Nesting in the snow

This is where I'd guess it's not fun being a hawk with a nest this time of year! This is Ezra, at the Cornell Labs nest, in this morning's snow. He's only been there about a half hour, and is getting snowed in. On the other hand, mom, Big Red, was there all night. She didn't look quite so snowed in as this before she flew off to find breakfast. We are assured, however, that the nest bowl (and 2 eggs) as well as Ezra himself, are all at a toasty 100+ degrees. It just looks miserable.

Amazing what a Corolla trunk will hold....

Did a trial run in the car this morning, and all this plus a few more of the small boxes (top right, open flaps) and miscellaneous other small things in nooks and crannies, will fit.And this is the main stuff that I want to go in the car, so that's a good thing. All my kitchen appliances and cookware (heavy, breakable stuff), books and such. I drew a diagram so I wouldn't forget how I got it all in there!

Everything else is lighter, unbreakable, more suitable for Greyhound.

Little by little, things are making their way out of the house, either selling, giving to my neighbor, or tossing. Have some interest in one of the antiques -- an offer which I'm holding and hoping for a better offer. Sure would be happy to see more interest in the rest of it. Plan to hold my prices (lowered a couple of times already) through next week, then bump them much lower when I return from my travels, since I won't have much time left to dawdle by then.

At that point, I'll need to get ready for a planned yard sale on the 18th and 19th of April, still planning to leave on or around May 1st, depending upon when my driving companion arrives. Plus, I want to ship a load off to Oregon around the 15th of April, via Greyhound, so that'll have to fall into place quickly, too. It's all started, just waiting to the very last minute so I can use everything until then.

On the subject of old age

You can't possibly know how much it galls me to say this, but the signs of old age are really creeping in, and I hate it. Really, really hate it. I've never thought of myself as bullet-proof, have always known old age would happen (assuming I lived that long). I know illness and death are also inevitable, and I'm prepared for both, although in an unconventional sense.

But lately -- the reality is happening. I can accept and deal using my Buddhist philosophies and methods, but it's still happening.

Little things -- looking for words more often, remembering someone's name that I don't hear often, a certain slowness to mental processes -- are creeping up and proliferating. Doesn't really impact my life, but because I'm such a strong observer of my mind and body (Buddhist teachings), I can't help but see the changes, and know the strength of the changes.

In a similar way, body weaknesses are creeping up. For example, I've been using (and really enjoying!) the sauna at the gym where I work out. There are two seating tiers, and since this sauna is not on all the time I have to turn it on when I arrive, and even after 45 minutes the only place really hot enough for me is on the top tier nearest the burner. I struggle to step up onto the first tier so I can reach the second. In fact, I've learned to avoid stepping altogether, getting on with the knees first, then standing. This is unbelievably galling. Getting down is also difficult, and both should be so easy. Would have been, in the past. And it's not because my legs are weak -- my legs have been and still are the strongest part of my body. Not as strong as they once were, of course, but still quite strong.

And I struggle with simple things that require use of the hands -- for example, removing a knee brace this morning after some cycling, over my thick socks.  How could that be a struggle? The knee brace is a new addition, protective of some issues with one knee that seem to stem from the fall I took some months ago, where I landed on the knees and elbows, hard. All the cardio and leg work seems to have further irritated it, thus the caution with the knee brace. Don't want serious knee issues!

I do good, serious workouts at the gym, spot-exercising specific muscle sets on specific days, nothing neglected. These aren't particularly difficult, so why do I struggle with such simple things? Goodness knows, my nutrition is good. I don't have a lot of energy right now, but I put that down to being in an insomnia swing.

Seems to me these are simply inevitable signs of age creeping up. One can be healthy and fit and still be subject to the reality that the body changes as it grows old. That doesn't mean we have to like it.

I know I'm not the only person to ever face this -- I have friends who face it and who find it equally galling. I can and will and do accept it. I won't cling to it, but since I see it daily I just wanted to let it out here as I do so much else. One whine, and I'm done.