End of Vacation - Really!

My Pod Sisters and I had a beautiful weekend together. Since they left around noon I have been reflecting on the wonderful experience of sharing with these lovely women - which we do four times a year and all of us have become grateful for the sharing. It seems each time we gather, I grow a bit wiser and happier. Thanks be to God! ----- So now, I'm all fired up and ready to begin yoga classes tomorrow with a new enthusiasm. ---- My ongoing work on a new lifestyle to accommodate IBS recovery is WORKING! I am not through yet, but making great progress. I've begun desensitization for 18 foods to which I am sensitive and have been assured that even three months will make a huge difference. It seems only one week of taking the drops has made a difference. My energy level and my enthusiasm are both high!

Vacation is almost over

Two weeks have flown by since I last wrote. I had decided I would need some time at home to savor my travels and do a bit more grandmothering before resuming a regular yoga class schedule - I was right. It has been a good thing having some time to just BE, reflect, write some more book sections, walk, watch the deer, dig a few weeds, eat Clemson spineless okra and bell peppers and the last of the lettuce from my garden. Such times allow thoughts that bring a calmness, a restoration, and an eagerness for moving forward to develop. I have been devouring a wisdom book that has been a big assist: Composing a Further Life by Mary Catherine Bateson, daughter of Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson. For those of us in our seventies, or even younger, there are helpful messages in her stories of five women who have and are living full lives. My favorite saying comes to mind: You can have it all, you just can't have it all at the same time. (I don't know where that came from - I like to think I made it up - but I'm learning that nothing is really new in this world! Everything has been said, thought, and mostly done before.) Photos now. Solitude - Jim's 28 foot Catalina, My okra plant, and race day on the bay - from our dock.

St. Michaels Marina at Chesapeake Bay

St.Michaels in a slip at the marina - about 30 miles from Annapolis after sailing over (much of the way - when there was wind) yesterday afternoon. James (Jim's son, my nephew) and his friend Gail are with us. What a ball! Talk about relaxation - there's nothing like being on a boat to obtain serenity. Note the sunset on Chesapeake Bay - I swam in the pool and James and Gail swam in the bay. Today? Who knows?

Sunday at the Pond

Jaquie at the wheel in 2008

Got home yesterday to a lovely long hard rain which I enjoyed sitting in my rocker. There is definitely something about water that draws my attention. And, tomorrow I'll be looking at the Chesapeake Bay! From Jim's sailboat!!! Sometimes I can't believe the wondrous things that still await me!!!!

Horseback Riding at Lawton Stables in Sea Pines

Friday morning walk on South Beach was delightful! It's overcast with some dark cloud looming over the Atlantic, but no rain yet. Several dog walkers, human walkers and cyclers, just enough to provide a bit of company but not enough for distraction. I'm so tickled with these morning beach walks - this morning the distance seemed to shrink - maybe I'm making some progress worth continuing? Haven't done routine walking like this in a while. Yesterday afternoon we all went riding - see the photos of Tate's family. Walker (leading), Kelsey, Sydney, Wendy and Tate. We're all lined up at the gate ready to take off. The ride was lovely - all through the forested areas - saw places I've never before visited on the island. One last day today to try to do all that hasn't yet been done.

HH Morning Beach Walks

I'm still here at HH until Saturday morning. Tate's family arrived yesterday and we have different things happening with each person - some are at the pool, some watching TV, others on the way to play tennis. I had my beautiful South Beach walk early this morning long before others were awake. Early moning is my favorite time on the beach. This morning the tide was out further than I ever recall seeing it before so plenty of space. Several men were fishing and I even saw fish jumping where the ocean meets the beach. Unfortunately, no dolphins. I don't know where they were this morning. Perhaps they were out in deeper water waiting for the tide to come in. Got a sack of sand to fill another yoga sandbag. Then over to the general store at the marina for an Island Packet newspaper. The boats were all sitting in the gray mud. From there, back to the villa for breakfast. This early morning beach walk has become routine for me and it's amazingly restorative. At times like these, I find myself dreaming of visiting beaches somewhere else in the world - maybe Greece? Jamaica is more likely, but who knows? Being somewhere other than at home is truly restorative for me - a wonderful recharging of my batteries occurs. I hope each of you finds some of this happening to you this summer - a recharging of you batteries.

A Day of Just Being at Hlton Head

Today I finally got to the beach about 8:30 this morning for two hours of sunning here in Shipyard. By the time I left, there were no parking spaces left, except the one I vacated which was filled immediately. Have had a lovely quiet time reading and napping and just being. Tried to rent a bike, but the company is out of bikes now. So, I'll go over to South Beach in Sea Pines and walk the beach late this afternoon. I love that place best since dolphins are in evidence in Calibogue Sound and fun to watch. The swimming is not so good - no lifeguards and quick dropoffs near the water's edge, but the walking is lovely since the crowds are not there. ----Kate brought me a book that I'm devouring - Clean is the title - all about cleaning out the body. I've begun trying some of the smoothie recipes and will tonight do a cold soup of avocado and pineapple. Hope to test quite a few more before I actually begin the cleansing process. This is the most informative book I've seen on this process. I highly recommend it to all my health nut friends. It's subtitle is The revolutionary program to restore the body's natural alibility to heal itslf. Healing myself is where I am right now, as many of you know. So far, it's going very well! Dr. Biddle has steered me in some very helpful directions.

Hilton Head in Review - mostly food talk

Here it is Saturday already and the last full day with Luke and Susan's family. Jim's daughter Kate came over last night and spent some time with us today before heading over to the farm. She and I had a good walk and talk on the beach at South Beach and then joined the rest for lunch at Salty Dog. Here's a photo of the three women - me, Susan, and Kate. One of our fun activities this week has been puzzles. Here's Susan and Luke finishing up the second one last night. And Luke cooking Low Country Boil (Frogmore Stew) for supper last night - SUPER FOOD! And finally, Luke's family at Roasted Fish and Cornbread where we ate supper Thursday evening. Time for my bike ride now before I go pick up the folks and bring them home from the beach. (Parking is very limited there.)