The goods

Finally descended upon us, like an atmospheric total body massage; I braved it and put the basil plant we've been babying in the kitchen since late last summer into the warming soil. Coming outside late morning from an indoor climbing session was amazingly pleasant, and we had plenty of outdoor time later on on our walks. The nonegenarian climbed her mountain of a driveway a couple of times, and felt her usual sense of well-being.
Another nearly nonegenarian we were acquainted with from the local climbing community died over the weekend, reportedly sitting in a chair in his home, looking out at the Olympic Mountains. His name was Charles Stimson Bullitt, but we knew him as 'Stim". A friend and I often saw him working out at the climbing gym, sometimes by himself, clambering high up the walls and sometimes flying off them, with no ill effects. I read once that one of the prides of his life was when Nixon put him on his enemies' list, owing to Stim's being against the Vietnam War, and having some political clout. He was amazingly fit for a person his age, physically and mentally, a rare combination in the later decades. He was ever a witty gentleman, and my friend and I shared some belays with him at the gym. One of his children said there were three Latin words carved into their front door, which they looked at every time they went out: "Virtus et Veritas" - Courage and Truth. Would that more people lived by those words.