LIVE from the Camino A wet start in Tuscany

[MichaelC]

I know for some their Camino starts when they leave their front door. For me I’m more in a state of limbo - not home, but not yet on the Camino. But after a 21 hour flight, a night in Florence, and a night in Lucca, it’s finally here.

I had originally planned on spending a few days in Lucca, but I feel like I’m just in a waiting mode. I’ll start walking this morning. Plus starting earlier means I can cut some of the longer stages in half.

I’m at a b&b, patiently waiting for breakfast at 8. Already it’s a different experience, not being in the pilgrim cocoon like at Le Puy and St Jean.

It’s 55 degrees, with moderate rain and a possible thunderstorm. Rain is predicted the next ten days. That’ll be different too - I lucked out with gorgeous weather in France and Spain. I think I’ll take the boring direct route this morning and not the scenic detour. I’ve read that a lot of pilgrims bus through this next section & start in Altopascio. For whatever reason in my mind I want to walk from Lucca - even though rationally I know that starting points are arbitrary.

And it’s breakfast time!

 

[Bradypus]

It’s 55 degrees, with moderate rain and a possible thunderstorm.

I hope you mean Fahrenheit and not Celsius! I walked the "boring" route and I can't see what all the fuss is about. Pretty ordinary suburban stuff - not specially pretty but not hard or dangerous either. Ultreia!

 

[MichaelC]

I hope you mean Fahrenheit and not Celsius! I walked the "boring" route and I can't see what all the fuss is about. Pretty ordinary suburban stuff - not specially pretty but not hard or dangerous either. Ultreia!

Let’s try 16 degrees! And I agree, the route is perfectly fine. There’s a lot of asphalt, but nothing to warrant it’s brutish reputation.

 

[VNwalking]

Aloha, Michael...
And buon camino to you!
Up here in Emelia Romagna its wet wet wet. So I hope you have better weather!

 

[MichaelC]

Aloha, Michael...
And buon camino to you!
Up here in Emelia Romagna its wet wet wet. So I hope you have better weather!

I just read the news about the floods. Hope you’re safe. It’s drying out here.

It turns out 19km on sidewalks is a lot! My legs are sore. There’s no pilgrim accommodations in Altopascio, so I have a room at a hotel. Eating here too. I’d like to be having a communal meal, and I know there’s other pilgrims in town, but I’m too tired to go find em.

 

[Purky]

Too bad about the weather forecast but good to know you're on your way. I hope you have a wonderful camino.

Funny, I suddenly feel like having an Ichnusa Non Filtrata...

 

[VNwalking]

just read the news about the floods.

Mahalo, grazie...
I'm up in the hills. Where a lot of that water came from. But it looks like there's a drier day tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

 

[MichaelC]

Day two was so much nicer! The walk from Altopascio was through woods and countryside, and the weather had cleared up. I had a moment of melancholy last night - there are no more pilgrim hotels in Altopascio & I stayed in a very subpar hotel that cost €80, and had an expensive and inedible meal at their restaurant (shoe leather pretending to be pork). I wondered if this is what the Via would be like. I worried it would be a lonely walk.

I spent the morning emailing and calling places for the next week. I confirmed with five pilgrim places, one I doesn’t take reservations, and I can’t reach the one at Monteriggioni. The prices for regular hotels in Tuscany can be $$$, so I’m doing more advanced planning than I anticipated.

Anyway, I perked up in the morning.

At a coffee shop in Galleno I met a man who tried to open an alberghe there. He said there weren’t enough pilgrims to keep it open. He said the numbers are down now, but I don’t know if he meant this week or this year (my Italian is low to moderate; I miss a lot).

There’s seven other pilgrims here at Ponte de Cappiano. The hostel inside the Ponte de’ Medici gets bad reviews, but I like it. It’s clean, and very atmospheric.

And I think I got dropped from “Live on the Camino!”

 

[VNwalking]

May you keep having better weather!
Is that the hostel in your photo!?

 

[OzAnnie]

Happy to read that you’re in better spirits today. The accommodation info is a little daunting. Sounds like a bit more planning might help that. Buon cammino

And I think I got dropped from “Live on the Camino!”

I don’t think I’ve ever seen that happen before Michael.
Maybe you toggled something off accidentally? Can you edit the title thing again and include the ‘live ‘ .

Maybe Ivar might reinstate for you ?

 

[MichaelC]

6:30 am: the rain is back, it’s 13 degrees, and I’m snuggled up under the covers waiting for the bars to open. Everyone else is still asleep.

The irony is, I was usually the last one up in the CF. Never ever the first. Here’s another difference- on the Via you adapt to Italian times. Breakfast is 7 or 8, lunch is 1 or 2, lodgings don’t open until 3 or 4, and dinner places not until 7 or 8. Im doing shorter 15-20 km stages this first week, so it’s relatively easy to adapt.

Tonight will be my first pilgrim’s accommodation, at the Convento di San Francisco in San Miniato. I’m looking forward to the communal meal - those were among the best of France and Spain.

May you keep having better weather!
Is that the hostel in your photo!?

Yes, it’s built into the walls. Leonardo sketched it, and it seems it doubled as a fortress

 

[VNwalking]

Raining again up here in the hills of Emelia Romagna...

I hope you have a good walk, in spite of the weather. Not so warm as Ko'olau rain...

 

[MichaelC]

Day 3: San Miniato. Another wet one, though it was a light in & off rain, nothing like what they’re getting up north. My combo of hat + rain jacket has been working well.

The path was through fields most of the day, which was nice. I saw more rabbits than people.

There are five of us at the 15th Cenury Convento di San Francisco. It’s now run by a lay organization, so no more priests and nuns. Reception was neutral and a bit institutional (here’s your keys, here’s your room, dinner is at 7:45).

I was glad to have a communal dinner, even if was just pasta, fish sticks, and an apple. “Fellowship is the most important part of the meal.”I told myself. “We might as well at least have some good wine, ” says the Italian guy next to me, pulling a bottle of Chianti out of his sack.

So far everyone I met is stopping at Siena or a stage or two after. There’s a theory the rain is keeping local pilgrim numbers down. The weather forecast predicts sun in five days. I hope so!

Equipment check: my osprey bladder lasted three days. It must have a leak, because it was half empty early in the day & my clothes and sleeping sack at the bottom of my pack were soaked. I enjoyed it while it lasted.

I’m glad I started with shorter 15-20 km stages, to give my body a chance to adapt. Today is a full 24km day to Gambassi Terme, so I’ll have to get more serious - no more leaving at 9 am.

 

[MichaelC]

San Miniato to Chianni (Gambassi Terme) - 25 km of mud flowers hills and vistas. It was stunningly beautiful, but it was a rough one.

 

[VNwalking]

Wow. I'm glad you have better weather.
It's been hosing up here, so I wondered how you were faring.
Well, from the looks of it!

 

[MichaelC]

Better than up north, but still wet. Today we had a light rain until around 10

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Hi @MichaelC,
I look forward to reading your daily posts. Having walked the Via F. from Lucca to Rome last fall, I will enjoy following your footsteps. Hoping you will have as pleasurable an experience as I had...that rain can't last forever!

 

[MichaelC]

Day 6: Colle di Valle d’Elsa. We’ve switched from light rain in the morning and grey skies in the afternoon to blue skies in the morning, thunder storms in the afternoon.

After four days of communal living I’m back in a hotel. It’s nice being able to strip down, take up space, sort my pack, but it’s at the cost of missing the shared experience.

I’d guess much more than half of people are also splitting their stays between private & communal places. I’m about 50:50 at this point. So far at the pilgrim places there have been:

8 of us at hostel in Cappiano
5 at the Convento in San Miniato
18 at Ostello Sigerico in Chianni, and
10 at the wonderful Sant’Agosto in S Gimignano.

There are a lot more walking after San Miniato - though still only a fraction of the Le Puy route. I feel like I’ve already met almost everyone at least once, which is cool. Though most are ending in Siena or a day or two after … so we’ll be saying goodbye as fast as we’ve met.

Lodging is hit or miss. Sometimes people answer the phone, sometimes they answer email, sometimes neither. And so you either take a risk and show up, or book ahead.

Finally, Tuscany is gorgeous in the Spring.

 

[Lisa HS]

View attachment 147261Day two was so much nicer! The walk from Altopascio was through woods and countryside, and the weather had cleared up. I had a moment of melancholy last night - there are no more pilgrim hotels in Altopascio & I stayed in a very subpar hotel that cost €80, and had an expensive and inedible meal at their restaurant (shoe leather pretending to be pork). I wondered if this is what the Via would be like. I worried it would be a lonely walk.

I spent the morning emailing and calling places for the next week. I confirmed with five pilgrim places, one I doesn’t take reservations, and I can’t reach the one at Monteriggioni. The prices for regular hotels in Tuscany can be $$$, so I’m doing more advanced planning than I anticipated.

Anyway, I perked up in the morning.

At a coffee shop in Galleno I met a man who tried to open an alberghe there. He said there weren’t enough pilgrims to keep it open. He said the numbers are down now, but I don’t know if he meant this week or this year (my Italian is low to moderate; I miss a lot).

There’s seven other pilgrims here at Ponte de Cappiano. The hostel inside the Ponte de’ Medici gets bad reviews, but I like it. It’s clean, and very atmospheric.

And I think I got dropped from “Live on the Camino!”

We were at that Ponte a Cappiano hostel two weeks ago, and we thought it was just fine! The quirky host (who was a doppleganger for British comic Rowan Atkinson) put us in a room with 5 beds, but we were on our own, so essentially a private room. The hostel is right on the famous Medici bridge, and we loved the plexiglass in the floor that allowed you to look down and see the river rushing by below.

If anyone else is passing through that very small town, I heartily recommend you plan on eating dinner at Pizzeria Birreria Il Ponte (it's just steps from the hostel). When we arrived, we were starved (having missed lunch) and at the unheard of hour of 4pm Marco opened up just for us. He fed us the best pizza we have EVER had, stopping by to chat with us while he attended to his opening prep duties. A true camino angel, great host and all around good guy. Stop there if you can!

 

[MichaelC]

If anyone else is passing through that very small town, I heartily recommend you plan on eating dinner at Pizzeria Birreria Il Ponte (it's just steps from the hostel). When we arrived, we were starved (having missed lunch) and at the unheard of hour of 4pm Marco opened up just for us. He fed us the best pizza we have EVER had, stopping by to chat with us while he attended to his opening prep duties. A true camino angel, great host and all around good guy. Stop there if you can!

Yes! Those guys were charming, the pizza was excellent, and they make a great negroni too

 

[MichaelC]

Days 8, 9: Siena

It’ll be easier to do a proper retrospective when I’m home, and not typing with one finger on my phone, but here are some random thoughts.

- The vibe on the trail reminds me of early days of Le Puy, but with far fewer walkers. Everyone talks, and you see the same people, especially between San Miniato and Siena. But once in town everyone disperses, and you only bump into other pilgrims by chance.

- I’m glad I put more planning into the Tuscan stages. There are relatively few people who are planning day-by-day. I’ll leave more to chance once I enter Lazio.

- it feels much harder than the Le Puy route. I didn’t train as much, so that’s part of it. But most days end with a long climb, there have been some wet muddy days, and there’s a lot of road walking - sometimes for hours. That’s the only true negative, but it’s a big one.

- Sometimes I feel like I’m learning how to do this all over again. Like, did I forget everything I learned on the other routes???

- Most pilgrims don’t start walking until 8 or 9 am. That’s a huge change from the VF. I like it, though the next few days are long & I’ll need to start earlier than normal

- it took longer for this walk to gel, physically and mentally. Maybe it was the rain, maybe it was that the first few days aren’t that exciting, maybe I just wasn’t in shape.

- Most people I’ve met are stopping here in Siena. This would not have been long enough for me. I feel like I’m still in the first phase of the pilgrimage.

- I’ve only had three communal meals. One was nice. Two are best forgotten. Luckily the restaurants in Tuscany are phenomenal

- The downside to private accommodations - they don’t have a place to hang laundry! Though it was damp the first few days, and there have been afternoon storms the last few. Clothes don’t dry. I’ve gone to a laundromat twice. I should have at least brought more socks.

 

[MichaelC]

Day 11. San Quirico d’Orcia. Ooh wow the last two days out of Siena were rough but beautiful. The hills weren’t particularly difficult; it was more the long afternoons without shade. I carried extra water, and am glad I did. Up to know I’ve found enough fountains to keep a liter filled. Past two days I’ve gone through 5 liters at least - so I carry 2.5 just to be safe.

I think three days would have been good for these two stages, with a stop somewhere after Siena, and one the very nice looking Buonconvento.

The crowd has shifted again. It’s 90% Italians. Though it’s also the weekend; that might change again come Monday.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Michael, your lovely photos do seem to indicate it being quite hot out!

 

[MichaelC]

Michael, your lovely photos do seem to indicate it being quite hot out!

It’s been around 25 C / 75 F. at midday, which is cool for where I’m from, but feels much hotter here. The sun is strong

 

[MichaelC]

7 am - the dorm is already empty! And it was full last night. This is a first - no one ever leaves this early! People are taking this long stage to Radicofani seriously.

I am only doing a half stage, so I will enjoy my cappuccino on these empty streets

 

[MichaelC]

I was just reading the thread on the need for volunteers on the CF, and how the donativos make the Camino open to all. No donativos = the Camino becomes a trail for the wealthy.

Pivot to Italy. There are some municipal hostels. A lot of the private hostels don’t open until June. There are theoretically a lot of religious / parochial hostels, but they can be a challenge to get ahold of, either by email or phone. Most require reservations, though there are a few that won’t take them at all.

Many of us - me included - fill in the gaps with private rooms in hotels. I couldn’t have afforded this ten years ago. For younger people it means doing longer stages, or spending more time on the phone hoping to find an affordable bed. Or they just walk a week at a time.

It makes me appreciate how the Camino Francès is “open to all.”

I’ll figure out how to volunteer when I get home, though I’m probably looking at the “Class of 2025.”

As for today: I can’t believe so many walked to Radicofani in one day! Half a stage was enough for me.

Pictures: some of the thousands of bikers this morning; and Radicofani in the distance

 

[Camino Chrissy]

These pictures are great!
I walked the Via F from Lucca last fall. I loved Radicofani and its beautiful countryside, but I had to break that long stage in to two sections. Even then, the guest house I was staying at offered to send a taxi to bring us up that massive hill and I was glad he did...whew!
You are correct that it is an expensive route and difficult to find affordable lodging. Even so, it is a gem.
Thousands of bikers?! Yikes!

 

[MichaelC]

Radicofani- Hey, where’d everybody go???

That was hard but I made it, and in time for lunch. I don’t think I could have done San Quirico to Radicofani in one stage like the guide suggests.

I have seen very few pilgrims since leaving Siena, and none the past two days! There was only one other person at Gallina, and he was spending a couple days because of foot problems. And so far I am the only one at the Ospitale here.

It’s peaceful. I wasn’t expecting this to be a solitary walk, but I’m getting used to it.

The mental challenge today was seeing Radicofani on the horizon & thinking: no way can I walk there today. The physical challenge today (and everyday) is the hills and the sun. I walk slow & like to stop - but every fifteen minute break in the morning means fifteen more minutes in the afternoon sun. And so I’ve been pushing myself harder on the trail than I’d usually do.

The busy season starts in June, and a lot of pilgrim accommodations don’t open until then. I can’t imagine doing a pilgrimage in summer here - and I usually like the heat.

 

[Purky]

I can’t imagine doing a pilgrimage in summer here

It was scorching in August last summer. I never wear hats, just don't like the feeling, but best be sure I wore one then. And drank like there was no tomorrow.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I headed towards Radoficani in early October last fall and even then I recall it was quite warm that day. I can only imagine walking it in summer.

 

[MichaelC]

Italy in the Spring. There have been wildflowers the whole route, but the approach to Bolsena was extraordinary.

 

[Bala]

Beautiful. Must be absolutely breathtaking in person.

 

[MichaelC]

This was a first - I’ve walked in the rain, but never been caught on the trail in a genuine thunderstorm with nowhere to hide. We had dark clouds and thunder for an hour, then the rain hit. It hit hard. And then it started to hail.

Good news - my osprey rain pack cover works!
View attachment IMG_5163.mov

 

[MichaelC]

One thing that is very different about this walk is that I rarely see other pellegrini in the evening. There might be a dozen at the coffee shop in the morning, I’ll see six more while walking. But in the city at the end of the day? It’s rare to see anyone; everyone just dissipates. Even at pilgrim accommodations I’m often the only one.

So I’m currently in Viterbo, in what I thought was Italy’s saddest room - and an expensive one! - but others I’ve chatted with haven’t found anything & have had to bus on. So I guess I’m lucky. I have a free day tomorrow to explore.

I did spend a couple frustrating hours looking for accommodations for the next week. I finally decided to switch gears, go off-stage, and stay at bed-and-breakfasts & even an agriturismo.

Pictured: the square at Viterbo (no pilgrims!) and Italy’s saddest room.

 

[Bala]

That is definitely a sad room. The square looks fun, though.

 

[Samos]

Thanks for all the information and updates! We are starting Via Francigena in Abbiatagrosso the end of August, walking to Rome , then Assisi and on to Florence so reading your experiences is great. I am booking some of our accommodations ahead, have had pretty good luck with a couple of the monasteries (they did require reservations, even 3 months out), plus am finding that for two people many times an AirBnb is not much higher priced than hostel type accommodations...but definitely lodging is more expensive than the Camino Portuguese from Lisbon we walked last year. We are also doing some "off-stage", adjusting to accommodations, etc. I figure if it is hot there now, it will be really hot in August and September...thankfully we work outside all summer so our bodies get a chance to adapt to sun/heat/humidity before we start our walk. Last year when we started in southern Portugal, we had been in working in 110f (43c) heat for 3 months before our walk which served us well...our friend from Germany walked with us and she thought we were crazy for wearing our jacket when we started in the mornings...she was already in shorts and we thought it was chilly Amazing what a body can get used to, but you do still have to be really careful and take care of yourself.

Let us know how the agritourismo lodgings are...I have been curious about those.
Look forward too seeing more of your trip! Buon Cammino

 

[J.Patrick]

I’ll be walking with a friend in late September, 4 days before Lucca and on to Rome. I’m guessing from your account we won’t run into many fellow pilgrims.

I’ve loved your beautiful pictures (except for Italy’s saddest room).
Thank you!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I experienced great weather overall Lucca to Rome last mid-September to mid-October. We only met four walkers, of which one became a good friend. He was an Italian with good English skills and he became our "tour guide" for a few interesting days.
I'd booked everything ahead of time, so had no worries with accomodation. Also I was with my son for companionship, so I never felt lonely.
@MichaelC, it's a good thing you are able to be somewhat flexible with your lodging choices. I hope the Via F. is all you were hoping it would be.

 

[MichaelC]

Let us know how the agritourismo lodgings are...I have been curious about those.
Look forward too seeing more of your trip! Buon Cammino

What an amazing and ambitious route you’ve planned! I’ll give a more full report when I’m back, and not typing with one finger on my phone

I’ll be walking with a friend in late September, 4 days before Lucca and on to Rome. I’m guessing from your account we won’t run into many fellow pilgrims.

I’ve loved your beautiful pictures (except for Italy’s saddest room).
Thank you!

It’s random. I almost always chat with a few pilgrims on the road. It’s in the evenings that I rarely see anyone. But tonight there are a whopping five of us at the donativo in Vetralla.

it's a good thing you are able to be somewhat flexible with your lodging choices. I hope the Via F. is all you were hoping it would be.

It’s so different than what I expected! But I’m slowing down my pace as I close in on Rome, so that I have more days on the road … so that’s a good sign, eh?

I walked Le Puy-Santiago expecting mental and physical challenges. But I was just fine. I came to Italy expecting la dolce vita - pleasant walks in the rolling hills of Tuscany. But Tuscany and Lazio are full of @#$%& serious hills - I’ve had those mental and physical challenges I missed in France and Spain.

It’s amazing. I love it (except for the two to four hours each day I hate it).

The photos aren’t in order.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Oh, those memories! I loved everything and thought it so unique to walk the kilometer+ through that amazing "tunnel with no roof".

 

[MichaelC]

I’ve been paying attention to the different mental and physical stages I go through on a long pilgrimage. I wish I had taken notes. Today, day 22, was my first “I don’t care when I arrive I’ll get there in time” stage. I arrived in Formello at 5:30 after a surprisingly long walk from Monterosi.

I think it took me much longer to reach this stage on my previous walk.

But also - all the walking on asphalt is taking it’s toll. I have joint aches that I’ve never had before. This Camino has been the best in some respects (landscapes, history, food, connection with the culture) but the absolute worst for the amount of walking on roads.

Tomorrow is a short 15 k to La Storta. After that, I might take the train to Monte Mario. 20 plus km on busy roads sounds dreadful right now.

Pictured: leaving the Lago di Monterosi; the view towards Rome from Formello

 

[Purky]

I don't know exactly how fed up you are with roadwalking, but I quite enjoyed the last stretch into Rome. The Riserva Naturale dell'Insugherata provides a nice break from the hard surfaces. The cobblestones downhill on Monte Mario are kinda rough though. Best of luck!

 

[MichaelC]

I don't know exactly how fed up you are with roadwalking, but I quite enjoyed the last stretch into Rome. The Riserva Naturale dell'Insugherata provides a nice break from the hard surfaces. The cobblestones downhill on Monte Mario are kinda rough though. Best of luck!

With all the rains I’m hearing that the paths are very overgrown. In Tuscany “overgrown“ meant wet grass, flowers, and bunnies. Here “overgrown” means 2-meter high thistles, nettles, raspberries, and other plants bearing weapons. I think the Riserva is impassibile.

 

[MichaelC]

The past couple days since Sutri haven’t been the best. Two much walking in roads, and too few places to rest. And I don’t mean cafes or bars - there have been literally no places to even sit down and take a breather for ten to fifteen kilometers at a stretch.

But tonight I’m splurging on an agriturismo just past La Storta … and I wish I had an extra day to stay here & do nothing.

And it’s not much more expensive than the two crap hotels I’ve stayed at.

 

[MichaelC]

But also … thirty minutes before this I was walking along this absolutely horrid stretch of the Via :
View attachment IMG_5747.mov

 

[MichaelC]

Oh my that first look at Rome from Monte Mario:

I’ve now spent two days (the max) at Spedale della Provvidenza di San Giacomo e San Benedetto Labre - and what a perfect way to end a pilgrimage:

It’s nice to be back in the pilgrim cocoon. I might have overthought the last couple days before Rome, and actually made it harder for myself by not following the suggested stages.

I leave tomorrow morning. I’ll be back with a full trip report in time. I won’t say this one was easy - and there were times I thought “this might be my last” - but who am I kidding? I’m hooked. I’ll be back.

Last look: night at the Spedale:

 

[Corned Beef]

The pilgrim's lament - "Why did I do it ....when can I do it again"

Safe journey home.

 

[J.Patrick]

You've had some time to think about it all. Any advice for those of us who may be setting out soon?

 

[MichaelC]

You've had some time to think about it all. Any advice for those of us who may be setting out soon?

I’ve started & deleted a half-dozen trip reports. I’m still struggling to put this walk into context. There were moments each day that were amazing. There were moments, many days, that sucked.

I’ll be back with a full report, but it’s gonna take some time.

For now, the best advice I have is: do it. I have zero regrets that this was my second walk, and I’m already asking myself: and what Camino is next, and when? But also, be aware - this ain’t like walking the Chemin de Puy or the Francès.

And carry lots of water.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

@MichaelC, I absolutely loved the Via F section last fall in mid September to mid October, going from Lucca to Rome. I had great weather with only a partial day or two of rain in the beginning. A few parts were rather log slogs, but the beauty, so different than Spains, was such a nice change that I didn't mind. I did take a short pre-planned bus ride twice to shave off a few kilometers of long stages, and I definitely took a taxi up to Radicofani where we spent the night. I'm sure that all helped the enjoyment factor.
I will watch for your final report, whenever you finish your write-up.

 

[MichaelC]

@MichaelC, I absolutely loved the Via F section last fall in mid September to mid October, going from Lucca to Rome. I had great weather with only a partial day or two of rain in the beginning. A few parts were rather log slogs, but the beauty, so different than Spains, was such a nice change that I didn't mind. I did take a short pre-planned bus ride twice to shave off a few kilometers of long stages, and I definitely took a taxi up to Radicofani where we spent the night. I'm sure that all helped the enjoyment factor.
I will watch for your final report, whenever you finish your write-up.

Even those last couple days into Rome?

Part of the problem I'm having writing things up is there are only so many ways I can say "the landscape was beautiful today" and "I loved the pasta" ... but there are a dozen little things (and one big thing) I can grumble about ... and then my post looks all out of whack, like all I'm doing is complaining, and that's not accurate at all.

I need to just dive in and post something already!

 

[J.Patrick]

I need to just dive in and post something already!

I really hope you do! I loved your posts, and so admired your ability to carry on in some pretty fierce heat…and you didn’t complain about it. I was amazed.