Like perhaps so many, I have a hard time assessing if an expense incurred, whether with aforethought or impulsively, was worth it. For example, impulsively, I signed onto Britbox streaming last fall. We watched maybe one show the whole year I kept that going. So -- not worth it. How about Babbel's French practice? Debatable. I bought a lifetime subscription and used it intensely. At the beginning. Now? Every few weeks. But here's one that I finally succumbed to after years of spending money on single song purchases for my music library: Apple Music. I signed on this summer after being impressed with my son-in-law's flipping of stations, playlists and programs. My standard playlist was long but played so often that it was getting really frayed around the edges. I needed an infusion of music, even if I rarely played it when Ed was around. So I purchased Apple monthly music streaming.
Better than any TV streaming! Better than my newspaper subscriptions (so depressing to read them each morning)! What a wealth of pleasure! I start the day with Apple's Joyful Classical and move from that to various lists put together by the ever intelligent streaming service, and I am set!
Breakfast? Surprisingly at the island again. I'm kind of getting fond of sitting there with my music and my reading material. Today I get through a whole book -- it's of poems by Judith Viorst. She has a volume on each decade of her life (starting with the 30s). This one is called Unexpectedly Eighty and yes, you're correct -- it's about life as an octogenarian. It's funny in a very sweet way.
Since this move is very much much about resetting everything to meet the challenges ahead of me, I also read the article in the NYTimes today -- A 102-Year-Old Yoga Teacher's Simple Approach to Aging Well (gifted for you). A delightful piece! I am always on the lookout for role models going forward since, as you know, my own family did not leave me with much to work with here. The woman in the article is French with the winsome last name of Chopin and yes, she does yoga. But she also lives with a smile and her favorite meal of breakfast: bread, butter and honey or jam, with coffee.
After reading these pieces, I did some stretches of course, because that seems essential to good movement, and then I went out for a walk.
But where to, in this wasteland of commercial and residential space? I reminded myself that for most of the 14 years that I lived at the farmette, I couldn't just go out for a walk. I had to drive or bike to a park. It was only when the new development exploded next to us, that I found it easy to step out and walk among the new homes there. On sidewalks and bike paths. Here as well, the better walks require a short drive. But the ones I like so much -- the ones where you just open the door and walk -- aren't terrible! Two blocks, cross over to the other side of the highway (it forms a bridge over the road), and I am on my way to downtown Middleton.
There and back, with a few pauses to look into shop and cafe windows. One hour total. No car required.
In the afternoon I pick up just Snowdrop today. And instead of going to the Edge, we get on the highway and head to the Dairy Expo. Ed joins us at a side entrance.
She and I have been coming to what we affectionately call "the Cow Show" for years! Ever since she was a babe and had never laid eyes on a live cow before. We missed some years when I was away traveling, but we are back at it!
(this afternoon's competition: the Winter Brown Swiss)
The Dairy Expo is a huge production. Maybe you recall -- when I was traveling along the northern coast of Scotland, I met a cattle farmer from Australia who regularly attended this event in Madison. It's a time for assessing what's out there -- be it machinery or cattle stock. I believe he bought bull semen in the course of his week in Madison (it's a central focus of the Expo). For us, the Expo is just a time to feel the essence of living in the dairy state.
(first place? from Wisconsin!)
Of course Snowdrop wants ice cream and she is lured to the souvenir stalls. We were too late for souvenirs: the shop closed at 5 and we were well beyond that. The girl settles for a lemonade.
We leave satisfied.
Ed returns to the farmhouse, I return to the Edge. In an earlier phone conversation, we again reiterated to each other our different visions for our senior years. But, in the end, he said -- we'll figure it out, gorgeous. And I'm pretty sure he is right on that one.
with so much love...
