Yes!  That is the question.  I want to somehow keep track of this journey I am embarking on, if only for my own sake, if only to prod my leaky memory in years to come.  And I want to share some of my experiences with those who might be interested.  Some will care only about the very basics (“How many miles has she managed to travel?”  “How are the feet holding out?”  “And the knees, the hips, the back, what about them?”  “And Katy’s spirits?  Is she still holding on to them, keeping them tethered so they don’t take off with her… or did her bubble of enthusiasm pop with the first blister?”).  Others might only want to glance at an occasional photo.  Close family members might think they’ll hang on every word, forgetting–until reality reminds them–that I can be a very wordy person….

Or can I?  For sure I’ll have my phone with me, but my one-fingered pecking away on a tiny screen will get old very quickly, and I can say upfront that I’d only record the most noteworthy experiences.  For about a day!  A week at most!  But there’s a chance I’ll bring along the portable keyboard Kevin found for me (if my pack will permit its bulk and its 9 ounces, something I won’t be deciding until I’m closer to departure).  Ah, give me a keyboard and I’m off and running.

Except, of course, when the only thing running is that of Ol’ Man Time doing his escape thing.  Or when, faced with a blank screen, Writers’ Block rears his ugly face.  After all, Kevin set up this site for me a good five or six days ago and I’ve been dragging my feet about writing a first post even though we have it designed at this point as a totally private site to which absolutely no one can gain access.

I have to ask again: do I really want to do this?  (Uh… yes… no… maybe… but darn it all, I would love to record details, and I do want to share experiences and photos without feeling obliged to send large numbers of emails.  Facebook?  I just can’t wrap my mind around it; I lurk there on occasion, “like” people’s photos from time to time, send the occasional birthday wish, but I seem to never post anything to my own page.  Too public!  Just… “not me.”  So I’m really resisting the FB thing).  Then there’s this: will anyone read a blog if I do one?  (Easy one to answer, because frankly, my dear, I don’t give a…fig.  Not my problem.)  But most importantly: will I follow through or will this be just one more of my brainstorms that loses steam?  And that, I’m afraid, is the $34,000 question.

To which I respond: So, maybe this site will peter out, maybe it won’t.  But here it is, my first post!