I wake up being occupied with my thoughts immediately. Not the way I like to wake up, but it happens sometimes. I’m thinking a lot about work and life lately and about how it’ll be when I’m back home. There are things I’m excited about when going home, like of course seeing my family and friend again or going back to the gym. But there are also things I’m not so much looking forward too. It’ll probably be crazy busy with work and I have quite a lot of catching up to do. But waking up thinking about all that is not how I want to start the day. Fortunately I’ve got a plan for this morning and that’s why I had set the alarm clock at about sunrise.
I want to try out the trail running shoes I bought earlier this week in Missoula. Right in front of my grandparents house is a mountain with many trails, the perfect place for hiking and running. I quickly get dressed and drink some water before I go outside. I haven’t run for more than a month, so it’s quite challenging. It’s a combination of running and walking up the steep mountain. It’s not easy, but I love every moment of it. Because we’re in the mountains here, it’s about 4000 feet / 1600 meter high, I’m quickly out of breath. Despite having to take a few breaks I manage to get to the top of the mountain in a little over half an hour. I’m happy with that result and contently sit down at the rocks on the top. I turn on some music that suits this place and enjoy the scenery. While sitting here, I realise that during my run up the mountain all my worries have fallen from my shoulders and I feel at peace. It’s interesting how being on top of a mountain can make you feel. It gives me a feeling of clear overview, both literally and and mentally. I realise that I don’t know how things will be with work when I’m back home, but that I also don’t need to worry about it. It has always worked out so far, so also this time I think all will be fine.
I stay at top of the mountain for about twenty minutes. There is no one here, only a little chipmunk that keeps me company. I think I’ll take some nuts or seeds with me next time to give to the chipmunk. Next time I want to try to be here before sunrise, so I can watch the sunrise from the top. It means I probably have to start running at 5am then and bring a flash light, that’ll be a nice challenge. I run back down and that goes a lot faster. While running down I see the real quality of these shoes. Their nose and the bottom are very durable and hard, perfect for running on trails and rocks. Around eight I’m back at my grandparents home and have breakfast while they’re waking up. Together with my grandma I go to a garage sale that she saw in the newspaper, but we cannot find it and decide to go the thrift store to continue our treasure hunt there. Grandma finds a nice sign for in the living room and I find an Italian coffee maker for only one Dollar. They have never seen such a thing, but I know how nice the coffee can be from one of those and I like that I find one which looks to never been used before for just a bargain. Content with our treasures we drive back home. Grandpa and grandma have some errands to run and go out for lunch with someone, so I go my local office here. The Starbucks where I did a lot of work two years ago at the start of Webpuccino. Not much has changed here and I sit down at the table where I always sat and start writing the story of today and posting the blog of yesterday. I also check my e-mails and try to get done as much as possible. I’ll be back home and working in about one and half weeks, but I’d like to keep up with e-mails and little things so it won’t be a big pile of work when I start again.
It’s pretty warm today, even inside the coffee place and that gives me the idea to get some popsicles (Nederlands: ijsjes) before I go home. When I get home, grandma is already preparing dinner. More grandchildren are coming to visit tonight. It’s great to see them again as well. We talk all night until it’s bedtime. Usually I’m the first here who goes to bed, around ten in the evening, but I’m also the one who wakes up earliest at six. It’s about the same as when I was camping in my car. Waking up when the sun gets up and going to bed when the sun has set. I like living with the rhythm of the day. It gives me the feeling I get the most out of the days.
