9-12-21
Went back to the Cosumnes Nature Preserve with Amelia today. Last time we went there I didn’t bring a stroller and she got tired really quick, so I ended up having to carry her most of the way. It was presumptuous of me to assume a 3 year old would have the energy to hike a 2 mile loop, let alone understand the energy consumption. I remember I got really irritable toward the end because I took a wrong turn and ended up walking about a mile more with her in tow/on my shoulders. This time I brought the stroller.
I focused on letting the day take us. Giving myself the chance to slow down and change my stance/perspective on the situation at hand helps me take it in stride. We walked the opposite way on the trail than we have before. There were paths that crossed from the railroad tracks to the stream. We pushed down a ways and took one because it looked like it joined with the main path. But when we got there it actually looped further back around than where we had come.
I asked Amelia if she wanted to keep going or go back and she said keep going. It was a good thing she did because it was a nice hike. We took a small breather by the river and enjoyed how quiet it was. We were by ourselves on the trail which hasn’t happened before.
Amelia had to pee about a mile out from the parking lot so I helped her go in the brush. It was a little hard because it was definitely spider mating season. Most every tree and bush along the trail was absolutely coated in webbing. It looked worse than it was due to a lot of cotton tufts getting caught in the webbing, but surreal nonetheless.
The evening went swimmingly otherwise. I am happy to be alive.
-E.B.
Ed Boy 