NOT short, but in organized sections

Organized for you today---

A) Today on the trail--Grapes, my Spanish amigos, and CHOCOLATE!!!

B) MY WIFE-

C) Musings/song verses, and Bertrand Russell vs Mother Theresa

It's all here, in this blog note--hope you find it --whatever it is that might be here for you!!

A)--
Okay, i'll try to organize when i can--

Well, the Spanish guys (mainly Felix) have taken a liking to me and are pleased that an American has learning capabilities and desire to explore (that was not their general sentiment). Apparently one of them went across the USA once and people were asking him where Spain was in relation to Mexico!!! Wow, he met some geographically challenged people. I'm "new jerwsey" to the Spanish guys (they all work together in the casino in the Canary Islands). Whenever they are talking to me they say "hey, new jerwsey,"-- they've taught me two songs!!!! So now i have right, left, front, back 123 down and also, you'll be impressed;

"La illueva en seville es pura maravilla"

This is the spanish version of that famous line in My Fair Lady (it's a play-go see it!!) The spanish movie used Seville because it sounded better in the spanish language!!.
From My Fair Lady:
"The rain in spain falls mainly on the plain"

On the walk over the last few days--
Fig trees, grape trees (vineyards), fuente's (fountains) that spout water, and one special fountain on the trail through a bodegas that had one spicket for water and one for vino tinto (red wine)!!!!! One of the french guys filled his "camelback" water sack with the red wine and he arrived a bit later at the albergue than the average pilgrim that day!!!!! But the wine here is great!!!and i haven't seen a bottle for more than €4 !!!! So, were not only seeing fig trees and grapes, we're eating them right on the trail!!!
There are water fountains in every town and on the trail and the water is superb!!!

One hitch-- the restaurants in some towns typically don't open till 8:30pm, last night that was just too late as i was tired. So i shopped and was going to cook spaghetti!!!! Upon returning, the spanish guys were so happy to see "new jerwsey" (me) they insisted i eat their pasta (excellent!!!) And i insisted they drink my wine!!!!

I shared my desert--CHOCOLATE BAR- nestle's crunch-- everyone likes chocolate as a good energy provider!!!!!holy cow, how perfect is this-- i get to eat my favorite food every day as a "necessary" item as fuel for my walk!!!! Today i had a kitkat bar a core part of my lunch.

And as today's picture suggests, the Spanish guys and Chous(zeus) finished their Camino walk today and i kept going, so that picture was our goodbye. I walked alone for the rest of the day and arrived rather late at today's albergue. Tom, what's up with the ORANGE vest???? That's my fleece-- Eastern Mountain Sports has had it on the clearance rack for TWO YEARS, and i snapped it up for $19 bucks!!!! It's been perfect as the weather starts out cold and usually (not yesterday) the vest is off by 11am. And i am visible in case i fall into a ravine or something!!!

It's just a perfect time of year to do this walk--and yes, the weather has helped. I think the fact that the crowds are light is an even bigger bonus-- and there's no rush to get to the albergue or worry they will be full with no bed for me. Tonight their are 17 people here.

Speaking about RUSH-rushing, hurrying-

B)- WIFE
So i looked over the walk and timing and knew before i started that it would be a stretch to make the whole trip walking and get home for thanksgiving. I didn't want to leave earlier as i wanted to attend Allie's (Camy's too, but it was Allie's first) parents weekend at GTown. So i left on that monday, the 15th. Well, i was walking yesterday and my mind was filling up with these thoughts about
1) I can't take a day off or i won't finish 2) i'll have to take a bus and skip a few towns - 3) maybe i can double up and do 40-50km a few days in order to finish!!!!!! And i was driving myself a little nuts.

So, I did it!!!!!!!

Did what, you ask?

I asked my wife permission to miss thanksgiving, if needed. I told her i didn't know what the next 20-30 days would bring, but i wanted to be free to do whatever CALLING the Camino has for me. If i'm meant to be home for THXGVG I'll be there (although missing that meal would be a benefit on my physical objective!!). If i am healthy and growing phys/mental/spiritual such that i just can't leave, and in fact i'm going to walk an extra 3 days to Finisterre (the former end of the world until Columbus sailed the Ocean!!), then i'll do that. AND, if it all works out that MY CAMINO puts me in Santiago, Finisterre, and all is good, perhaps I'll just have to return through BILBOA, where BRUCE happens to be playing on Monday, 11/26th.
ANYTHING could happen, and my request to my wife was to allow me to "let it". Liz, being her usual giving self, told me that whatever i decided was fine-- fine, "you stay in Spain and i'll host the 35 people/family for THXGVG"!!!!! My wife is a pretty special lady, and she had a good idea of what she was getting into when she married me, but i have taken it to extremes (like this Camino thing!). I mean, c'mon, she said yes to this whole sabbatical thing to begin with-- and originally I was taking SIX MONTHS OFF!!!!! Now, we're empty nester's with 2 in college and one loving boarding school ( type of school a first for us) so much he barely wants to come home on his "off" weekends!!! AND THEN I GO AWAY for a month (and now 1 1/2 mo's).

Well, I am very thankful for this woman, this Liz Thees, who has said yes to practically everything I've ever thrown her way, especially that first yes on ME!!! She even said YES to Moose (choc lab dog), who arrived as a surprise at THKSGVG 2003!!!! Boy, she wasn't happy that day-- I was in the DOGHOUSE like you read about!!! She had said NO to a second DOG ever since XMAS 2001 because she was doing all the real work. And this was real DOGS!!!! But three days later in 2003 LIZ came home and said YES!!!! And Allie stopped crying.

Well, anything can happen, and now i am free to get this camino thing fully explored with no limitations!!!!! And, i could be home next week because I hurt myself-(65 yr old German man was said to have passed away last night in an albergue on the Camino, and it was said he was trying to finish quickly and do 25-30 miles day)-or i could have a finale to top all finale's--- with a BRUCE in SPAIN show to follow hugging St. James in Compostella (the statue!!!)
For now, I am pleased to say that I am back to taking it one step at a time, one foot in front of the other.
Whatever the Camino has in store for me, guess what?

"I'M READY" ( i hope you listened to that song!!!).

And i feel that river of blessing washing over me!!!!

And occasionally on this Camino, among the many thoughts i have, I come across the thought that i am very, very lucky to call Liz my wife!!!!
And I sing or pray or just thank God for that most significant blessing.

C). Musings
Went to mass at a great church in Los Arcos--and received the special pelligrinos blessing from the priest. It's a community on the Camino, but you just don't know who will be there with you tomorrow or next week.

Song verses that i reflected on today---

"Conquered hills, but i've got mountains to climb"

"Feel like my soul is beginning to expand,
look into my heart and you'll understand"

"I pray for the strength to,
walk like a Man"

"Packing a suitcase for a place, none of us has been,
A place that has to be believed,
to be seen"

Okay, whats songs and artists?

Now, for my musing--
Last verse above had me thinking (okay, they all did)-
So a few nights ago i wanted to lose a bit more baggage so i read the essays I took with me-- Mother Theresa's 1979 Nobel Peace prize acceptance speech, and Bertrand Russell's - "Why I Am Not A Christian"---

I am not afraid to read, digest, and accept other's point of view on matters of politics or faith, and have a vibrant dialogue and exploration on any aspect of a faith tradition that can assist me in getting where I'm going. So, Mr Russell, using that awfully strict tautoligical (how's that, TS?) rationalization, has made some conclusions summed up in his title.

Me, I don't know who's right/wrong on most things- life doesn't seem to have gotten easier in this respect. The "two-sides to every story" keeps complicating things, especially when one rushes to judgement. I know what makes the world a better place as opposed to a smarter place -- and that's the behavior of Mother Theresa, in our hearts and homes and communities, as opposed to the debate and a rationalized view of the world.

I've (and you have too) seen enough irrational behavior in this world to not worry about a fulfilling, rational approach to daily life. Instead, for the "Magis", the greater good, and the greater glory, I'll just believe in the place that "has to be believed to be seen"!!!!!!

Peace, from Navarette, Spain
TT
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