Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

 It is an early winter in the North Country of New Hampshire. Today is a relatively warm (34 degrees) day, and the ground is covered with a few inches of snow . There is limited sun , but overall, it is a "blue bird" day up here. The road I walk is plowed , but a layer of snow is maintained to please the snowmobile crowd . The first part of the walk is a steep climb , so metal cleats and walking sticks are almost a necessity for a guy approaching 82 years of age. I discard sunglasses for the walk since limited sunlight into the eyes is a good thing for positive brain chemistry and therefore, better sleep patterns . Coyote tracks in the snow are everywhere, revealing the increase in their numbers, although they are rarely seen up here - b eing mostly nocturnal and wanting no part of humans. There is an open hunting season, year round for them in New Hampshire, and no bag limit.  I walk year round for pleasure and recreation , but also for weight management and cardiovas...

 Author's Note: This is the first of an undetermined number of thoughts from a guy who turns 80 on his next birthday.  "When you stop moving, your body shuts down!" --- Tom Lane I watched as both my dad and brother retired early and gradually moved less and less as the years passed. Both died at the age of 64 . My father died of ALS, which may have been unpreventatble, but my brother, Don, died of heart failure.  My granddaughter, Courtney, was born with cystic fibrosis and died at the age of 25 . I often pestered her into moving more to remain as healthy as possible, just as I had with Don. Both reuttered my movement/body shut-down axiom a few times, but never followed it. They both should have lived longer. My mom and sister passed away at 48 and 19 years of age , respectively. They were unlucky - with my mother contracting cancer and my sister dieing of MS. I have weathered both cancer and heart disease but have (thus far) beaten both. We were born to move. I preac...