I used to be a runner and a backpacker; now I am a gramma who hikes a lot, camps in a popup camper rather than on the ground, and rides my bike with my grandkids.

I used to sew most of my clothes. Now I teach my grand kids how to hem and embellish their jeans.

This bike seat cover used to be my friend Susy’s sweater. When the old cover on my bike seat wore out and I found myself sitting on foam, I first whined to my man that I needed a new seat. But then, I instead reached into my bag of felted sweaters and fashioned a new wool cover. Cushy and absorbent: everything I need! Kind of like soakers for grownups.

According to polls, most of us people-of-a-certain-age will be working for many years to come out of need. But if we all keep figuring out new uses for old stuff, maybe we’ll stay entertained, keep our brains and bodies active, and discover that if we economize even further, we may not have to work till we’re eighty.

I hate shopping that involves going to a mall or a grocery store. Raising four boys has lead to way too many breathless dashes to sporting goods stores (at malls) for bats/cups/cleats/shin guards en route to a game or tournament. As for the grocery stores, I can’t guess the number of trips I’ve made to or the dollars I have spent at those over the years. That is a destination I now avoid as long as I possibly can every week, even if it means eating popcorn or bean burritos for dinner. Rating: 1(on a scale from one to 10, 10 the best)

Online shopping is my friend. I won’t say I love it, but will concede that I derive some satisfaction from finding the best prices on those items I am looking for. Plus, it can be done while I take quick breaks from work and blogging. Rating: 5

Online shopping on Black Friday is my BEST friend. While others swarm the malls and WalMarts of the world, I am swigging coffee and shopping in my jammies while searching for one-day-only specials. Rating: 8

Now onto my favorite kinds of shopping. I am feeling all yummy inside just thinking about these places… please take me along if you are making an excursion to:

1. Good yard sales (but not estate sales; they make me sad)
2. Great thrift stores (my best luck has been at the Habitat Home Supply Store and the DAV (Disabled American Veterans) Thrift Store here in my town)
3. SAS, a fabric by the pound experience in Phoenix

I got hooked on yard sales the first time I went. In a little old lady’s central Phoenix driveway, circa 1982, I spotted several pottery pieces that I held up for my yard sale expert friend, Cath, to inspect. I remember scrunching up my face and asking her, “Are these good?” Well, they were McCoy, Bauer and Roseville, and yes, they were very good. Rating = 10

At the Habitat Store and DAV Thrift(spelled ‘Trift’ where I live) I have scored awesome finds over the years. From lovely lithographs, antique windows, beautiful Italian tile, antique furniture, and wonderful etched glassware. I love the dustiness, the excess (200 window screens sort through and measure!), and the dangers (watch out for broken glass!). The day I found the exact windows I needed to make a built-in glass fronted cabinet in my recent bathroom remodel, my very intrepid mom and I loaded up three of these beauties in my truck and gloried in the haul: just $30. Rating=10

SAS is a seamstress’s wonderland. Not that I make that much time for sewing in my modern life as a blogging-web designing-project managing woman, but I have made some great outfits from fabrics dug out of huge cartons or pulled high off a shelf. Linens, silks, rayons, wool jersey, leathers for making unique belts or jewelry, every kind of trimming or notion you could ever imagine await the patient shopper at SAS.

I have adorned my body, my children’s bodies, and my home with high end fabrics woven for manufacturers who make pillow shams and evening wear for people far fancier than us. My aforementioned intrepid mom and I have scored hand knit water-damaged sweaters from Peru from this very same store. Set up warehouse style and without air conditioning or chairs, I even relish shopping on hot summer Phoenix days when the temperature inside that place has to be over 100. Alongside women looking for bridal fabrics or something special enough for their daughter’s first communion or quinceñera dress, we poke and prod and exclaim over our finds. We’re all sweltering as we search, and then all smiles as we plop down $50 or less for 10 pounds of woven bargains. Rating: 10, for sure.

Today I heard from Lynn after he had stopped over at the Prescott site, in search of some local hiking information:

Hi,

I recently moved here. I am a happily married man of 64. I enjoy hiking and do not know any hikers here yet. I have not hiked recently so am looking for something easy with someone with like interest. Both of your favorite Prescott hikes sound simple enough and close enough for cell reception if I ventured out alone. I generally enjoy company while hiking. Is there a book of local hikes?

Lynn

I replied:

Hi Lynn,

Welcome to town. It’s so nice to hear from you.

I often hike alone (but always with my dog) and feel that the trails you referenced are well traveled enough and close enough in that it’s ok to go solo. Now, of course I’ll probably take some flak on that advice, since it is considered very unwise to hike alone at any time.

And, yes, I do get cell reception in those areas, but it (reception) can be very spotty around town as you may have noticed.

At the library you can find some books on local trails, but I’d like to recommend you stop in at the Hike Shack, 210 S. Montezuma St., 928-443-8565. The owner’s name is Dave Ganci and I called to let him know you might be in. You’ll find that the folks at the Hike Shack will be able to recommend some more places to hike and while you’re there, you can pick up the best area trails book, by Ron Smith, now in its third edition.

Here are some other links (that weren’t on my site before, but that I have just added) that might help you out in meeting up with fellow hikers:

Prescott Hiking Club
www.prescotthikingclub.com/

Prescott Outings Club
www.geocities.com/prescottoutingsclub/club_information.html

Yavapai Trails Association
www.yavapaitrailsassociation.org/

Good luck to you and maybe I will see you out there!

Katie

Feel free to chime in if you want to share other hiking ideas.

Analogies and metaphors are fantastic tools for conveying new information to the inexperienced. Teachers routinely introduce new material by tapping into their students’ prior and/or related knowledge on the new topic as a bridge to grasping the new concept. Drawing on relevant figurative language can help a learner get to the “aha moment” much more quickly.

In every classroom, students will begin to get it at different points in time, and the choice of analogy or metaphor will work for some but not all.

That’s why Liz’s project is great. The next time you struggle to find an explanation of what blogging is, stop by her site and see what other people came up with.

Here’s my own take: Blogging as Kayaking. Following are the parallels I see between both activities. If you aren’t into blogging OR kayaking, you might just skip this altogether. For more examples of metaphors, scroll to the end.

The craft itself:

Kayaking: The boat you choose should fit your needs and taste, whether used and scratched up or brand new, how long or short, its weight, whether designed for rapid or calm water. Even the color and hull design are up to you. The many choices are confusing and you can easily spend a lot of money on bells and whistles that you later discover you don’t need. The main focus should be on finding a craft that’s the right one for you.

Blogging: The look of your blog is determined by the theme, design layout, art and colors. You can choose from a multitude of free themes (used!), or hire a designer to create an original theme, or learn how to do-it-yourself. Then it’s on to figuring out your personal writing style and tone. The many choices are confusing and you can easily spend a lot of money on bells and whistles that you later discover you don’t need. The main focus should be on creating an identity and approach that’s the right fit for you.

The Accessories:

Kayaking: You have to select a paddle (color, length, design), figure out storage systems (hatch, dry bags, top mounted bungies, tethers to make sure nothing goes overboard), choose a personal flotation device, decide whether you need a bilge pump or sponge for getting rid of water that you take on. Then there’s your kayaking hat, a watertight case for your camera and/or iPod, binoculars, water shoes, gloves, and helmet. No, you don’t need all of that but when you’re just starting out, you aren’t sure what’s mandatory and what’s optional.

Blogging: Your plugins are your “aftermarket addons” and these determine what all shows up on the pages of your blog (from the way your links, archives, calendar, widgets and other options display). There are even plugins for managing spam, which you will definitely encounter once your blog is live.

Portability:

Kayaking: This is how you get your craft from your driveway to the water, which can be avoided entirely by renting a boat onsite. If you own your own boat, you then have to have some way to mount it on your vehicle and haul it to the water. This can be tethers, racks, bungees, rope, even wheels that you can put under your craft once its off your vehicle, as a means of towing it to the water. Your mounting system should take into consideration your height and strength. You should be able to reach the rack by yourself and carry the boat by yourself.

Blogging: This is how to get your blog live, online. You choose your blogging software (whether WordPress, Typepad, Blogger, Moveable Type, etc.) and select the host for your site. This can be as simple as free hosting by the company who produces the blogging software or a paid hosting options just like arranging for hosting of a standard website. Then once it is live you have to learn about rss feeds, pinging, trackbacks, permalinks, and submissions, so that others can find your blog.

The course:

Kayaking: You are either out for a serene, quiet ride or you’re looking for adventure and speed. Depending on which approach you take, you’ll have mapped out your course carefully in advance, or you may just be meandering on a lake. You may even end up in a remote cove and discover that dismounting and hiking around introduces you to a new aspect of this sport. You may paddle hard for a stretch and then unwind and drift for awhile. You will definitely encounter some unexpected adventure and snags, and your original plans may be subject to alteration if the water is too low, weather turns foul, there is a deep blanket of algae coating the surface of the area you intended to explore, or if there’s a recent hatching of nasty bugs that drive you off the water entirely.

Blogging: You choose a niche (or not, as is your preference) and start writing about it whenever you have something to say. Meanwhile, you download a feedreader of your choice and start subscribing to and reading other people’s blogs on topics of interest to you. Then you continue to read the news online and off, and talk in your own blog about the subjects you have an interest or knowledge in. You have your first encounter with spam and start looking for ways to eradicate that and perhaps decide to change course, to a different theme or blogging platform or niche.

Interaction:

Kayaking: Even if you like to go solo, you will interact with people you encounter on the water, and at stores where accessories are sold, or on Craig’s list or your newspaper classifieds. Then, you’ll run into people in the parking lot where you’ll discuss your mounting system or whether you’re happy with your boat, where did you get it, etc. At some point you’ll probably go on outings with at least one other person, or perhaps a group. On the water you’ll see someone kayaking with their dog, fishing, or wearing a hat you like or using a camera setup you admire and you’ll stop to chat with them before moving on. So the more you interact with others, the more you learn.

Blogging: Reading other’s blogs eventually inspires you to begin commenting, in which you leave remarks on others’ posts or even email them directly to share a compliment or new insight. The more of that you do, the more people begin to visit your blog once they become intrigued by comments you have left on blogs that they read. They may mention you in one of their posts and actually link right to your site. Your posts begin to draw comments and questions and before you know it, you are engaged in an ongoing discussion on a number of topics, spanning across the entire blogosphere. You may even end up participating in group blogging projects like this one, or being asked to be a guest blogger. So the more you interact with others, the more you learn.

Monetizing:

Kayaking: If you become expert, you can teach classes, lead expeditions, or sell kayak related gear from a brick and mortar storefront. You can share your expertise online as well.

Blogging: Enabling others to advertise on your site is the next step toward earning money from your blog. Once you are an established expert, you may have others offering to pay you for content or hire you to manage their blog.

If you are a nonblogger who wants to learn more about blogging and my kayaking metaphor falls flat for you, here are some that have been submitted to Liz already. Visit her site for even more, or to submit your own metaphor.

Enquire Within Upon Everything at Ian’s Messy Desk
Blogging Metaphor–The Salad Bar Blog at Word Sell
My blog is a smorgasbord, come and eat… at Juggling Frogs
Feeding on Plankton at krooz
My Preferred Metaphor for Business Blogging at Business and Blogging
10 reasons why blogging is like dating� at Romance Tracker
Equestrian Ecstasy – Portal to another Reality at INNside Innkeeping in Montana
Blogging Metaphors: Bridge-Building at Middle Zone Musings
Blogging Metaphor: Blogging is like Exercise at Virtual Impax
My Blogging Metaphor: BNI at Kiss2
Why Conversational Blogging Is Like A LineConga at dawudmiracle
Blog 101 and the New Cocktail Party at What Would Dad Say.

Related info on kayaking:
About Kayaking in Prescott Arizona

Kayaking with Dogs

I was zipping around in Marek Uliasz’s site, initially psyched at having found a blog devoted to two of my favorite out-of-office activities. That would be, clearly, paddling my kayak and photography. Then I found the part about kayaking with dogs.

Marek has links to some other writer’s experiences and suggestions on how to safely and enjoyably take your pooch along when you are on water. I wish I’d found these earlier.

I’ve almost abandoned the idea of doing that ever again. My dog, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, is bred for swimming rescues at sea, so it would sound like a great fit. He is a great swimmer, and can keep going for hours! When he sees or smells water, commands like “wait” and “stay” fly right out the window. Forget about “leave it,” so strong is his pull to H2O in any form or amount.

I have actually taken him kayaking solo a couple of times and with a friend on one occasion, with mixed results. I should have realized that just being a great water dog doesn’t mean that kayaking with him would be a serene activity.

I had assumed that in strapping on a dog PFD and keeping him on his leash until we left shore that we’d be all set. I also (mistakenly) believed he would dog paddle right along next to me. He doesn’t try to jump into my arms when we’re hiking. So, why did he keep trying to jump into the boat??

It’s very difficult to get a dog to take a break on shore or boulders in the water when he just naturally wants to keep going and going and going… and, as I discovered with dismay, I could not navigate to the spot where he chose to relieve himself, even though I had thought to bring poop bags.

Then there was the occasion when he realized that if he DID go ashore and just run at top speed, he could catch up to me that way (since I wasn’t letting him catch up to me in the water due to capsizing aversion). There was Chester flying along as fast as he could go through all kinds of sharp objects and debris of the type that is sometimes found along the shoreline of fishing lakes. There was the dock, on which stood a small group of anxious elder fishermen as this apparently crazed canine bore down on them. Fortunately, I was able jump to warp speed paddling and cut him off before he arrived in their midst.

Now, back to square one. After reading Marek’s post and those he links to, I realize I omitted essential training and practice on land. In my case, “Safety Last.” Grrrrr. Why do we so often overlook the obvious in the rush to have an adventure?

Once it stops snowing, maybe we’ll give it another whirl, starting with getting in and out of my boat while it’s safely docked in the driveway at my house.

Editor’s note: for even more on kayaking, visit another of my blogs: AboutPrescottArizona.com

We both got busy with work, grandkids, kids, dogs, kayaking, etc., and we haven’t actively worked on distribution of the cards recently. But now that’s changed!

We are releasing a companion piece, a customizable journal, in the next few weeks. So… check out the original cards and watch for the release of the journal here on this page. For those who enjoy private, reflective writing, they’re suitable for men and women.

After we roll out the journal, we will begin working on the second series of cards.

Meanwhile, we’ve enjoyed collecting other people’s stories about the gates they have encountered, both literally and figuratively. Why not relay some of your stories? They might appear in the journal or next set of cards.

My town is a tourist destination and becomes the next home for many of those who visit. This page will show you Prescott through my eyes: those services I personally use and appreciate, the recreational activities I enjoy, and looks at small, locally owned businesses you might not get from the Yellow Pages or other sites.

If you have visited Prescott or already live here, I would like to know what you know and love about my town. And where you like to go when you’re here. And stories about great experiences you’ve had in customer service or just general friendliness. Maybe those will find their way into “Loosely Speaking” or onto AboutPrescottArizona.com.

Chuckles aside, my favorite workout combination goes like this: racquetball at 6:45 a.m., just two games, followed by coffee and knitting in the cafe area of my club. I know I’ll never get a celebrity body with this approach, but it works for me. My racquetball partner of the past several years, Christy, is into motorcycling, scuba, and a lot of other adventure sports and activities. She’s also young enough to be my daughter. The ties that bind us are that we love racquetball and talking business (she’s a very successful realtor), and then lately, her enjoyment of needlework.

Seems like when I get back to the office after our workout and quiet conversation over coffee and yarn, I feel calm and yet invigorated about what lies ahead in the work day. Trying to retain that sense of calm in the midst of a hectic schedule is far easier on Tuesdays and Thursdays, when I know I already got in my hits and stitches!

I decided to be closed for 4 weeks during the winter this year and am testing the viability of this concept, both in terms of its restorative qualities for my as well as the convenience/inconvience to my clients.

The first two weeks were about the family gatherings and a little travel. The second two weeks are about creative projects. I am just starting a writing project that I hope will turn into something of merit, but for now it’s more of an exercise in creativity. Meanwhile, I am knitting and reflecting and generally enloying life. More will be forthcoming as I discover whether or not I can take this personal retreat every year

Nice to come back into our rented beach house and relax without answering phone calls or replying to emails!

They came from Title9sport.com and have seen me through hundreds of day hikes, dozens of kayaking outings, trips to the beach, coffee breaks with friends, racquetball games, softball games, volleyball games, son’s baseball games (now that’s in the hundreds easily), the weddings of three children, menopause, becoming a grandma and I’m sure there’s more.

The impressive part is that I am talking about one single pair of these shorts. They haven’t faded, worn, stained or torn despite all that wear. If you are a female needing some good outdoor wear, take a look at Title9!

Flip flop the day you have planned so you can get together for a last minute lunch with a friend who’s going out of town.

Load clean dog who (just had a bath yesterday and smells so nice) into clean truck (which also finally just had a bath a couple days earlier) and head out to Pioneer Park for a great morning hike.

Let dog off leash since he’s obedience trained and you know he’ll come and sit on command if you run into others on trail.

Snap a couple of photos of beautiful, loving canine frolicking ahead of you on that beautful September sunlit trail.

Watch in wonder as dog romps off to chase … a bunny? No, actually watch as he flops onto his back and begins to roll around in delight on top of (must step closer to see what it is) the smelly carcas of a dead coyote.

Load smelly dog back into clean, but now smelly truck.

Rush smelly dog back home and give him another bath.

Call friend to ask if a casual lunch spot will work since there’s no time to change.

Look over the rest of the day’s work plans in dismay realizing that all that rearranging means you’ll be working over the weekend.

And so it sometimes goes when you rearrange your entire schedule for that new client that just popped up onto the horizon. They sound interesting, challenging and fun and you just know you want to tackle their project. You start blocking out time in your calendar for them, only to find they are always missing the delivery deadlines you had agreed to, and your schedule is in a shambles.

With a little more careful scrutiny of the trail ahead I might have noticed the “fragrance” of that dead coyote before letting my dog off his leash to run. And, with more careful screening procedures and tuning into one’s instincts, we might also be able to pass up that client that doesn’t, in fact, turn turn out to be a smooth ride, either.

Earlier in the day, an unexpected opportunity for a quick coffee break arose with a friend just in town for the day, and then dinner with her and another friend worked out later on. Amazing that I could have so much spontaneous fun in one day.
Power babysitting Tessa twice a week gives me the gramma fix I have to have to see things in a fresh way. Dancing and singing and getting the giggles with her for just a half-hour at the end of the week is the best way I know to get back in touch with what matters.
Finally, taking your dog for obedience training has unexpected benefits. Like, it forces you to get up from your desk and get all enthusiastic at various intervals throughout the day. If you’re frowning at your monitor most of the time, this is as good an antidote for your mood and general outlook as it is for your dog’s confidence and responsiveness. If you have a slobber dog, though, it’s best if you have plenty of time to clean up before any client appointments.