Back in the Saddle

Walden and I have hit the dusty trail once again for a small walkabout. We've wandered up to our old summer haunt of Squamish* BC in a bid to relive the glory of yore.

It's been a while - the last 20 days or so allocated to couple stuff in and around Vancouver. Spending time with my girl means curtailing my wanderings - but now that I've had a taste of freedom, I can't help but empathize with Rilke's panther when I'm inside too long.

I've lost my edge - grown soft with creature comforts, ice cream and a soft, warm body to embrace. Jokes aside, I'm trying hard not to lose the ground I made during the summer - but it's really difficult.

Things like:

1. Waking early and fully utilizing the day,
2. Minimizing time wasted on the lowest common denominator (Netflix, Reddit)
3. Reducing my junk food intake.

Don't take the above comment the wrong way - I am happy where I am...I'm just amazed at how quickly that all went out the window the moment I slightly reintegrated with society.

So, out here, alone in a darkened Walmart parking lot...I can't help but feel relief that life is once again parred down - if temporarily. If I've learned anything, it is that normal life, is fantastic but intricate.

Things have changed since I last was out and about. The dog days of summer are long gone. It's wet - luckily I don't melt in the rain (I'm not THAT sweet). Sun sets by 7:10, which is far too early for bed, so I've spent the last couple of hours practicing my Dutch on Duolingo in the Walmart parking lot (Mijn meisje spreekt nederlands, dus ik leer het).

I expect for me to be out on my own more often as midterms approach. In fact - I plan on a run down the coast during her exam week in October.





*Side note: I swung by the Howe Sound Brewery and got my grubby paws on a bottle of beer called Megadestroyer - a licorice imperial stout (10%). If that isn't a home run, I don't know what is!