rifatheroffour

One week to go!  We will meet around 9:30am with the goal of starting to hike by 10am. We can meet at the picnic tables on the left of the path that is just behind and up the hill from the souvenir shop in the parking lot. 

Remember at least 2 water bottles, layers, light rain/wind gear, extra socks, lunch and snacks are your friends! (sorry the scout leader in me could not let this go without being said) LOL!

Latest hiker list...sorry to hear we lost a few...

riff

hachi + 1

JeanGenie

DonnP

MrDrew

Guaruj

tmwenger

Maybe...

Max2507

Captains wife

hikermom + DD?

missingsquish

Suki1

Hello All, I was on top of Monadnock on Saturday with my daughter's girl scout troop with beautiful weather.  It has me really excited to go again with all of you. So some updated info below...

Mt. Monadnock is located in Jaffrey, NH, here is a link to the state park website for any questions about the hiking.

http://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/monadnock-state-park.aspx

Sadly my kids will not be joining me as they have a school band commitment the same day.  But if anyone wants to bring kids along who can handle the hiking I still say go for it.  I've hiked this route with scouts from 11 to 17 before without trouble.  There is some hand over hand rock climbing but nothing technical requiring any gear other than decent shoes (hiking boots preferred).  This last trip we started on the mountain around 10:15am and got back to the bottom around 5pm.  We took a lot more breaks that I'm used to and a longer route adding close to an hour.  So I still think 3 to 4pm to finish is realistic.  I'm not sure yet if I am staying the night camping or heading home.  I'd be able to stay for dinner and some additional conversation afterward if there is any other interest. Let me know.

The route I wold like to take pending weather conditions...

Starting at visitors center...White Dot Trail...bear right to Cascade Link...left onto Spellman Trail...left onto Pumpelly...to Summit, have packed lunch

Decent, pending weather...White Arrow Trail...left onto Amphitheater Trail...to Bald Rock...to Lost Farm Trail...left onto Parker Trail leading back to parking area.

Here is the map... http://www.nhstateparks.org/uploads/pdf/MonadnockHikingTrailsMap_All_2010.pdf

I'm really looking forward to this, updated list as pf today we have...

riff

hachi + 1

donswife

JeanGenie

mizjsea

Suki1

DonnP

MrDrew

Guaruj

tmwenger

Maybe...

Max2507

Captains wife

hikermom + DD?

missingsquish

Bump!  Just a reminder since it's been a while since this was posted...

sadly, perfectly stated...life just isn't quite the same.

Aww...Jen, I'm sooo sorry!

How's that work for sympathetic? Lol

24 Hours to go...I wanna be sedated!

Sorry MS, SVS, DW and mizjsea that you can't make it.  I knew this was a tough weekend.

So now...

Captainswife + young one

Maureen + one + furry one

Jeannegenie

DonnaP + mr. Drew

tmwenger

Hachi

Maybe...

Yaya

Anyone I'm missing?  PM or email me if you need my address again.  See you Friday, Rudi

Three years, 5 months, 11 days...today I barely got out of the grocery store before melting down.  My 2nd son leaves for marching band tour for the summer tomorrow and it feels like when I brought my 1st son to college last year.  I'm way off my game lately and feel ready to snap but full on tears from triggers are far worse.

Hello everyone, anytime after 4pm till whenever the fire dies will work for me.  So far...let me know if I'm missing you.

Captainswife + young one

Maureen + furry one

Jeannegenie

DonnaP + mr. Drew

to Wenger

mizjsea

Hachi

Maybe...

Missingsquish + other NYrs

Yaya

What Maureen said... ;-)

And our neighbors just cut a tree down yesterday....so there's plenty to burn....lol

Watching Finding Nemo with 6 teenagers...it was their choice...lol 

Made dinner after a less than hoped for productive day.

Friday afternoon/evening.  Who's up for it?  My house in Westerly, RI.

Yes a chocolate tour can be arranged as well...

I'm with everyone else here and your response was great. 

Taurus,

I'm so sorry you lost your soulmate. I lost mine 40 months ago. I also felt the pain of losing the one person in this world who truly meant everything to you.  I have four kids and my youngest is now entering high school next year. I have often remarked on and off over the last three years that my one real goal is to get them all settled and then it doesn't matter what happens to me.  The truth of that is, and I am still learning this myself, that your children have already lost their mother. Their path through life needs you now more than ever.  I struggle with the aloneness I now feel juxtaposed to the growing old together I always envisioned. Right now I am alone and when I was a year out thought I would be forever as well. Having had a brief encounter with a beautiful person around 20 months out showed me that my heart had the capacity to love another and while it has not worked out that way long term yet I do know that it is possible in time.

Feeling your pain and tears and wishing you peace,

RIFF

Saturday works for me...

I'm sorry for this loss...I live in quiet fear for this day for us as well with our cat. Hoping it is still a long way off.

I always found business travel overrated...enjoy the time with no responsibilities

I haven't seen this thread in a whIle so I figured it's time for a bump and in honor of our anniversary today these are most appropriate...oh how I miss that smile...she had it till the day she died.

These are our wedding day, two ceremonies to reflect both of our traditions...

Well here I am again another year has passed and I still miss our life. So much has changed and yet it seems like just yesterday when we were young, in love and making our new life together.

Sigh...well you all know what I mean...I seem to have run out of words,  I said it all in my post last year. My general state of being lately is just get from one day to the next and then in the blink of an eye its another year gone.

39 months and 5 days...sad that I still can figure this out so quickly.  The reality is that most days are fine.  I do not cry daily, I can smile at her pictures and say good night to her.  I find my grief and missing her is worst when I try to envision my future and what form of happiness that future might hold.  I had a glimpse at being happy again and it vanished.  So now I try to focus on trying to take back some control in my life...lol...fleeting as it may be.  But the days when I do feel overwhelmed by everything that grief monster can get such a hold that I just want to crawl into a hole to be left alone.  The worst thing grief has stolen from me is hope and the ambition and drive I once knew so well. 

(((SVS))),

Oh I so get this...seeing our kids upset is about the worst thing there is at this point.  Potentially worse is when you know that mask they are using begins to crack.

SVS, not stupid, ostrich like but bot stupid.  I've put off plenty because I just didn't want to think about.

Virgo, I get it.  4 years for me till the kids are out of High School, I just need to get them that far I think sometimes.  I confess that I have recently realized I do stupid things like not worry about inhaling fumes or dusts because who cares if I get sick, it just means I won't be here for another 30 to 40 years, and I could "live" with that.  I have agreed to try harder to not be careless.

Hugs to you both...

Hmmmm....what should I bring?  There's plenty of time I'm sure I'll figure something out.

Fuck that I'm having an emotional morning for no apparent reason! 3+ years...enough already!

CW...good for you, enjoy it!

For me Easter is not a long weekend, work on Friday and often part of Saturday, then the afternoon with my parents and brother and usually some other family as well.  I am camping with the boy scouts over the 4th this year so that's covered.  Memorial day is our local art show weekend which I have volunteered for many years and my wife had a booth there as well.  My SIL had taken over her space and we continue to support the event so that weekend is covered.

My worst long weekend is Labor day...as many people I know end up having some sort of party.  I have hosted as well since she died but the time I had nothing going on other than home with kids was so focused on how alone I felt.  That is not to say I don't feel alone on any of the other long weekends and holidays despite being with others.  It is the feeling that I have not found something to do for the kids that bothers me more.  Despite the fact that I know they are all old enough to entertain themselves.

Then during the holiday season long weekends my work keeps me too busy to get much time off and then there's family to visit etc etc.  At least while I still have kids home I don't expect them to be anymore challenging than they have been so far.  Once the kids are grown and gone...well I have no idea how I'm going to deal with that...I used to...

Mt. Monadnock is located in Jaffrey, NH, here is a link to the state park website for any questions about the hiking.

http://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/monadnock-state-park.aspx

Also my kids want to join me for this so I'm thinking this is a kid friendly event.  Honestly they will most likely hike ahead anyway...lol.  So if anyone wants to bring kids along...mine are all teens from 14 to 19.  I've hiked this route with scouts from 11 to 17 before without trouble.  There is some hand over hand rock climbing but nothing technical requiring any gear other than decent shoes.

The route I wold like to take pending weather conditions...

Starting at visitors center...White Dot Trail...bear right to Cascade Link...left onto Spellman Trail...left onto Pumpelly...to Summit, have packed lunch

Decent, pending weather...White Arrow Trail...left onto Amphitheater Trail...to Bald Rock...to Lost Farm Trail...left onto Parker Trail leading back to parking area.

Here is the map... http://www.nhstateparks.org/uploads/pdf/MonadnockHikingTrailsMap_All_2010.pdf

I'm really looking forward to this so far we have...

riff

hachi

donswife

kpgct

JeanGenie

mizjsea

Suki1

DonnP

MrDrew

Maybe...

Max2507

Captains wife