Hi Gram,
Monday morning I packed up and left so the cleaners could come transform her home into a showcase for potential buyers. We initially thought they would be there at 10am, but she got notice the night before that it would be somewhere between 8:30-9:30, probably closer to 9. Luckily, we were almost wrapped up and ready to go a few minutes after 8 when the crew showed up, ready to make the place shine. We hugged our goodbyes, I started heading north, then circled back to get my bike that I almost forgot!

The weather was gorgeous, with the sun shining brightly and the air crisp and clear, mountains in the background. I had a podcast making me a little smarter, the GPS map keeping me on track, and my full water bottle keeping me hydrated. Hydration is no joke in Colorado! The already dry air and altitude suck the moisture right out of your skin, which can lead to headaches, exhaustion, and altitude sickness if you’re not prepared. With that in mind, I always keep my water bottle close at hand. When I was about 3/4 of the way to Amberly and John’s, I decided to find a path and get my daily walk in before it got too warm. A little confused when the GPS directed me into a strip mall parking lot and behind a Best Buy, I saw an entrance to the path and thought “alright, I guess this is the parking lot for the trailhead.” I put on my sun hat, grabbed my water bottle, and started across the bridge. Of course, a few hundred feet down the path, I saw a parking lot and restrooms at the ACTUAL trailhead, but I figured my car would be safe behind a strip mall in the middle of the day (not to keep you in suspense, but I was right – the car was fine).

It was a nice paved path that followed a stream with little spurs that went down to the water or up to the street. Each spur down to the water had a sign politely asking residents to refrain from putting in their inner tubes or other small watercraft, as the water was high and could be dangerous.

I really enjoyed hearing the water burbling past and catching glimpses of the mountains in the background while I walked. I waved at a random pedestrian or bicyclist as we passed, but mostly had the path to myself. It was very peaceful and serene. I finally came to a construction fence keeping me from going any further, so I turned around and retraced my steps. The sun was warming things up, so I stopped a couple times under the shade of trees and took in more of the beauty surrounding me or took the chance to learn a little about the history in the area (this time about trains)

I started taking these daily walks a couple years ago when I had blood clots in my legs and the doctor told me I needed to get the blood pumping every day to try to help dissolve the clots. With the clots in my past, I keep walking to keep future clots at bay, but more importantly because I have seen so much beauty and history on these walks, met interesting and cheerful people, gotten to see unique and intricate architecture. I’ve forgotten at times, gotten a little lax, but every time I get back to it I remember how much joy I get out of it and vow to keep the habit alive.

Back at my car, I changed into a dry shirt and continued my trek to my friends’ house. John answered the door with the charm and warmth stereotypical of Canadians and lacking in most Americans. He welcomed me into their home, showed me my room, then he warmed up some of his homemade curry and rice for lunch, a staple in their household. Over lunch, we sat and talked about home repairs, investment, their baby (who, of course, is cuter than words can describe. I started saying “cute as a button” or “cute as a bug” but I don’t think of buttons or bugs as all that cute. He is so much cuter than buttons or bugs, it’s a whole other league. Buttons are playing tee ball and this kid is in the major leagues! but I digress…), and life in general. Amberly came home shortly after I arrived, calm and smiling from her massage. After catching up and chatting some more, they directed me to Sprouts, the nearest grocery store, so I could pick up some staples.

I tried. I was excited. I told myself “this is higher quality. It’s artisanal.” I wanted to like it. I walked in, grabbed a cart, and started filling it with blueberries, chips, hummus and yogurt. Soon, I reached a point though where I snapped and retraced my steps putting everything back. Something in my Midwestern brain, my frugal nature, my comfort zone wouldn’t let me continue. I emptied the cart, put it neatly back in the shopping cart area, and retreated to my car to find a King Soopers, the Colorado version of Kroger. Walking in to that store, I felt at home. Even though it was laid out different than stores I’m used to, even though they had some construction going on to update the store, it just felt more natural as I filled the cart with the same items I’d abandoned at the last store and a few more.

I returned to the house, put my groceries away, and unloaded my tools and bike into the garage. I unpacked and settled into my room, then lay on the bed and unwound with my book. I’m re-reading “Barking Up the Wrong Tree: The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Success Is (Mostly) Wrong”, a book I’ve read before and really enjoyed. It has some good insights and advice that I’ve followed in life and have found myself happier and calmer. I finished the chapter that I had been reading, then headed downstairs for more conversation and some dinner with my hosts. This included making silly faces at their 10-month old son, watching him try with about 30% efficiency to get food in his mouth, and the adults sharing tales from each of our days. After dinner, we adjourned to the family room to watch John play his game while Amberly and I got a little done on our computers. Exhausted and happy, I headed to bed.