Hiya Sir Phil

It’s been a while, I thought I’d send you through a TGIF with an update of my incredible life. I know it is only Monday (Tuesday here in Australia) so feel free to use it anytime you like.

Maggie from the 6 ways to Santiago Camino Doco has asked me to blog for them, I am so honoured.

Photo attached of me on my new balcony, in my new chair in Sydney.

I hope all is well with you? What is your facetime # or your skype address? then I can call you sometime.

Love you, Cherry xxx

I have moved to the Big Smoke, Sydney. I’m so stoked to be here. This city has everything you could ever want and so much more. I have city views from my balcony which sees the sun all day. I can walk to the beach or the city in less than an hour. I can ride my push bike through the parks and discover new neighbourhoods with cute cafes, bars and any kind of cuisine you taste buds desire.
The initial reason for coming here was to house sit for my very dear friend Anita. After hearing me rave about Camino de Santiago, she booked 7 weeks holidays from her job and within a month was in St John Pied de Port to start off on the Way.

Now that I am here, I think I’ll stay on even after my pilgrim friend returns. I can’t get enough of the energy and opportunity and excitement of being here. I was in a bar the other night enjoying $3 tacos and beers. Everywhere I looked all I could see was beautiful people. Beautiful people of all different shapes, sizes, styles, races, cultures and genders. I felt so exhilarated to be surrounded by such diversity, it was truly beautiful.

But I do know for me that nothing is ever permanent. Who knows if I’ll still be here at the end of the year. And that doesn’t matter anyway because I am living in the now and the now is wonderful and the now is here and I love Sydney.

(In reality no two two persons could be more unalike than My Cherry and myself but we share a certain enthusiasm and loyality that draws us close.  Here is one of Annie’s definitions of love that could apply equally  to the both of us:

“Love is when

you tell a guy you love his shirt ,

then he wears it everyday.”

Noelle

age 7

Hey, thanks for the day off Cherry.  And that’s the way it is on the fifteenth of May in the year of Our Lord 2015.  You are always with me, Sir Phil.) (Perfect!)

I am sitting here inspired by certain individuals in my neighborhood.  People that I know and love and who live nearby maybe or maybe I just heard about them and they are half way around the world.   I am stretching the defination of neighborhood here.  But what is important is the notion that there are amazing things going on in the world.  There are amazing people doing amazing things.

They are quietly inspiring me to carry on when I’m not red hot.  Some people have such amazing projects or challenges or sketchy outlooks that make my personal trail seem simple and straight forward.  I can look at what they are up to and say too myself, “Come  on get moving you lardbutt!”

I guess this morning I am in the “soaking in” mode.  Don’t we have to bring in the good stuff and internalize it and digest it.  Maybe combine some things that seem to fit together.  Maybe put our personal spin on it and then it is ready to try out on our friends.  Then they bat it around for a while and we work with it some more.  Then finally, hopefully, we have something useful to contribute to what is going on in the neighborhood.

I am going out to lunch today with a woman who has always amazed me.  She has and has had huge challenges that she has gotten under control and moves on to help others, lots of others.  How can one person do that and still have a good hair day, right?  I better go and ask a few leading questions and then just shut up and really listen.

My life seems so filled with incredible personalities these days.   Did I finally know what to look for and seeked them out?  Did some seek me out?  Were they always there around me and I didn’t  know what I was looking at?  Are there more now than there used to be?  Ah, I’ll just try and soak it it in for now and that will be enough, Felipe.

That’s a quote from yesterday’s post from Catherine describing their state in Santiago.   She has a way with words, doesn’t she?   It perfectly covers that pilgrim state of mind.  Thank you Catherine.  She and Dana will be back in the neighborhood in a few weeks.  It will be fun to do the debrief over wine and tapas at the ranch here.   Safe travels, you two.

The other thing to talk about is a radical schedule change.  My treatment schedule at the hospital will be changing starting the end of May.  This will mean that my whole personal timing will be different.  The walking  schedule for Phil’s Camino will be shifting.  Maybe that would be a good thing to figure out right now and announce.   Also, let’s just say that this new setup will be on a trial run and subject to change but it looks pretty good to me at the moment.

Monday May 25 0900-1000

Tuesday May 26 1600-1700

Thursday May 28 0900-1000

Sunday May 31 1000-1100

Well, I have to gather up my plans for the day and get things moving.  I need to get off the red leather Spanish couch and get out to the corn field and see what my little corns are doing.  Then off to work.

OK, love all you talented, loving, thoughtful, smart, courageous, humorous, beautiful, passionate, tireless (did I leave anything out?) friends.   According to Juan I am the milkweed and youall are the beautiful butterflies coming in so we can be together.  Nice image.  Hugs and kisses, Felipe.

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.