Memorial and first AT video

It always surprises me how long it takes to just get the necessaries of life done. I'm not sure how I did it all when I worked and raised children.

We opted to pack a picnic and hike the Beaver Slough Nature Trail in North Pole with the Pilons. The kids were their usual delightful selves and we enjoyed the 80 degree weather, hoagies and Cherry Cream soda and good company on this Memorial Day.

There was an interesting spot on NPR yesterday about the PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) from WWII veterans. When they returned from war damaged, people just said, "he was never quite the same after the war" and that was it. How can young people experience the horrors of war and not be effected. I think the children that live in war zones probably suffer PTSD all their lives.

In our efforts not to gain back our weight (we each lost about 17% of our original body weight), we had salmon, salad and cantaloupe for supper. Good and plenty. How long can we keep from gaining weight? Only time and the scale will tell!

Paul moved the pop-up to the driveway where he could work on the wiring while I downloaded pictures to the computer. Clothes on the line, bike tires aired up, lunch date lined up with retiring friend, life is good.

I think we might join the Fairbanks Area Hiking Club tomorrow night for a short hike on Skyline Dr. My muscles still hurt and I'm tired all the time, but I can't just sit here. Hopefully the doctor will have some answers for me.

One story I forgot to mention on my trailjournals page was when I shopped in Adkins, Virginia in borrowed pajamas (all our clothes were being washed). We were resupplying at the Redneck Grocers (name changed to protect the innocent) and I couldn't find the summer sausage. It made a great addition to our protein supply since it kept without refrigeration. Finally I asked a clerk. "Well!" she said, sighing like I was not very bright. "That's a seasonal item, so check back in a few weeks". Had I been thinking, I would have asked for the winter sausage.

As promised, I'll be posting some of Paul's Appalachian Trail videos on this blog since the trailjournals.com site doesn't post direct. Enjoy.

This video was taken out the front of the shelter by Paul during one of the worst storms we encountered. We almost didn't leave the shelter that day until the Chicago Girls came by about 11 am and told us that the wind and rain were the worst right there. We packed up and got out of there- hiking through the Grayson Highlands. Turns out they were wrong- it got worse, but we were glad to be moving.