Simple Living Diary

I Didn't Know I Had a Second Blog!   To be honest, I forgot I had this blog.  I created my new one at AllieRambles.com to document my hiking and RV life  AllieRambles.com to document my hiking and RV life but I generally don't show a lot of my private life or emotions there.  I mostly like to talk about where I go and how to live on the road.   Then about a week ago I thought about starting a blog again. I feel the need to talk about my personal life, my ups and downs and all that.  Just me talking, I mean writing, about it all, like I am right now.  I went to check out Blogger because I don't want to bother with too many design elements and a host.  When I arrived at Blogger Google told me I already had a blog here!   Mogollon Rim, Arizona (I was just there a week ago) So wow!  All I need to do is write! What should you expect going forward from this blog? My last post was in 2020.  It is now May 2024 and I gotta te...

I have this knack, or curse or whatever you want to call it, for seeing many sides of any situation.  This is not always a good thing since I rarely choose a side to defend.  Yet it's a wonderful thing because I'm open to acknowledge all points of view and lifestyles; I recognize that the world is and never will be black and white, to me, it's all these hues of gray. Basically, I'm always caught in the middle.  And never the extremes. For the last 8 weeks or so I've been staying near home, social distancing, wearing a mask - you know all the fun stuff that living life in the times of Covid-19 brings.  I've been isolated and, honestly, not speaking much with anyone except mom about the state of things.  We are both healthy and agree on most topics.  Two centerist speaking to each other makes for calm discussion, lol. We both tend to research the crap out of topics we're interested in so we have independently come to conclusions about how to handle Co...

After my recent rants about Covid-19 I've calmed down.  In essence, I simply decided to LET IT GO.  And start to plan a backpacking trip. It seems the world, ok, I don't have much evidence of that to site here, let's say, my state of Arizona then, is starting to open up .  Sure, many are angry at our governor, but selfishly my mental state thanks him. Restaurants and various other non-essential industries are starting to open, not that I'll go, I didn't really before Covid-19 why would I now? This is all a good sign for me.  I can get outdoors and little further from home soon!  Trails have been open this whole time yet many parking lots weren't and it was discouraged to travel far from home. I figure June 1st would be a safe bet.  That's my escape date . I need DIRT.  I need SOLITUDE.  And not just for a few hours locally.  I need to immerse myself in nature.  Not see people, cars, OHVs, planes, jet skis, boats, concrete or h...

People, life is going to change once we get to venture to the streets again. Is it for the better?  I guess that's all individual perspective. ***************** I just received an email from my dentist.  They are ensuring me that they will be updating their already stringent health and safety procedures.  They already follow guidelines put forth from ADA, CDC and OSHA.  But they are taking more measures to keep everyone in their office healthy. It's nice to get a reassuring note from a dentist I've trusted for almost 20 years.  Here are just a few items that stuck out to me: --They'll be asking screening questions before you come in as well as when you arrive.  They don't mention the exact ones yet would probably be fine telling me if I called.  --They are putting hand sanitizer EVERYWHERE. --Their waiting room will no longer have magazines, children's books or toys. They are hard to clean. --They will be making appointments spread ...

I know, I sound like a selfish, heartless bitch. "WAH!  Can't Covid just go away already?!" But you know you are all thinking it. It dominates my social feeds, my news, and even discussions with those I speak with.  When I get gas - the threat looms.  When I get groceries - the threat looms.  When I walk the neighborhood - the threat looms! Don't touch anything. Don't touch your face. Stay 6 feet back. And if someone sneezes or coughs in public we're all panicking. I fully understand the dangers of the Covid-19.  People are dying. ********** I'm angry. I'm frustrated. I'm disappointed. WHY? My life rests on depending on the idea that others will be responsible.  And I have no faith that they will be. I don't like that I'm at the mercy of the masses - that in my eyes tend to mostly make bad decisions. How many don't wash their hands after using the restroom?  Before eating?  After changing a baby diaper?  ...

I'm so excited! A week or so ago I made a comment on the Facebook page for one of my favorite podcasts called Out There Podcast .  I was answering a question about canceling a thru-hike , which I did recently. Well...Willow Belden, the host of the podcast asked if I'd be willing to be interviewed for an episode.  I about fell out of my chair!  OF COURSE I WOULD! That interview was released today and I'm so happy to share it with you!  Here is Episode #113 For the Greater Good I hope you enjoy the show as well as check out her other episodes, she's an amazing storyteller.

Today I'm seeking out funny videos.  I don't want to hear how many people have Coronavirus or how many have died.  Or how much longer we have to stay home or how bad our economy is doing. I just want to laugh. I'm a hiker so these videos got me cracking up. ( Scroll to last video if you want to pass on the hiker vids.) Chaos at Home but He Cancelled Backpacking Dan Becker makes me laugh all the time and I love his backpacking videos. Secret Hiking Gear I carry a foot massage but this guy carries.... His First FKT FKT is Fastest Known Time (on a particular trail).  Some like to be challenged to finish 2000+ miles on foot as fast as they can. This hiker took on the hike of all hikes! AND FINALLY... Not hiker related but I love it! Heartfelt and funny all in one video!!  On the Good News Network . Stay strong and don't forget to laugh.  :-)

Quarantine. I'll admit it's not affecting me as hard as it is others that rely on working away from home, have small children at home and/or normally social. I live with 2 retirees.  Mom seems to be ok since she's still working on decorating and setting up her new home.  She's still removing items from storage boxes and ordering online.  She's keeping busy. Her husband doesn't seem to be bothered much about staying home except that his early morning gym sessions have halted.  He putters around the house and watches TV. Life almost feels the same as it did a month ago before the Coronavirus outbreak. Me?  I'm cool.  I'm an introvert so staying home and doing activities alone are my modus operandi.  I'm working on building my YouTube page , and my 2 websites - Allie Rambles and Start a Simple Life. If you're curious, Allie Rambles is about my hiking and outdoor life.  I'm giving away all my dirt loving secrets there. Start a S...

YESTERDAY... I hiked today.  5 glorious yet slightly painful plantar fasciitis miles. I was a little leary of going out to the trail since I had no idea if I would find more or less people there than usual.  There were less. I passed 2 women with a dog at mile 2 and that's it.  Then I had the trail and parking lot to myself. It felt great to get outside again.  Stretch my legs.  Listen to the wind.  Walk on the crunchy ground! At mile 4 or so I crossed paths with a coyote.  It seemed I may have snuck up on it (something I would NEVER do) because it was rather startled to see me and I him.  Apparently he was just about to enjoy breakfast and possibly didn't hear me coming.  The coyote and its breakfast scampered off.  (I apologize Mr. Coyote for ruining your meal.) This trail and the unnamed ones crossing it will be my playground for the next few weeks.  Maybe months. I'm beyond thankful that I have the trails in my...

I can't complain. I have an amazing life and I'm healthy. I have loved ones in my life and they too are healthy. But I can't help but be rather disappointed that my AZT thru-hike was cut short.  WAY SHORT! Giving In After a Week We made it 70 miles before we felt it was time to stop. The Coronavirus took us off trail and back home. It was a hard decision yet I feel the right one. When we started the trail there was barely any talk of the virus besides the fact that a few people in the United States had contracted it and we were reminded of our good hygiene habits.  We didn't worry, we'd be away from the world, isolated on the trail.  Were else would be a better place to be healthy? About 5 days in were hearing that some major cities were asking their residents to stay home.  Non-essential businesses were temporarily closing. Yet, again, this didn't worry us since we were on trail and away from major cities. Then the news trickled in.  RE...

Last night, right before I dozed off, a horrible thought ran through my head about being on the AZT ! What if I start my period during the night, asleep, in my tent, in the dark, where creatures that want to eat me lurk, where I can't find anything quickly and I'm completely out of my element? My tent is a backpacking tent - you can't stand up in it.  So doing anything that involves pulling down my pants will be done somewhere away from camp, well away from my tent.  This involves the messy matters of my monthly. I know what you're thinking, don't you track when Aunt Flo should be coming and prepare?  I do and for the last few months she comes whenever she pleases.  It was one more thing the Perimenopausal Welcome Committee sent me.  Because the massive mood swings and blood like I was losing gallons a day wasn't enough. Yep.  I'm worried about my monthly on the trail.  This is what I'm losing sleep over. Not mountain lions, rattlesnak...

It's been a frenzy, head spinning couple of weeks!  I've been planning and buying like a mad woman.  But I'm ready! I think I have everything I need to backpack the Arizona Trail . Well, I still have to go to REI one more time (hopefully just one last time) this Saturday to pick up microspikes and mosquito headnet. If you're not a cold weather hiker (and I am not) apparently you need spikes that attached to your hiking shoes during icy conditions.   I made the mistake of thinking that all of Arizona would be desert, what the heck is wrong with me?  It can get pretty cold in the mountains here! Like I said, I do believe I have everything.  I may be a bit short on food but I've opted to eat my own mostly dehydrated beans and veggies as well at pick some up on the way.  I'll have 6 food and consumable mail drops throughout my trip to replenish what I need. My Food for the AZT I haven't done an itemization of the gear and consumables I bou...

Have you ever felt nervous , scared , excited, happy and down right crazy all at the same time? I now have officially felt these all at the same time. I've been prepping to do the Arizona Trail  and I swear I feel all these emotions and more right now. Questions and concerns have been racing through my head! Will I be ready emotionally?  Physically? Will I have all my gear?  Food?  Water? What if we can't get water on the trail?  Or it snows?  Or it's extremely hot? What if I can't sleep?  Get injured?  Run into a mountain lion? WHAT IF I NEVER DO THIS?  Because my dumb-ass was too scared? Or Nervous? I know myself, I'll talk me out of it.  And I also know that once I plan things I feel way better and end up doing it. SO I PREP FOR THE AZT I've been hiking more (and I'm tired).  Yesterday I did 7 miles with 12 pounds on my back.  I need to do more so my body doesn't go into shock with 30 pounds hangi...

I did it.  I decided to backpack the AZT aka the Arizona Trail .  It's about 800 miles and will take about 2 months. Whoa! 2 months with everything I need on my back - food, water and shelter. Two months away from general civilization. They'll be people and towns along the way yet it'll be mostly dirt, plants and wildlife (hopefully just the friendly kind.) How did all this happen? If you know me, which you may not since this blog is pretty new, I LOVE to hike.  I feel empty inside when I can't hit the trail.  (Watch some of my Youtube videos  about it). But that's going out for a day and coming back home to eat and sleep in my comfy bed.  Backpacking is a whole different beast.  Yet I've wanted to do it for a few years now yet life circumstances have kept me away (selling my house, saving money, time). I'm not ready to talk about it but my sweet Maggy dog has crossed the rainbow bridge recently.  She could barely hike so backpacki...

Ok, here it goes. Once a month, usually for a day I get BAT-SHIT-CRAZY. Really.  This is no joke. A couple of months ago I was so hurt, angry and hopeless I wished I would die the pain was so horrible in my head. That's an extreme. Typically I'm super grumpy and feel like I want to punch walls and people out.  I don't, FYI. What the heck is happening? It's my hormones.   It started a couple of years ago, the VERY STRONG emotions right before my period.  It took me a few months to understand this was something happening on a regular basis, each month, and during my monthly cycle.  I thought I was just an angry woman going crazy after my divorce and becoming an empty nester.  Huge life changes like that can make your a little angry and anxious for sure. Luckily I started seeing a pattern. I took action.  I thought, "How can I make this stop?"  I hate what I think and sometimes do during this time of the month. Digging a...

I read an article on Medium yesterday about dating in your 50's called  My Problem with First Dates and Fifty-Something-Year-Old Men . This reminded me of the few dating months I experienced years ago. I dated 5 men starting about 6 months after my divorce was official.  I dated for about 8 months or so then stopped - cold turkey style. That was 5 years ago.  Since then I've had NO INTEREST in dating or meeting anyone new at all.  That includes female friendships. When I made this decision I felt selfish.  I wanted life for a while to be all about ME.  Is that so bad? I wanted to explore who I am.  Taking off from about 21 years of age when I was last officially single and see who the hell I was then, for the last 30+ years and who I want to be. This was around the same time I started my simple living journey . I just wanted life for me to be simple for a while.  I needed to be only in my head; I couldn't have anyone else cloud who...

I was never one to enjoy celebrating holidays.  Don't get me wrong when Christmas or Thanksgiving come along I'm chilling with my kids with the whole dinner layout. Yet for most holidays I feel like I'm being forced (by marketing and ad agencies) to be kind and generous. I'd rather celebrate good qualities like kindness, compassion and love everyday rather than when card and flower companies tell me to do so. And damn it, I'll eat chocolate everyday not just on Valentine's, Easter and Christmas. I LOVE celebrating everyday.  Is that bad? I'd prefer to give love everyday.  Or give a gift on some random day when my loved one is not expecting it. I'm sure people giving flowers and having dinner with their honeys today do show how much they care any random day.  I do hope so.  I hope I'm not coming across as a cynical, cold-hearted bitch.  I guess I just don't like when I feel like corporations run my life.  Don't let my ...

Yesterday I hiked.  It felt glorious! I try to hike 3-4 times a week with a couple of short hikes at 3-4 miles and one long one on Saturday of at least 5-6 miles. I was the only one on the trail and that's how it usually is at the park I frequent.  It's a national recreation area more known for boating than hiking by far.  As a matter of fact I was talking to the attendant at the front gate one day and she told me "we're not really known for our hiking". LOL. But that is what I DO.  What I need to keep me sane and physically healthy.  I freaking LOVE hiking!  I've never been this into something in my life.  During my marriage years I had children and they were my life.  I volunteered for scouts and parent's club.  (Funny, I hated parents club but loved scouts, maybe because I could be outside.) Then my divorce happen 5 years ago and my kids live on their own.  WTH would I do with my free time? I did take up running...

Yesterday I had a sorta breakdown. I cried on and off all day.  Grieving about the inevitable. My dog, Maggy, was diagnosed with cancer recently.  She has a growth around her lymph node, which protrudes from her neck. and tongue that is inoperable.  We started chemotherapy a week ago yet yesterday I noticed her lump on her neck had grown, she had barely any energy to walk and she wouldn't yawn, meaning she was too uncomfortable to open her mouth. Maggy is 14 and since my divorce 5 years ago she has grown to be my close buddy.  She did almost everything with me.  We hiked 3-4 days a week, we hung out at the park, we walked everyday and any vacation revolved around being able to take her .  It's just her and I. Needless to say this illness is stressful. And yesterday hit me hard. I have my Personal Core Values , which help me create a more simple life, to fall back on during good times and bad yet this day really took its toll on me.  ...

It's been a few years now that I decided to let go of my chaotic ways to seek a simpler life .  I now feel compelled to tell my story. Let me start with what simple living means to me. Letting go of the complicated.    These are things like grudges, consumerism, and excess.  Our human "fixes" to what hurts us cause even more hurt and emptiness, perpetuating the horrible cycle.  I recognise that and let it go.  I choose instead a life where I strive for forgiveness and letting go of harsh feelings and ideals. Accepting that there is no such thing as perfection.    We're human, it simply doesn't exist.  I stopped trying to live perfectly.  This ideal has led me to being more comfortable with who I am, especially at midlife. Creating my own Personal Core Values I developed my own mission statement of things I value most in life.  When I make decisions I look to my core values to help me make up my mind. Nevermind...