Marie at 1 Write Way

Life in Non Sequiturs and Another Bike Ride

Yes, indeed, last week we ventured out to our favorite place: St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. It was a beautiful day, and the moon again made an appearance. You might have to squint to see it in the below photo, but it’s there.

View of the moon (that dot almost dead-center of the photo) from one of our favorite rest stops.

While out and about, we met an interesting guy who was hiking the Florida Trail. I wrote about the experience for Crow’s Feet, a Medium publication. You can read it here: Compelled by Grief, Compelled by Love. I’m not enamored of the title and wish I had spent more time tweaking it, but it does sum up what drives this particular person to hike hundreds of miles.

What I like best about biking in the afternoon is the light. The sun casts a golden glow along the treetops as we ride back toward the car.

The road frequently traveled.

I’m still going on my morning walks although I missed two mornings in a row this week: one because I went instead to a yoga class, and the other because I needed to pick up a CD of my MRI images. It was one of those little tasks peculiar to the medical-industrial complex that annoy me until I can complete it. The orthopedist that I’m scheduled to see in March wants it. Goodness. I am not sure why these facilities cannot share images as well as reports, but apparently, it’s still 1999 around here.

This morning I really had to drag myself outdoors, but once out there, I kept walking. I saw two red-shouldered hawks initiate a mating dance, but then they saw me. I can only imagine what curses flew through their raptor brains. They flew off separately, but in the same direction. Probably to find a more private tree.

Next, I saw a bluebird. Not a rare sighting around here, but this lovely guy hung out on a power line, giving me a few minutes to admire his orange and white breast, and then the breathtaking brilliant blue of his back and wings as he turned and flew off. No photos of hawks or bluebirds because I was too busy living in the moment.

I had lunch with a former coworker the other day. I hadn’t seen her face to face in almost two years. We were in that enviable group of 60-pluses and sent home to work early in the pandemic. I retired last March and hadn’t seen her at all since then. She still works with my former employer, and she filled me in on all the drama. Fortunately, she’s a person with a lot of interests so we also talked about knitting, cooking, traveling, gardening, and bicycling, in no particular order. She let me know–a few times–that they (the office) have money and, if I’m casting about for something to do, they’d love to hire me back on contract.

It’s a lovely boost to the ego to still be wanted, to know that a special group of people would want to work with me again.

My response, after ignoring the first couple of offers: “I know I’m retired, but I feel like there are not enough hours in the day to do all that I want to do.” That’s it. I’m not casting about for something to do. I’m casting about but for how to do what I want to do and still get enough sleep. To that end, I signed up for a free Bullet Journal Workshop at my local independent bookstore. I’m not sure if I really want to take the workshop, or if I just want an excuse to purchase one of the bundles being offered for use at the workshop: a Leuchtturm Journal (style of your choice), 5 Pastel Highlighters, 7 Colored Pen Pack, Letterpress Stamp Set and Ink. What do you think? Do I need another journal? More pens and highlights?

The workshop will be next Saturday so I still have a whole week to continue practicing procrastination.

In the meantime, here’s Wendy bathing and playing with her blanket, the same blanket in which she was brought home about 8 1/2 years ago.

 

 

 

Marie A Bailey

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52 responses to “Life in Non Sequiturs and Another Bike Ride”

  2. For some reason, the comments about the hawks made me laugh. Maybe it’s been a long afternoon.
    It looks like you had some lovely outings–walks and bike rides. And lunch with a friend and feeling valued–how wonderful!

    I think you definitely need more journals, pens, highlighters–and also, you might suddenly feel sick and have to leave early. It’s always good to have a backup plan. 😏

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  4. Yes to the journal, colored pens…everything! I’m hooked on all things planning related. You should check out the planning community on IG, Marie! I’m glad you got together with your old coworker. If you could do contract work from home, I’d be all over that. Your photos today are gorgeous, Marie. Thanks for sharing!❤️

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  6. What lovely, soothing photos, Marie!
    Isn’t it interesting that just because someone retires people think the retiree has nothing to do? Though how nice that they want you to return. Glad you stood your ground.
    I have gotten a similar response as a freelancer working at home. People call in the middle of the day because I guess they think I’m sitting around twiddling my thumbs, rather than doing the work I signed contracts to do.

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    • Thank you, Linda! Working from home seems to make people think you have more time to spend on them. I had that problem too when I was sent home to work. While it made me feel bad, a lot of times I just wouldn’t answer their calls.

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  8. How wonderful to be wanted… even more wonderful to say, hell no ;-) I am so ready, myself but must wait for a few more years. Yes! to the journals and pens and anything of that ilk.
    How dare you disrupt those hawks! ;-) It`s nice to just be in the moment and enjoy. I have trouble not taking pics…

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    • At least with your current job, it seems you can “steal” time to read and write. Up until the last year or so of my job, I had been able to do that. The last year, though, I hardly had time to steal for a bathroom break … and I was working from home :-(

      Speaking of hawks, I got to see a pair “do the deed” this morning. They had their backs to me so I guess they thought they were alone … lol. No photos. They were too fast plus I did want to show some respect for their privacy ;-)

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  9. I had trouble with Wendy’s video, but it’s probably my computer :(. Of COURSE, they want you back!!! Don’t do it hahaha. Your desire to get that bundle of stationery reminds me of so many of the junk journaling I see on Instagram. People that are not really journalers, but are stationery lovers. All kinds of cool stuff, even people making old suitcases into neat places to store all their papers and pens and journals and all that.

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  11. What a compliment to be wanted back at work! I’m sure I could un-retire in a moment and get a job teaching. No, thanks! (especially not now) I don’t understand with all the computers why medical facilities can’t communicate better. It’s very frustrating. Walking has been my solace during the pandemic.

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  12. I’ve lived in Florida most of my life and just recently learned about the Florida Trail. Not sure what rock I’ve been living under.
    How lovely to be ‘wanted/needed’ at your own position. But I’m with you, if you don’t have to do it, just finding time to do the things you want to do is a challenge for most.

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    • Hi, Suz, thank you for reading and commenting! I had to laugh at your comment about living under a rock. I don’t think the Florida Trail gets a lot of publicity, definitely not as much as the Appalachian Trail. Frankly, I can’t imagine the trail being much fun during much of the year what with bugs, rain, and heat.

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  15. “Ally Bean sent me.” Bluebirds and red shouldered hawks in one post seems inspiring to me. Hawks were common when we lived in Floriday but bluebirds were rare. Grief is something I am all too familiar with. Out in nature I feel my most authentic and connected to the universe. I would find such a hike cathartic if I was physically capable.

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    • Hi, Maggie! Gee, the cool kids just keep coming ;-) I am so grateful that we have bluebirds in our neighborhood. I wish they would grace our backyard, but I guess I have to be satisfied with seeing them elsewhere. I’m so sorry you’re not able to get out and hike. We’ve been talking about eventually buying electric bikes, in preparation for the day when even pedaling will be difficult. But those bikes are way too heavy right now. Thank you for reading and commenting!

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      • Hi, Marie. We have a pair of bluebirds building nests on our property. We have had them for three years now. I can walk and do some hiking – just not the AP! My knees would not handle it.

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  17. Firstly, Ally Bean sent me your way! Secondly, I absolutely love nature walks and bullet journaling as well as gardening AND knitting! I’m 35 years old so I’m a lot younger than you but I enjoyed reading about your life immensely. Thanks so much for sharing it with others! Looking forward to being a new follower of yours and fellow blogger. ❤️

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