W is for…

On April 27, 2016 By Widow BadassIn Bruce Trail Adventure, Health Transformation, The Great OutdoorsLeave a comment

…Walking.

Sometimes the simplest things are the best, you know?

What could be more simple than walking, for those who are able-bodied enough to do so?

You don’t even need to think about how to do it. You just think about where you need to go and magically your body takes you there!

Which is why walking meditation works so well. The act of walking is so automatic for those of us blessed with working legs that our minds can be freed up for other pursuits while we are walking.

The steady rhythm of walking puts me in a mental state that allows for deep thought (0r the distinct lack thereof, if I am trying to meditate). I often solve problems or come up with fresh plans while I am out walking.

My spirit is renewed by the sights, smells and sounds of nature. My body is energized by the deeper breathing involved in fast walking, and the upright posture that allows my lungs to inflate fully. My mind is rested by the beautiful scenery and the deliberate shutting down of inner chatter (when actively trying to meditate).

Walking can be done just about anywhere and needs no special equipment.

Walking is too often taken for granted by those of us who do it without thinking. Guilty, as charged.

Rejoice if you can walk!

Rock on and walk (mindfully) on,

The WB

V is for…

On April 26, 2016 By Widow BadassIn The Great Outdoors, UncategorizedLeave a comment

…Van.

Specifically a retro-style camping van.

Something like this:

hire-a-camper-van-isle-of-wight — VW Camper Van aka Hippie Van

Is what I am envisioning for adventuring with, in my retirement years.

And then sometimes I think I would rather have something like this:

I fell in love with the Airstream Bambi at a camping show this winter.

Thankfully retirement is still a few years away. Maybe by then someone will have come up with the perfect option for me. A VW van with the modern trimmings (A/C, bluetooth…for starters) or a Bambi with an induction stove and solar panels…Hey a girl can dream, can’t she?

Rock on,

The WB

T is for…

On April 23, 2016April 23, 2016 By Widow BadassIn Bruce Trail Adventure4 Comments

…Tired.

Another brilliant day and hike. Had a very hot soak in a tub with some Epsom salts and a healthy slug of cognac.

Now Mizz J is over and we are continuing our own personal James Bond Film Festival. Moonraker is cued up.

That is all.

Rock on,

The WB

Q is for…

On April 20, 2016May 12, 2016 By Widow BadassIn Bruce Trail Adventure, Health TransformationLeave a comment

…Quads (of steel!)

Quadricep muscles of steel are what I am trying to earn through all my physical activities of late. Also, hamstrings of steel, calves of steel, and – might as well put it out there: buns of steel – would be great too.

Between hiking up and down and all around the Niagara Escarpment for my Bruce Trail hikes, and my 5K Learn-to-Run class, I should be well on my way.

Developing my lower body in this way would be a nice complement to my ever-present upper back, shoulder and neck muscles of steel. You know the ones we modern humans get from being hunched over our electronic devices AND from carrying the troubles of the world on our shoulders …the ones I pay a registered massage therapist to ~~tenderize~~ ~~beat into submission~~ work on, on a monthly basis? Yeah, those.

If only I could learn to carry stress on my butt instead of my shoulders. I’m not saying it’s a Kardashian-worthy butt. There will be no champagne glasses resting comfortably back there any time soon. But there is junk in my trunk. Definitely enough to carry some stress back there instead of in my neck and shoulders, for some respite.

In the meantime, I will continue to forge me some legs of steel.

Rock on,

The WB

N is for…

On April 16, 2016 By Widow BadassIn Bruce Trail Adventure, The Great OutdoorsLeave a comment

…Niagara region of the Bruce Trail.

Today was Hike #6 of 8:

I have to say that I have been pleasantly surprised by the beauty of the area. I mean, before this, when I thought of Niagara I thought of the falls, of course, and Niagara-on-the-Lake, and figured the rest of it looked mainly like this:

Although it can be densely populated in areas, and we did walk through or look down on many suburban neighbourhoods, we also were in many wild areas, like this:

And this:

And we came upon many splendid waterfalls like this:

Ball's Falls. Notice the Canada Goose in the water at the edge of the falls. — Ball’s Falls. Notice the Canada Goose in the water at the edge of the falls. Also – sun’s out; guns out…hehehe.

What a badass bird. Casually grooming itself at the edge of peril.

Closeup of said badass fowl. Or is it a fowl badass?

Sign at Ball's Falls — Sign at Ball’s Falls

Two more Saturdays of hiking and Mizz J and I will have completed our end-to-end of the Niagara section of the trail. Someday I would like to come back and explore this area further.

Rock on,

The WB

K is for…

On April 13, 2016April 13, 2016 By Widow BadassIn See the Beauty, The Great OutdoorsLeave a comment

…Kayak!

Meet my beloved Pink Floyd, purchased last August:

P1010091 — First (and last) time on the town dock. Kayaks and docks – not a good combo. I quickly learned it was much better to launch and beach Floyd a little further away, on the riverbank itself. ‘Nuff said.

Floyd and I go out on the ironically named Speed River.

Does this look like a speedy river to you?

My August/September ritual was to get up on Sunday mornings, pack a light breakfast and make a travel mug of tea, and wheel Floyd down to the river for a leisurely paddle and nosh before it got too hot. We usually ended up here before turning around and heading back home:

After the Black Bridge, the water was too shallow, even for Floyd. — After the Black Bridge, the water got too shallow, even for Floyd.

Along the way, we would see things like this:

And this:

And this:

And this:

And of course, these:

I can’t think of a better way to spend a morning. Or an evening. Or a day.

Hard to believe all this beauty is in my "backyard". Pinch me! — Hard to believe all this peaceful beauty is in my “backyard”. Pinch me!

This spring I purchased Floyd a little “sister”, yet to named. A bright green tandem (two person) kayak. So friends and family can come onto the river with me, instead of having to listen to my raptures about how wonderful it is out there.

I am looking forward to my first full season of this wonderful activity.

Rock on,

The WB

H is for…

On April 9, 2016April 9, 2016 By Widow BadassIn Bruce Trail Adventure, Health Transformation, The Great Outdoors2 Comments

…Hiking! And Health, and Huffing & Puffing around Niagara region again today.

Behold:

Yet another waterfall. Stop. You're killin' me. — Yet another waterfall. Stop. You’re killin’ me.

Well, at least someone thinks it's actually spring! — Well, at least something thinks it’s actually spring!

Another great day hiking. Is there any other kind?

I continue to work towards becoming a healthier Badass. I recently got “fired” as a patient from the Secondary Stroke Prevention Clinic. They told me to begone and trouble them no more. Well, alrighty then! Happy to oblige. Dietitian said the same thing, basically.

Continuing to take my meds, with a high degree of petulance, eye-rolling and sighing thrown in. Blood pressure is good but I want to lose a lot more weight before I kick those pills to the curb.

Next weekend I am on the schedule for an overnight sleep clinic. Should provide good fodder for the blog. Just sayin’.

Did I mention I saw an Ear-Nose-Throat doc for a bump on my lip and he said I had a deviated septum? Will wonders (of finding new things wrong with my body) never cease.

That’s all for now, folks!

Rock on and walk on,

The WB

F is for…

On April 7, 2016 By Widow BadassIn Bruce Trail Adventure, The Great Outdoors2 Comments

…Falls!

Last Saturday’s hike (Short Hills parking lot to Decew House) was the most gorgeous yet. Although we were ankle deep in mud and sliding (and falling) all over the place at times, we did manage to come upon 3 – count ’em – 3 waterfalls during the course of 2.5 hours!

Forgot the name of this one. Terrace Falls? Falls #2 — Forgot the name of this one. Terrace Falls? AKA “Dry Falls” as that’s the condition it is usually found in. Falls #2

Falls #3 - by an old mill. Sorry, forgot this one too. — Falls #3 – by the Morningstar Mill.

I predict many more falls to come as we head north on the Bruce Trail. Er…I mean waterfalls…not literal falls. Hopefully.

Miss J and I as foreground to the beauty of the falls. — Mizz J and I as foreground to the beauty of the falls.

Mizz J and I invested in gaiters after this walk. This spring is proving to be cold and wet and I’d rather not put the Bruce through my washing machine every week, thank you very much.

Rock on and walk on,

The WB

B is for…

On April 2, 2016April 3, 2016 By Widow BadassIn See the Beauty, The Great Outdoors5 Comments

…Barbados!

About a year ago Mizz J and I were invited to one of her colleagues’ wedding, on the island of Barbados. Not a destination wedding per se, as both bride and groom are Bajan – born, but we were both stoked to be going there for this event. We booked our hotel and tickets last March, with additional travel plan cancellation insurance, because my mom was struggling with her health already at this point so we had no idea what the future might bring.

Well, Mom came to my place to die last October…and we still had no idea if this trip was ever going to happen. Mom made it clear that if her wishes were to be heard and considered she would either leave us before the trip or a few weeks after we got back. She did not want to mess with our travel plans!

On December 18 Mom got her wish and 2 weeks later to the day, Mizz J and I were in the air on New Year’s Day, flying south. We went with mixed feelings and a sense of duty – to Mom, who wanted so bad for us to still go no matter what, and to the bridal couple, who were expecting us. After spending January 2 attending the nuptials, we were free to relax and enjoy. So that is exactly what we did.

Here is where I could be found every day. — Here is where I could be found every day…

...reading books and looking at this (when not frolicking in it!) — …reading books and gazing at this (when not frolicking/swimming in it!)

Check out the beach hair! — Check out the beachy hair!

I did not feel at all like exploring the island – which was kinda unusual for me, but attributable to all that had gone before, I suppose. We did book a catamaran excursion online a few weeks back, to swim with sea turtles and go reef-snorkeling, so that was all I did other than walk down to Oistins for a nightly fish dinner, and relax under my favourite palm tree.

Pardon the crappy disposable underwater camera photo but this is one of the fellows we swam with. — Pardon the crappy disposable underwater camera photo. This is one of the beauties we all swam with.

I highly recommend one of these excursions, as does Mizz J! — And this is the beauty I personally swam with!

We were sorry to leave the island but are committed to making a return visit. I would love to make this an annual event. It’s a wonderful slice of heaven. The weather was perfect – hot and sunny, tempered by just the right amount of ocean breeze. The hotel we stayed at was just our style. Small, quiet, friendly, laid back. We would have no problem going back there.

Splurging on a Bajan ice cream on our last day. — Slurping up Bajan ice cream AND Bajan coffee on our last day. Thought we would change things up from rum punch and Banks Beer…hehehe!

Do you have a favourite tropical destination? Do tell.

Rock on,

The WB

A is for…

On April 1, 2016April 1, 2016 By Widow BadassIn Bruce Trail Adventure, Home Improvement, MBA7 Comments

…several things actually…Adventure, Attitude and being Alone.

Last year on April 1 I wrote about Adventure and this year the Adventure continues! Since last April I have gone through a few things including the palliative care and death of my mother…and a TIA. I have taken up recreational kayaking and I just purchased a second, two-seater kayak. I guess that means I now have a “fleet” of the durn things, hehehe. I visited Barbados for the first time (and hopefully not the last!). And I FINALLY completed my MBA studies. I recently started a new challenge – to hike the 885 Km Bruce Trail, section by section, in its entirety. Wonder what I will be writing about at this time next year?

Every year has 365 days, and those days pass whether we like it or not. Some people don’t like looking back but I find it very useful and gratifying…especially when I see that things I talked and dreamed about, like the Bruce Trail quest, are actually coming to pass.

Life is full of changes and surprises, not all welcomed. However the one thing – the only thing – we have complete control over is our attitude about life. And to be present for what life throws at us. Taking my mother into my home for the last 3 months of her life, to care for her and to give her the death at home she wanted, was not easy but I couldn’t imagine not doing it. It was an incredible experience to be present for. I was blessed to become reacquainted with my aunt and my 2 sisters as when they came to live with me and help out during this time. The special quiet times with my mother as her life wound down were also a gift and joy to all of us.

So now, everyone is back to their real lives, my mother is gone, and I am alone once again. At first my home seemed so much larger and emptier than it has ever been. Now I treasure my solitude once again. I understand that a lot of people can’t bear to be alone. That has never been my experience. I am often lonelier in a group than I have ever been by myself.

Feel free to comment with your thoughts about adventure, attitude or being alone. I look forward to reading them!

Rock on,

The WB