Easter morning started with a walk to China Beach, where Otis and I checked out the gorgeous mural in front of the Swiss embassy and picked up some tantalizing postcards featuring the scenic views there.
Chrissy, Javi and I went over to Moms to celebrate Easter in an unconventional way, at least for us, picking up bánh mì sandwiches for lunch. We discovered the building next door, that had been a rug salesroom for decades – literally before my parents moved in in 1968, was now a consignment store called Tam Junktion! There are not many types of stores that would work in a building that is shaped like a huge spade, it will be interesting to see how this place does. Easter turned out to be a very warm day, especially for Mill Valley, we ended up eating lunch outside and had to move into the shade because it was so warm! What a wonderful treat after all the rain and cold weather.
When we got back, Otis and I went to Baker Beach to enjoy the gorgeous weather, then snuggled on the couch while I read a fantastic book, She Explores, that documents different women’s travels outdoors with amazing stories and gorgeous photos. It was so inspiring, and though the focus was on women in their 20s 30s and 40s, it got me thinking about the need for a similar book about women who have passed the half century mark. Hmmmmm…..
On Monday, Otis and I walked to Devils Teeth Bakery so I could get one of their delicious breakfast sandwiches, I haven’t had one in quite a long time and it was so, so good. We bumped into a couple out for their morning walk and garbage collection- 2nd time in a week!
Later, I took the bus over to Chrissy‘s and had a nice play with Javi at the park before making my way back to Seacliff. It was foggy for much of the day in that part of the city, and when we went down to Baker Beach for our evening stroll, there were very few people on the beach. There was a small wedding party eating pizza. Everyone was bundled up, except for the bride in her short-sleeved wedding dress!
I’ve started, well, restarted a daily yoga practice. For a good part of the first half of 2022 I did some form of yoga every day, even if it was only for 5 to 10 minutes, and while it helped me become a little more flexible and stronger, I overdid it a bit, especially with downward dog and other positions that stressed my shoulders and I started having pain in my shoulders. So I stepped back from doing yoga regularly, but I have found recently that I’ve really missed it. During this time of exploration I’m realizing how tight my lower back often is, so I’d like to loosen it up and let go of the tension that I seem to hold there. Now I am doing more gentle yoga stretches, and I have found some amazing videos on YouTube. I found I am drawn to yoga teachers who do more than talk about proper technique and positioning (and aren’t 25 years old, skinny, and more flexible than a Gumby doll!) but also talk about the impact of emotions and stress on the body. Jessamyn Stanley, in particular, has been a favorite lately, I love how open and honest she is.