What I like most about my lifestyle is that it affords me lots of time to think things through. I would have no time to think if I lived a lifestyle with a lot of distractions. I would not know the difference if I hadn’t grown accustomed to what I have.

It’s pretty quiet here – if a car or truck goes by on the road, either or both Pete or I go the kitchen window and check it out. And quite often, the dog barks. Road graders and snowplows also make a lot of noise and elicit the same response.

When we travel, we see nice places from the vantage point of the car window. The question we then ask one or the other is, could you live here? The answer is always no because what we are seeing is far too

Early winter ride on Raudi

close to the road. If we lived elsewhere, for sure, we’d be well off the road.

We also have access to trails, and though most have been trashed by ATVs, those we put in are still useable. We can’t bicycle on them until the snow falls, but we can horseback ride and hike. I get out as often as possible – and like today, as I rode, I thought about many things, one of which was, what will I write about in today’s dispatch?

I rode Raudi and Tyra on our trails, the upper loop road, and what we call Pat and Ray’s trails. I then took Tinni and Hrimmi for a walk on what we call our trails, or the lower trails. The horses are now all very well behaved, so I don’t have to fear for my safety. Today, Jim’s neighbor, who he calls “Idiot Boy,” was putting a new roof on his old house – Raudi didn’t seem to mind if indeed she noticed – but, surprisingly, Tyra was wide eyed and high headed when we passed.

Okay. So today I thought some about the EMT class that I’m taking. It appears as though on our final practical exam, we will be tested on five various skills. We’ll also have a sixth skill, picked from four others that we’ve memorized. For example, we have to do a trauma exam in 10 minutes, a medical exam in 15 minutes, and do CPR in five minutes. Gulp. I have put a lot of time into memorizing the particulars – I should have it all down by December 14. If I don’t, and I fall flat on my face, I will get up, dust myself off, and move on. If I pass these various and sundry skills, I will take the national registry EMT exam.

My living a quiet, and drama-free life allows me to take on challenges like the one that I just mentioned. I suppose it is a matter of perspective. I do think at times about relocating to Portland, Oregon where my sister Eleanor lives. If I lived there, I would spend a lot of time in cafes, drinking hot chocolate and watching the world go by.

299. 10/29/19: Do What Needs to be Done