Sitting here marveling at the way the universe works sometimes. I have had six weeks of something to do almost every weekend. All of a sudden I have six weeks of empty space in front of me. I have been wondering how to use this time wisely and wondering why I have so much of it all of a sudden.
Last night Nicole called me and invited me to journey to Japan with her in August. She is going on a pilgrimage to the Kumano Kodo, a Camino like walk in Japan. It is only 26 miles long and we will do it in six days and five nights. Planning on going three days before so we can adjust to the time difference and staying over three days afterwards. If you are flying that far you might as well take in some of the sights and sounds of the local country.
Now I know why I have six weeks of empty space – training! This trail, although not near as long as the 500 miles I walked before, is more rigorous as it is in the mountains and at times is very challenging with steep ups and downs. I will have the option to take taxis over the hardest parts if I decide to do so. Because my feet hurt so bad when I came home from my Camino in Spain I quit walking and haven’t started again since I had my surgeries earlier this year. I am just past the three-month mark on my right foot which was how long the doctor had told me my recovery would take and advised against doing lots of walking until that time. Time to put my boots on and start walking!
We have decided not to walk together during the day but we will meet up and share a room each evening. That will give Nicole the space she needs to let the Kumano Kodo Camino speak to her. There is a company that arranges for a bag to be transferred from hotel to hotel and for a room to be reserved in advance for us. We have decided to use their services as I found it so nice not to have to worry about finding a room each night after walking all day. The hotels also provide breakfast, dinner and a sack lunch for the day’s hike.
I was excited to find out that if you walk the Camino in Santiago you get a special certificate in Japan to honor the fact that you walked both Caminos. I may have to take apart my framed picture which has my passport books from the Camino so I can take them with me to prove I walked the one in Spain. They have a passport book in Japan that you collect stamps in just like the one in Spain.
I have been craving an adventure for this year but nothing I looked at felt right to me. Now I know why! I consider it an honor that Nicole has ask me to journey with her. Trusting this Camino experience will be as full of wisdom and insight for both of us as my first Camino experience was for me.
I went into Emporia this morning and restocked cat food, cat litter, greens for my chickens, and dog food. Again I forgot to buy me food! Hate when that happens. When I made my list out I wasn’t hungry and I only got what was on my list. Guess I should have put “food for me” on my list.
Cleared out my egg supply yesterday. I had sold some over the weekend and some more on Monday and then a friend came and got my last four dozen yesterday. Always glad when I clear them all out. I picked up over a dozen this morning so starting a new pile. One of the eggs I picked up yesterday was wrinkled.
I started making my second baby blanket yesterday. Waiting on someone to give me an address so I can get the first one mailed off. My brother’s birthday is Sunday and I want to get a box fixed up to send off to him. As he is a bachelor I don’t know if anyone else gets him a birthday present or not so try to remember to send him a little something.
Loving the timing of the Universe today! Sitting in awe and wonder! What a beautiful lesson for me in patience and trust. All is well on the prairie today!