Hospitalero time is coming

 We have our plane tickets. We are studying our Spanish every day, but we do not feel ready for prime time conversation yet. Even in our dreams, we only see ourselves as being able to communicate basic needs, like shopping in the little tienda-- “I want those vegetables, over there on that shelf.”

 

 But we are greatly looking forward to the experience and then to walking with Pam and James for a couple of weeks and almost 200 miles.

And, we are having fun buying gear again, although we already own more than we would consider carrying. It is just such fun to find new, lighter, better versions of stuff we have. I’m bringing my same rain poncho. After my testing it thoroughly last year, we never had any rain.

Right now, we enjoying our great Golden Retriever, Jake. We do not have many days left with him. We keep him close for this last little time we have together.

 Next weekend is the Annual Meeting of the Friends of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys NWRs. I will move from being president to being past president. I feel good about what we’ve accomplished in my two years, getting 12 paddling trails mapped out, with a 13^th underway; establishing 12 Initiatives for 2013, with a volunteer champion for each of them, and putting some governance changes in place to strengthen succession of leadership. 

I will be happy to hand over the gavel…well actually we don’t need a gavel at our meetings. I think I’ll hand over the coffee pot…we do need coffee.

After that…train, train, train for the hike and study, study, study our Spanish. It is almost countdown time.