My first training walk with Madeleine. The weather is less than desirable, but we don our raincoats and brave the wet afternoon. After all, I hear tell that it rains in Spain. We expect that the weather will mild, but wet while we’re walking. One website said that the average maximum temperature in Santiago de Compostela in March is 57°F/14°C and the average minimum temperature is 48°F/9°C. Note to self: pack some performance fleece to layer under my raincoat!

A few minutes into our walk, I begin to pontificate about something. At some point I become aware that it has been 10 minutes or so since my daughter has said anything besides “uh huh.” So I zip it. And when I do, she began to sing. She sings one song after another for about 4 kilometers – Disney songs, Broadway tunes, and songs she’s learned in choir. I’ve affectionately called her my walking iPod lately, because she’s always singing, humming, or playing piano.

At one point during our walk, we are trying to recall the “I want” songs from a few Disney movies. We come up blank for Beauty and the Beast and after a few moments, Madeleine turns her face up to the rainy sky and said “We must not be getting good reception here…”

Six kilometers today feels like two. It stops raining about half way through. As we turn the last corner toward home, she says “I think this Camino is going to be fun.”

I think so too, baby girl.