Dearest Ones,

We are still in a state of tender wonder and enormous gratitude for the last 36 days.

We arrived in Santiago yesterday (Sunday) in time for the Pilgrim’s Mass at noon.

We slipped quietly out of our hostel around 6:00 AM; the moon was up and we found some coffee before leaving our town (13 miles outside of Santiago). After coffee we discovered a thick fog had descended obscuring the moon and turning the street lights into eerie globes of misty orange. (Our first day crossing the Pyrenees was heavy in fog – how perfect that our last would be the same). Not far out of town we entered a dark eucalyptus forest. Just us and a couple from Brazil finding our way marks by I phone flashlight and another baby size flashlight that Dana found a few days earlier. I think we are bonded to those sweet Brazilians for life. It felt like a true adventure – so eerie. Eventually morning came but the fog never lifted and we walked into Santiago unable to see it’s famous Cathedral spires until we were standing right beneath them.

Mass was incredibly moving – high and solemn: organ music, a nun who sang with the voice of an angel. Standing room only (there are seats for 1,000) a cardinal from Manilla was visiting and some award was given to a Filipino man all of which is to say we were privileged to see the famous giant incense burner swing. It takes 6 attendants to heave-hoe it aloft and back and forth. It was absolutely stunning to witness and such a surprise. (They only perform the ritual once a week now on Fridays, so we had let go of the hope of seeing it swing long ago.) The Cardinal said a few things in English to us Pilgrims in attendance. The Camino is not a destination or a place, rather it is a way of life. “Gracias, gracias, gracias.” The final gracias a whisper. To live our lives in loving gratitude, that is the way of St. James.

When the many priests filed out after Mass we recognized our pilgrim friend John, from Boston. Dana dubbed him UCP (under cover priest) he looked great in his white vestments and broke ranks for a quick hug. He’s a great fun man and we were delighted to see him one last time.

After church we celebrated with others with whom we had walked. By bed time we were utterly exhausted and so full of heart. What a trip.

We’re bussing part way out to the coast, then walking a bit and looking forward to just resting by the see before we begin traveling toward home on the 17th.

Thank you each so much for holding us, we could not have made it without you.

With all our love and gratitude.
Catherine y Dana

THE END ( ah, and a new beginning. xo)

(This is so moving, tears are streaming down.  Thank you for being so faithful in the reporting of your journey keeping us in mind.  Safe travels, till we meet again.  Oh yes, the wine is chilling, Felipe.)

It was about this time last year when My Rebecca and I found out that my Mother had squirreled away a bank account before she died in 1999 that we didn’t know about.   It was significant in amount and timely in delivery.   It changed my life.   I had been blissfully walking Phil’s Camino without a thought of anything else.  Although Dr Zucker at Swedish Hospital always talked to me as if I were going to Spain the next week.    And I kept saying in response that I had no time and no money, how was I going to go?   But my Mother solved half of that.  So, thank you Mom.

It was only later in life that I really appreciated my Mother for all the things that she was able to do for our family.   Of course, that is only normal.  And it is only after her death that I have come to appreciate other things that were just as important but maybe more subtle that she did.  Maybe it took me being mature to understand the things that she did in her maturity.  Anyway, the older I get the more I understand.   And too bad that I didn’t get this earlier.   So, thank you Mom.

So, I guess what I am writing to you about today is to get with it and think, understand and appreciate your Mother.   Maybe tomorrow one of you won’t be around, perhaps.   Maybe it is time to say thanks while the opportunity is available.   Just a thought.

My mommy loves me
More than anybody .
You don’t see anyone else
Kissing me to sleep at night.’
Clare – age 6

love you, Felipe – aged 67

Dear Family and Friends,

There are many ways to walk the Camino. Carry your pack, send it by taxi, maybe find a sweet and sure footed burro to take the load.

We are just two days walk now from Santiago. The number of pilgrims on the way has increased exponentially since Sarria (three days back). Sarria is the last beginning place one can enter the Camino and qualify for the “Compostela”, the document that certifies your walk. We welcome the new folks so fresh of legs and clean clothes, but miss the long miles of solitude we enjoyed before they joined us. On our very first day crossing the Pyrenees with Kate and Mark we saw only one other pilgrim. Now, over a hundred or more walk with us daily.

Galicia is rural and green and wet! On Monday we walked in an absolute gale all day – driving rain and wind. At one point, soaked and cold we climbed up into an abandoned thatched roof structure made to hold hay and got out of the weather, had a snack, changed our socks and gave great thanks for simple shelter. It was perfect.

So here we are just two days out. We should arrive on Sunday in time for the noon Mass. We are already entertaining the idea of walking on to Finesterre (lands end) another 100 KM. After paying homage to our Christian tradition, why not our Pagan Celtic one as well. In Finestere you reach the ocean and the altar to the sun and 0.0 KM mile post. One can simply walk westward no further. We’ll see – our legs are very tired, but we’ve gotten used to it, and a dip in the ocean seems a fitting ending to this grand journey.

Each of you has been remembered in our thoughts and prayers, many times, and you may never know how much your thoughts and prayers and love for us has carried us (better than the sure footed burro)

Muchas Gracias, we love you.
Catherine y Dana

How can it be? We are outside of Para del Rais. It’s raining. Joined the river of pilgrims out of Sarria. The mountains were glorious. Pink heather to white- hard work. All good. Three days to Santiago- then Finesterre God willing. Much love, Dana and Catherine

I love tapas if you haven’t noticed.  Well, it’s more tapa time.  Time to unwind.  Time to be with those who help you unwind.  It seems if I can just get to tapas I’ll be good.

I got a while to go yet.  Right now in the waiting room at the hospital.  Waiting to get my portable pump taken off as it will be empty and beeping any second.   Then I will be back on the road to Vashon and tapas.

OK, back to the Spanish couch with everything complete.  I’m bushed really.  Tomorrow’s another day huh?  I just peeked at the corn and more is up.  Take care for now,  love, Felipe.

Yes sireee Bob, had my good news yesterday.  This was the report on my scan of cancer sites in my body.  Everything there remains stable so there is no change in treatment.  We seem to be doing all the right things, nothing is growing or moving around.  Yea, now I can relax for another three months.

So, are you having some good news out there in the blogosphere?  Don’t forget Mother’s Day is Sunday, at least in the States.  You don’t want to forget that or that will be bad news for you.  Just a friendly reminder.

This is in regard to what we were talking about yesterday in the hospital waiting room.  Was searching for a commando pic on the web but didn’t come up with anything appropriate.  Too much weaponry, or too sexy, or just too.  A commando is “too” by defination but it is different and more than all that garbage.  More than half of it lies between the ears in terms of honesty, smarts, bravery, creativity and endurance.  It used to be known as woodcraft.  That’s what we are looking for, the rest we can be learned.  You got what it takes camper?

What is the enemy?   It is anything that robs us, you and me, of the joy that we were meant to receive today.  We are looking for the full meal deal around here.

Nine o’clock and I need to go.  It’s all going on out there: the good, the bad and the old ugly.  Navigate through it till me meet again.  Commando loves, Felipe.

What could be better.  Just time to write to you.  I’m in the waiting room with other cancer patients, some might be cancer campers, I’m not sure.  I came up with this term a few days ago.  A patient is someone who is just that, defined and situated.  A stump could do that.  A rock could do that.  Campers are those who achieve some sort of peace and are active with copping with the situation.  As a camper maybe sunburned and bugbit but happy and mostly on top of it.  That’s a good place.

Lately I have been chafing at the boundary of this category.  What’s next?  How can I make a difference or how can I cause some trouble or how can I help others?  (Somebody just said something funny and made me laugh, that’s good.)  I came up with the term commando to describe this next level.  I’m liking it, Cancer Commando.   Here is a defination of cammando: a small group of soldiers trained to make quick and often dangerous attacks inside enemy areas, or a member of such a group.   Yea, we could do that.

I have to go for treatment in just a sec and need to do stuff and answer questions, so I’d better wrap this up.  Oh we need our kid’s defination of love for today.

You really shouldn’t say

‘I love you’ unless you mean it.

But if you mean it,

You should say it a lot.  People forget.

Jessica – age 8

Well, that’s really not a defination but we will let her go this time.  OK, have to run.  You guys are the best, love, Felipe.  Did I mention that I love you.

It just says cancer in big bold black letters on a white background that are slowly washing away with the elements.  It has no subtitle or explanation.  So, maybe the big word CANCER melting away slowly is the message.   OK, I’ll take that.

Got my scan today to see if my cancer is melting away or what?  Results coming tomorrow.  In the mean time, let’s talk about something else.  Ooh, have to go pick some rhubarb for one of the nurses before I forget.  Got to keep my nurses happy, no two ways about it.

Nurses, the forgotten heroes, right?  Man they are really there for me.  Checking and double checking things to make sure everything is right.  There is no way to thank them enough.

OK, it’s that magic time again to bring out one of Annie’s kid definitions of love.  Let me see…

Love is when a girl puts on perfume
And a boy puts on shaving cologne
And they go out and smell each other.’
Karl – age 5

Yea, that’s pretty close Karl.  Why don’t we see how close we can come to the important things around us?  Yup, Felipe.

Yea, I was going to say some other half way deal but we have Fathers and Sisters reading this quality blog site so…  And why are we so fully baked then?  We are up every single day, rain or shine for one.  Two, we have so many incredibly smart, talented, witty and upright people firing in comments from all around the globe.  Three, we have info and pics direct from the Camino de Santiago.  Four, we have reports about other walks in other places.  Five, we have news from Phil’s Camino on how to have a real live do it yourself Camino experience.  Oh, and six, no gluten, no dead dolphins or high fructose corn syrup either in our ingredients.

Tomorrow I am off to Swedish Hospital in the morning to do a scan.  And then Tuesday along with my treatment I have a meeting with my oncologist to discuss the scan results.    This is always tricky keeping calm for this meeting.  Then Thurday I meet with my other doc to keep my head straight.  I got a big week.

And Annie emailed, what looked like something “cute”, with the disclaimer that she usually doesn’t do this but…  But, this is good and I am going to get it to you a little at a time.  They are definitions of love by four through eight year olds.  So here we go with the first one and you get another tomorrow.  So, maybe not a bad thing to read at tapas.

Touching words from the mouth of babes..
‘When someone loves you , the
Way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name
Is safe in their mouth.’

Billy – age 4

OK, another high quality post.  How do they do it?  Will be with you again tomorrow loves, Felipe.

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I am on the red Spanish couch stretched out and maybe will take a nap if I don’t watch it.  The full moon is coming on and I had trouble sleeping last night.  But I have so much to do today that I need to Write to you and then get outside.

And while I am here thinking of what to write I hear a hummingbird’s call because the front door is open right next to me.  It is a very distinctive sound and you can’t mistake it.    It is beautiful in it’s own way.

And thinking about things beautiful I remembered something that I learned on the Camino.  So, if things Godly are good, true and beautiful then it is good to hang around such things.  I can remember in Spain staring at things beautiful and thinking that for instance if I looked upon a beautiful cloud for ten seconds that was better than looking at it for nine seconds.    It had never occured to me before to just savor things in a quantitative way like that.   To soak them in for as long as possible.  Or maybe to be in their presence for as long as possible.

Well, that is enough of a thought for one day.  I am going to get outside and do some soaking of the beauty that is Vashon Island in the sunshine.   Have to water my little sunflower seeds, no letting them dry out!  Ok you all, time to go, beautiful cloud loves, Felipe.