Expanding Horizons

Yesterday was edifying in many ways.  Tecla is from the Netherlands and Bruno is from Belgium.  They are both world travelers.  They have lived in a number of areas of the United States.  They've had, and continue to have, adventures that most of us would only dream of.  Listening to their conversation was like reading a National Geographic magazine and I learned so much.  One small example:  when hiking in bear county, one should carry a "bear can" to keep food safe, but check with the rangers about whether pepper spray is legal in that park.  Who knew?  Tecla goes all over, including other countries, to volunteer on various farms, working with agriculture and animals, sometimes speaking the language and sometimes "winging it."  She's fearless.  They described biking as a means of transportation in Holland and in the Bay Area where they live now.  It made me laugh.  I had to tell them of the one time, and one time only, that I decided when the Kids were young that I would use one of their bikes for exercise.  After peddling a few hilly blocks, I figured I'd better head back toward the house so my body could be found and identified.  They had spent the morning at Tim's, helping to trim hooves, deworm, and give shots to 70!! goats.  When they got here, they'd more than earned a cold beer and a hot meal.

Laughing comes easy to this couple, and it was such a pleasure to spend time in their upbeat company.

It was a good day.