I almost cried 4 times today. Happy cries.

...And I'll tell you why. I received so much love here in Waynesboro that, sitting on the post office walkway in the sun, I almost burst into tears.

Chelle sent me another New Hampshire postcard. She's amazing... she has been sending me postcards to every one of my maildrop stops.

MK sent me homemade brownies and chocolate and goodies and a card with current event updates and the transcript of Obama's Notre Dame speech for my reading pleasure, and a picture of the former inhabitants of 1797 Beacon, namely, her and myself and Teenie. And I could finally show my friends faces to accompany all the stories. It made me sad. But also happy. I so miss my apartment, and that life, and Boston, and Teenie and MK.

Teenie sent me all sorts of wonderful treats (my roommates know that true love comes from Trader Joe's, ha!) which she wrapped and I got to open ::smiley face:: Also I had a good laugh... this package obviously came from a fellow hiker, as it included Ziplocks and clean grocery bags, hahaha. [We use these for repackaging food items and for trash bags-- Pack it in, Pack it out!] And she sent a card and a picture of my beloved Jacoby Ellsbury stealing home against Andy Pettitte. I miss the Sox. She also sent me my "real birthday present": a bag of TJ's dried pineapple. This was actually hilarious, and I was laughing out loud forever. I'll explain. As many of you know, Teenie was supposed to come along on this epic adventure. We have known each other since girl scouts in the fourth grade, and we sometimes refer to our friendship as "The Cult of the Pineapple Juice" because we basically met on a camping trip that involved drinking pineapple juice straight from the can. As a result, for years now, each has given the other a birthday pineapple as a commemorative sort of joke. So, you see, on Saturday I'm celebrating 25 (or, as my brother keeps reminding me, 'the quarter-century') on the trail, and Teenie still managed to get me my pineapple... and in trail-friendly form. I wished I could express how amazing and wonderful and hysterical this was to my trail family, The Goonies. But I don't think it really translated.

My mom sent me a box of the most delicious cookies I think I have ever had. There are all sorts of goodies in there. Mmmmm. And, in response to all my complaints that I miss music so so so much, she sent me a beautiful harmonica with a bunch of instruction sets that she researched on the internet. It was a perfect, super thoughtful gift. (Thanks, Mom!) She also sent me a bunch of toys, and a paper tiara that I was expressly instructed to wear on Saturday. I can't wait! Haha.

Speaking of music-- I'm at the Waynesboro public library right now, and, glorious glorious!- there are headphones attached to all the computers. I opened up my Pandora account... to the Dresden Dolls station, obviously. And after an easy 5 miles into Waynesboro (hard-earned after a beastly rock-infested 22 yesterday!), a delicious lunch, and a hot shower at the Y, I am sitting around surrounded by boxes of love and AFP in my ears. And this is all so amazing that I want to jump up and yell. But I won't. I'm in a library.
Sorry. I get so excited in town sometimes.

Hiking life flows along smoothly. Miles seem to be melting away. We're at 852 here. We're about to enter Shenandoah National Park, which we have all looked forward to for a long time. I am particularly excited about this patch. Three years ago I came through here on my road trip from Boston to Atlanta to Austin. I drove down the Skyline Drive, which the AT crosses 35-40 times through its 103-mile stretch. To return to the park, on foot, headed in the opposite direction while chasing down a silly dream, fills me with a sense of awe I can barely describe. In a very valuable piece of my home life, I had regular coffee dates with one of my friends. There she would let me ramble on my philosophical musings, something I appreciated greatly because though I have them almost daily, no one wants to listen usually, ha. but I often referred to the wonder that materialized in me when I saw a circle in my life. This particular circle comes partly as a result of my unquenchable sense of adventure. But, simultaneously, I had no idea that long after a ride down Skyline Drive, which I cited as one of the most beautiful places I had seen, I would come back on foot, and, instead of driving away to a foreign destination, I would be, in effect, taking steps toward home.

I hope you're all well. Thank you for the love.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to make some phone calls-- this is the first time I have had cell service in a week and a half.
All my love. Peace. Stay well.
<3 WindUp

p.s. Waynesboro is my new vote for most Hiker-friendly trail town, thereby replacing Damascus, which, to be perfectly honest, I think is running primarily on reputation. Two different people actually pulled over while we were walking just to see if we needed a ride. A woman in front of the post office gave us cookies that she couldn't fit into the box for her son. Another woman gave us raisinettes... just because. Showers? Free at the Y. Need some soap? Free toiletries compliments of a local church. And already about 25 sets of well-wishes. I donated my birthday toys to the daycare center as a thank you offering. They said the kids would be glad to have them. However, should any of the YMCA of Waynesboro Daycare staff ever happen upon this blog, I apologize for the noisemakers. And the kazoos.
:)