She's FIRE'd

Four years ago, I took a retirement package that included a (very reduced) paycheck that would continue for 4 years. If you want to be completely transparent about the transaction, it was a sale of the business I spent 25 years building. I sold it back to the company I worked for, then they sold it to the person who is now sitting in my old desk chair doing my old job. Its over now, though. No more checks for me until I’m old enough to get social security checks.

Part of the reason for that is that our private health insurance got really expensive, so we opted for the publicly available marketplace insurance , knowing that our income was going to drop substantially this year. It is less expensive for us than the previous option, IF and ONLY IF we keep our income lower. Which it will be unless I get a job. Not that I was planning to.

I mentioned to my husband that i’d gotten the “last paycheck” and he asked how I was going to get money. Was I going to start selling assets in our joint account and set up a monthly draw like the paycheck I had been getting? (He lets me do the finances. He’s perfectly capable of managing them, but since I did it for a living and watched the stock market all day, it was easier for me just to do it.) Honestly, I haven’t been paying as much attention to our finances as I did when it was my job, but I have been watching dividends etc accumulating in our joint account. I intentionally stopped reinvesting dividends and capital gains, because I am going to start spending them eventually. There is no sense in reinvesting money, and then selling and creating additional taxes.

The market has done well, and our accounts have increased in value by 40% or so (about 10% per year) since I retired. Knowing that I was going to start spending some of it eventually, I have gradually begun to make our account more conservative and nudge some of our investments from the stock side to the bond side. Our account was mostly stocks for most of the time we were invested, and we now have more than 20% in bonds and cash. I’ll be adding to this, but honestly, we don’t spend all that much- I’m analyzing our spending again, and don’t have exact figures just yet, but I suspect we have several years worth of spending in bonds and cash- enough to withstand an extended down market.

When I retired, I was worried about when the paychecks stopped coming in, but I’m feeling better about it at this point. Most retirement plans that fail, do so because the market goes down substantially in the first 5 years of retirement, and funds must be sold for income when the market is down. Our finances are actually up in value, and we’ve hardly withdrawn anything. Since interest rates have gotten so much higher, the income from our bonds is up substantially.

My husband still works some, and has picked up paying the family health insurance, so my expenses have gone down to the point where I will be able to pay the rest of the bills from the dividends and capital gains in our joint account. Yes, our finances are somewhat separate in that we have separate accounts and he pays some bills and I pay others. We do have our investments in a joint account whenever we can (retirement accounts have to be in single name). I don’t really recommend this approach for all couples, but we got married pretty late and were both used to doing it our own way. Also both of us are savers, so it worked out.

Dividends are not likely to cover all of our expenses, we will have to sell funds for large purchases, like new (or newer) vehicles, but I think dividends and capital gains will cover our regular expenses. Large purchases can usually be delayed or financed to avoid a large withdrawal in a down market though, which helps to make our portfolio more recession proof.

I’m feeling pretty good healthwise, too. I have been getting a great deal of exercise, walking almost daily outside in the sunshine, adhering to my weightlifting goals, and spending lots of time with friends and family. I haven’t planned another vacation yet, or even come up with another fitness goal, but I’m pretty content with how things are going right now. My youngest son has also developed an obsession with pickleball, and on the way back from playing several games with him, I was telling him about my plans for the week (you know, playing pickleball while he was in school and most people are at work.) He said retirement sounded like fun to him. I laughed and told him that you have to work first, but that retirement IS pretty cool.

Fun stuff I’ve done lately- My husband and I went to two concerts, the Eagles, and then Travis Tritt for our 22nd Anniversary. I also learned how to crochet (because I needed another hobby- lol) and I hosted Easter at my house. I’m the standby babysitter in case my niece goes into labor early. She’ll be induced on April 16, but someone has to babysit the 18 month old if it happens before that. I’m the closest relative and retired, so I’m on call- Yay!

I know its time to write a post, and I’ve been doing little things, but nothing worth an entire post. So I’ll tell you about all the little things…

I bought a car. Its new to me, but not new. I tried to buy a new car, I really did. I took each of the boys with me and test drove new cars. I brought my husband back to drive a model I really liked. I expected that the car buying process would go about the same way that it always had, but the last time I bought a car was 2020, when Covid was crashing down around our heads. It was actually the first thing we did once businesses started opening up again. The rental car companies had just dumped millions of cars on the used car market and so the prices were lower than we were expecting. We got a really good deal on our slightly used Subaru. I kept that car for nearly 4 years. I did a lot of school drop offs in it, and lots of family trips. It had a lot of miles on it and and a few dings. Things were starting to go wrong, and I just don’t need a big car anymore. No one rides with me- every person in our house has access to a vehicle and a driver’s license. We also have 3 trucks. If I need to haul furniture or a Christmas tree, I’m covered. I wanted a more fun, less “mom” car.

I like Japanese cars, I find them reliable and well made, and I test drove all the usual suspects. I liked the way the Toyotas looked, but they were kind of boring to drive. I think the new Hondas are ugly. After that rather frustrating morning, my oldest son (the car enthusiast) recommended that we go to the Acura dealership. I really liked the Acura Integra, and so did he. My husband liked it too. They just wanted too much money for it, and refused to come down on the price. I had a suspicion that might happen at the Toyota dealership when there was a “package” added onto the price of every car. The package had nothing I wanted in it and cost $7000. Dealers got very used to the car shortage and not having to negotiate much on the price of a car. But I didn’t need a car, I only wanted one, and I wasn’t going to pay top dollar for something I didn’t need.

The price of used cars is beginning to come down, and expected to decline even further later this year. I am generally happy to buy a nearly new car with low mileage on it, so that’s what I did. I bought an electric blue 2021 Honda Accord with 24,000 miles on it, for a price I was happy with. (I saved $13,000 over the price of the Acura I passed on) And like every Honda I’ve ever had (this one is number 3) its fun to drive! One of my friends is very amused by the bright blue color- she says it nearly glows. Its really easy to spot in the grocery store parking lot though! Today we sold the Outback- the dealership offered me just $7,500 for it, but we were able to sell it ourselves for $13,500.

We also accidentally sold two other pieces of property. Someone called asked if they could buy a piece of property we own at the river. We hadn’t advertised it as being for sale, but we had discussed selling it. It had a pier on it and we’d used it before we bought our cabin, which is just a few houses down. The cabin has a pier though, and since it also has a bathroom and a refrigerator, we stopped using the other one.

We also got a call about a piece of property my husband inherited. It was in the town where he grew up, and we don’t go there much anymore since his parents have passed away. He saved it to see if his nephews might want to buy it, but they didn’t. The young man called several times and my husband threw out a price. I think he’ll call back and buy it. We’ll use some of the proceeds to do some repairs on our river cabin, but I need to start thinking about where to invest some…

I modified my new year’s goals a bit- I do want to be healthy, but also happy. Since I’ve retired I’ve discovered that I have a tendency to sit in my house, but that I feel better if I socialize a bit and go outside. The Camino reinforced that I am happier with social interaction. So I’ve made it a point to have some social time every day. This month I also vowed to have lunch with all of the people I’ve been saying I was going to have lunch with and we never seem to get around to it. I called my son’s best friend’s mom. They’ve been friends since they were about 3 (they’re 16 now) and we used to catch up as we dropped kids off at each others houses pretty regularly. They drive themselves now, so we don’t see each other as much. We had a good time comparing teenager notes.

I also had lunch with a former neighbor who moved away. We bump into each other in the grocery store now and again. It was a nice lunch, but we really don’t have very much in common. Next up is lunch with a former client that has since moved- we haven’t had lunch in a while and she wants to hear about my trip. Also this month is lunch with a high school friend and a co-worker who still works where I used to. I’ve also started having coffee with different people. One thing that all of the blue zones have in common is close knit communities with a lot of social interactions. So I’m having fun AND its good for my health- win, win!

Speaking of social interactions, I’ve been volunteering at a facility that does physical therapy on handicapped children with horses for several years. I was originally recruited by a friend who has since died of breast cancer. I really thought the barn would fail without her, but it has been hanging in there. One of the reasons I have stayed is because of the wonderful group of women who volunteer there- and also the hours of walking and time with the horses. Last week two of the women announced they were leaving. I was planning on taking a break for the summer, but perhaps it is time for me to find another volunteer opportunity. We’ll see who comes in to replace my friends.

I am actually tracking my expenses again. The first month back doing this paid for itself with the first session. I discovered that I hadn’t cancelled my older son’s health club membership after he went back to college. Of course the cost of college itself is FAR from free. He’s glad to be back though, and seems to be much more focused on his studies.

Our new year came with new insurance. Its much cheaper per month than our old insurance, but of course some of our medication costs went up. I expect that more things will be covered though. The shingles vaccine, which was not covered under my old insurance (and $700 out of pocket) is free on this plan. I need to make a few appointments soon, because healthy is important!

I just had my birthday. 52 sounds awfully old, but I feel great, and I’m working hard to stay that way. I like to do something fun for my birthday, and this year I talked my husband into taking me on a river cruise that is also a murder mystery dinner. The audience gets to participate in the mystery, and everyone had to guess who the murderer was. I guessed the murderer correctly! I’m also working on vacation plans this year, and looking forward to two concerts we have coming up. Its been a good start to the year!

I’ve adjusted back to pre- camino life- well sort of. I’m refusing to slide back into the “busy” that American life has become. It probably isn’t possible to live like you do on the Camino while at the same time living in America with a family. I’m trying to make what changes I can to keep a little of the peace around.

It occurred to me on the Camino that I spend a lot of time doing things I really don’t want to do, because everyone else does them. I’ve decided to start asking myself if they really need to be done at all. For example, I decorate my house for the holidays. It really looks beautiful. My house is in the woods though, and people only drive by the outside if they’re coming to see us. Do I really need all those boxes of decorations? I think less might be more. I also hate sending Christmas cards. I send Christmas cards even to people who live in my town, because they send me one. I do not get caught up in the whole “perfect” card nonsense where your whole family has to be posed in matching pajamas in front of the Christmas tree, but still, it’s a lot of work, for people I’m probably going to wish a “Merry Christmas” in person anyway… Maybe this year I’ll just send them to people we won’t be seeing for the holidays. Or I’ll skip sending them altogether.

I haven’t made much progress on paring down my things, but I’m still thinking hard about it. I needed a new can opener, and while I was out running errands I stopped at a popular housewares store to get one. It was an uncomfortable shopping trip. Every square inch of the store was crammed with stuff I didn’t need. It was a little anxiety inducing. It was all beautiful though, and stuff that once upon a time I’d be tempted to buy. I came home with only the can opener. I did buy two new pairs of jeans while I was shopping, though, since I haven’t gained the weight back that I lost on the trip, and I didn’t have anything to wear! The closet is next. Its going to rain all week so I can’t say I have no time this week.

I’m making it a point to go outside every day. That was something I loved about the Camino- humans are meant to be outside in nature and in the sun. It makes us feel good. Its easy, in our modern lives and comfortable houses, to stay inside for all or most of the day, but I’m no longer going to do that. I have slacked off on my exercise routine though- I took several days off to recover, and never re-started. I need to get that going again.

I’m beginning to miss all of the wonderful conversations I had on the Camino, so I made a point of catching up with friends on Thursday. I had coffee with one friend, lunch with another, and between that, I dropped by and visited with two more. Relationships give meaning to your life, and they are so important to how you feel! I think I have neglected them a bit it retirement, but I’m going to make more of an effort.

On the Camino, you do something definable every day. You have walked 15 miles (or whatever) closer to Santiago. In modern life, its possible to be busy all day and not have that feeling that you accomplished something. Today I have to call the insurance company, do laundry, make dinner, and go to the grocery store. After I have done those chores, I will have no feeling of accomplishment because they are never ending tasks that will need to be done tomorrow too. I have also been including tasks on my to do list that show visible progress- so I can see what I have done at the end of the day. My list for today includes making a batch of soap and finish up a knitting project.

Speaking of knitting, I had set it aside for a month or two before my trip and I missed the Zen of it. Something about the repetitive process of knitting is incredibly relaxing- and its fun to see your project materialize out of a ball of yarn. If you put a stitch marker where you started, you can see how many inches you’ve added while you’ve worked.

I have restricted my phone apps, and I’m now using my phone less than half of what I used to. I have silenced tons of unimportant notifications, and I don’t know why I haven’t done that before now. Notifications just make me pick up my phone, and then, while its in my hand, I check the weather, and Facebook, and then so much time is wasted! I have also cut out the scrolling on social media apps to nearly nothing. Social media apps are designed so that you keep looking at them. I have forgotten what I was doing and spent an hour sometimes, looking at things I didn’t even care about. An hour later, I don’t even remember what I read. The apps are designed to keep you entranced in your feed. Now that I have timers set up on the apps, it reminds me to stop. The upside/downside of that is that I have missed a lot of phone calls and texts because my phone is now so uninteresting that I forget to take it with me.

I’m still not listening to the radio in my car, and I find even running errands much more relaxing. Its even saved me the cost of replacing my car- for now anyway. I like my car for the most part (Its a Subaru Outback) though it has nearly 100,000 miles on it. The technology on that car is annoying, though. The car beeps to alert you for everything. It beeps so often that it either drives me crazy or I tune it out and ignore all of the beeps- even the important ones. It beeps every time you get close to the edge of the road. It also beeps if a car is in your blind spot, if there is an object in the way when you’re backing up, if your seat belt is not on even if you aren’t moving, and all sorts of other things. Some of them I like, and some of them I wish I could turn off. I have never liked the infotainment system in the car, and it has recently gone haywire. The dealership confirms that it is definitely broken and the cost to replace will be $1200. Nope. Not doing it. Since I’m leaving the radio off lately, that issue is much less annoying. I’ll get a new one eventually, but its not on my priority list.

I read a study recently about happiness. It basically said that when your mind is focused on doing the task at hand, you are happy. If you are worrying about the future, or thinking about things you regret in the past, you are not happy. I think this is true, and I think the Camino was very good for training me (and perhaps everyone?) on this. It was difficult to NOT be focused on where you were, while walking the Camino. A young lady I volunteer with asked me if I did any walking meditation while I was on the Camino. I started laughing- with a 500 mile walk, you will be doing walking meditation at some point whether you meant to or not! I do feel like I am somehow more “present” in my life than I was before I left. And happier too.

The Camino de Santiago was life changing. And even though I read several books about people’s experiences, it was unexpected in a lot of ways. For most people, this is not a hike, or an adventure with a certificate at the end. I don’t really know how to explain it, but I’ll try.

The easy part is describing the hike. The first 3 days were brutal. I started in St Jean Pied de Port France, which is an absolutely adorable town at the foot of a mountain. The first day you hike through the pass over the Pyrenees. Its 4,700 feet of elevation in 16 miles. Then you hike down for the next 3 days. More people got injured in the first 3 days than in any other part of the Camino. Its lovely, but if you aren’t in really good shape, I’d start in Pamplona. The hike continues to be lovely- full of fruit trees, churches, and other delights till you get to Burgos. Then the land flattens and becomes dry and sparsely populated. Its called the Meseta. There are days in the Meseta that have 10 miles with no water or food. Its boring and hot. Some people love this part. I did not. I also got blisters after walking 230 miles with no problems at all. Then the land changes again after Leon, and becomes once more green and lovely. It will be hilly and beautiful until the end of the Camino in Santiago de Compostela- nearly 500 miles from where you started.

Spain is lovely- the land is beautiful, everything is old, and the people are very kind- even to those who don’t speak Spanish so well. The food is wonderful, though very different than what I’m used to eating. My stomach had a bit of trouble adjusting, but you couldn’t complain about either the flavor or the price!

The Camino is hard, but remarkably simple. You walk every day- between 13 and 15 miles usually. Some days it seems to be all uphill, or else all downhill on treacherous footing. Some days your feet hurt, or your back hurts, or its raining, and you don’t want to, but you have to anyway. Its simple though. You get up in the morning and put on your clothes- whatever you didn’t wear yesterday because you only have 2 outfits. You put all of your stuff back in your pack, put your shoes on and start walking. You stop for coffee and then lunch, and sometimes you just stop to rest your feet. You find somewhere to stay, get a shower, eat dinner, and sleep. Then you do it again tomorrow. Simple.

For such a simple thing, every day is amazingly different and satisfying. There are such interesting things along the way, and such interesting people to talk to. And every day you’ve accomplished something- you are further along on the trail than you were yesterday. You’ll see Spain in a way that most visitors never will- you’ll see sheep being herded by the most amazing dogs, you’ll see grapes being harvested and cows driven to different pastures. You’ll see windmills and irrigation canals and grain storage huts. The most interesting thing you’ll meet along the way is yourself.

It was surprising that the Camino was both the most social and the most solitary thing I’ve ever done. It is also startlingly anonymous. Everyone sort of looks alike- we dress similarly, most of the women with long hair had it in a ponytail. We all wore hats. You become just another person with a backpack. Which is freeing because no one has expectations of you. In your family, you are the sister, and the daughter, and the mom, and the middle child, and the career woman, etc. On the Camino you are none of that. No one expects you to be any certain way, and it is enormously freeing. You can look at your life and your choices in a way that you can’t seem to when you are caught up in it. Walking seems to sort out your thoughts, and after 500 miles of it, you’re going to think of a lot of things in ways you never expected to.

Everyone seemed to be startlingly honest on the Camino. I’ve never in my life had such deep conversations with complete strangers. And we didn’t talk about the things you normally do. I walked 3 days with a person and I still don’t know what she did for a living. We talked about more important things than that. I met a woman was walking the Camino to deal with her anger about the cancer that almost killed her. I met 2 women who decided (on the Camino) to file for divorce, and a man who decided not to. I met many seeking direction after a life change- post retirement was very common. I met a man carrying the remains of his 12 year old daughter. There were many people who didn’t talk about why they wanted to walk, and everyone respected that. And there were many people like me, who felt compelled to walk it without really knowing why.

Nearly everyone who walked a long way, felt changed by the experience. We all talked about it, many of us with tears in our eyes. Here are some of the lessons we talked about.

You don’t need much. I carried everything I needed for 30 days in a backpack weighing 13 lbs. It was dangerous to take much more than that. Those who did ended up having to throw things away, mail things home, or have their pack transported due to foot issues, back issues or other problems. Coming home to a house full of stuff that I clearly don’t need was uncomfortable. I no longer want to have all of this. The closet cleaning will have to wait for a bit though- I lost so much weight that I can’t really try things on before I decide what to keep and what to toss!

We needlessly complicate our lives with things that don’t really matter. You don’t realize the value of mental silence until you don’t have to shop, or make dentist appointments or figure out what’s for dinner or decide what to wear or worry about chores that aren’t done, etc etc. Some of those things have to be done, but some don’t. I met a woman who walked 3 Caminos and she simplified her life a little more after each walk. She says she has a collection of beautiful and expensive jewelry that she never wears anymore. She hasn’t worn any of it since her first Camino. She has a shell necklace that she bought on her way into Santiago the first time, and a pair of earrings that her son gave her. She wears them all the time and nothing else. She says it frees up 10 minutes a day, and makes her life a little simpler. And the jewelry that she once thought was so important was just another way that she accidentally complicated her life.

Don’t compare other people with yourself. You have no idea what they’re carrying- or not, or why. Most people are doing the best they can. Give them some grace, and be kind.

You can only walk at your own pace. Walking slower than your pace is frustrating. Walking faster than your pace is tiring. You can walk at your own pace for a really long time. Do that. And keep walking.

Be grateful for small things. We really do live lives of luxury. Walking the Camino, I learned to be grateful for a bench to rest on, dry feet, a real towel, clean dry clothes, a hot shower, and a good night’s sleep. We should all appreciate small things, and maybe every once in a while we should do something hard that makes us appreciate them!

I’m back home now and trying to process the trip and think about changes I want to make to my life. The Camino lets you try on a whole different life- a much simpler one. When you get home, you have to re-adjust to the life that fit you so well before and decide if you still want that. I’m having more trouble with that than I expected to. There are too many choices in my day. The radio in my car seems loud and jarring. I miss the silence. I want at least a little of what I had on the Camino at home. The lessons of the Camino were powerful, and I want to keep them. I’m working on how to do that.

I am a bundle of nerves. I leave for my 500 mile pilgrimage across Spain in 2 days. I have done everything, I think. I have packed my backpack about 14 times. I’ve weighed it again and again- its now 13.8 lbs, and I can’t seem to make it any lighter, even after discarding items that I’m not sure I’ll use. Part of the problem is that I haven’t ever done anything like this before and I don’t really know what I will need. I have read blogs and facebook groups for more information, and the problem with that, is that an essential item for one person is something that another person brought but never used.

I’ve finished my rather excessive training program- I’m told your body needs a few days rest to heal before an event. So a brief hike this morning and that was all. I have bunched all of my beloved houseplants into one place so my husband won’t forget to water any. I even gave an irreplaceable one to a gardener friend for safekeeping- you know, just in case. I sprayed my bag with a bed bug deterrent, and made a copy of my passport. I got a pilgrim blessing from my parish priest- I’m ready as I’ll ever be.

I went to the doctor a few days ago (because I had to wait until exactly one year had passed) and then only had only a few days to get my prescriptions. Normally this would not have presented a problem, but Murphy’s Law combined with the mess that is the US health system made for a stressful few days. There is a shortage of one of the medications and my usual pharmacy was unable to fill it. The pharmacy that had it, did not accept my insurance and it cost 3 times as much without coverage. The other prescription is covered, but only 1 month at a time, and I’m going to be gone more than a month, so I’ll need two fills of those. Its probably going to cost extra, but at this point it doesn’t matter. I have to have it and that’s that.

I have to tell you that as much as I like my backpack, I wish I had gotten one just a tad larger. I was excited and bought one based on size recommendations from pilgrims who walked before me. What I didn’t take into consideration is that if you walk in autumn or winter, you’re going to need more clothes, and a sleeping bag. Pilgrims who walk in the summer can pack more lightly, so they can take a smaller backpack. Everything fits in my pack, but I have to take things out to get what I need. If my pack were slightly larger, I might be able to rummage around in there without removing all of my stuff. On the other hand, taking extra stuff is not an option, and the pack does not extend behind my head, which I think would bother me.

I’m worried about getting my poles through security, but if I lose them, I can just buy a set there. I am concerned that by the time I finish in mid-October, I’m going to wish I had a pair of gloves. I can buy some on the way if I do. I’m ready, I think.

I will try to post a bit along the way, but I’m not taking my laptop, so expect those updates to be short. I’ll have to type them on my phone, and I’m terrible at that. I did collect a list of prayer intentions from my friends- those weigh nothing. I will be taking them with me to Santiago, If any of you would like a prayer said for a loved one, or a candle lit on the way to Santiago, let me know.

It is sweltering outside. The heat index is currently 110 degrees F (thats 43 degrees C) and it has been 21 days since our high for the day has been below 95F (35C). We also have not had significant rainfall in nearly 3 weeks and the grass is crunchy and my plants are beginning to die. We get an excessive heat warning each day about 11 and are warned against being outside until 7pm in the evening. Ugh. If we didn’t have teenagers, my husband and I would have fled to higher ground weeks (or perhaps months) ago.

A little altitude makes a big difference. A few weeks ago, we took the camper and our youngest child to the highest point in our state. That is not very high- only 2400 feet above sea level. The difference in the temperature was pretty amazing to us. It was a full 15 degrees cooler than here. We were able to sit outside in the mornings and evenings, and venture outside during the day. I hiked some every day, though it was mostly in the mornings and evenings.

School has started again and my 16 year old has entered the 11th grade. He’s the reason we are still here, and not vacationing in Montana or something. The older son is taking a semester off, and is here as well, though he is working a later shift (2pm to 11pm) so we don’t see all that much of him. We’re trying to stick to inside chores, but we’re tired of being cooped up. I guess this is how people in colder climates feel in the wintertime.

Since I’m stuck inside, I’m catching up on long overdue inside chores. I have managed to complete a reorganization of all of my recipes and re-covering my dining room chairs. I am considering painting the kitchen, but executing that plan requires leaving the house to go to get paint at least, and just can’t face it. I’ve been staring at my garden (which looks terrible) at the moment, and thinking of revamping that as well, but realistically can’t tackle that either because of the heat and drought. Sorting through years of pictures has been on my to do list for ages. It sounds nice and cool too. Perhaps that is next on this list.

The heat is also making it difficult to train for the camino. Training outside is limited to 6-8am in the morning. Soon after it gets cool enough in the evenings, it gets dark. I know that isn’t enough time for training, but it will have to do. I have added in some weight training and high intensity interval workouts since I can do those inside in the AC.

Since school has started, I’ve dropped down to only volunteering once a week. The heat is making everyone grouchy including the horses. I got stepped on by a new horse two weeks ago, and my leg is finally healed. I don’t need to be taking risks like that right before my trip!

I have my backpack mostly packed. Last time I weighed it, it was about 15 lbs including water. That’s a bit heavier than I’d hoped, but not terrible. I’ve been training with 20 lbs, so maybe it will be okay. Here’s what I’m taking besides what I will be wearing-

1 extra shirt, 1 extra pair of hiking pants, 1 extra set of underwear, 2 extra pairs of socks, a pair of Chacos hiking sandals, (I’ll be wearing a pair of Altra trail runners) a wool sweatshirt, a raincoat, a pair of thin but warm leggings, minimal toiletries (yes to soap, no to makeup), a hat, a sleeping bag, a headlamp, a purse for valuables, hiking poles, blister kit, laundry detergent, a phone charger, a nightgown, bag to use for groceries and/or laundry, earplugs, and a sarong to use as a towel, scarf, and skirt.

I am worried that it will be colder than I planned or hotter. That I’m forgetting something vitally important, or carrying too many unnecessary items. I have only made reservations for the first 2 nights. I’m told that the traditional stopping point for the third night sometimes runs out of beds. I’m trying not to worry too much, but there are so many unknowns. 28 days till I leave.

I’ve allotted myself the “usual” amount of time. I have no idea how far I will actually want to/be able to walk each day. I don’t think I’ll want to stick to the traditional “stages” though. I think I’m going to finish a little early. I’m flying out of Madrid. If anyone has suggestions of things to see for a few days in Spain, I’d love to hear them!

Favorite retirement thing of the week- I stayed up late last night with my 16 year old to watch for shooting stars. They’re meteors of course- it was the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. I hope we get to watch them from a really dark place one year. I don’t need to worry that I’ll be tired today- retirement leaves plenty of time for naps!

After 16 years of dreading family vacations, I have finally figured out how to enjoy one. Go hiking a lot. I don’t guess I ever thought about WHY I found a week with my family so stressful before now. The truth is I need some alone time, and everyone else wants to spend ALL DAY together. I love my family, I really do, but I just cannot spend every waking minute with them. Not happily anyway.

On previous vacations I got chided as a poor sport if I wanted to do something different from the group. This year, everyone knew I was training for the camino, and so when I got up in the morning and announced that I was headed out to hike a 5 mile trail with 1000 feet of elevation gain, they just rolled their eyes. I invited them to come, but surprisingly, no one accepted- LOL. We do this trip every other year and this is the first year I have ever jumped in the car at the end of the vacation and said to my husband- “Wow, that was really fun! I’m so glad I got to spend the week with my family.” The next time I go, I may not be training for the Camino, but I assure you that I will be training for SOMETHING.

Another fun thing I did was to visit a family I stayed with while I was selling books door-to-door 30 years ago. It was so lovely to see them again. They live in North Carolina which is 9 hours from my house, but only 3.5 hours from where we were vacationing. So I took off and visited them one day. The drive was gorgeous as well.

I also got to watch my niece practice the piano- she lives 500 miles away in Houston and attends a fine arts high school. She is an amazing pianist, and while I’ve seen videos, I had never seen her play in person. I was impressed!

And of course I trained for the camino, and even more importantly, I tested out my equipment. My backpack is absolutely AMAZING. I have been training with a weighted vest, and its frankly uncomfortable. The same amount of weight in my backpack feels so much lighter. My nephew, who was in the army, gave me some tips on how to load it and where to put various items and NOT put them. The side pockets are not for water bottles apparently. He also told me I could ease tired hips by adjusting the straps to transfer some of the weight to my shoulders, and then back again.

My hiking sandals also performed well. I do not plan to hike in them; I’m bringing them for evenings and to wear in the shower. I did hike a short steep trail with them and they are very comfortable. If I have to wear them because of a blister from my other shoes, I think they’ll be fine. The trail shoes I bought (Altras) also feel and perform great, but I’ve been wearing them for a month, so I already knew that. They’re very wide in the toe box. Since I have wide feet, the feeling of being able to wiggle my toes inside of my shoes is new to me. They also have zero drop- your heel is at the same level as the ball of your foot, just like when you are barefoot. I absolutely love them and this will not be my last pair.

Sleeveless shirts aren’t a great idea with my backpack. I got some chafing from my backpack shoulder straps after a few miles. The hiking pants that seemed to fit just fine at home were too loose once I started hiking. I couldn’t put anything in my pockets (like my phone) without them sagging and me having to tug them up again. Weight loss on the Camino is pretty common, so I’m going to need a smaller pair. They were effective for preventing poison ivy rashes though! Does poison ivy grow in Spain?

My GPS watch holds a charge for nearly a week- until you try to use it on a long trail in an area with spotty phone service. Then it runs down really quickly. Also when it says it has low battery, you have about 8 minutes to save your workout before it disappears without a trace. My phone battery won’t stand up to gps usage all day, but I wasn’t really planning on using it anyway. I considered taking the smartwatch, but its probably not going to Spain now.

This week I reminded myself just how much I adore hiking. I love it. I love the quiet of the woods, and the softness of the dirt in the forest. I love the sound of the streams, and seeing the ferns growing beside the trail. I love seeing the animal tracks in the mud and the trail uncurling before me. I talked my husband into another hiking trip next month. Retirement- its the bomb.

Favorite retirement thing this week- I no longer feel like every minute of my time needs to be used productively. Is it efficient to spend 7 hours in a car for a 3 hour visit with friends? Nope, it isn’t. But I’m so glad I have time to do things like that!

mushrooms on a log

fog on the surface of the Toccoa River after a rain

My happy place