OK, made it through my treatment week and my Pyrenees weekend. This is part of the grind of chemotherapy that needs attention, no way around it. But here I am on the start of my “off” week, hurray! Big week starting this afternoon with archery camp. We have eleven kids, eight to twelve years old every afternoon for the week. This is part of Kid’s Camp at the Vashon Sportsmen’s Club.

I am so fortunate that I have my son Wiley available to help me with this. He is a terrific archer, better than he knows and way better than me. And just in general whenever we have time together it is a good thing.

I had an hour with Sister Joyce yesterday. What a blessing she is. She retired here the first of this month. But she never quits, like the Energizer Bunny. She is just moving from one office to another is all the difference I’m seeing. Retire isn’t in her toolbox really.

Then we have Reverend Bonnie Barnard in for the coming weekend to spend a few days with us and preach at Burton Community Church. This is Festival Weekend too when Vashon will be hopping with tourists. Most of the locals hide out for this one.

Well, that’s what it looks like from here at 8 AM. Best to you on this week.
Alperfect all the time, love, Felipe.

We are moving along here at Phil’s Camino and 14 km west of the city of Leon. Our summer has been wetter than normal and the trail is in great shape. Most years by this time the area starts to look brown and burnt from the lack of rain but not so now.

Come and walk with us. If you don’t know where we are located, comment on this post and I can talk you in via email. Here is the schedule:

Monday 0900-1000
Tuesday 1600-1700
Thursday 0900-1000
Sunday 1600-1700

Yup, it’s all easy peasy, love, Felipe.x

We will be walking under unsure skies later today at 1600. The Camino calls. Two small groups are coming to be with us. How great that we get to do this. How great that the Camino calls.

It was our second Sunday with Father David at the helm at St John Vianney’s this morning. The padre preached on the Good Samaritan theme. Who is our neighbor and how do we relate to him/her? He talked a lot about Mr. Rogers of TV fame. Maybe someone doesn’t know who he was. He had a show for years and years geared toward kid’s that stressed respect toward one’s self and one’s neighbor. Matter of fact the show was called Mr Roger’s Neighborhood. Fred Roger’s was a Presbyterian Minister and this was his calling.

Wimbledon tennis is on the Tube, speaking of Television. Prince Somebody is there watching in the stands. Sorry, I should know who that is. But the important thing is that they are playing doubles which really looks like fun. Maybe if I come back in another life I could do that, just a thought.

OK, need to keep moving. You are the best! Love, Felipe.

It’s Saturday and who doesn’t have a lot to do on their list, including me. This that and the other thing and they all seem important. But last night I received a phone call that gave me the news that my closest cousin had just passed away. It’s taken the wind out of my sails.

Just had an email in from Commando Bill and he has received a similar message with the news of a death of a friend. Let me quote Bill,”this stuff shakes up the normalcy of life pretty much.” Yea.

Will be back to you tomorrow, love, Felipe.

What fun! A little different scene today. My portable pump had a malfunction four hours before the contents were supposed to run out so I came in early. Now I sit waiting to see what Dr Gold wants to do. And the best part is the ambience that I brought along. I’m always bringing in treats for the staff. Got strawberries today and pound of them are setting on the little table next to me and they are smelling up the place, how wonderful!

What else is happening here? Well I occasionally steal a magazine from the waiting room and today I brought one back. Wednesday I took a National Geographic and today I brought a Western Washington Destination magazine that was free on the ferry. I no longer set it down than a lady snatched it up and said to her husband, look how great is this. So, obviously I could help spruce up the waiting room with some better reading.

Well, that mag did have the dates wrong for the Port Townsend Film Festival. The dates for 2016 off the website are September 23-25. Start planning now. OK, nappy time, love, Felipe.x

Thursday today, the day in between my hospital appointments. Had fun yesterday at my all dayer. Had fun yesterday mainly because I met Harry. I broke in on a conversation between him and his daughter when they were talking Vashon. Then we laughed and giggled through the afternoon till I had to go sit in the corner. No, that didn’t happen, the corner thing, but it is always hanging over my head. Sometimes we are too loud, like the Italians on the Camino. In some places they give you an award for enthusiasm I hear.

Anyway, Harry has a Vashon connection and I expect to see him out here walking on on Phil’s Camino. He will be a good addition and we can talk as loud as we want. Speaking of which I am walking momentarily and I never know who will show up. Sometimes it’s a crowd and sometimes I’m with Mother Mary alone.

Alperfect all the time, love you, Felipe.x

Today is my big treatment day and made it to the waiting room with extra time. Never know how the traffic is going to go so I have to allow extra time. My Rebecca came in today with me.

The traffic being so light we didn’t have the opportunity to dawdle at the flower project along the freeway entrance, we just caught a glimpse of THE flower. Yea, and the good news is it is 10-12 inches high and looking like something! In another two weeks maybe there will be a bloom. Until then it is getting sunshine and above average rainfall on it’s little head.

So, it’s Jennifer’s flower really. And it is a statement in it’s amazing singularly. We threw, literally hundreds of flower seeds at those three mounds of soil. It is kind of a junkyard of gardens but stuff grows occasionally apparently. A little magic in the wasteland.

My name is going to be called any second now to go and talk to Dr Gold. Have a great day, make the most of it! Love, Felipe.

I was just running through Face Book this AM when I ran across this Word Press blog post that was interesting. It is about reentry into “normal” life after Camino. This is a topic that is talked about a lot among pilgrims. How to integrate new and old? How to make sense of what you experienced? How to put up with life back home? How to explain your journey to your spouse, partner, friends?

We all seem to come to grips with it eventually, which is a good thing but the way can be rocky. Anyway, maybe fire off a comment and we will talk about it more. I have a few thoughts on the subject as do you.

Jen’s Camino Blog

I off to my corn patch to try and catch up with weeding. Man I can grow some really great ones. Best to you on this Fifth of July, love, Felipe.

Just got in from the 0900 walk, under an overcast sky. Could shower occasionally today which would please the fire department on this Forth of July. This would have been a good day to walk in Spain, cloudy is merciful in July and August.

Had a nice visit from one of my old buddies yesterday. He was up here on a Seattle visit from Palm Springs. He caught Phil’s Camino there at the recent festival. So he was pumped about it and had to make it over to walk with me. Thanks Eric.

Well, you Americans, keep it safe today, don’t do nothing goofy with those fireworks. We’re not doing any personal explosives here at Raven Ranch, we got the horses which aren’t big on booms. Off to the harbor tonight to watch the professional show with friends who live done there at the water. We will be missing Our Jennifer who almost made this far. She made to last year’s Fourth and was there with us. Happy Trails Jennifer.

Good Bless America, as the song goes. And love you no matter where you are, Felipe.x

Hey, we made it to Leon this Thursday, me, Commando Bill and Maisie the Rhodesian Ridgeback. We caused quite a stir. And then Friday to Trobajo del Camino and then today to La Virgen del Camino.

So, come on down here and walk with us when you get a chance:

Monday 0900-1000
Tuesday 1600-1700
Thursday 0900-1000
Sunday 1600-1700

Happy Fourth, Love, Felipe.