Denny - Friday. We’d only been out on the trail a month when we took a short break at home, but the adjustment to “regular life” was something I hadn’t expected. It’s been both a surprising and rewarding two weeks for me – re-adjusting to “regular life.”
Being with family was the highlight of my time at home. Enjoying Trent’s graduation celebration, my quilting bees with Catherine, a spur of the moment pancake dinner with the kids (because that was all I had in the house), a perfectly timed visit from our Arizona crowd, a happy chaotic family dinner at a local buffet, getting three precious days of one-on-one time with our one-year-old granddaughter, and being in the Taylorsville Temple with all my siblings for Kim and Alan’s sealing. Family & Friends -- This is what life is all about!
The adjustment came into play with the crowded streets, deluge of signage everywhere I turned, the noise, and the what seemed to be ever present “aingst” of deciding what to do with my time! There were SO many choices!!!!
Out on the trail – there are really very few choices as to how to spend your time. There are certain things that need to be done in a certain order to make the day go smoothly and… if I do have leisure time – I can either read, write in my journal, call family/friends, or sleep. At home, there were a LOT of things competing for my time and it wasn’t always clear cut which things were most important. There was a lot of choosing and deciding how to spend my few days with family, projects that I’d started before the Trek, ubiquitous internet, no required number of miles to bike, and knowing I wasn’t “moving” the apartment every day so making sure everything was buttoned up and in its’ place wasn’t necessary.
I have gained a SMALL appreciation for the demands that were placed on the pioneer women. They didn’t have the luxury of hot water on demand, leaving dirty dishes in the sink until morning, letting clothing stay in the dryer until it was convenient to fold them, fancy water bottles that kept the water cold, or a closet of clothes to choose from every morning. Those women had things that HAD to be done, things that couldn’t be delayed or put off, a lot of them had to be done the day before in order for the next day to go as planned. The demands on their time merely to move down the trail were mandated – very little things to choose. They had to be highly organized and disciplined – this and after they had walked for more than half the day. No flopping in a nice recliner for a few minutes of “down time” for them.
I’m so grateful for our dear friends, Becky & Mark Woodbury for delivering me back to Kevin Friday and being good sports to join us for two weeks. It is going to be so wonderful to have them along!”
