Dear Isaac, Maia, and Virtual Wanderers,

There are a lot of little things around Moab that are fun but don’t take much time. We usually cram them into the day we arrive or leave. This year, we actually had two good weather days in a row but it was stormy when we got here – so we did a lot of little things today.

The adventure started at the Birth Rock. It this nurse-midwife’s favorite petroglyph ever! Then, on the way back to town, we stopped and hiked Moonflower Canyon. Both sites are on Kane Creek Road. It’s a lovely drive along the river through the red sandstone canyon.

Then, back to town for dog treats and lunch. Today wasn’t about being in a hurry. The Moab Barkery is a fun stop but I always spend too much $. Got the girls some great bandanas for the summer.

Then an old favorite hike to Corona Arch  that I haven’t done in 5 years. It been several years since a gentleman in town told me about the hike. I brought my dogs several times, but once Maizzy and Sazi needed to be carried, I stopped coming because rock scrambling is tough enough with short legs without 20 pounds of dog. I never get all the way to the arch, but you can see it for a ways away and there is plenty of gorgeous Utah scenery.

Experiential spending is one of the things that money can buy that make us happier. On the reverse side, I’m over budget because of my kitty’s end-of-life expenses. So the catch 22 for seniors is travel. It costs money. If we live a long life, we need to sustain ourselves financially. In the other hand, if we aren’t happy (or don’t have high well-being), then we probably won’t live as long. And waiting until next year to take a trip means we may miss out window.

TTFN, Cathy (Grandma) Hartt