The Adventure Continues on Route 66

Thelma owns the car, I was Louise in the shotgun seat.

 OK, I've changed my mind. Fact is, I'm still getting older (that "er" is crucially important) and the adventure continues, so: on with the blog.
Sixty-five was an eventful year. OMG.
I lost my mom in January. A release for her, who found life increasingly a burden with little joy, and for me: I now have no one to please but myself. After a few months, it felt as if I'd been wearing blinders directing where I looked and how I behaved all my life--and I had, they were called Mom's opinion. They disappeared. My horizon widened astonishingly and I see things I never did before: people, opportunities, my motives. It's been a new world - and a good one :) 

Still beautiful @ 88. Goodbye, Mom.

I tried to climb a peak called Lady MacDonald--which is no lady--with my buddy of the 65th birthday climb, but we got started late and I lagged behind puffing like a steam engine (if anybody still knows what they sounded like) so we packed it in before reaching our goal.
I got my lungs checked out and found that 41 years of smoking (and two aunts - one one either side - who died of lung cancer) had narrowed my bronchial tubes slightly. So I have an inhaler for when I hike. Have used it once (and didn't notice much difference, but I may not have used it correctly.)
Added a cardio segment to my treadmilling: I dial up the speed, get the diaphragm pumping and build up the muscles - a way better way than drugs to empty stale air from the lungs and suck in fresh oxygen,  I think.
My buddy says we haven't quit, we will get back to the Lady.
Noticed some aches and pains in the last year. I blame work. After applying for every seniors benefit I qualify for (NB-it took more than a year), I get enough for rent and food - if I don't eat too much. I was supplementing with savings, but with women in my family living into their 80s, I was on track to run out of savings well before my last breath.
I started as lunch relief at a daycare a year ago. The Alberta government deems children a vital resource, so tops up the pay of daycare workers, thus the check is well above minimum wage. Plus I get fed well at lunch and on some days, snack as well: a scrumptious perk I deeply appreciate.
I have enough to pay living expenses plus perks like a little traveling :)
It cuts into hiking and tennis time something awful. Yes, looking after kidlets is more active than sitting behind a desk, but it isn't a 21k hike or 2 hours of running around a court. My general body conditioning has deteriorated. I'm a vicious cycle of no time to exercise because I'm working and no exercise when I have time because I'm exhausted from working.
I don't like the aches and pains of an underused body, so I'm working on that.

Hiking the Athabasca Glacier.

These are minor and fixable issues. Life is good. Really good. I spent 65 & started Route 66 by cruising down California's PCH in a 1967 Mustang convertible playing Louise to my buddy Thelma, hiking in some gorgeous country, visiting friends and hugging the WGG - who has unaccountably started kindergarten already!
And that's the update, roundup, status report.
A friend asked me to show her how to blog (on the belief that I would be a gentler teacher than her hubby or kidlets). I used mine as examples and realized I miss it.
It is so neat to be able to start again.