The Universe is Conspiring

My last post was about when I decided to do the Camino de Santiago; this one is about the universe telling me it’s the right choice.

Yep. Google image of Magic 8 Ball.

There are several different Facebook groups about the Camino: for slow walkers, for women, for Americans, for people who do long hikes - you get the idea. Any and all questions are asked and answered. I'm usually a quiet lurker, but I had a question that I couldn’t find the answer to, namely what to do with my US passport, drivers license, stash of euros (not just daily amount), credit/debit card - all the things you just can’t lose. I got all kinds of answers from a security pouch you wear around your neck, money belt, pickpocket-proof pants, fannypack, crossbody bag, sleep with it under your pillow, sleep with it at the bottom of your sleeping bag, put it in a ziplock and bring it into the shower, you get the idea. But the best thing was that one of the respondents noticed I was from Omaha, and SHE is  from Omaha and had walked the Camino the year before, and maybe did I want to meet and chat? I couldn’t say yes fast enough! Kathy sounds as organized as I am (maybe even more so) and generously shared all her files with me: packing list, alberques, distances walked, immunizations to get, travel insurance info, etc. I have had some questions since then and she has answered 'em all. It's so nice to make new friends at my age. And her pictures! I will be having my own to share in six months, but hers were beautiful!

Then for Christmas, Dwight gave me a neck pillow that he had seen that he thought would be good for a trans-Atlantic flight, along my very own headlamp in case we want to start out early in the morning to beat the heat. So incredibly thoughtful, and I don't feel like a dork at all.

Next, my sister and brother-in-law came to my mother-in-law's funeral in North Dakota at the end of December (because nothing says vacation like a funeral and -37 degrees.) I was in their room and got a beautiful gift from Tom. This guy:

St. James the Greater and some Buddhas - because everyone can use a little serenity

He had given one to Jeanie as well, since we'll be visiting the remains of Saint James at the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. And he told me to quit calling it it an action figure. Seriously though, it is one of the most thoughtful gifts I’ve ever received.

Next: I have been having some pretty severe hip pain since the middle of December, so much so that I tried to not let the kids see me walk upstairs when everyone was home at Christmas because I didn’t want to alarm them. I couldn’t hide the limp though - if you're old enough to remember the TV show The Real McCoys, picture Walter Brennan as Grandpa and you get the picture. After several weeks of this I went to see a good hip guy, and when my X-rays were “unremarkable” except for some mild arthritis, he prescribed PT. I asked him who he recommended and he said there are so many good therapists, just pick one close to me. Then he said, “Wait a minute,” pulled out his phone and wrote down the contact info for the guy who he said, “If he can’t fix you, nobody can.” That is the subject for a whole different post, though, so stay tuned!

I was walking around Lake Zorinsky on a gorgeous day about a month ago, wearing my pack for the first time that I’m taking on the trip. Two women stopped me and asked if I was training for something, since they were training for a three-day hike in Havasu. I explained what I was doing and one of the ladies said it was on her bucket list and was so excited to hear about it. What are the chances?!

Dwight snapped this unbeknownst to me. Figuring out how to tighten the straps.

Oh yeah

The last sign from the universe is quite literally a sign:

Follow the yellow arrows

I saw this on a walk in our neighborhood, and while I know they're just markings from the utility company for underground cables, yellow arrows (along with scallop shells) have been used for centuries to guide pilgrims on their Way to Santiago.

Buen Camino!
👣🚶‍♀️🎒