Detours

Passiflora: such an intricately engineered flower! I took this photo along the Camino de Santiago somewhere between Hontanas and Boadilla del Camino. I saw these passiflora vines many times over many weeks. I felt like these purple flowers (and others that flowered in purple: weeds, crocuses, etc.) were keeping me company. --Jenn Seva, Seattle, a friend and colleague of Annie's and a "pilgrim" who recently completed El Camino de Santiago. 

When you're 68, life's routines should be well-established.  After all, we've been around enough to hone and polish and practice.  

With all that experience, we should be old enough to know better about bringing a young one into our midst, since we've been there, done that, and, of course, it's time to lead a quiet life.  

Well, some of us never learn, it seems.  In my days' old experience of once again serving as a human mother to puppydum, I'm finding that daily vocabulary is taking off on a slight, rather limited detour. 

"Let's go pee pee . . . do ya have to poopie? . . . Liam, come . . . Liam, come . . .Liam, come . . .Okay, Liam, I'll carry you outside to go peepee."

That was the predominant vocabulary during the first few days. 

Now, more words have been added:  NO! NO! NO! Liam, NO chewing . . . Liam, come . . . Liam, sit."

Who sez Border Collies have big vocabularies???  That fact, I know from experience, comes later, but for now, all of the above seem to dominate what comes out of my mouth.

I'm also back into hurry-in-the-bathroom, hurry-when-you-run-to-get-the-mail and hurry through that telephone conversation, because like kids, when mom's away, puppies will play and play in a way that is surely gonna lead to "NO-NO-NO . . . BAD!" when said errands, situations end. 

Since it's winter, Liam is spending a lot of time inside, and I'm reverting back to efficiency in planning what I'm gonna get done when Liam finally drops off to sleep.  

I've done a lot of reading (am reviewing a new book by former student and Clemson graduate Keith Morris who will be in Sandpoint for a reading Jan. 15) and writing notes in Christmas cards----all during Liam's naps. 

Thank goodness puppies do sleep pretty soundly once their on-off switch suddenly goes in the off position.  

During this time, I've also been doing some dreaming about a big, meaningful detour in life that Annie is planning for next spring/early summer during a sabbatical from her work in Seattle.  

She'll be walking El Camino de Santiago, a 500-mile historic pilgrimage across Spain. 

When Annie was home last weekend (she just touched down in Seattle from several days in Kaiui, will be flying to Juneau this weekend and Nashville next before flying to Spokane Dec. 20 for Christmas), she rented the Martin Sheen movie The Way, which tells the story of an ophthalmologist who goes on the pilgrimage with no prior planning or preparation. 

It's a wonderful movie, even if one has no interest in going on a 500-mile pilgrimage----family-friendly and very inspirational. 

Before puppy, during puppy days and after puppy days, I shall be inspired by all that deals with El Camino de Santiago.  It truly has a fascinating history.  

Plus, the sheer thought of setting off for five weeks or so, basically escaping from worldly concerns and seeing stunningly beautiful country while meeting people from all over the world, walking for different reasons-----I can't think of anything more inspiring. 

Annie's friend Jenn completed the walk a few weeks ago, and she posts remembrances of her phenomenal, life-changing experience on Facebook, one of which is the flower above.  

She also maintained a blog while on the pilgrimage.   http://wotevatravel.tumblr.com/tagged/camino%20de%20santiago

I look forward to reading Jenn's writings and everything I can find regarding the walk.  

Annie plans to go it alone, but she has given her family members permission to stand at the end of the trail when she completes her journey.  We may even do a segment afterward, as Jenn did----all yet to be determined.  

This morning, I've included a link which provides statistics and a short summary discussing why people take the journey. 

http://caminoteca.com/en/about-the-camino/statistics

In the 21st century the Pilgrim's Way has been certified as a Great European Cultural Itinerary and was awarded the Prince of Asturias Prize for Promoting Understanding. These awards have helped to increase the number of tourists every year; more than 200,000 people now cross the peninsula on foot, by bicycle or on horseback.

This figure is even higher in Ańos Jacobeos (Jubilee Years), when the Day of St James (25th July) falls on a Sunday. Some people undertake the journey with a a deep sense of religion and penitence, others as a life experience, others for cultural reasons, others see it as a kind of sporting activity. 

Despite the differences between the 'pilgrims', they always have something in common: the need to leave daily life behind and give themselves time and space to reflect on things.

And, so, in a few months, when I return to a life where "pee-pee and NO, Liam" begin to fade, and my daily vocabulary once again involves more than five or six key words, I look forward to following Annie's next big dream and planning for the day we can stand in Spain and greet her with a hug and "Good Job."  

In the meantime, the simple life of puppymotherdum will keep me hopping and pretty darned happy.  Thank God for my loyal and helpful assistants, Kiwi and Foster who have happily taken on the role of Big Sister and Big Brother. 

Happy Wednesday!  GO, ZAGS!