Actually, I was just doing some google searches, and the traditional pilrimages to Santiago de Compostela started from where ever people lived in Europe. The longest distance I can see is from Zagare, Lithuania, and the distance is 3262 km (approx 2026 miles, comparable to the Appalachian Trail). I had no idea that there were routes from many different countries (Ireland, England, Holland, Germany, Poland, Italy, Slovakia, Portugal, Malta, Switzerland), with France being the most common. You can definitely pick a distance/route that fits any timeline. (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camino_de_Santiago_(route_descriptions)

So cool!! I'm sure you've thought of this, but make sure you bring warm. Spring feels different up north - at least it sure does in Canada. It can be warm, but it can also easily be snowy/frosty with cold rain and wind. I'm guessing that up in the highlands it will be chillier. Have a wonderful time!!!

Tennis was fun tonight, and I was playing a little better. Still many mistakes, but I had more focus. I'm not sure where my brain was last night. 🤪 I went for 2 nice dog walks today, and finally got back to my strength and stretch exercises I'd dropped for a few weeks.

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who struggles with racquets. 😅 Where are you going for your vacation? What a lovely time of year to take a holiday!

I'm going to be back in the saddle again tonight! Dh and I just received an invitation to play doubles with some friends that always make me laugh really hard when we play. I need a really good laugh. 😉 Got in a nice dog walk this morning. The sun was shining and it was -1C, but it felt ok.

I need a few moments to pick up the pieces of my shattered self-esteem after playing tennis so horribly tonight. The only saving grace was that dh was equally horrible, so he wasn't getting on my case. This is one of those days when I question why I keep playing this game. Once I calm down, I'll be back out there on the court chasing after more tennis balls. 🤣

Dh and his brother do it away from home, too. I don't think they can sneeze any other way. One niece sneezes this way, too. Maybe it's gentic somehow. 😉

I played 2 hrs of tennis yesterday and my wrist felt fine, though I played horribly. So many errors and miss-hits. Dh and I are playing mixed doubles tonight, which should be fun. Hopefully my focus will be better today. 😉 It's COLD again! Snow flurries this morning with a very cold wind. I played the whimpy card and did not go for a dog walk.

WOOHOO!!! That is wonderful news! Thanks for sharing! I love how his boss has more 'carrots' in the near future to keep your dh satisfied that there is a real progression pathway for him at this company.

Two of my ds's have had their tonsils out due to recommendations from the ENT. Their tonsils were so large that they were constricting their airway. They were both about 13 when they had them out, and the recovery was pretty rough for a solid week or more. That was 5-7 years ago now, and so far their immune systems are doing great. They rarely get sick, and even better, they can breath much easier now. In contrast, I have had tonsil issues and STREP throat all my life. My ENT recommended against having my tonsils removed (back in the 1980s) mostly because it was the 'best practice' at that time. I remember the ENT saying something like, "it's part of the immune system and shouldn't be removed." My dh had his tonsils removed before the age of 10 (general 'best practice' at that time) and rarely gets sick. If the ENT is recommending removal of tonsils now, it's likely because this is found to be the 'best practice' based on advances in research from what was known in the past.

I have not really noticed the loudness of cold symptoms linked specifically to gender in my household (4 males and 2 females). My dh sneezes REALLY loud - it's like a sneeze and shout "WHA-HOO!!" blended together. 😱 Dd literally HONKS loudly while blowing her nose. She's like a Canada goose, but don't tell her that. 😂 Ds (oldest) is a silent blower, but wads up a million tissues into tiny balls that spill all over the table and floor.

Dog walk this morning, then 3 hrs of tennis. Dh and I warmed up playing singles the first hr, then we played our last club championship mixed doubles match for 2 hrs. It was a lot of fun, even though we lost. My wrist is pretty sore now, though. More doubles tennis the next 2 days, and then I'll rest.

Thanks for the update @Laura Corin. So glad that you spoke up about your job and that your boss listened and tried to make the position interesting for you! Sounds like a good environment. Hope you're able to negotiate taking summer terms off!! That would be a super transition before full retirement!

I played an hour of singles tennis yesterday, as well as a long walk with friends an one dog walk. Today is a rest day, with just dog walks.

Thinking and praying for you and your son.

I hope that you can find some answers and things to help improve her overall health and wellness. ((hugs)) Just curious about whether she's seen an allergist in case of allergies and oral allergy syndrome. I have environmental allergies and OAS, and experience issues with some foods, bloating, pain, etc.

I'm on day 4 of a tennis match streak and my body is feeling it. It wasn't intentional to play this much in a row, but dh and I entered our club fun tournament in mix doubles, so we have more matches due to that. It's been fun overall.

I've been rather lazy of late. I'm still getting in regular tennis, though fewer dog walks and almost no strength exercises. I'm just feeling tired of the crappy spring weather and hoping for warm, sunny days. @Laura Corin Thanks for sharing the amazing photos! The scenery is breathtaking!

Stuffed animals, or animal puppets? Hope the visit goes really well!

That's great news! All the best to him with the negotiations!

@Soror I hear you about the challenge with avoiding candy brought into the house. Preping your lunches sounds like a perfect plan! All the best! I've been getting in the daily dog walks and some stretch/strength exercises. Outdoor tennis is going to be starting up again very soon! Can't wait! It's nice to play in the dome, but far cheaper outdoors.

I had all 4 of mine removed by an oral surgeon a couple of years ago. It went very smoothly. The teeth apparently came out without any issues, which was good news for my recovery. The first few hours of the recovery was the worst, with the bleeding and bandages inside the mouth. After that it was good. I kept my mouth very moist with lots of water and avoided dry sockets, fortunately.

I've seen similar things happen, and the organizer went with option 3. It worked out very well. Way less stress for the organizer and they still enjoyed gathering with friends.

That's a shame your current job tasks have been changed so much. You definitely could apply for the new job while still in your current job, and then make the decision on whether or not to change based on some more time in your current evolving position. I also like the sound of option D, where you stay for a while then quit when you are ready (based on the dog or not). It seems like you enjoy travelling, even within your own country, and you'd have more time to enjoy the travel and hiking while you and your dh are still young and healthy. I play tennis with many retired folks in the 60s and 70s, and none of them ever express missing work. They are enjoying having the time to be active during the time of day/week they choose, and they have far more flexibility to travel or visit family. You definitely don't NEED to keep working to prove yourself worthy to anyone else. You are amazing simply for who you are! 😀