CORNWALL COGITATION #7 Saturday 18 March 2017 Marty has heard me repeatedly say, “Not only can we do this, we’re doing it.”

I apply the phrase to retirement in general and to retirement adventures in particular. Walking is a significant part of our retirement, even as it was during the last 20 of our gainful employment years.

Winter in Cornwall, without a car, lets us revel in doing ordinary things in and out-of-doors. Out-of-doors activity includes walking on our own or in a walking group, walking for groceries, walking to church, the library, or out for a meal. Since January 1 we’ve averaged about 4.5 miles a day on foot.

Some of our walks here, though not nearly all, come with a good deal of mud. Of course, we walk on solid paths, too, and use trains and buses, as well as get lifts from friends—thank you very much.

We approach walking with a light step, getting our toes into something good, fun and rewarding. Getting out and about is rarely a chore; a positive attitude for that works wonders. G. K. Chesterton wrote, “Angels fly because they take themselves lightly.” We walk because, well, at the least we can, and are doing it.

Let pictures tell the tale

Featuring a slideshow of Monday’s walk

Our walk on Monday took us from Penzance through Newlyn, via Paul to Mousehole (Mow-zel) and back. It turned into an 11-mile walk, mostly on hard surface but also on wonderfully winding footpaths through fields and woods. Jessie’s Ice Cream in Mousehole proved just the right pause.

Join us via the slideshow:

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Other glimpses from the week

“What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare?” W. H. Davies, 1871-1940.

Go carefree and lightly on.

John