Yesterday was a milestone for me. I haven’t felt that alive for, well, a year.

Dan came over and we decided to go for lunch to one of our favorite places down near the beach, The Tiki. It’s a small building with a long low thatched roof (although I’m sure something solid is under the thatch.) Like may restaurants here, there are no windows where windows would be, just open air sides, with salt water breezes blowing in and swaying the palm trees that line the beach. It was almost summer-like, in the mid 80’s but the humidity was not like summer. It was quite comfortable.

As we headed down to the beach, we saw that all the parking lots were full, people even parking along the street, then we saw the main road with a “road closed” sign, and remembered that it was “Rescue Me” day. The short road that was blocked off is the main street in our small commercial district. On Rescue Me day they line the street with booths from all the shelters in the area, complete with pets, (including a skunk you could pet, but no thank you). People who want to adopt a pet come from all over and get a dog or cat (maybe other things too!) to join their family. It’s a pretty cool thing, and it’s usually a big success for the shelters, and the pets, and the businesses that line the street. Dan remembered that the last time we were down there was “Rescue Me” day in 2020. Almost exactly a year to the day since we were out and about.

When we saw that the road was closed, we turned and went down a side street to get to the municipal parking lot. We knew it would be pretty full, but thought we might get lucky. I guess it’s a good thing I’ve been practicing manifesting, lol, because we did find a place at the far end of the lot. Dan looked at me and asked “Do you think you can walk that far?” It was a couple of blocks walk, maybe even 3 blocks. Now that doesn’t sound like much, but I have not walked a city block in a year. You may recall I had trouble walking the 25’ to my mailbox for a long, long time. (Thank God for my good neighbors who walked over and got my mail and brought it to me. ) I was having a good day, meaning very little, if any, pain, just a weak left side. So I said I thought I could and if I got tired I could sit at one of the benches or picnic tables that are along the parking lot and beach.

BUT I DID IT!! The farthest I’ve walked in a year! I didn’t have to stop at all, and I had no pain when I got to the Tiki! I was quite literally euphoric. We found a table, and I sat down to save the table, while Dan walked over to the band that was playing and said hi to 3 of our good, good friends who were playing there. They had formed a band over the last year, and are all 3 awesome musicians. But it was great to see them, and hear them. I ordered us each a glass of Cab. When Dan walked back to the table, I was able to walk over and say hi to them all too! These are people we used to see a lot, like once a week at least, due to the very many outdoor live music venues in this little town. We used to host them at our house for dinners, and a fire, and drinks or whatever. But not for a year…..

We ordered, blackened grouper tacos for me, chicken tacos for Dan. As we sat and talked, listening to our friends play what sounded like a steel drum band like you hear down in the islands, I started getting getting very emotional. I told Dan.

The emotion came from so much. The end of the COVID fear for us, because he’s fully vaccinated and I will be in 10 days. But for me, more than that was the fact that I could walk without pain, that I was sitting there listening to “my tribe” play music, on this beautiful afternoon with the man who I love, and who loves me, and so many of my friends I hadn’t seen in so long. Besides my friends playing music there were at least a half dozen others who were there to listen, and they all came over and talked for awhile with us. It felt like the pre-COVID days, when we were all happy and relaxed and had no fear of anything happening like the last year.

We are all smarter now. Even with vaccinations, we are still wearing masks and distancing but honest to God, there is so much less fear after being vaccinated. And for me, to know I could walk, and that it would only get better, was just the most wonderful feeling ever.

So we ate our tacos, visited with friends, back and forth between tables. I’d forgotten, and maybe Dan too, how much we loved that life. It would have been just an ordinary day a year ago. Now it felt so special, I’m having to search for the words. I even feel a bit of my writing juju coming back. Sigh. I’ve missed it. I realize now that it’s hard to find inspiration to write when you are in constant pain. But no more, so maybe I’ll be able to keep up this streak some.

I don’t know what’s on tap for today. Dan may be bringing his gongs down here, because we have a sound healing in a week, and we need to just go over it a couple of times. But that will depend on whether he feels up to it. It’s a lot of rather heavy stuff. I know I’m going to water my plants and maybe take the hose to the boat and get it washed. He also has a little work to complete on the outdrive of the boat, and then will help me get it clean for waxing. When we are done with that, we want it taken up to some used boat dealer (there are tons here, because we’re so close to everything) and get it sold.

All I can say this morning is that life looks so good at the moment. All this to look forward to. I did send out an email to my friends who come over once a week to tell them I had to cut it to once a month, and I am so delighted I did. I’ve heard back from most of them, and am happy that they agreed with me, that every week was a bit much, but also that the married couple offered to hold it at their house (they are the ones who live down the block from me) maybe once a month too. Sending the email gave me such relief, although I was worried about it’s impact on everyone. But it’s all good.

I hope you are also all good, happy, and for those of you in colder climates, I hope you’re beginning to feel that spring is not so far away. Renewal is coming.

Love and light to all.