This photo was taken a few months back at the far side or the canal while (need I say it) Sam and I were on one of our walks. Since I have nothing to say at the moment (or the many previous moments), feel free to stare at it for as long as you like (or, if you'd rather, as long as you don't like. Your choice)...
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The rapidly rising temperatures have melted most of the snow from last weekend. And with the warmer air, a low fog has now settled over the river. This photo was taken at the far end of a park where Sam and I were walking earlier today.
Since the pandemic, I work out of home and rarely have to drive into the office. The other day, I had to drive about half way in there and while I don't miss the nearly one hour commute each way, I do kind of miss the scenery...
Of course, pretty as they are, I also don't miss sliding off the ice-glazed roads.
Sam and I walked through town at the end of yesterday's snow storm. Here are a few random photos...
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(Or rather, last year's total.)
Back here, I posted the total of how much walking Sam and I did together - both distance and time - over the course of 2022. (This, of course, didn't include the times I forgot to turn on my walking app.)
This year, we managed to do a bit better...
A couple of things about this.
First of all, for some reason we slacked off a bit in December. Not sure why this was, given that it was all of a month ago, but I assume it wasn't the cold. I'm pretty sure January was cold too but we somehow managed to walk substantially more.
But the main thing I think about is, with a few exceptions, this represents time that Sam and I spend one-on-one together And that's only with walking.
This doesn't take into account the times we run errands together or do cooking projects together or fold laundry together or go to his support groups together or any of the other one-on-one activities I happen to be blanking on at the moment. This is just our time walking together.
Six hundred and fifty-five hours for the year works out to a little over twelve and a half hours a week - or - one and three quarters hours per day.
That's a lot of time - all of which I thoroughly enjoy. But I also worry (naturally).
I hope I'll be around for a good long time but I worry the hole it will leave in Sam's life when I'm no longer around (not that I'm any great shakes - but still).
I work a lot on trying to get support in various places in Sam's life - his (Godsend of a) job, social groups, support agencies, etc., but that's a lot of time to fill.
For now though, we'll do our best and keep working on it all. And while we still can, we'll keep on walking.
...from years ago.
I tend to cycle through music... repeating over and over my limited interests. Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler, George Harrison, Gordon Lightfoot and on and on and over and over.
This song by Dire Straits came out in 1985 and I listened to it often way back then. And I listened to it often again a few years later when I would drive around and explore and run errands with the kids.
When I listen now, my happy memories are tempered with a wistful sadness of days gone by... perfect for the start of yet another year...
