A thought for today.
Shimon Peres, the recently deceased Israeli statesman, when asked how he conducted his affairs with the energy and enthusiasm of one much younger responded that in order to stay young you must make sure your list of dreams is longer than your list of accomplishments.
I have struggled in this endeavor and am pursuing perpetual youth by keeping my list of accomplishments very short!
Today in Reno the wind is ushering in clouds that herald the arrival of three days of precipitation, uncommon to Reno but consistent with almost every time we visit. Rain makers we are! – of sorts.
Yesterday, however, was a day of spectacular beauty. So spectacular, in fact, that nothing particularly humorous happened – likely due to the fact that we refrained from engaging in our regularly scheduled acts of stupidity. So unless you have time on your hands you may want to log off and return some other day.
We neglected our grandparenting duties and hiked into the Sierras to Ellis Peak, west of and high above Lake Tahoe. * Another note for the “general” section of my guide book, that would apply equally to any counntry, is that if a particular destination ends in the word “Peak” there will most assuredly be a significant amount of uphill and some of it rather steep! But in most such instances the effort is amply rewarded by spectacular views, yesterday being no exception. As we learned in France, even the most magnificent view can be enhanced by bread, cheese and wine!
As many have expressed in various ways – it is often better to travel than to arrive. Our short journey, by normal hiking standards, was about seven mile round trip ascending through pine forests and along ridges with expansive views. Pausing to peer up through towering pines, some 5 to 6 feet in diameter, revealed a sky so deep that it begged a new definition of the color blue. One of those moments that one tries to store in the bank of our memories, a synapse frozen, that can be recalled on some dark, far away day. Hiking through these serene forests at an altitude a bit higher than what we are accustomed to allows one to meander along, similar to long distance running, in some otherworldly consciousness where your mind can travel without oversight. A very pleasant place to be, disturbed only by the sudden realization that you must become alert and absorb it all, right now.
While we were out enjoying ourselves much was happening with the family. Kieran had discovered his toes, Rich and Lisa were dealing with those teenage years. Kim, who had survived being a passenger in my vehicle in France had at home positioned herself in the middle of a five car collision. She is alright but probably had a concussion. She has not sought medical attention although my mother suggested that she should have her head examined! Rob was only concerned about whether we found his hat that he lost on Ellis peak two years ago. Mary has been behaving herself but not if you ask my mother. Mom, who is safe and well cared for in an assisted living facility, is irate because her children won’t let her go home where she can fall and feast upon the smorgasbord of as yet unbroken bones.
What happens when the fog lifts in southern California? …………UCLA!
Until we meet again.
Nice. Did you find my hat?