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Mary in the Morning

gerardcarey

Veteran Member
Time of past OR future Camino
CFx2, CPx1
It hadn't taken long to find a Chemist after I'd walked into the town.
Plenty of them around in Spain aren't there.
But then I had to stand outside for a while, under the flickery green cross, figuring out what I was going to tell the chemist.
I had to get my story straight.
And to do that I first needed to review what had happened that morning.

It had been one of those dank Galician autumn mornings.
Chilly, but it looked colder than it was.
A thin mist sat low, way out into the distance, wetly embracing the countryside. But it was only a temporary embrace. It would soon loosen. The sun was beginning it's slow rise from the horizon and already I felt a wisp of warmth flash my cheek.
Clouds wafted gently above, occasionally tumbling softly over the hilltops.
Being Galicia there was an abundance of trees, up high across the hillsides, even down into the fields where their spreading limbs sheltered groups of farm animals.

Small birds surprised me as they stuttered and fluttered from the bushy hedgerows as I walked along. Yet, of my surroundings I was almost completely unaware.
They occasioned only a passing glance from me.
I was in a plodding mood. Thick headed.
My head was down, my eyes fixed on the path ahead, the comforting crunch of my shoes on the gravel my only regular contact with the here and now.

“Morning! Lovely morning isn't it?” A loud female voice greeted me thus from behind, awakening me from my dozy reverie.
I lifted my head and saw the world anew.
“And a very good morning to you too,” I replied as an extremely stout lady moved briskly up alongside.
“Hullo, I'm Mary from Illinois and aren't we just so lucky to be here,” she said. She smiled that friendly open-hearted smile that pilgrims seem to bestow on any new pilgrim they meet.
And, as tho I had been her absolutely very best friend forever, she continued at pace. “Now just look around. When I consider what I would be doing right now if I was at home in Illinois, well, I just count my blessings.”
“Hi Mary,” I replied. I thought I'd better make an effort to get involved in this conversation before it passed me by. “Nice to meet you. I'm Gerard, and you are quite right. We are fortunate to be here on such a morning."

But she seemed to ignore my contribution to the conversation. Her head tilted back and she took a deep breath in through her nostrils.
A rather generous chest expanded rather exponentially.
“Ah yes,” she said, “the smell of the countryside, invigorating isn't it?”
Invigorating?
It is?
But then I'm not really a smelling type pilgrim.
More of your looker I am.
“Oh my, do you smell the wild mint?” she asked.
I sniff-sniffed at the air.
“Wild mint eh? Um. Not sure I do Mary. Don't think so. But then I was a smoker. Probably ruined my olfactory system.”

We chatted for a few minutes, well, she told me stuff, until her desire for a faster pace occasioned our parting.
She was quite a sight as she headed up trail, like a great ship of the line under full sail, breasting into the hillside swells.

I now had the opportunity to quietly survey my surroundings.
Yes, it was a champion morning.
Thank you for waking me up Mary.
And wild mint in the air too eh?
Well, if you can smell it that means it's probably growing somewhere close by.
I scanned the hedgerows as I wandered along.
Sure enough, it wasn't long before I spotted the familiar leaf shape with it's distinctive pattern.

That was the morning I stuffed stinging nettle up my nose.
Yeah thanks for that too Mary.

Regards
Gerard

PS.
Told the Chemist I'd had to go off trail for a pee. That I'd tripped and fallen into some bushes.
But my Spanglish was not up to scratch.
What's that game? Charades, that's it. I had to give him a bit of that.
Induced much mirth amongst the staff.
Next time I'll take mother's advice to always tell the truth.
No I won't.
Next time I'll figure out a better lie.
 
Last edited:
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
Reminds last year I met a group of US college students walking from Ourense.I walked with their professor(Spanish) for awile and asked if young nettles were used in cooking in Spain.He did`nt know anything about nettles and had told female students to be careful of "poison ivy".
 
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
It hadn't taken long to find a chemist shop after I'd walked into the town.
Plenty of them around in Spain aren't there.
But then I had to stand outside for a while, under the flickering fluorescent green cross, figuring out what I was going to tell the chemist, get my story straight.
I first needed to review what had happened that morning.

It had been one of those dank Galician autumn mornings.
Chilly, but it looked colder than it was.
A thin mist sat low, way out into the distance, wetly embracing the countryside. But it was only a temporary embrace. It would soon loosen. The sun was beginning it's slow rise from the horizon.
I did feel a just a touch of warmth on my cheek.
Clouds wafted gently above, occasionally tumbling softly over the hilltops, dipping down over the trees a little way down into the valleys.
Being Galicia there was an abundance of trees, up high across the hillsides, even down into the fields where their spreading limbs sheltered groups of farm animals. Nights were still warm enough that the cows could be left outside.
Birds stuttered and fluttered from the hedgerows as I walked along.

Yet, of my surroundings I was almost completely unaware.
They occasioned only a passing glance from me.
I was in a plodding mood. Thick headed.
Don't know why. Just get that way sometimes.
My head was down, my eyes fixed on the path in front, the comforting crunch of my shoes on the gravel my only regular contact with the here and now.

“Morning! Lovely morning it isn't it it?” a loud female voice greeted me from behind, awakening me from my dozy reverie.
Was it?
I lifted my head and saw the world anew.
“And a very good morning to you too”, I replied as a tall, rather stout lady moved briskly up alongside.
“Hullo, I'm Mary from Illinois and aren't we just so lucky to be here”, she said. She smiled that friendly open-hearted smile that pilgrims seem to bestow on any new pilgrim they meet.
And, as tho I had been her absolutely very best friend for ever, she continued at pace. “Now just look around. When I consider what I would be doing right now if I was at home in Illinois, well, I just count my blessings”.
“Hi Mary”, I replied. I thought I'd better make an effort to get involved in this conversation before it passed me by. “Nice to meet you. I'm Gerard, and you are quite right. We are fortunate to be here on such a morning. Not that I was seeing much of it”.

But she seemed to ignore my contribution to the conversation.
She took a deep breath in through her nostrils.
Her head tilted back after which a rather generous chest expanded rather exponentially.
“Ah yes”, she said, “the smell of the countryside, invigorating isn't it?”
Invigorating?
It is?
But then I'm not really a smelling type walker. More of your looker, perhaps occasionally a feeler, today a dreamer.
“Oh my, do you smell the wild mint?”, she asked.
I sniff-sniffed at the air.
“Wild mint eh? Um. Not sure I do Mary. Don't think so. But then I was a smoker. Probably ruined my olfactory system”.

We chatted for a few minutes, well, she told me stuff, until her desire for a faster pace occasioned our parting.
She was quite a sight as she headed up trail, like a big ship of the line under full sail.
I now had the chance to quietly survey my surroundings.
Yes, it was a champion morning.
Thank you for waking me up Mary.
And wild mint in the air too eh?
Well, if you can smell it that means it's probably growing somewhere close by.
I scanned the hedgerows as I wandered along.
Sure enough it wasn't long before I spotted the familiar leaf shape with it's distinctive design.

That was the morning I stuffed stinging nettle up my nose.
Yeah, thanks for that too Mary.

Regds
Gerard


PS. Told the chemist I'd had to go off trail for a wee.
That I'd tripped and fallen face first into some bushes.
But my Spanish was not up to scratch.
I couldn't communicate.
Finally had to give him an active demonstration.
What's that game called? Charades, that's it. I did a bit of that.
Induced much mirth amongst the staff.
Think I made their day.
I felt like a proper Charlie.

Next time I'll take mother's advice to always tell the truth.
No I wont. Next time I'll figure out a better lie.

Great way to start the day, with a tale from you Gerard!
 
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Transport luggage-passengers.
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Oh I soooo enjoyed reading that. Thank you for this charming vignette.
 
Last edited:
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
A good belly laugh. Just what I needed to start the day.
 
I'm not a laugh-out-loud kinda gal....but I did chuckle! Maybe someone could collate all Gerard's stories in one post.
 
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
I'm not a laugh-out-loud kinda gal....but I did chuckle! Maybe someone could collate all Gerard's stories in one post.
Hi Kiwi-family

It was lovely to have met you last June on the Camino Fisterra.

I hope the kids are still able to blow whistles with a blade of grass!! :D

Very best to you all
Mike
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
So what did the chemist give you for that ailment? Antihistamine?
Twice on my first Camino in August just before reaching Santiago I came across long rows of ripe blackberry briers along the side of the trail. Like a good southern boy I filled my cap up with the delicious berries to snack along the walk. I got some of the strangest looks from passing peregrinos while picking the fruit. Nobody else seemed interested in eating them.
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
It hadn't taken long to find a chemist shop after I'd walked into the town.
Plenty of them around in Spain aren't there.
But then I had to stand outside for a while, under the flickering fluorescent green cross, figuring out what I was going to tell the chemist, get my story straight.
I first needed to review what had happened that morning.

It had been one of those dank Galician autumn mornings.
Chilly, but it looked colder than it was.
A thin mist sat low, way out into the distance, wetly embracing the countryside. But it was only a temporary embrace. It would soon loosen. The sun was beginning it's slow rise from the horizon and I did feel a just a touch of warmth on my cheek.
Clouds wafted gently above, occasionally tumbling softly over the hilltops, dipping down over the trees a little way down into the valleys.
Being Galicia there was an abundance of trees, up high across the hillsides, even down into the fields where their spreading limbs sheltered groups of farm animals. Nights were still warm enough that the cows could be left outside.
Birds stuttered and fluttered from the hedgerows as I walked along.

Yet, of my surroundings I was almost completely unaware.
They occasioned only a passing glance from me.
I was in a plodding mood. Thick headed.
Don't know why. Just get that way sometimes.
My head was down, my eyes fixed on the path in front, the comforting crunch of my shoes on the gravel my only regular contact with the here and now.

“Morning! Lovely morning isn't it?” a loud female voice greeted me from behind, awakening me from my dozy reverie.
Was it?
I lifted my head and saw the world anew.
“And a very good morning to you too”, I replied as a tall, rather stout lady moved briskly up alongside.
“Hullo, I'm Mary from Illinois and aren't we just so lucky to be here”, she said. She smiled that friendly open-hearted smile that pilgrims seem to bestow on any new pilgrim they meet.
And, as tho I had been her absolutely very best friend for ever, she continued at pace. “Now just look around. When I consider what I would be doing right now if I was at home in Illinois, well, I just count my blessings”.
“Hi Mary”, I replied. I thought I'd better make an effort to get involved in this conversation before it passed me by. “Nice to meet you. I'm Gerard, and you are quite right. We are fortunate to be here on such a morning. Not that I was seeing much of it”.

But she seemed to ignore my contribution to the conversation.
She took a deep breath in through her nostrils, her head tilted back, and a rather generous chest expanded rather exponentially.
“Ah yes”, she said, “the smell of the countryside, invigorating isn't it?”
Invigorating?
It is?
But then I'm not really a smelling type walker. More of your looker, perhaps occasionally a feeler, today a dreamer.
“Oh my, do you smell the wild mint?”, she asked.
I sniff-sniffed at the air.
“Wild mint eh? Um. Not sure I do Mary. Don't think so. But then I was a smoker. Probably ruined my olfactory system”.

We chatted for a few minutes, well, she told me stuff, until her desire for a faster pace occasioned our parting.
She was quite a sight as she headed up trail, like a big ship of the line under full sail.
I now had the chance to quietly survey my surroundings.
Yes, it was a champion morning.
Thank you for waking me up Mary.
And wild mint in the air too eh?
Well, if you can smell it that means it's probably growing somewhere close by.
I scanned the hedgerows as I wandered along.
Sure enough it wasn't long before I spotted the familiar leaf shape with it's distinctive design.

That was the morning I stuffed stinging nettle up my nose.
Yeah, thanks for that too Mary.

Regds
Gerard


PS. Told the chemist I'd had to go off trail for a wee. That I'd tripped and fallen face first into some bushes.
But my Spanish was not up to scratch.
I couldn't communicate.
Finally had to give him an active demonstration.
What's that game called? Charades, that's it. I did a bit of that.
Induced much mirth amongst the staff.
Think I made their day.
I felt like a proper Charlie.

Next time I'll take mother's advice to always tell the truth.
No I wont. Next time I'll figure out a better lie.

Brillant piece, Gerard. You brightened my already great morning here in California.
 
So what did the chemist give you for that ailment? Antihistamine?
I came across long rows of ripe blackberry briers along the side of the trail. Like a good southern boy I filled my cap up with the delicious berries to snack along the walk.
Some ointment in a tube. So embarrassed I just grabbed it and ran. And you another blackberry lover! I ate thousands of them. So Yum.
On my last train trip from Paris to Biarritz I continually looked for them along the trackside hoping they would be ripe during my Camino.
Regds
Gerard
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

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The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Every time you make contact with the ladies on these camino jaunts of yours Geradcarey you always end up in some sort of trouble when ever are you going to smell the coffee?
 
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
Every time you make contact with the ladies on these camino jaunts of yours Geradcarey you always end up in some sort of trouble when ever are you going to smell the coffee?
Mate, been single since 1979. Pretty obvious, even to a thicko like me, that I'm not good at women. Either them or me should inhabit an alternate universe. If it came to a vote I don't think I'd be in this one.
Regds
Gerard
 
Mate, been single since 1979. Pretty obvious, even to a thicko like me, that I'm not good at women. Either them or me should inhabit an alternate universe. If it came to a vote I don't think I'd be in this one.
Regds
Gerard
Ah but then Gerard don't forget, that it is your encounters with these wonderful ladies that enable you to wax so lyrical on the forum every time you meet one. Remember mate, "a pilgrim never complains they are grateful". Keep waxing in this universe mate we love yah!
 
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The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.

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