9 Days Until Flight!

As the countdown continues, I find myself thinking of the most bizarre things.  My fantasy is to be on a misty road (like the picture to the left) walking serenely, loving each step, at one with the world; the perfect pilgrim.  And then my anxiety slowly creeps in, and other more obscure thoughts emerge.  The not knowing of what lies ahead breeds a million "what if..." scenarios.  I rationalize them all away, one by one, with a certainly of God's plan for me, just as it is.  And I must admit, I'm 55 years old, and despite a few little bumps in the road,  my life has been, and continues to be incredible!  So why the worry?  My rucksack, which began at a svelte 11 lbs, has now grown exponentially.  I rationalize this by saying, "Well, I'll just lose 2 pounds of me before I leave, and that will make up for the extra 2 pounds in the pack."  Not.  Of late, my walking has been less and less each day due to other obligations.  I have made my lists, and checked them off.
  It will be interesting to live without makeup for 2 months.  I heard only the French women actually use it on the camino.  Not me.  I'm even entertaining leaving the razor at home.  Although the idea of hairy armpits is foreign to me.  I am also trying to familiarize my self with my one, true hair color.  It has been so long since I have seen it, I really can't remember it at all.  As it turns out, after allowing it to grow the last month, it appears most of the color has vanished completely, leaving a kind of gray/silver weave around my face and at the crown.  Ah vanity, as Miguel De Unamuno wrote: "Cure yourself of the affliction of caring how you appear to others.  Concern yourself only with how you appear before God, concern yourself only with the idea that God may have of you." With that said, I think the gray hair will be fine.

  A week from today I leave for my friend's house in LA.  The furkids will go to their respective holiday homes while I am away, and a new little addition (Broadway Joey) will be waiting for me when I return. (Something to look forward to upon returning.) 
  On Wednesday, at 0400 hours, off to LAX.  I will meet up with my friend Barry in Washington DC, and then we will fly together to Madrid.  I hope I will sleep during the flight over, as jet lag is awful after hopping the pond.  It will be good for Barry to get used to snoring anyway...lol...