The countdown to the Camino has officially begun. Just a few days now until we embark on this long-anticipated adventure. And what better way to prepare than with the gift of relaxation: a massage for both of us today.
Katie, my massage therapist, has been a trusted part of my life for nearly 25 years. In the early days, our visits were fewer and farther between—life was full with raising a family, building a business, and stretching every dollar. Regular massages were a luxury I simply couldn’t afford.
But over the past 15 years, things have shifted. With more time, resources, and a deeper understanding of the importance of self-care, I’ve made my well-being a priority. Katie has been there through it all—attuned to exactly what my body needs, always knowing where to spend the extra time. Her hands carry both skill and intuition, and her talent is unmatched.
In fact, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen another massage therapist in the past 25 years—and only then because of gifted certificates. That’s how much I trust and value her.
I’m so grateful to have Katie in my life. Yesterday’s massage was the perfect send-off before our journey begins, and I already know it will be the perfect welcome-home treat when we return from Spain.
Thank you, Katie—you are simply the best! ………… And to show my appreciation, I baked her a loaf of sourdough bread.
Pookie and I have been preparing for this trip for almost a year. We have done a bunch of research, we have all our equipment, we’ve trained our legs to shoulder the weight of our backpacks ……. Well mostly – the truth will emerge quickly enough and now the only thing to do is choose the contents of our backpacks.
Those backpacks hold prime real estate—every gram counts like it’s being charged rent. Apparently, the rule of thumb is not to carry more than 10% of your body weight, which for me is just under 12 pounds. My backpack already weighs 2—one of the lightest on the market, which makes me feel both proud and slightly judged by gravity, and also the fact that I am only 5’2”. That leaves about 10 pounds for actual gear, so every item has to earn its place. My goal is to get the total weight under 11 pounds, which means even my toothbrush might be up for review. Ohhhh …… to brush? Or not to brush? It might end up being a serious question. 🥴 Most likely, it won’t be the toothbrush but the 3rd pair of Darn Tough socks I really wanted to take, “just in case.” For me, usually wet, cold feet = you’re going down, Missy!
If your curious like me 😉 stay tuned to find out which items survive the brutal audition to hitch a ride in our backpacks and fly off to the land of tapas.
Xoxo, Katy