January 27
We celebrated the holidays at Hilary’s house two days before Christmas. That evening, her son, Ryne, unexpectedly asked what size shoe I wear. I said, “Fourteen, and depending on the shoe, I wear wide.”
He told me to try on his shoes (apparently he wears a 14 as well, but doesn’t need a wide).
He was wearing Twisted X moccasins. Brandy liked the way they looked on me so this weekend, we went to Long Creek Outfitters in Leon, IA, to get some for myself.
January 20, 2024
On Saturday, I fought the blistering cold and walked around downtown Ottumwa to snap some pictures of buildings that I think are cool.
Seeing as how it’s been half a year since we’ve taken our requisite trip to Crested Butte (and two years since we’ve gone in the snow), Brandy is ready to go.
Yesterday, January 17, 2024, was he fourth anniversary of the launching of my blog, Wandering New Mexican.
What an amazing ride it’s been.
Living in the Midwest is hard. We get oppressive heat and humidity in the summer, and this nonsense in the winter.
After quickly tearing through Tony Hillerman’s The Blessing Way (even further cementing my love for the Southwest), I started reading The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl and let me tell you, this man’s lust for life rivals mine.
January 1
In my efforts to once more revamp my lifestyle, I took a New Year’s Day “hike” (though I use that term VERY loosely) on the Pickwick Riverwalk Path.
Full of extreme highs and equally extreme lows, I can honestly and truly say that 2023 was unlike any year I’ve had in my life.
I find myself drawn to stories of exploration and adventure. Movies such as Wild and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty have always drawn me in. I live vicariously through these characters as they seek and find the catharsis they need, whether from bad relationships, deaths of loved ones, or just from a boring life.
One area that I would like to dive deeper into is to read more stories like this.
Enter John Steinbeck.
December 15
While this isn’t really an “adventure”, per se, it certainly was a pretty amazing day.