If you are going to Spain to walk one of the Caminos, fear not. The Way has been working for 1200 years, millions of people have walked before you, just start. Just start, St. Francis walked it 800 years ago, you will be walking in his foot steps. You will be walking in his footsteps so you can’t really get lost because insights are everywhere, just follow the setting sun. No one accomplishs anything significant without the help of God, just ask. Your journey is an investment in your soul, rise to the occasion!

I will pray for your success, just start. Love, Felipe.

We did it to everyone’s satisfaction and then some. Just want to report that our four visitors from Salt Lake are on their way back after having charmed us left, right and center. All in a day’s work for a bunch of scruffy pilgrims though, scruffy being a good thing. OK, bless you four for coming so far to be here with us. Buen Camino, Felipe.

Caminoheads from afar have descended on Raven Ranch bringing buckets and piles of their lovely energy. Just when we thought we had a lull between Thanksgiving and Christmas in come this gang, Tracy, Loretta, Erin and Erin’s husband Jeff. They are all friends of Annie’s, well who isn’t really. So we are walking and talking and partying hardy in between. Just alberguing down with cozy wood fires and tapas. Haven’t had this much fun since Mary Margaret came through maybe a year ago.

The weather is beautiful for Northwest late Fall. But do these guys care anyway? All of us sat out at the picnic table last evening with Catherine y Dana tapaing in the dark and the drizzle with candles and twinkle lights. Are there any conditions that Caminoheads can’t tapa?

They all rented a beach cabin on the harbor for two nights. Could see Orcas out the front window. There were some bunk beds and Tracy claimed one of those for old time sake. We will be there for dinner tonight. Maybe have a winter bonfire so can get them all smelling woodsmokey for the flight home.

It’s pretty much an alperfect situation here. Will be out hiking today working the the tapas off. There is a grove of giant cedars that we want to get to. Their giant roots go across the trail and you feel like a Hobbit scrambling over them. Feeling like a Hobbit, priceless.

OK, enough of this giddiness. Time for breakfast and getting ready for the Salt Lakers. They will be here at 0900. For my readers we will start our Advent celebration soon I promise. Thanks for being here readers, love you, Felipe.

Good friends of Annie’s are coming for a few days to grace us here and walk Phil’ls Camino. They are coming from Salt Lake and probably at the airport now. I find myself scurrying around trying to catch up on things to make these guests comfortable and welcome.

It is comforting to me, as I have my first coffee of the morning contempleting all the undone details of welcome ness on my “to do” list, when I think of something Annie said to me on her first visit here. Awaiting her my little mind was stuck in the “Annie is coming, Annie is coming!” mode as I scurried preparing.

One of the items on my long list was to find some big flat rocks to put down in Raven Creek so Annie could get across gracefully when she came to walk the next day. Yea, got it done and was pretty proud of it. So, the next day when we were making our way around the first time in the typical rain of early March we came up to the stepping stones setting above of the flowing water and Annie complimented the engineering by saying, “Oh, how Camino!”. I was flattered but followed by saying to be careful because I just placed the rocks and some of them may be a little shaky. And she quickly exclaimed, “Oh, how Camino!”.

That’s when I learned to relax and love Annie and better understand what being a Caminohead means. So, Caminoheads on the horizon, that’s the way it is with us. Ideally you will be reading this on the Wifi on the plane. Know that we will charm each other “just because” of who we have become and therefore “we can’t help ourselves” (another Annie) and my “to do” list will perhaps be little shakey. Welcome!

The ending to Monday Night Football was highly unlikely is how to describe it best. How in the heck could that have happened? But it did! Don’t ask me to explain it but know that you will see it thirty five times in the reruns coming this week.

But the point is that it is never too late. Four seconds can change everything. Just be present, right? Look for opportunities. Being present is equal to not giving up. The things you learn on Monday Night Football.

Boy, Our Catherine and Dana took a great trip east across the vast American Heartland. They decided to take the train back to Chicago and traveled on from there. Yea, none of those new fangled air machines for these Caminoheads. They did it the hard way, well with wine of course. Just wanted to pass on their pix before we all get swept up in the vast Christmas celebration coming up.

Well, the cheerful Catherine and Dana will be back here soon to liven up the neighborhood. Could use help tomorrow as folks are flying in from Salt Lake to walk Phil’s Camino. Action packed around here. Lovin you by the trainload, Felipe.