Vacation plans.

[Paa_Paw]

The last few years we went to Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area. Like most State parks and camps, there are good facilities. I have started a small rowboat to use at the lake but it will wait for another summer before being finished.

The change in plans is because we are hoping to go to Kings Canyoun National Park this year instead. No place for boating there. This place is an old favorite of mine. I have camped there many times since my first remembered trip there in 1946. I need to do a bit more walking to get in shape for the trip as I will hope to do some hiking while there.

One of my sons expressed concern about me hiking in the wilderness at my age. (I'll be 75 by then.) "What Would happen,"he asked, "if you had a heart attack while out on such a hike." The truth is that my heart is probably stronger than his. He cannot grasp the idea that facing  mortality does not arouse any fear in me. I'm getting older and old people die all the time. that does not mean that I am going to stop living. If I die having a good time, can anyone think of a better way to go? Not to worry too much though, I think I have a few years of tent camping still ahead and at least a few decent hikes in the wilderness. Those week long widerness treks are a thing of the past though.

[hammer]

Paa_paw  being that my long distance walking days have been numbered for years, you can walk for me as well!

When we both leave this world and move on to the greater one we will finally meet and then I will walk well again and we can go on a hike together!

Enjoy yourself while you can! I am glad that you do not fear death, as it does take us to a better place and as you have said in another post, we will be together with family that has move on ahead of us!

[Paa_Paw]

I have reached the point in my life where friends who are older than me can all be counted on the fingers of one hand.

Whenever we hear of someone dying, My younger brother says I now will have to live longer to maintain the averages.

Getting old is a fact of life that cannot be avoided but growing up is a different matter. There is still a bit Peter Pan in me so I steadfastly refuse to grow up and act my age. I still enjoy acting like a kid. If I ever lose that it is time to start digging a hole. Meanwhile, let me have my fun.

[hammer]

Meanwhile, let me have my fun.

And you should keep having fun my friend ! I will never be the one that tells you that you should stop having fun, as life itself is not fun unless you make it fun!

[headheldhigh01]

I still like the bumper sticker that says...

...It's never too late to have a happy childhood ;-) 

I'm with you.  If you like it and you're up for it, do it.  Wave in the direction of a bristlecone pine for me somewhere, I still dream of seeing one someday. 

[Alchemist]

The last few years we went to Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area. Like most State parks and camps, there are good facilities. I have started a small rowboat to use at the lake but it will wait for another summer before being finished.

The change in plans is because we are hoping to go to Kings Canyoun National Park this year instead. No place for boating there. This place is an old favorite of mine. I have camped there many times since my first remembered trip there in 1946. I need to do a bit more walking to get in shape for the trip as I will hope to do some hiking while there.

One of my sons expressed concern about me hiking in the wilderness at my age. (I'll be 75 by then.) "What Would happen,"he asked, "if you had a heart attack while out on such a hike." The truth is that my heart is probably stronger than his. He cannot grasp the idea that facing  mortality does not arouse any fear in me. I'm getting older and old people die all the time. that does not mean that I am going to stop living. If I die having a good time, can anyone think of a better way to go? Not to worry too much though, I think I have a few years of tent camping still ahead and at least a few decent hikes in the wilderness. Those week long widerness treks are a thing of the past though.

Hi Paa Paw,

One of the things on my bucket list is to take a canoe trip through the Alagash wilderness area in Maine.  I go out into the mountains and wilderness in Utah and Colorado frequently without being concerned with dropping dead to far away from the ER.  I would rather not do something stupid but dropping with a heart attack is ok.  We have a seasonal campsite at a nudist club and expect to spend about 2 months there this summer.  Time to play.  Have to respect the rules of the area as it is bear country.

[Paa_Paw]

Ah yes, the bucket list.

Check out "Americas's Great Loop" for a terrific boat trip. It'll probably never happen, but I can dream. Who knows? Just maybe----

[xelnaga13]

Props for staying active.

[Alchemist]

Props for staying active.

Nope.  The props go on the drive shaft under the water in a motor craft.  The canoes are paddled, no props.  I was sick and disabled for close to 30 years and couldn't be active in those years.  Now I'm active again and no props needed.  I garden or landscape or work on some group medical software tools.  Who needs props to get active?  The nudist club helps because it is really easy to walk a couple of miles and 1000 ft of vertical in each direction every day, being on hillsides in the foothills.

[headheldhigh01]

unless you were being humorous and i missed it, think he meant props as in proper respects for it. 

[Alchemist]

unless you were being humorous and i missed it, think he meant props as in proper respects for it. 

Just a joke, canoes don't have props.  also, props, as in items for the play.  So a swimming pool could be a prop for getting active by swimming.  A bucket list gets us up moving to do something.  So who knows what was meant so I was taking it for a straight line, a prop itself.

It's a beautiful sunny day and I have to get dressed to go into town and go shopping.  There is a woman here who had a double mastectomy for cancer.  I now know what it is she is wearing due to the education I have received here, a post surgical compression garment.  She is still having post surgical things going on  months later.  I really have no desire to do the same thing for cosmetic reasons only.  So instead I am spending 6 weeks at the nudist club having a great time not having to wear anything at all (proper court shoes are required on the courts).  Getting rid of the fear and shame around bodies is much more fun. Hey, we all can even laugh and make jokes about these things, you know about having the "biggest pair'o'keets" in town or whatever.  Yesterday the breast shadow tan lines were compared and I was the only guy participating.  Such problems we have, tan lines.

[xelnaga13]

unless you were being humorous and i missed it, think he meant props as in proper respects for it. 

Just a joke, canoes don't have props.  also, props, as in items for the play.  So a swimming pool could be a prop for getting active by swimming.  A bucket list gets us up moving to do something.  So who knows what was meant so I was taking it for a straight line, a prop itself.

It's a beautiful sunny day and I have to get dressed to go into town and go shopping.  There is a woman here who had a double mastectomy for cancer.  I now know what it is she is wearing due to the education I have received here, a post surgical compression garment.  She is still having post surgical things going on  months later.  I really have no desire to do the same thing for cosmetic reasons only.  So instead I am spending 6 weeks at the nudist club having a great time not having to wear anything at all (proper court shoes are required on the courts).  Getting rid of the fear and shame around bodies is much more fun. Hey, we all can even laugh and make jokes about these things, you know about having the "biggest pair'o'keets" in town or whatever.  Yesterday the breast shadow tan lines were compared and I was the only guy participating.  Such problems we have, tan lines.

It's amazing how much power something gathers when we try to conceal something, and equally amazing how much power it loses when its revealed openly. It reminds me of the summer when my favorite uncle has an aneurism and required invasive brain surgery , resulting in a scar along the circumference of his skull. When he was feeling better a month or so later we visited. He was wearing a hat to cover the scar- and I remember feeling so constrained emotionally because it wasnt an open topic. We eventually sat down for dinner when he suddenly took the hat off and made a joke. Revealing his insecurity or lack there of allowed us to discuss it and move on.