83! and the Drop Out Summer

(It’s lots more words than I like but I felt like summarizing these 3 mo for me. … you don’t need to read it all )

Today is my 83rd birthday  (and H will have his in a month)  but I’m going to use this blip to wrap up what the two of us are calling our “drop out summer”.   (who are those 2 OLD people?  not the best phone pix, on our walk on our beach, ....)    Except for one hectic week back to Seattle in June, we have been just here since May 21.   Only our end of the island , Montague harbor and 4 trips in to the grocery store on Galiano .   No trips to Saltspring.   No trips back to the city even to see a Wagner opera.   No responsibility ( except to this land).  Fabulous weather.  No storms.  A little smoke.  No power outages except for the early June one that caused the forest fire ( not a small event!)  Several very fine satisfying family visits (everyone took stuff home)  , everyone was here except missed Anne.    No Seattle friends tho,  only those who have traditionally used this as a stopover for their boat.  Less of those too. ( people are too old or dead  or at least selling their boats) 

We’ve had an especially wonderful time, this our oh so fortunate 60th summer together! Ate outside nearly  every night…lingering on the porch watching that sun move west as it set every day.   Listening to eagles and seals , the lapping of the water..….We sort of do our own thing during the day , after a walk  (or row) together usually… ..and then enjoy sharing those evenings.   H works at all his maintenance projects,   I read, watch the birds, notice every tree and rock, try to learn something,  watch lots of photo and other tutorials and play with the photos and books …yes, some chores, usually a rest in the afternoon,  time in the studio almost every day,   .and blip, of course.   No longer worried about a list of accomplishments at the end of the day. .  I feel like a princess , lucky to be excused from/ not allowed doing the hard work.   . I only carry something that’s possible to carry with one hand..my steadying walking stick is in the other when I’m outdoors.     My heart has behaved itself..I think it’s happy with less activity altho the cardiologist won’t be.    I haven’t had a medical appointment in the last year.  a gift.  Oh, except for my hearing aids  I did get those.     But then there was the 2 weeks 2 separate times  (one, a fall from the bench, one a mystery)  that I truly could not walk a step without leaning on my stick.  Painful, but I feel this was the best place to be between forest and sea to heal.   As it did.   But it was still the good life, with more knitting and jigsaw puzzle-ing, and Spanish on the iPhone, iPad drawing , and more books.     I always managed  to produce a dinner, thank goodness H is not fussy.  H does breakfast.  In Bed.  On our own for lunch.    So I didn’t get to row my boat as much as I wanted…but,     I’m ready to sell it. 

But is THIS really "the last summer"?   Anything could happen before next summer.  We, or one of us, could be dead.  Not a good place totally solo.   Our boys don’t want to talk about selling til at least next summer.   We just this week received the replacement batteries for the golf cart ( lithium that were recalled because they —not ours-… burned!…we sent them back in June)  so now there is serious talk of a new golf cart… the thing that would be the most help here.   (Sell the Whitehall, buy a used golf cart).   

Funny the way stuff evolves .   I liked “dropping out”!    Happy with less.   Loved being here just the two of us.    Easy with these good conditions and no back and forth hassles.      Could be a bit of a challenge for new and different blip photos from one small area but there was always something interesting for me.     

I just have 3 more days to be careful …and it’s time to go back to.…..city sidewalks, noise,  people, friends!  appointments , commitments, and my better internet and printer!

We will have cake tonight…and will talk to some family.   Fine day altho too windy for my boat.  Glad to be upright.