This morning I officially begin my 2017 "Walk in the Woods."  I will be taking a tromp around Lake Geode and, perhaps, dipping my trusty kayak in for a paddle when I'm done walking.  I say "perhaps" because I seem to have difficulty lately staying on task....my mind wanders....my body follows.  LOL  And so it has been with setting my goals for this years walk.

I turn 70 in January. Initially I planned to do a stretch of the Camino de Santiago to mark it.  But, as I began preparing, I soon discovered my creaky knees protested - LOUDLY - and it seemed that was probably too daunting a goal for this year. I think it will help if I take some weight off my ageing frame so:

Goal one for the coming year is a 7.0 pound weigh loss each month until I reach whatever seems real. I actually am not certain what that "number" will be, I'll know when I get there! But I'm pretty sure it will take me until my actual birthday! (Jan 11), or, perhaps, even Valentine's Day, or Easter! . :-)

Goal two is to spend at least 70 minutes a day for the rest of my life ACTIVE.  Now that may mean walking, biking, swimming, dancing....or who knows what activities I may undertake?!?!  I begin today by walking 70 minutes at the lake. Speed is not a factor!

Goal three is to exercise my mind.  I commit to yogo/ reading/poetry/writing/and "gaming" at least 70 minutes a day. This one should be easy. I probably already do this.  I commit though to stretching by reading more non fiction and writing more poetry!

Goal four is to "retreat from the world" at last once a week.  This might mean spending the entire day in my treehouse, reflection time at the Abbey on the Mississippi, maybe taking a short trip alone? Or simply building a bonfire and watching until the embers die. I' m certain that I will be very creative in designing my various "retreats.  At a minimum they will involved NO INTERNET.

Goal five is to explore another continent - Australia and New Zealand in Jan-March!

Goal six is to experiment with cooking -  new dish every week and have more dinner parties! (well, maybe not a party every week, but at least once a month.

So, is six goals enough for turning 70? Hmmmm. It seems it should be SEVEN, doesn't it? Maybe, or maybe I'll add another as the year marches on.......maybe walking the Camino next year?
Namaste,
Nancy

In 2012, as I  prepared to take a "65 Mile Walk in the Woods" to mark my turning 65,  that poem by Robert Frost came to mind.  I'm not certain if I thought it  symbolic of the way I chose to live my life (more and more so, the older I get); or if it was simply a reflection of my mild concern that while out there in the woods over the coming week that I might pick an unmarked path and end up lost in the woods! 

Now, five years later, as I approach the next decade, I had hoped to complete a leg of the Camino de Santiago across Spain. However, my old knees weren't accepting the necessary training, so I am postponing  that dream. Instead I chose to mark my approaching  70th birthday by taking yet another "walk in the woods" and perhaps turning it in to an Old Strong Woman's Mini Tri-Athlon!  One idea I had to do was to swim 0.7 miles; walk 17; and bike 70 -  all in one week. ( I know; I know - that's a lot less than trekking the camino, but....sigh.  But, this afternoon just as I'm beginning this blog, I keep returning to the idea of taking an extra long trek - like the camino - but, one where I can return to a safe place each night, to ice my knees, and sleep comfortably. 

I hope that some of my friends will chose to join me, for a day, or more on this adventure,and that many of my family and friends will chose to follow along on a virtually. Turning 70 should not just "happen." It must be celebrated!

Right now, I'm just now recovering from some recent travel, sandwiched with family visits -  all which I loved, but feel completely exhausted today. So, my "Old Strong Woman's Mini Tri-Athlon" - or my "Long Walk in the Woods"  won't begin for another week, or so. I need to rest up and catch up at home, and then I'll begin.  I'll keep you posted. 

Oh! And if I'm not on Facebook by October 1, please send a posse out to look for me! That would mean I took that "path less traveled by,"  and.....well, you know.