Well, I’m back again . . . this time from an awesome eleven-day trip to Baja Sur with eight other ladies and our tour leader, Judith Piazza.

So let me share with you about what I call this special “Bonding With the Natural World”. Several months ago, my Drum teacher, neighbor, and friend, Judith, started putting together this trip to Baja, and invited friends to join her. I WAS INTERESTED! Then, another friend, Liza, decided to go . . . we decided to be roommates, and she and her husband thankfully put together all our travel arrangements. It was so easy and relaxing for me!

Lisa and I arrived at the Cabo San Lucus airport where we connected with the other ladies. Judith, who had gone earlier, showed up with a driver and van and off we went to a lovely apartment on the beach in town. After a night of relaxing, we headed north on the peninsula to a smallish town, Todos Santos and the “bonding” adventures began.

First, we hiked and explored around and enjoying great meals with our cook, Abraham, who put together fun, delicious, vegetarian treats for me. We visited museums, hiked and kayaked at the beach, and shopped and bought Mexican/handmade goodies. The local people were so helpful and nice to us.

Then Judith introduced us to the Turtle Sanctuary there, where we would spend our final day volunteering to rescue many baby turtles trying to make their way from their nests on the beach, down to the ocean water. Nowadays there are so many wild dogs, pelicans, and other animals that have been killing and eating the baby turtles as they make that journey, that they now need protection to make it safely. The Turtle Sanctuary is family-run and every hatching season they invite volunteers to show up, gently lift the turtle hatchlings from their nest, two feet down in the sand. We put them into tubs of wet sand for them to roll, and twist, and strengthen their new muscles for a few hours.

When we knew they were strong enough, we set them on the sand a few yards above the waves. They heard the waves, knew exactly what to do, and started scrambling towards the water. One could almost hear their sigh of relief as the water scooped them into their homeland.

Whew! Well, first we have other adventures ahead. So, after meeting the turtles that we would come back to, the next day we drove to La Paz, and boated out to a beautiful island called Ispiritu Santo. We were met by a great tour company with guides: Sabastian (a geologist), and Cesar. The beach front was covered with warm cozy tents, a cooking and eating facility, an outhouse and a shower room . . . and about 10 kayaks . . . all set up by the Team. The head cook, Abraham, was there and continued to make me yummy vegetarian meals.

While there we all put on scuba suits, snorkeling gear, and boated out to another part of the island where there were Sea Lions all over the rocks. As we got in the water the young ones were fascinated by us, started jumping off the rocks into the ocean and were swimming all around us, rolling over, almost brushing against us! They were not afraid of humans at all.

Meantime, the pelicans were dive bombing into the water to catch fish and swimming all around us. And the rare blue footed boobies flew by us to our delight.

One afternoon Sabastian and Cesar took us on a trail into the desert cactus . . . teaching us all about the different cactus and how they grow . . . sometimes even on top of each other.

  So, on the next day we all jumped onto a small boat and headed for a nearby Bay that was well known for WHALE ACTIVITY. What an experience! The Grey Whales first checked us out by leaping, nose up, into the air with their eyes wide and looking at us. Then they flipped their tails and soon felt safe enough to swim right up to our boat. One of them even got close enough for Lisa to pet his forehead! Can you imagine?

This whole trip was such a deeply bonding experience . . . with all the animals, with each other, with NATURE!  If it interests you, Judith is organizing a similar tour next year at this time. Her contact is: Judithpiazza@gmail .com

While I was gone, Robert spent a lovely bit of time at his daughter Jenny’s home in Elizabeth. Then his son, Paul, flew in from California and brought him home to Green Mountain Falls. After a few days of them visiting, I arrived home on February 11 to find Robert a happy man because of all the special time with his kids. Oh, I’m so grateful to all of them for their support of my trip to Baja.

So, I got back home and reconnected with my great, supportive husband to do some fun things together. We had dinner and then sat by the fireplace with his cousins, celebrating his 90^th Birthday!  

   Recently we attended an event at a Senior Living Center called MacKenzie Place. So here’s a shocker for us, family and friends, and everyone who’s known us for these many years. As Robert’s strength is getting weaker, and at the suggestion of his daughter, we put a deposit down for an independent living apartment at MacKenzie Place. WE WILL BE MOVING sometime in the next eight to ten months when something comes available!   TAKE A DEEP BREATH!  We are . . . one step at a time.  We will hold onto Robert’s house so I will have a place to continue Friday treatments.  This will help slow things down with all the furniture and “stuff” that will need to be moved sometime in the future.

A week later, for celebrating Carnivale in Manitou Springs, I joined my biking friends at the Buffalo Lodge. We rode up Manitou Avenue among the wildly costumed crowd along with many other parade participants. It was so much fun!

Life is such an adventure, isn’t it? You never know what’s coming next. I’ve been reading a great book by my old friend, John Chitty, called “YIN AND YANG” referring to the ups and downs of life and how to be with them. Basically, its about BEING POSITIVE and he offers multiple tools from famous teachers on how to do that.

It ain’t easy! Right? But it’s doable!

I’m so enjoying reconnecting with friends when they come in on my Fridays for treatments. Maybe you need to make an appointment so we can reconnect again.

Thank you, Everyone, for your support and friendship.