We are enjoying a simple but happy retirement together. Well, one of us is more retired than the other. We have been together 31 years. In 2016, Sue turned 70 and Lee Ann turned 60. We will write about our "adventures" from both our perspectives and as a couple. Sue enjoys baking, cooking, walking and her great-granddaughter, Lincoln. Lee Ann enjoys running, biking and learning. She still works part--time at two businesses, Kairos Communications and Cedar Creek Sustainable Planning Services.
Wednesday, October 25 – Driving through southern Utah, the landscape changes are often immediate and stunning. From a rolling sea of slickrock to high-altitude pine forests to towering red rocks, it’s hard for us East Coast flatlanders to absorb. Approaching Zion National Park, the rocks again change to red –…
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October 25 – The most wondrous 2.5-mile trail I have ever walked was breath-taking, in more ways than one. The one must-do hike for me on our Utah National Parks itinerary was a combination of the Navajo Loop and Queen’s Garden trails at Bryce Canyon. An elevation change of 320…
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October 22 and 23 – You are still miles away, near the hamlet of Mexican Hat, when you first spy the iconic buttes. Cars and RVs start pulling over for pictures; some tourists wander onto the highway. It’s the famous Forest Gump view of Monument Valley. We booked a premium…
Continue reading(Sue and Lee Ann spent five months planning a vacation to the five national parks in Utah, plus Monument Valley in Utah/Arizona. Everyone should visit the American West. Here is what we saw and did.) Saturday, October 21 – At 7:45 a.m. I was standing in line outside the Poison…
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What happens when 23 of your 24 hours are wordless for a week? During my silent retreat last week at the Jesuit Center in Wernersville, Pa., I logged 36 miles walking and wrote 32 pages in my journal. I managed to read most or all of four different books, including…
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Silence is beckoning me now more than ever: the opportunity to be totally unplugged, without even a book other than the Bible and my journal. Several years’ worth of waxy yellow buildup are obscuring my true self. The last retreat I took was in 2012, with the Benedictine brothers in…
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I need Lent more than ever this year. My spiritual goal is to immerse myself into it with practices that clear my head, stanch the flow of negativity, and lead me to be more mindful and prepared to listen for the still, small voice of God. For one, I have…
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Click on the photos to make them larger. We had Lincoln for the day. It is a joy to be able to see things from her perspective. She laughs all the time and makes us laugh. In fact, she has not cried at all the past couple of times we…
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We are trying to figure out what to do with the rest of our lives. Frankly, we are all over the map as we discuss if and where we should move, where we should travel, what activities should we undertake, how much I should work, and other weighty questions in…
Continue readingSalt Lake City – June 9, 2016 Our journey ended in Salt Lake City’s Temple Square with a Mormon Tabernacle Choir rehearsal, including a full orchestra. When in town, they rehearse on Thursdays. It was a thrilling experience that punctuated how varied this bus tour was – even though one…
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