insisted on carrying in all the luggage (including my backpack) and he put everything in their bedroom. My daughter Danielle and her family arrived then so I didn’t have a chance to ask for my backpack back…pack back? You know what I’m saying.
This morning we got up and had some coffee before Melissa and her husband took off to spend the day visiting his family. I went upstairs and their door was open just a bit so I went in and there in the corner my backpack was propped up. Honestly I couldn’t help myself; I picked it up and gave it a hug. I felt so happy holding it in my arms. I thought, “Now I can go back to the Camino.” Then I unpacked all my equipment and greeted each piece like the friend that it is. All of these items were with me for the entire walk and helped me to make it to Santiago.
It was a very good reunion 😊
Buen Camino
Ultreia
Merry Christmas
One day I decided to go for a walk... 
Michelle, I just read your whole blog in one sitting. Experienced the Camino again with you, appreciating the times you gave yourself a deserved break along the journey and the difficulty assimilating back to life at home upon returning.
I am excited for your return….I too think there’s more for me. My walk began April 2018. I walked alone and also retired to do the Camino
We met at the Chapter meeting at REI Sawmill. Loved your Santiago cake 🙂
Your insights and observations relay a particular freshness and truthfulness that I really enjoyed. Even the fondness of your backpack!
Have you made your plan of action?!
Janie sorry it has taken me so long to replay. I am trying to update the blog. Thank you so much for your kind words. I have all my albergue/hotel reservations made for my return camino in August. I have not yet made the airline reservation, but hope to soon. Life has been very uncertain during this coronavirus time but in many ways it is like being on camino. I don’t know where I headed or who I will become but I am on this journey. I hope the quarantine is over soon so our little camino group can meet again. 🙂