Fresh air...busyness...life...

My body was so tired today, I felt numb. I was finally able to focus on work around 5PM. Les only looks grumpy cuz he was concentrating on holding the camera...he wore his moccasin boots and brought his walking stick on that hike, and I could tell he loved being in nature like that. Got to talk to his dad for a moment too. Those moments become so necessary when our loved ones are no longer with us.

It was a very necessary weekend. Mom and Meara came up for a city breather, and because we Lyons's tend to prefer to be anywhere but at home (in our own heads) when May 12 comes around. Mom's Day this year coincided with Dad's anniversary; he's been gone 6 years. I'm, painfully and thankfully, not hit as hard by this, this year; but Mom and Meara ache pretty hard still. They popped up Saturday and in spite of the miserable weather, we drove a half hour up the Parkway to Craggy Gardens to meet them and take a quick trek on one of the hiking trails there.

Hiking...I'm loving it, but I need several things: decent shoes and hiking poles are at the top of the list. The terrain we were covering was pretty rocky in places with ascents and descents, but I kept up with them. I have ankle boots that work better than my sneakers right now for hiking, but I don't want to ruin them on trails when they would also work as a work shoe if I end up back in an office. Something to save for.

We cruised back to Weaverville to relax a pinch, and did dinner at Farm Burger downtown. Wow. Ashley wasn't exaggerating. Pretty sure it was the best burger I've ever had at a restaurant, and that feeling was shared by everyone at the table. We groaned with pleasure, lingered over beers (me and Meara) and milkshakes (Mom and Les), and wandered down to French Broad for further indulgence before heading back home. We ladies watched Silver Linings Playbook finally...holy crap, very well done! And a good reminder for me that maybe I should be on lithium if nothing else. Talking it over with my doc this week, because I can tell my socially awkward symptoms and lack of filter are cropping up, and while it's not important that I fight those symptoms when I don't work in an office, I also don't love my personality when I'm not medicated. I'll be trying a combo of natural supplements and lithium, hopefully.

Also, I have a serious crush on Jennifer Lawrence.

Sunday I made breakfast and we lounged, figuring out where we wanted to gallivant. Weather was gorgeous Sunday, but naptime killed a bit of our afternoon, so we decided to go back up to the Craggy area of BRP, specifically Craggy Dome/Pinnacle where there were additional trails.

Middle of May and it was COLD up there, 5,500 feet and climbing as we trekked to a 360 degree view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Harder climb too, definitely...I loved every minute of it, even as my knees argued with me up and down the trail. My god, the views! The wind! Absolutely exhilarating!

The aches in my muscles are so motivating. This week begins another leaf turning.