July 15th

July 15

Roger Hill Lean-to, sitting on the platform with everything packed. Contemplating -- at different times in the last 1-2 years, I have said that I have done ok with my life, small town boy makes good so to speak. Today was some thing deeper, deeper inside, and it was, Yes, I have done ok with my 70 years. I have done more than survive. I have helped others. And to the best that I know, I have done serious harm to anyone. My father could have said the same thing, but he never talked about such things to anyone as far as I know. He always shut down when I would attempt to get him to talk personally about his inner thoughts.

My surgery hip is a little sensitive today. I know I need work done on my left boot; the heel is severely worn down.

Passed by a war local county war memorial mid-day. There was a grandfather there with 2 grandsons telling them about the memorial. I got tearful, remembered my efforts with the Viet Nam memorial in northern Wisconsin. We talked of the times. He was a HS teacher and then a guidance counselor during the VN era. He knew some of the young men whose names were on the bricks around the statue.

There was an up hill today that I swear was laid out by a mountain goat -- I need say no more.

Stayed by a stream tonight, did the same thing as the pond, filter 4 liters, and then wash off.