Once again, I apologize for my tardiness in keeping up with the Blog.
The journey continues the morning after my fantastic Birthday Fundraiser! Tired, overdone from the night before and Ed is already at us to get packed and ready to hit the road for Athol. I have to do laundry, and not only pack for Athol, but be prepared to empty out the suitcase and refill with clothing for Los Angeles. The laundry room is of course backed up with one dryer down. The pressure begins already and it's only 8am. Garh! The laundry takes 3 1/2 hours because of the back up, and I'm beginning to feel overwhelmed. I want to know what the restaurant took in last night because I want to know when the check will be given to me. I'm still not packed. I'm hungry. I'm cranky. Did I say I'M TIRED!!! I've worked my ass off for this fundraiser, and got to bed at 2am. I don't want to leave today, I just want to crawl back under the covers and sleep.
By 2pm, I've had enough, I have no idea what is in the suitcase, I'm reduced to toddler tantrum tears. This trip to Athol is suppose to be relaxing and I feel as far away from relaxed as I am from the Moon. Ed and Ian are bickering at each other, Ian is fighting to leave tomorrow and Ed wants to get away so we have as much time up there as possible. At this point we'd be arriving late into the evening. I put my foot down and declare, "We are not leaving today! I'm going to bed and napping. When I wake up, I'll repack, we'll have dinner, and then I'm going to bed again." That was that, easy. Funny how when you determine to have your way, it happens with very little resistance.
We left the next morning and on the way up, Ed gets a call for an audition for Friday. He takes it, and I look at him slack-jawed. I can't believe he just did that. He says he will drop us and return home that night. I see this as a disaster. The traffic was atrocious and the weather rainy, so needless to say we made poor time. We stop for food at a diner that takes forever and the food was barely worth the stop. We continue on and the rain continues and the traffic worsens. By the time we get to Athol, we are so wiped out, and I, once again, put my foot down. Ed ends up calling the agent and backs out of the audition. They weren't very happy, but I don't care. How good would he have done, really? The rest of the weekend was fun. Ian and I did our daily walks in the woods and around town, while Ed and Pentii worked in the basement redoing an entry to the basement of the cottage. Sally had to work so she left early and returned late and sun burnt. She forgot her sunscreen, a hat, an umbrella, a tent so was crispy as burnt bacon. The house was devoid of bats this trip, and we missed "Dracula" very much. But the house was not without the ANTS! So I went to town and got Cinnamon candles for Sally. This helps.
The second day at the cottage, Ian and I hike out to hit the trails in the wildlife preserve. First Pentii takes us all to a local breakfast diner. We squeak in just as the kitchen was prepping to close. Had a great breakfast and then we headed out to hike. The trip to get to the preserve was far more of a workout than the trail. We hiked along the road that led to town, and then we saw the road that led to the trails...straight uphill. We looked at each other and said, "Let's go." The heat was rising, and the humidity with it, but we pressed on. We finally reached the top of the hill and thought we'd get a break, but alas, it was not to be, for before loomed a steeper incline. We pressed on and now clung to the shady spots in the road, and soon realized that we had two more sharp inclines to go. By the time we made it to the park, my butt was feeling it, big time. Then breakfast hit my gut, and the bacon I had decided it had to leave. Only one outhouse and NO toilet paper. I can't wait anymore, so cramping and in pain, I search my fanny pack for Kleenex. NONE! "Ian! Do you have any paper on you? Anything?" Ian pulls out his wallet and comes up with his schedule for his PBA week at Beacon. Well, it was better than having Ian bring me leaves, I didn't want to take the chance of Poison Ivy. How awful would that be?
Note to self: Never have greasy bacon, sausage or eggs before you attempt to hike to the summit. Always make sure you have Kleenex on you before you leave home.
At least I had hand sanitizer on me.
We enjoy our trek into the woods and come across a beautiful pond full of lotus blossoms. I had to stop and take pictures and drink in its beauty. There it was, the simultaneity of cause and effect right there in front of me. The lotus is the only flower that blossoms and seeds at the same time. The wonder of this fragile flower floating in pond water while dragonflies zoom back and forth gleaming their iridescence in the sun. Turtle poke their heads up from the water, while others sun on logs sticking out of the water. Oh to be a lotus. Ian is anxious to move on, and I just stand there realizing that this time last year, I was finding out that my worse fear was about to happen. Returning to Athol was a Full Circle moment for me. Last year, I would never even attempted the steep climb to the preserve. I would have driven up and walked around and not really have seen the forest through the trees. But today I stood and appreciated the full beauty of everything. I had just climbed without fear or complaint the steepest of hills, and did it free of cancer. I am stronger than I ever imagined I could be. 10lbs lighter, 100% fitter, 1000 times happier. I feel a bit like the lotus in that moment. The cancer was the blossom and seeded a newer me. I blossomed again in this moment and wonder what these seeds will grow into.
We move on deeper into the woods and as we do the gnats and mosquitoes grow in number. We reach a fork in the road and decide to turn back as the bugs are too thick to cut through. When you see a wall of gnats, it's time to go. As we return we hear running through the woods. Please don't be a Bear. So we get very quiet, and the running comes closer and closer. Then a form bursts from the undergrowth and a large setter with pure joy written all over his face rushes past us. The owner approaches us and laughs as we do too. So happy to be free to run the setter rushes in the brush while his older dog pal sticks to the path and her owner. We pause to take some pictures and Ian almost steps on a woolly bear. So we take pictures of the woolly bear. Looks to be a hard Winter. We exit the preserve and head down the hill towards the cottage, and finish up having done 10 miles. Add in the steep incline, and Ian feels we did 15.
The next day we walk into town, and shop for Sally's birthday. We find a quaint shop and buy her gift, and head home, with only 9 miles under our belt. That's okay, we needed a break. Dinner is at the Old Mill. Last year Sally and Pentii took me there. A converted mill that houses a restaurant and Pub. Last year the place was bustling, now the economy has taken it's toll. Hardly anyone there. We enjoyed our dinner and I had made arrangements for a birthday cake to be delivered at the table for dessert. Sally is surprised and pleased. We return to the cottage wishing we didn't have to leave in the morning.
Our trip home was faster than going to Athol; a bit like the steep incline at the preserve and the ease of the return. In the morning I do LAUNDRY again! Pack for the morning and make sure everything on the list is checked off. We arise early and head to Jet Blue at JFK. The parking garage is almost as far away from the terminal as you can possibly imagine. We get through check in with ease and kiss Ed goodbye and head to our gate and leave for Burbank and Sarah.
The time spent in LA was more about waiting than anything else. The time spent with Sarah was minimal as she had probably one of the busiest weeks ever! Work everyday, prepping for the Emmys, and moving into her new house. We spent more time with Matt and Barkley than Sarah that trip. We did get to the set a couple of times, and got Ian's headshots done, went to Disneyland, and visited Greg and his family, and had dinner with my dear friend Kathy G. Got to go to the Gifting suite for the Emmys and had a jewelry designer give me a beautiful necklace, a huge white pearl on a chain. Beautiful! When I saw Sarah later that day, she gave me a gift from the gifting suite, a beautiful huge black pearl on a chain. Ah! the Ying and Yang of life. I almost picked that one out. She knows me. That makes me feel good. The last day in LA was spent with Burt and his wife. They are taking us to the airport because Sarah has the Emmys the next day. We spend the afternoon and early evening at Sarah's house and I have the best burger I have ever had in my life! BBQ'd by none other than Sarah's boyfriend, Matt. We had a great time together at last, and enjoy ourselves so much! We kiss and hug and 10 days blurred by in what felt like seconds, and suddenly we are on the plane heading home.
I return home to Ed and work! I have to get caught up on all the work I have to do. Ian spends his final days of Summer prepping for School. Ian has an audition for a film and so we head up to Columbia University for the audition. It goes well, and the director is so excited about Ian's audition. I walk all the way home, but first we stop at the diner that is famous for being the "diner" on Seinfeld. We both order milkshakes and spilt a club sandwich. Glad we spilt the sandwich, because the milkshake was huge! Ian has become my official trainer. I'll miss him when he goes back to school. Who will push me beyond my limits? Ian heads to the train to go to his Kung Fu teacher's house and spend the night with his sons. The next day, Ian heads up to Inwood and calls me, and says, "Come up to Inwood, and walk home with me." Inwood? That is a long walk. 216th St and the Hudson all the way to 6th St and 1st Ave. Well, If I could do that steep hill in Athol, I can do the Inwood walk. OMG! What a hike. I had no idea just how steep the hills in Upper New York City were. We started by going through the park near Bur's house and headed into Fort Tyron Park, all of which was very relaxing. Good thing, too, because the steep hills began and with them unfolded the multi-cultural neighborhoods. New York is a true melting pot of Nations. The corner stores vegetable stands giving away each neighborhoods roots. Taro root, and plantains to coconuts. Cuban music and everything labeled in Spanish. It felt like touring the world. As we approached the Columbia University area, we thought about stopping in for a milkshake and then moved on. One milkshake a week is enough. We got to around Times Square and my legs were tired and my pinkie toe on my right foot was bothering me. I wanted to take a train home from there. Ian admonished me by saying, "How do you think you can do the 39 miles if you can't even do this walk? Get moving." Drill Sargent. I move on, my legs feel like lead, Ian (youth on his side) urges me forward to home. Once home, I'm glad I did the 15 mile walk. Proud of myself. I remove my shoe and find the reason for my pinkie toe discomfort. A blister the size of my pinkie was throbbing there, crying out in pain, begging me to relieve it, I take a needle and white thread and ease the discomfort. I wear a blister band aid there for days as it heals.
The walk did many good things for me. I know now that I can without a doubt do the 39 miles over 2 days. I know where I'll need to put blister band aids so I don't get blisters, and my butt is getting really tight!
So Athol, Los Angeles, and Inwood in one month. All I want to do is rest! And I do just that. Labor Day was a Full DAY of REST!
Light and Love
September to come
Melissa
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