That’s my best answer when folks ask about the Camino. My map in the map show sparked some interest and I have gotten to talk with some folks that I haven’t seen for a while. That is really the best thing that I can say in a general way. I can answer specific questions but in an all around way, heck go do it for yourself. Go do it and have all the saints and angels work you over and then come back and I’ll ask you about it.

The Camino is the reason we are all here at this blog in the first place. I know sometimes we wander off topic a bit but after a while as Caminoness starts to saturate into different parts of one’s life it is hard to seperate this from that. So glad that this has all happened to me and you. And we continue walking, right? Santiago is just the very beginning. Yea, how was it Phil?

Only the best to you. Keep in touch, love, Felipe.

Tomorrow we have company coming from out of town. We have company a lot but this is my oldest friend from Buffalo my hometown. And not only Jim but his wife Gloria also. So we have been scurrying around things ready and shined up for them.

Gloria’s family is from western Spain somewhere near Santiago. We will be all over that with our reporting in the next few days. Hopefully the weather will be reasonable and cooperate as we have some outside stuff on the agenda. Plus indoor stuff like Belly Laugh Theater.

Why don’t you come and visit sometime. Really, what’s holding you up? Bring your hiking shoes because you know that we will be walking and talking along the Camino here.

Yes, and we have gotten past Pamplona here on Phil’s Camino as we have started our walk “across Spain” again. It’s really fun to revisit places and talk about this and that as memories present themselves. There are a lot less blisters at the pace we are going at also!

Well, the Seahawks just won as in Monday Night Football, one of the greatest inventions of Western Civilization. Rebecca should be back from choir here any minute. One of those evenings where you really start to notice the sun going down too soon.

OK, enough of this for now. Tomorrow is another day and I need some sleep. Take care and we have to live life like the Seahawks just played being gutsy and not worrying about the scoreboard. Play every second, love, Felipe.

It was a beautiful day today and I was inside the whole darn time. Annie asked me if I would draw up a map of northern Spain to use in the movie. Can I ever say no to Annie? Apparently not but you know, not a bad problem to have.

Last night my Rebecca and I made it down to one of the local art galleries that had an opener for a show that I had entered the Phil’s Camino map in. We had a fun time there and folks enjoyed the map and the wine and treats. Art is where you find it I guess.

I’m not feeling too bad. This is our bad weekend, funky weekend, Pyrenees weekend is my latest name for it. Just the low part of the chemo cycle. Jennifer is laying low with her new cat Olivia waiting to feel better. Just talked to her on the phone.

Nothing major going on just enjoying the fall I guess is the best way to put it. Maybe get Catherine and Dana and go fishing tomorrow. Well, have to check in on Father Marc and the angels first. For now the best to you, love, Felipe.

That’s from the disco song, I’m A Survivor, remember? Ancient history now but the line is sticking in my brain this AM. This could be my theme song lately.

Speaking of lately when our son Wiley was young, he’s twenty seven now, I asked him, “Have you washed your hands lately?” And he shot back,”Don’t call me Lately!” Hehe. Good man.

I am currently drawing up a pen and ink map of the Camino Frances to be used in the documentary. Fun, but another thing to do. Off to Seatle today to walk the Cancer Camino with Our Jennifer. Wanted to check in with Our Sister Joyce today but she is off on Church business. She is hard to keep up with. She’s 84 with all her life to live and all her love to give for sure.

Talked to Annie last night for an hour. Yea, catching up. One thing that I wanted to tell you about was this story about this guy in prison that created his Camino around the prison yard and is walking it. I need to talk with him!

Well, look I have one to many things to do today so I need to streamline everything to make it happen. Thinking of you, praying for you, love, Felipe.

Just to say that we. Had our first Belly Laugh Theatre last evening and it coincided beautifully with a party for Our Jennifer and her good news on the outcome of her scan. We kicked off the season with the showing of “Bringing Down the House” with Steve Martin, Queen Latifah and Eugene Levy. Yes, belly laugh for sure!

Our Jennifer, what a hostess. She ate her dinner, baked a apricot upside down cake and mixed gin and tonics in something like four minutes. I think there were five of us that showed up to enjoy the show.

So, we are off walking here in a few moments. We should reach Pamplona (city center) today, God willing. Let me repeat our current walking schedule to update you. Please come and be with us:
Monday 9-10, Tuesday 4-5, Thursday 9-10 and Sunday 4-5.
If you are late just hang out and we will be around every 15 minutes to pick you up. Easy Peasy.

OK, off I go. Make it happen today. Love you, Felipe.

Jennifer’s scan went well is the great big happy news today. The first thing she said to me was, “I guess I’ll have to start making plans for my life.” She is kind of getting the idea that she will be around for a while longer. Nice. We are happy for her. Your prayers were awesome, thank you.

Short and sweet today on the blog post, reporting from the Cancer Camino here in Seattle. We are just about done with treatment for the day and will be out in the sunshine momentarily. Thanks for being with us, love, Felipe.

I received an email from Moira a friend of Our Jennifer’s, actually it was addressed to both of us. And she was telling us about this friend of hers that lives up in Victoria, BC, Canada and who for the last ten years has spent three months each year working in an orphanage in India. But this year she is doing something different, walking the Camino de Santiago. She started on September 25th in France and plans on being in Santiago on November 1st, her 80th birthday!

We will think of her and pray for her as she makes her way across the autumn landscape of Northern Spain. We think of her and pray that her near eighty year old body moves lightly over the paths, roads and trails. We think of her and pray she has companions both young and ancient that buoy her up in the hard spots. Bless you dear as you walk towards your birthday celebration, awesome!

And Our Jennifer is off to the hospital today walking her Cancer Camino to get a scan of her insides. We are back there tomorrow for our chemo treatment and she will also get her interpretation of the scan from Dr Gold. Leading up to this meeting is the peak time of anxiety.

We will think of Our Jennifer and pray for strength for her to face the facts as they come in to her. We will think and pray that she will keep the big picture in mind as much as possible as she moves across this strange landscape. We think and pray that the realization that Saints and Angels are walking with her always is always fresh in her mind. Bless you dear one.

Ah, it’s a weeping blog post today, the best kind really. Deep feelings come to the surface at these times and we let them massage our being. Always good, love, Felipe.

Very eerie looking vision in the night sky last evening. I can see why it was probably a big deal back in the day but still intriguing for us twenty first century sophisticates. Catherine had called the ranch and excitedly wanted us to come up to the corner to get a good view. There were a bunch of our neighbors assembled. Binoculars were being passed around and kids ran around between the adults. Nice little impromptu gathering. We finally started to freeze and headed back to the wood stove and apple pie dessert.

As long as we are talking pie I have to say that I am pretty proud of that particular apple pie which I made for My Rebecca’s birthday “cake” with technical assistance from our Jennifer. The second pie baking adventure of my life, yea, a significant event. Well, I cheated a little with a prefab crust but still.

And while I was cruising for a recipe in the Joy of Cooking (24th printing, August 1981) I came across a recipe for beaver tail. Yea, so I thought you need to know about that just in case of some random survival situation. It might come in handy. Well maybe not in the middle of L.A., Miami or Madrid but you guys out in Iowa and the like listen up:
Beaver Tail – To Indians and settlers alike, this portion of the animal was considered the greatest. Hold over open flame until rough skin blisters. (It doesn’t say this but the critter needs to be dead to accomplish this step gracefully.) Remove from heat. When cool, peel off skin. Roast over coals or simmer until cool. (See, easy peasy gang.)

Well, see you don’t get this kind of valuable info on the average blog but I know that is why you are here already. So, here we go into another big day. Fishing this afternoon with Catherine y Dana after the elusive silver salmon. OK, make the best of the day, love you, Felipe.

Just got back from Mass, beautiful Mass. It is always a joy but this morning I have to admit I got to daydreaming during Father Marc’s homily. It wasn’t that it wasn’t a wonderful talk, it was as usual I am sure. I always get something out of it to take with me. Sometimes it is the main idea that he is trying to leave us with and sometimes it is a quote or notion that is sort of a byproduct that will be memorable. Something good always happens.

Catherine and I have been driving in together and sitting together for a while now and lately we have been trying different pews searching for better acoustics. Can we find a spot that will give us a clearer audio? I’ve listened to too many power tools singing and too many rifles barking to have good hearing anymore so we were looking for a little help on that.

We must have chosen a bad spot for I lost track of Father Marc and looking up into the cavernous space above us I began exploring the architectural features high up there, the skylights, the high windows, the rafters, the trusses. The spaces between things started to look important. Imaginary angels, in all their glory, started to fill these spaces. They were were sort of lounging but alert taking in Father Marc’s message even if I was AWOL. Nice.

So that is what I took home with me. Gold is where you find it, right?Alperfect once again, love you, Felipe.

Big trouble in Madrid! The Angels together again cooking up their own brand of mischief. Hopefully the Princess can pull in the reigns on the situation before things get out of hand. The Pope may be in NYC but we have the Angels in Madrid! Awesome.