Interesting start to the new year

Essentials in life.
Quiet time.
Puzzles.
Reflection on self.
Movement.

Nature's healing atmosphere.

Play.

I have a lot on my plate to get done now that it is the first of the year. But a friend of mine suggested I come over to her house Friday. 
We chatted and worked on a puzzle. Well, she worked on it, I watched. 

She invited Charlie over too. He was a complete gentleman with their toy dogs and her kids. He even went downstairs to visit with Kristi's elderly mom.

I have taxes to sort you know, paperwork to file. Calls to try and straighten out an auto deposit, and things to gather for our income taxes and changes for the past year. None of that sounds even remotely fun.

But it is the first days of the new year. And it is the weekend. So I decided to work on my Speed Champions set I'd picked up for when I had company who enjoyed building Legos.

I don't normally like working on Lego vehicles. The last cool one Rich and I built together was a mess and not designed well. 

This set has a great design and is challenging. The box says it is for 10+ years old. Parts of the build really took amazing brain power.

I found it peaceful to work on in the evenings. AND I really dig the sports car. It seems my Monsters do too.

Let's go get pizza!!!!!

Kristi asked what I was doing Saturday. I said that Charlie and I were probably going to take a hike. The weather looked better for the afternoon.

She said she'd like to go too. I cocked an eye and said "It's a 5 mile hike, you in?" 

"Sure." 

Aside from friend Bill, I've not really had any of my gym or other friends actually want to go with me on long hikes. 

I am super blessed to have young and adventurous friend[s]. 

I packed my YakTraks [the trails would be icy and packed] and brought a pair for her. 

Of course, the Master Hiker led the way and kept us on track.

We stopped at 'his' stump so he could pose for us.

The weather was perfect about 18 degrees F [-7.7 C] with a whisper of a breeze. 

The conversation was all over the place and quiet while we climbed hills and navigated tree roots buried under snow and ice.

We both felt very peaceful hiking together. I don't have to worry about Kristi's keeping up. She is more than 20 yrs younger than I am and is an exceptional athlete. She is getting ready to do a competition next month and she felt that some difficult hikes with me would be good for her stamina. 

That made me chuckle. Her friendship has opened up social activities for me that are fun. We even discussed plans to go Kayaking this summer on the Kickapoo River together with her family.

Maybe the new year may not be as bad as I thought.

...and I am almost ready for Monday and all the crappy paperwork I have to do.