In January of 2020 my best pal MaryBeth and I booked a trip to Turkey. We bought plane tickets, reserved hotels, and became overjoyed at the thought of visiting this European/Asian country. Then, shit hit the fan. I couldn’t remember what exactly happened, but MB reminded me that an American soldier had killed a Turkish citizen (I think.) The Turkish president wasn’t happy with Americans after that, and Turkey was potentially unsafe for Americans to visit at that time.

After we each talked to our military raised fathers, we decided to redirect our trip. We had an amazing adventure in France that took us to Disneyland Paris, as well as a visit to the beaches of Normandy. We stayed at the most amazing Air B&B which I still dream of today, but my desire to visit Turkey never wained.

Fast forward to booking this cruise, and when I saw Turkey as one of the options I knew it was finally time to dip my toes into this country.

After an excellent day in Greece, we made the journey to our first of two Turkish ports. We docked in Kuşadası, a beach resort town on Turkey’s western Aegean coast. This town is apparently where Europeans flock for a “cheaper” beach vacation, but I can’t say I have a huge desire to return. The town itself is almost exclusively supported by the cruise ship industry, making for an uncomfortable time walking around. More on that later.

Thankfully we were not spending much of our time in Kuşadası, and our adventure for the day was a visit to the ancient city of Ephesus.

I should have known we were going to have an amazing morning after I was blessed with a tiny black friend the moment we stepped off the ship. On our previous days we had to venture further off the dock before I found my kin, but it was as if this ball of love knew I was missing my little black fur child. There he was just sitting at the end of the ramp off the ship, waiting for me to love all over him.

I couldn’t stay long, we had a tour bus to catch, but I was on cloud nine. Our tour guide for this excursion was excellent. His name was Mehmet and he spoke amazing English, was personable, and he was well versed on the location we were heading to. If you read my previous posts you will know having this guide was a blessing. Our bus ride to Ephesus was about 30 minutes from where we docked, and Mehmet gave us a history lesson while I contemplated my outfit of choice.

A few weeks prior to this trip, I saw the most gaudy, amazing shirts at REI and I knew I had to have one. When realizing there was a matching version for men I reluctantly asked Duncan if he would wear one with me. His answer surprised me as he said yes with no hesitation. I anticipated we would wear our matching shirts on the cruise ship only, but lo and behold we chose Turkey to don our attire. It just so happened this was the one chilly day of our trip. Good thing we are from the PNW.

Our shirts were a hit with both locals and our fellow cruisers, and despite the chilly weather I was warmed from the inside out as soon as we arrived.

This area had the most cat to human ratio we saw on the entire vacation, and I was in absolute heaven. It was as if a colony of cats had come here to live and never left. For all the dog lovers out there, we saw some stray dogs here too. Equally as friendly, living in harmony with the cats. It was truly an amazing sight.

Animals aside (for the moment) this city was one of the most fascinating locations I have ever seen. Ephesus was once a port city, considered to be the most important trading center in the Mediterranean region. It changed many hands and survived many attacks, but the ruins are well preserved to this day. It is also said that this city is where Mary, mother of Jesus spent her last days.

Ephesus is a pilgrimage site for many Christians because the Apostle Paul lived within the city to preach the gospel and gain followers. I too was on a quest to gain followers while in Ephesus.

I did my best to pay attention to everything Mehmet was saying, but I found myself distracted by the cats. I know I have been saying this a lot the last few posts, but this was such a unique experience for me. I have never in my life seen so many stray/well taken care of cats in this way. I was also soaking in the views of the ruins, trying to imagine what they looked like in their prime.

I didn’t take too many photos, just the essentials like photos of cats, statues, and an old bathroom.

We eventually made our way to the old library, originally in ruins, but reconstructed between 1970-1978. This was a beautiful location, and I knew this needed to be the backdrop for Duncan and I to take a photo in our matching shirts. I asked a man passing by to snap our photo, but I didn’t like the shot he took. Thankfully moments later someone from our tour asked us if we would like a photo in our matching shirts.

I of course said yes.

After we snapped this photo we were approached by a French couple I had seen around on the ship. The woman and her partner were wearing matching sweatshirts, and she wanted to take a selfie with us. As she was taking the photo her guy said to Duncan, “she roped you into matching too?” Which I found to be comical, because it was Duncan who had to convince me to wear these in public.

I wanted the shirts, but was too shy to wear them out.

Now that we have broken the ice, I can’t wait to match again. My inner eight year old is screaming with twinning joy. We finished up our time at Ephesus and were given about 15 minutes to roam the shops outside of the gate. Duncan and I didn’t want to shop and we instead headed to the bathroom. Nothing could have prepared me for what we saw next.

A rooftop of feasting cats was the perfect way to end the tour to Ephesus. We loaded back into the bus and headed back to Kuşadası for the remainder of our tour. This second part was optional, and while I am glad to have had the experience (I think), it was wildly uncomfortable for both Duncan and I. Turkey is known for their amazing carpets, the intricate patterns and colors are enough to keep you mesmerized for hours.

Fitting that we would end our day at a carpet shop.

Our group gathered into a small shop where we sat around a long couch as if we were seated into an auditorium waiting for a show. We were given a snack and a beverage and before we knew it four or five men were throwing carpets onto the floor while one ring leader described what we were looking at. Perhaps while trying to be personable he asked where everyone was from, and he said the words Duncan still sneers at me for replying to: “is anyone from Seattle?”

While we are not directly from Seattle, I typically tell people I am from Seattle (or Canada) while traveling. Because of this my hand shot up before my brain knew what I was doing. The ring leader looked at us with eyes beaming, “I have been there! My daughter studied at the University of Washington.” I smiled and told him that was wonderful and he continued on with the show. I thought we were in the clear, safe from the attention directed at us, but then the show ended and it was time to shop.

Duncan and I were the youngest two in the room, and neither of us feel the need to buy “stuff” so while we tagged along for the experience we were not planning to spend our hard earned cash on any carpets. The moment the show ended the ring leader bee lined over to Duncan and I and started whispering to us. He told us that because he loved Seattle, he would give us an extra special deal. He asked which carpet we liked the best, and while I had no plans to buy any of them I pointed to an exceptionally beautiful blue one.

He pulled back the carpet to reveal the price tag. $10,000. WOOF. But for us, for us he would sell the carpet for somewhere just under $4000. What a steal right? My face flushed as I felt the pressure to get away from this salesman. I knew we could not be the last ones in this store, so I told him we were going to continue browsing and would let him know what we decided. This got him to focus on another set of people, giving us enough time to escape. We thanked Mehmet as we ran out the door and attempted to wander for a few minutes in the town.

Just as I thought we were free of the aggressive salespeople we were met with human after human trying to lure us into their shop. Nothing pushes an introvert away more than being followed and summoned. I knew I wanted a Turkish coffee maker, but after attempting to enter into one of the shops and not being given the time to breathe let alone think about what I was looking at (when I buy things it takes me time to think) I knew this was not the place I would be shopping.

We headed back to the boat, because I was no longer interested in exploring this town, and it was as if my little friend knew I had been overwhelmed by my final moments. He was there, just as he was at the start of the day to bid us adieu. He left a much better impression on me after being bombarded by the shopkeepers. It took everything in me not to stuff him in my shirt and smuggle him back onto the ship.

My first taste of Turkey was a bit much at the end, but I knew I could not base my entire experience on this tiny cruise ship town. Our second day brought us into Istanbul and the entire day was marvelous. Kuşadası is a town of its own, I would love to return to Turkey one day and visit some of the other cities like Cappadocia, Antalya, and some less touristy towns, but I’ll likely avoid the carpet shops.

When we returned to the cruise ship we overheard a man waiting for an elevator tell a couple about why he will never set foot into one of the carpet shops again. He said the one time he did, the shop owner locked the door and told him he couldn’t leave until he bought something. I can’t even imagine what I would do! Thankfully our ring leader was nothing like that, or maybe we just got lucky because we were the first to leave.

I guess we will never know.

Q: Have you had a pushy shopkeeper experience? Multiple?

If you read my previous post you will know that while I loved the old ruins of Ephesus, the port town of Kuşadası was not for me. I had high hopes that the following day in Istanbul would be a better experience, and thankfully for us it was. Some of my readers left comments stating their experiences in Istanbul were not great, but we had a wonderful guide which I think helped tremendously.

Our day started early, and we were to have a full nine hours in the city. Our guide was a short Turkish man with more energy than height who was enjoyable to be around, and had plenty of tricks up his sleeve in order for us to maximize our day. We started our adventure with a visit to two popular mosques in the city – Hagia Sophia, and The Blue Mosque (also known as The Sultan Ahmet Mosque.)

Originally our tour notes stated we would not be able to go inside of The Blue Mosque because it was closed, but on this morning it was opened for a short period of time.

We went inside of Hagia Sophia first, and while normally the line would have taken over an hour to stand in, our guide was a magician with getting us in. He prepped us before we got off the bus and told us his plan. We were to wait casually on the outskirts of the line in small clusters while he went to find one of his colleagues who was already close to the entrance.

We would then slowly add ourselves into his colleagues group (the line was wide and chaotic and easy to sneak into) and voila, we waited all of 20 minutes.

Admittedly I did not love this, it felt a bit stressful to me and I didn’t like how our guide bounced around like a pogo stick (I also hate the idea of cutting in line), but at the end of the day it worked and I didn’t have any other choice (this is why I prefer arriving places before the world comes to life.) Ultimately we were able to maximize time and for that I am thankful.

Women were only admitted entry if their hair was covered, and everyone must take their shoes off. We entered in and saw some of the most beautiful ceilings I have ever seen, and my feet were blessed with cushy Turkish carpet.

This mosque was once a Christian church and the ceiling has four seraphim mosaics. These were known as God’s protector angels, and their plump moon like faces were covered for almost 160 years when the church was turned into a mosque. Three of the four angels still have their faces covered, but one was revealed when the mosque was turned into a museum. Church to mosque to museum to mosque.

In 2020 the museum was turned back into a mosque, and all of the Christian references within the mosque have been covered with tapestry. Except for the one angels face.

The energy inside the mosque was infectious. I found this to be the highlight of my time in Istanbul. I am by no means Muslim, but it was impossible to be inside such a magnificent building and not feel the energy. My favorite part was the cat inside the mosque that everyone seemed to love on. There were a few men praying in a designated area where the rest of us could not go, and the cat walked up to them and sat down. One of the men pet him as he was praying.

I could have sat in there for hours. I felt we spent enough time inside and I did not feel rushed one bit. As we were leaving I noticed a remaining Christian image on the outside of the main entrance to the mosque. What a fascinating piece of history. The Blue Mosque is just a hop, skip and a jump away from Hagia Sophia, and we headed over there next for a quicker walk through an equally beautiful location.

The line for The Blue Mosque was long, but not as long as Hagia Sophia. The line moved quickly thanks to our tour guide helping random patrons with preparation by the front door. We all wore headsets to hear him even if he was not close by, and listening to him ushering people in was comical. We were only inside for 10 minutes or so, and I don’t remember much of what was discussed, but I do remember the wonder of these ceilings.

As we exited to head towards our next location we stopped to take a few photos from the outside of these two mosques. They are directly across from each other with a beautiful park like area separating them. There were people everywhere enjoying the sunny day.

I didn’t care much for our next destination. We spent far too much time here, and I would have preferred more time at a later spot we went to, alas I didn’t have control over this. We visited the Topkapi Palace, which was beautiful and had many things to see, but the only thing I felt intrigued by were the gardens and the details on the walls.

I have always considered myself a minimalist, with desires for simple spaces and not a lot of “busy” features to a room, but these Turkish ceilings and walls are an exception to my rule. I would love a wall like this in my house.

From here we headed to lunch, which could not have come sooner. My belly was growling and I was ready for a feast. I had hoped we would be treated to a Turkish meal similar to when we were in Israel, but we ended up dining on chicken Florentine. It was delicious, but unexpected. After lunch we made our way to our last destination – The Grand Bazaar.

As we started our drive towards the Bazaar we found ourselves in some traffic that seemed to surprise our guide. I could tell he was beginning to panic a bit because we were wasting already precious time. No one knew what the traffic was for, but our guide coordinated with our bus driver to drop us off on a corner we could then walk from, and we were to meet back at a different corner an hour and a half later.

We had to walk about 20 minutes each way, but we would have never made it to the Bazaar had we not walked some. I loved this detour in plans, walking part of the city was such a treat.

There was a guy in our group who we sat next to at lunch, and it appeared he and his wife were on a trip with his parents. Maybe it was a honeymoon vacation as they looked to be a young couple, but this guy was dead set on buying multiple knock off Rolex watches. Fake watches are a big deal in Turkey, and our lunch mate was eager to ask our guide where it was best to buy them within the Bazaar.

I had other plans. All I wanted was a simple Turkish coffee maker. I had seen some the previous day in Kuşadası, but the prices were high and the hovering was intense. I had no desire to be watched like a hawk while trying to look at my options so I left empty handed. The Bazaar was my last chance to find what I was looking for, but at first it was proving difficult.

I don’t know what I expected the inside of the bazaar to look like, but I didn’t expect it to look like a run down US shopping mall. Our guide let us loose inside to shop and explained to us the layout of the area, but I was worried about getting lost because our time was limited. He told us once we got off the main strip the shops got smaller, and most of the coffee makers throughout the shops I saw looked cheap and mass produced.

I was beginning to give up hope, but then we wandered into what felt like a back alley of the bazaar with more authentic looking stalls.

I stopped in front of a stall with floor to ceiling copper and other metals. It looked like a junk yard at first glance, but as I stopped in front of the stall an older man approached me to say hello. I braced myself for the aggressive attempt to get me to buy something, but the man stepped to the side and said nothing more. I was taken aback by his disposition, and it was because of this I was able to actually soak in what I was looking at.

Duncan pointed out the perfect coffee maker at the top, and this is when things got comical.

Our lunch mate wasn’t the only one to ask our guide where to buy something within the Bazaar. I asked about the coffee makers, and our guide told me I could find them everywhere, but what was most important was to not pay full price. I was determined to haggle for my coffee maker despite the concept of doing so making me wildly uncomfortable. 

It’s 2023, we’re pushing outside of our comfort zones y’all.

Haggling is part of the culture, and I was prepared to ask for a lower price when I asked the kind older man how much the coffee maker I wanted was . He told me the price in Lira, which was equal to about $24 (already half of what they wanted in Kuşadası.) I only had USD because I knew it would be accepted here, so I paused and offered him $20. He came back with “that’s not the same as what I asked for” and apparently my hesitation was obvious.

I counteroffered one more time and told him I would give him $20 and 2Euro, and he said we had a deal. At the end of the day I still payed less than his original ask, even if just by around $1. I call that a success. Truthfully I was happy to pay this man what he wanted simply for his chill behavior while I was looking at his shop. If this man taught his peers how to act around foreigners this would likely result in more sales from people like me. 

With my goal complete we wandered our way back to meet our guide, saying hello to cats along the way. 

We walked back to the corner we were meeting our bus, and I soaked up the hustle and bustle of the city thinking about my experience in the Bazaar. Our journey to find our bus driver was smooth and easy, and we avoided the chaos of traffic that many of the other buses got stuck in. Our guide was amazing at his job, and I am thankful we were placed with him for the day.

We made it back on the ship with time to spare, and settled in before heading to dinner. My experience in Istanbul was entirely positive, and I am over the moon about my fun new copper trinket.

I don’t know if or when I will make it back to Turkey. There are so many other places on this earth I would love to visit, but even just a brief introduction to this culture was rewarding in its own way. I didn’t enjoy the discomfort that came with the pushy vendors in my previous post, but I never felt unsafe with my group. Overall I am thankful for the entire experience, including the salespeople.

My next post will conclude this series of travels where we found ourselves back in Greece for a tromp around another ancient city, more black cats than I could handle, and plenty of blue and white alleyways.

Q: Would you have haggled, or would you have paid the asking price? As an American it feels engrained in me to pay the asking price, but I really wanted to partake in this aspect of their culture. Who doesn’t love saving a dollar? I wasn’t good at it, but I tried. LOL.

After a long and wonderful day in Istanbul, I was excited to sleep in and have a morning on the ship before our last full day of vacation. If you read my first post of this series you will know I wanted more time on the ship to soak in the sights from the water, the activities on board, etc. Somewhat of an ironic statement for someone who has thalassophobia.

From Turkey we were heading back to Greece for one more adventure, but we would not arrive until 1200. I’m naturally an early riser and this gave me time to do all the things I wanted to do that morning. I greatly enjoyed having a leisure breakfast, time to savor my coffee, and one more run around the outdoor jogging track.

The wind was wild that morning, and one side of the ship had me running through what felt like full bodied molasses thanks to the wind.

Lucky for me, the wind meant there were no other humans on the deck and I could run without having to stop. After my run I showered and got ready with Duncan to grab some lunch before we took a ferry boat to the shores of Mykonos. We were unable to port the cruise ship, but a constant shuttle was running throughout the day for people to come and go.

We took the small boat to the shore where we met our guide who was taking us to Delos, a small island that can only be reached by boat (third boat ride for us of the day.) There are boats that depart from Mykonos and some of the surrounding island, and I highly recommend a trip to Delos if you’re ever in the area.

The boat ride took about 45 minutes and the waters of the sea were beautiful. When booking this tour I had never heard of Delos, but it was one of the few options that sounded interesting. The archaeological site on the island of Delos is the remains of a sanctuary to the gods Apollo and Artemis, and the city that developed around it.

What was once a bustling port city is now a fascinating piece of history.

We chose a tour that offered iPads, showing us what the land might have looked like back in the day. I was indifferent to the 3D aspect when booking, but Duncan was intrigued. Once we got to the tour the iPads were not of interest to either of us, and more of a hindrance.

Our guide was knowledgable, kind, and easy to understand, but the iPads slowed us down and I wanted to explore more of the ruins.

Immediately upon arrival to the island we were greeted by cat, after cat, after cat. If you have been following along with this vacation series (or if you just know me), you will know the cats stopped me in my tracks and were a huge distraction from listening to the guide. I eventually took my headpiece out and focused on the surroundings and focused on the cats.

Duncan and I wandered off a few times, never out of ear shot, and we always found our way back to the group.

This place was amazing, and I will absolutely return. I want to see more of the ruins as well as climb to the top of Mount Kynthos. I could not stop looking at this peak during our tour and wishing I had time to run up it. We were given about 15 minutes of free time at the end of the tour before wandering back to the boat heading to Mykonos. We found a cool structure, and then we were followed by two locals.

After our adventure on Delos we had two hours to wander Mykonos as the evening wore on. It was 1800 when we arrived back to Mykonos and we were planning to take the 2000 shuttle back to the cruise ship. Originally I was worried this wouldn’t be enough time, but two hours was more than enough to wander and get a feel for this small city. It was beautiful weaving in and out of the streets in the evening.

I had no goals here, other than to see white and blue streets, find the famous windmills, and pet as many cats as possible. We would be leaving the land of wild kitties the next day and I had to soak in as much as I could.

After chatting with Duncan when we arrived back home, he decided this last day in Greece was his favorite. We were able to watch the sunset on the beach looking out towards the water, and Delos fueled his passion for history. My favorite day was still our first day in Israel, but the freedom of no plan in both Mykonos and previously in Rhodes made Greece a top contender for a return visit.

Mykonos is a bit kitschy for my taste, but I was happy to have seen it. I don’t feel the need to return to Mykonos, but there are plenty of other islands I would love to see. Thankfully, while the shopping in Mykonos wasn’t for me there were plenty of friends to see before we left. We didn’t eat in any of the restaurants, but I can only assume the food was delicious.

Before we left the island Duncan had the idea of taking another cringe hand guiding photo, but this time he would be leading me towards a cat. We took one of these photos as a joke on the ship one of our days, and now this feels like an appropriate tradition for us whenever we see a cat.

We made it back onto the ship by 2000 and ate one final dinner in the buffet. The following morning we were up early to get our stuff together before disembarking the ship for the last time. The process for getting off the ship was chaos, my only negative feedback for the entire trip, but I made it off $30 richer thanks to a free credit we didn’t use. A win is a win.

It has been two and a half months since our return, and I am still daydreaming about this adventure.

I’m in awe of all that we saw – from Greece, to Israel, to Cyprus, to Greece, to Turkey, and back to Greece. Cruise ships vacations aren’t for everyone, but man was this an easy way to travel. This was my first international trip with Duncan and it went amazingly well. Now we will just have to see how he likes a Brittany planned international vacation. Muahaha.

Q: Do you have any upcoming summer/fall/winter plans? Let me live through you!

1. I have a lot of random things to write, and what better way than an Early Morning Confessions post. For starters, just before Duncan and I took our vacation we celebrated my childs 15th birthday. We bought party hats, I gave him a pâté of prescription food (which he no longer eats) sprinkled with fish flakes, we bought gifts, and we sang to him.

I was certain the gift I bought him would be a hit (pink ball with green fuzzy worm), while the gift Duncan bought would be a dud (a catnip stuffed cigar because he is an old man now, as Duncan said.) Come to find out he was terrified of my gift (the bouncy ball sent him running) and obsessed with Duncans. Go figure.

2. That tiny black ball of fur is my best pal. He brings me so much joy and I am certain he is my soul cat. I’m not sure we get more than one soul pet in our lives, and I have never felt a bond with an animal the way I do with him. Shortly after returning from vacation he had a week long spell of vomiting, and was eating less than normal. He was due for a senior check up so I took him in.

After three days in a row of testing and specialists he was diagnosed with IBD, pancreatitis and he was incredibly constipated. He was put on steroids to help with inflammation and I completely overhauled his diet. Changing his food was nerve wracking because although I was certain his food was contributing to the problem (prescription urinary food filled with gargbage), I was worried he would get another urinary blockage (he had one in 2018 that almost killed him.)

It’s been two months of daily steroids (we are currently on the taper), trying multiple types of food, and absolute exhaustion and stress for me. The vomiting has stopped, and I found a probiotic that has helped his poops, but I still have daily anxiety. I’m struggling to let go of the obsessive control to heal him. I am doing everything I can to ensure he is ok for the rest of his life.

He may have turned 15 recently, but I expect at least 2-3 more years with him.

3. Back in May, the weekend before the journey with Little (my cat) began, I went for a hike with three gal pals I met in Germany. Galiya, a friend who I became close with at a time when I needed friendship was coming to visit her pal Sarah in Bend, OR. I knew Sarah, but we didn’t spend any time together. Galiya, Sarah, and I met up with Paige, a friend who I worked with and greatly enjoyed who now lives in Portland.

We hiked Dog Mountain, a trail I had been wanting to hike for a while. This was such a beautiful day of reunion and I would give anything for close friends to live nearby.

4. My car is from 2007 and had the most ugly, disgustingly clouded headlights for years. I didn’t care much, but at a recent oil change (I go to the Toyota dealership), I was asked if I wanted my headlights restored FOR OVER $150!!! Absolutely not. I decided to try it myself and used this Rain-X product for $20.

I was chuffed with the results, and 10/10 would use again.

5. The summer is here in full force, but I haven’t done many fun activities. Between selling my soul to corporate America and spending time with Little, I haven’t had much space for anything else. I have had a few walk/hikes I have enjoyed, gone for plenty of runs, and a few noteworthy bike rides, but I am longing for a weekend getaway.

I don’t see many getaways in my future for quite some time, but I would give up all the vacations in my life to spend more time with my fur babe.

6. This song has made it onto my liked songs on Spotify, and I listen to it often. I first heard it on Instagram, then I found it on YouTube, and I try to show everyone I can. I showed my mom last week and we both cried we were laughing so hard.

7. Have I talked about Little too much in this post? I think that’s impossible, so here is another fun fact. Due to his recent IBD diagnosis I have stopped letting him in the backyard. He eats too much grass which results in vomiting and irritation. Backyard adventures were his favorite, and in an attempt to keep him stimulated/avoid boredom and depression I have found a new adventure.

We now go on car rides.

I experimented a bit ago by putting him in my car sans carrier, and driving slowly around the block. I wanted to ensure he would be chill, and once I saw how he behaved we moved to longer and further rides. I do not take him on the freeway/highway like this, but slower back roads have become a joy for us both. He LOVES these rides.

We even went to Duncans for a few hours one day, which he enjoyed until he didn’t anymore.

8. Consumerism is driving me mad. I have always struggled with the idea of having too many “things”, but it wasn’t until I worked in a retail setting that I saw the effects of: “more, more, more.” Sure, I like buying things that I will use, and I have been known to buy things I likely don’t need, but on such an elevated scale where people around me treat buying and selling “stuff” like it’s life or death – I just can’t.

9. I don’t normally like water activities. I’m more of a land gal, but in an attempt to push outside of my comfort zone I went kayaking with one of my coworker/friends recently. I rented an ORU Kayak (these fold up/down for easier transportation and storage), and accompanied her to a nearby lake for an evening paddle.

The kayak was a pain in the ass to set up, not all of them are as intricate as the one I used, but once it was ready to glide I loved it.

10. I am feeling quite lonely these days. No matter where I am in my life I struggle to find people who “get me.” Most of the people I am surrounded by are surface level friendships, or acquaintances. It’s rare for me to find someone I connect with deeply, and this leads to me feeling like the odd man out around most people.

Some seasons of life I have more connections than others, but people move/life changes, and when I start feeling like this I allow myself to feel the heaviness that comes with a lack of community. A reminder to continue fostering my deeper friendships from afar. As with all things in life it’s an ebb and flow, and the times of loneliness make the deeper connections all the more special.

Q: What’s your confession?

I have been all over the place lately. My mind has been scattered, stale, and stagnant. When my cat got sick back in May it threw me for a bit of a loop. Three months of daily morning medications, non stop monitoring of symptoms and bathroom habits, and trying new foods. This meant I wasn’t finding much time for myself and what I enjoy doing. It took another month before I felt comfortable leaving him alone for a night. I can blame my anxiety for that one.

I would go to the ends of the world for this cat, and I am thankful he is stable and doing well, but admittedly I have felt a bit lost as to where my focus should be directed.

I couldn’t see much past the basics, going to work, and spending time with Little. I knew I needed to spend some time out of my house, and while Duncan is a huge support to me, we have differing desires for how to spend our free time. We compromise most weekends, but in an attempt to let Duncan off the hook (because let’s face it, if someone isn’t overly interested in hiking giant mountains, it’s not fun for anyone) I befriended my coworker Caitlin.

It’s no secret I enjoy spending most of my free time outside. It’s not only physically beneficial for me, but mentally as well. I thrive knowing I have weekend plans to hike a mountain or travel somewhere new, and I’m kicking myself for taking so long to ask Caitlin to hangout outside of work. We have been working closely together for around two years now, but I knew she kept to herself on her weekends.

We slowly learned over time that we had similar humor, similar interests, and there was something about her I knew I would click with. She invited me to go kayaking with her back in June and from there I knew it was game on. We talked about hiking a local trail in passing one day, and I decided to make it happen. Since our first hike together in July we have been making a habit of hiking as often as we can. She is up for any hike I throw her way, and it has been so helpful for my mental health to have someone I can go on bigger adventures with.

Making friends as an adult is hard. There is no way around that. Making friends as an emotionally charged introvert is ever harder. I am very sensitive to peoples energies and I can almost immediately tell if I am not going to vibe with someone. As children we are told to be friends with anyone and everyone, but as an adult I have become the polar opposite. If I don’t like your energy, I will not spend time with you.

This is nothing to apologize for, not everyone is for everyone and that’s ok.

Whenever I am feeling stuck or stale there is usually a correlation. I am either not doing the things that bring me joy, or I don’t have a community of people around me who shares similar interests. My job will never be my source of joy, or purpose, therefor it’s imperative for me to continue finding ways to connect with the world and the people around me outside of where I make money.

I wasn’t sure if I would have many summer adventures this year. Keeping close to Little has been my main priority the last handful of months, but I have been able to sprinkle a hike in most weekends since Caitlin and I started hiking together. We have a few more planned, some of which Duncan will tag along on, and I am directing my focus on enjoying the little things in life.

This first hike Caitlin and I did was one I had hiked back in 2014, and then again in 2015. It had been so long I didn’t remember anything about it. This was my first “bigger” hike in a while, and it felt good to get my lungs working again. The sun was out for the first half of this hike, but as we reached the top the clouds moved in, allowing sporadic pockets of views. I made sure to give Caitlin the best view of my face, a look reserved for true friends.

As it turns out I had summer adventures after all. I hiked, I picked blueberries and blackberries, I ran, I rode my bike, I read three books, I took countless evening and morning drives with Little to see horses and sheep and chickens, I went on walks with friends, I spent time with people I love, and I never had to stray too far from my child. I am excited for fall and the hiking to come, and I am excited to continue finding pockets of joy in the simplicity of my happily mundane life.

Q: Did you travel far this summer? Let me live through you.

Within the last few years I have become fascinated and intrigued by the benefits of cold water therapy. As someone who does whatever they can to manage autoimmune flare ups, the idea of dipping ones body into frigid waters makes sense to me as a way to mitigate inflammation. When my water heater broke last November I took a cold showers (in the middle of winter) for over a month, and while the initial process was not fun, I felt amazing.

Alas, when the water heater was fixed I was happy to go right back to warm showers.

I didn’t always embrace cold water. When I was in my 20’s I used to avoid going into the ocean when at the beach, or alpine lakes while hiking, but in 2020 I submerged my body into an Austrian alpine lake after a very, VERY hot day of hiking and I was sold. The last few summers I have done my best to get into the water at the beach at least once during beach visits, and this past August I managed to swim in two alpine lakes.

First up: Lake 22

A modest, beautiful hike in the Snoqualmie National Forest area, clocking in at 6 miles RT with an elevation gain of 1500′. I embarked on this adventure with my friend Caitlin and her sister Christina. In an attempt to beat the crowds and the heat we left at 0500, arriving at the trail head by 0700. We were the first car in the lot, quickly followed by one other guy. He beat us to the lake, but as we were arriving he was leaving, giving us the lake to ourselves for at least 45 minutes,

I had never done this hike before, but I can see why it is so popular. There is a well maintained boardwalk system that circumnavigates the entirety of the lake, and the reflection of the surrounding mountains are stunning. We found a spot in the sun and started swimming around 0900. I kept my body submerged in this cold, yet refreshing water for at least 25 minutes before we headed back down. This was a perfect introduction.

Next up: Snow Lake & Gem Lake

Heading East of Seattle towards Snoqualmie Pass is one of the most popular summer hikes in the Seattle area. Snow Lake is a 6.7 mile RT, 1700′ elevation gain hike that hundreds of people flock to. The waters of Snow Lake are some of the most blue and green I have seen in this area, and this is one of my favorite hikes. It had been years since I hiked this trail, and I wrangled Caitlin into hiking this, with the intention of continuing on to Gem Lake for a swim.

Gem Lake is an additional 3 miles, with an extra 1000′ of elevation or so, and I was hopeful we could find a pocket of solace as most people stop at Snow Lake. We arrived at the Snow Lake trail head around 0700, and there were a LOT of cars in the lot already. People likely staying in the nearby cabins, and we saw a few parties starting their ascent up to Snow Lake. We were able to pass some people, giving us the trail mostly to ourselves on the way up. We stopped for our first snack once we reached Snow Lake, appreciating the quiet of the early morning ambiance.

The final trek to Gem Lake was easier than I anticipated. It was getting warm, the high of this day was in the 90’s, but with a cold lake to look forward to it was easy to push on. Thankfully with the early start we beat most of the heat, until we were going down. More on that in a minute. We passed a few people who had camped along the way, we weaved and bobbed through the trees, we scrambled over a rocky field (my ankles were sore for days after this), until finally we reached the lake.

There were more people than I expected at this lake, but we still found our own spot to swim. We were in the shade, which was chilly, but it only took a minute before my body acclimated to the water. One of my favorite things to do after sitting in cold water for a bit is to crack my knuckles. My joints swell when it’s hot and when I am hiking, and twisting my back to pop as well was such a relief. We stayed in our section of water for probably 30 minutes.

Across from us on a rock higher up were two guys listening to music. This smaller cove like lake area carries sound incredibly well, and although they were too far away to normally hear them, with the water carrying their sounds we heard not only their obnoxious music, but their voices. At one point one of them said: “those girls are staying in the water.” Clearly they were being outshone by us women, and they jumped one by one from their ledge into the water.

This made my sphincters tighten, I don’t like watching people jump into possibly shallow waters.

Caitlin and I both stayed in the water cooling off, but once I felt my fingers turning white I knew it was time to get out. We moved ourselves into the sun to eat our second snack before heading back down to the car. Caitlin and I sneakily took similar photos of each other while we were snacking, great minds think alike.

I couldn’t tell you what exactly went wrong for me as we made our way back down. Maybe it was the RX bar I ate (those never sit the best, but man I love them), maybe it was the heat getting into the 90’s, maybe it was fatigue, but I started to feel incredibly nauseous as we descended the switch backs after passing Snow Lake. The traffic was stop and go at times because there were so many people coming up (whoever decides to start a hike at 1300 in 90 degree weather is a certified psychopath in my opinion) making the hike down slower than I’d have liked.

This was a one step at a time descent for me, and I was so thankful when we reached the car. Unfortunately I was sick the entire 2 hour ride home, but thankfully Caitlin drove to this hike. I had my eyes shut most of the the way home focusing on my breathing and doing my best not to hurl on my newfound hiking pal. I made it home unscathed, took a shower, ate, and finally started to feel better.

Sickness aside, this was my favorite hike of the year so far. It was a beautiful day, and I loved swimming in Gem Lake. Swimming here was a full circle moment for me, because the last time I hiked to Gem Lake in 2014 my hiking pal swam, but I did not. I was overheated then too, but wasn’t comfortable with my body (the irony, I was at my thinnest then – typical female brain) so I did not swim.

These days I could care less what people think of my body, I’m getting in the damn lake.

As I say goodbye to summer the weather is turning colder, and the pumpkin products have hit the shelves. I don’t see many alpine lake swims for me the rest of the year, but who knows maybe a true polar plunge is in my future. Fall hiking is my favorite, and I cannot wait to watch the leaves change. Crunchy walks here I come.

Q: Do you like swimming in cold water?

At the end of July Duncan and I took a trip to Mount Rainier, with the expectation of hiking one of the many lovely trails on the Sunrise side of the park. The park has two main “areas” and most of the popular trails start on either the Sunrise side, or the Paradise side. Last September we went for a hike on the Paradise side which is significantly larger as far as parking and accommodations, and when deciding what time we should leave to arrive for our hike this year we based everything off of those aforementioned facts: September, Paradise.

Duncan likes to sleep in, while I am content leaving the house at 0500 to ensure we beat the crowds. In order to find a middle ground we left around 0700 with the intent of arriving around 0930. This is what we did last time, so it should have worked well, right? Turns out July is not September (duh, July is far busier), and the Sunrise side is not Paradise. The Sunrise side has significantly limited parking meaning we arrived to find ourselves in a line of other cars, waiting to get past the gate.

NO, no, no, noooo.

After waiting for 30 minutes or so, I asked a passing park ranger how long we could expect to wait, and the words that came out of his mouth put me into a tunnel of darkness – “three hours.” Absolutely the heck not. Thankfully I was next to a pull out, and with no plan B we turned around and started driving. We had no cell service, no idea of where else to hike, and I was starting to have a melt down.

I don’t handle changes of plans very well, especially when I have no way of finding an alternative.

I ended up driving the ENTIRE PARK over to the Paradise side which was MADNESS, before settling on a random trail off the side of the road. We walked through the woods passing a few small waterfalls, with the goal of finding Narada Falls. Ironically Narada Falls in accessible just off the road, but something about hiking to it make it all the more awe-worthy once we arrived. We hiked from Carter Falls to Narada Falls clocking about 6 miles with 1300 ft of elevation gain.

The trail overall was so-so, would not do again, but the day was beautiful and I had a good sport of a passenger. If only he could say the same about me. I was admittedly a pill the majority of the afternoon, but once we were able to get out and start walking I think I turned it around. I don’t know, you’ll have to ask Duncan.

Fast forward to a couple weeks ago. It is now September (good time of year), I have two willing humans wanting to leave at 0500, and there is rain on the forecast. A recipe for success. My friend Caitlin and her sister Christina met me at my house for an early departure to hike once again on the Sunrise side of the park. This days adventure was a walk to the Berkeley Park Campground, with an offshoot to the Fremont lookout on the way back.

All three of us were a bit trepidatious due to the weather forecast, but we decided to go anyway. We arrived at the parking lot by 0730, and the entire lot was swallowed by a thick cloud. There was plenty of parking, but the air was chilled and I quickly discovered I did not dress warmly enough. I was certain we wouldn’t have any views that day, but karma was on our side. As soon as we started hiking the sky opened up.

The Berkeley Park trail took us through open meadows and away from the mountain for a unique view of this park. We hiked 4 miles to the campground area, had a snack, and headed back towards the Fremont Lookout. I originally wanted to do the Fremont Lookout Trail as a sunrise hike, but we would have to wake up around 0100 for this, and honestly I don’t think I care enough to watch a sunrise. The views from the lookout were just as lovely during the normal hours of the day.

We savored the view for all of five minutes before the wind took most of our warmth and I could no longer feel my fingers. We made our way back towards the parking lot, making this hike a total of 10.75 miles and around 2300 ft of elevation. This take two of recent visits to Mount Rainier went much better than the first, and a large part of why was because I lowered my expectations.

These two hikes might have been different in all ways – different weather, different company, different attitude, but there was one commonality between the two. There is a local shop 30 min outside of the park that sells ice cream, and it is well worth the splurge. This recent hike my hands were too cold to eat one of my snacks, so I got vanilla ice cream to top with my snack. Absolute win.

The perk of being an adult is that you can reward yourself whether your attitude is positive or negative, and I rewarded myself after both hikes.

Q: Do you like arriving early places before the crowds, or would you rather sleep in and arrive when you arrive?

I have been making a habit of visiting Trader Joe’s about once a week in the last year, and on each visit I was counting down the days until I saw the sign. The sign that indicates the changes of seasons, the Holy Grail of the modern day basic American woman, and the source of a multi month giddiness I know I am not alone in…

Hello. My name is Brittany, and I loose my marbles over the beginning of pumpkin season.

The thing is, I don’t actually consume most pumpkin items. I’ve never even had my own pumpkin spice latte (I have had sips, but it’s not for me for a handful of reasons.) For me seeing this sign is an indication that calmer days are coming my way. The busyness of summer adventures are coming to an end, the rainy days are on the horizon, and the much needed rest my body seeks is more acceptable to my go, go, go mindset.

I love fall. This time of year always feels cleansing to me. A time to appreciate the changes of colors in nature, heartier seasonal foods, and there is a sense of joy that fills my soul when I see pumpkins sitting outside every grocery store. What can I say, I am a sucker for large orange spheres. Walking into Trader Joe’s with the smells of cinnamon brooms and the sights of every gourd imaginable makes me feel like a kid again.

I don’t care what this says about me, I will take any source of excitement I can get.

Pumpkin season also starts my adventurous attitude with food. I typically keep things strict with what I eat, but I let my hair down this time of year through Christmas to taste some forbidden fruits. There are a handful of seasonal treats I avoid, but there are a handful I don’t avoid. I had been waiting 365 days for Trader Joe’s to bring back an item I discovered last year, one I consumed many times.

And in typical Trader Joe’s fashion they did not bring back my beloved this year.

As my luck would have it anytime I find a decent gluten free item, it’s limited. I fell in love with a local muffin company a handful of years ago and they no longer exist. I fell in love with Trader Joe’s gluten free pumpkin bread and it no longer exists (at least not at my local store.) This bread was hands down one of the best store bought loafs I have ever eaten. It’s hard for me to find a treat that not only tastes good, but doesn’t leave me feeling like I consumed an entire fifth of vodka the night before.

Alas, I must move on and continue to seek a new seasonal treat. There are some items that are seasonal, but they’re items I would eat on a normal basis. Add a seasonal flavor to something and I am all over it. Sometimes they are a win, and sometimes they are such a huge loss that I wish teleportation existed so I could speak face to face with whomever created such an abomination.

Tasty treats aside I also look forward to an annual visit to a pumpkin patch/corn maze. The weather has been a bit finicky in Washington, but I hope to get lost in a maze soon. I last all of 15 minutes before I stop trying and begin allowing Duncan to guide me out. I just like to wander. The pumpkins, the flannels, the boots, the corn, the leaves changing – all of this is the beginning of a magical few months of holiday seasons.

I never used to be big on holidays, but as I get older I look forward to them. I don’t care for the consumeristic aspect of them, in fact I abhor that correlation with holidays, but I love the sense of togetherness it brings. I love the fun activities available, the foods, and sometimes even the weather. I savor October and November and I look forward to many pots of homemade applesauce, nights of wool socks and movies, stormy afternoons while I snuggle with my cat, and all the decorated porches.

If anyone out there knows of a good gluten free item I must try (yeah yeah I know I can just make my own and I DO, but sometimes a girl just wants to buy an unhealthy treat), please let me know. Or just share with me your favorite fall treat you like to consume.

Q’s:

• Do you like fall?
• Do you get seasons where you live?
• What’s your favorite fall treat!?

1. I have one last hike I want to share from the beginning of October, but it’s been so long since I’ve popped on here that I think an Early Morning Confessions post is in order. Somehow it’s already mid November, and almost time to scarf down pounds of turkey. It’s also almost time to be thankful Duncan is nearly one year older. Confession: I’m older than my sweet, young, boyfriend.

Any guesses on how much of a gap we have?

2. Speaking of the almost birthday boy, we managed our annual trip to a pumpkin patch just before Halloween. The pumpkin pickings were slim at this patch, and it looked as if a tornado had ripped through the farm leaving rotted gourds in its wake. We managed to find two small rejects that we turned into starry eyed puke faces.

3. One of my coworkers is constantly recommending off the cuff movies to me. I have watched most of the ones he has suggested, some I have ruminated on after watching, but none more than the one I watched most recently. I wanted to watch Midsommar since first hearing about it, but I had no idea what I was getting myself into with that movie.

It was one of the most disturbing movies I have seen in years, and yet I obsessed over it for a week.

I don’t watch scary movies. They are absolutely not for me. I will envision scenes for far too long causing extensive fear of the dark as a full grown adult. This was a horror movie of sorts and although I cannot handle true horror, the psychological thriller aspect of this movie captivated me. However, I was thankful my coworker warned me of a specifically gory scene, I don’t like gore either.

Has anyone else seen this movie?

4. My cat is doing much better these days. I think I have dialed in what he needs in his geriatric stage of life. He is playful and eats well, seems to feel ok, and loves to snuggle. Now that the colder months have arrived he is a sucker for the space heater. He sticks his paws right under the vent that blows hot air, and the image kills me every time. I also bought him a heating pad because he is spoiled and he is my child.

5. My dad came to visit at the end of September and spent a few days falling in love with my cat. He loves my cat so much he almost stuffed him in his duffle bag to take back home with him. He also went into full dad mode analyzing my car to ensure it was in top shape (I have driven the same car since 2008, and I absolutely love it.) One of these statements is true, and the other is not.

Any guesses?

6. My friend Sam and I took a day trip to Oregon the weekend before Halloween. Our goal was to visit Halloweentown, aka the town of St. Helens. For my fellow millennials who grew up in the 90’s you might remember this Disney channel movie. We rewatched the movie before going to Oregon and it was just as terribly great as I remembered.

It was fun to see the filming location right in the center of town, and movie aside this was an adorable place.

7. On this trip to Oregon we also stopped in Portland for Sam to visit Powell’s Books. I knew Portland would have some gluten free goodies, and I found a bakery around the corner from the bookstore. I was flabbergasted by the prices of the goods, and although I do better with gluten free than gluten full, I was not about to pay copious amounts of cash to feel like crap. I settled on a $6 scone that thankfully blew my socks off.

It was worth every single repercussion.

8. My friend Caitlin and I have been staying active despite the rainy weather. I am thankful to have a pal like her who is always up for an outdoor adventure. She has the sweetest adventure pup, and that means a lot coming from a cat lady.

9. Staying active in the fall and winter months is imperative for my mental well being. I have started running more regularly again in an attempt to mitigate any seasonal sadness that is inevitably coming my way (I run year round, but only 1-2 times a week when it’s hiking season). Last year I did a run streak starting on Thanksgiving where I ran everyday for 39 days.

A handful of those days I only ran one mile, but it was enough to keep my spirits high. I have decided to start the streak early this year, and this year my goal is to run at least two miles most days. I won’t be upset if there are days I only manage one mile (hello PMS week, I’m looking at you), but I’ll shoot for two.

I’m on day 8, wish me luck.

10. This year I got back into reading and it has been an enjoyable way to avoid too much time on social media. Social media does little to no good for bettering my life, and while it can be fun to scroll mindlessly once in a while, I do my best to not be on it too much.

I tend to obsess over stories that haunt me, and the book that destroyed me most this year was: A Little Life. There are so many trigger warnings for this book, and I found it to be a sad story along the way, but it wasn’t until the end that it broke me. I sobbed for probably 10 minutes straight, and I was sad for a week. I don’t recommend this book because it’s filled with trauma, but I have never read a book where the main character stuck with me long after reading.

I am glad I read this one. Books and movies that make me feel things are usually worth it for me. Real life is messy, I need messy stories. Sometimes.

Q’s:

• What’s your confession?
• Have you read any books lately that you recommend?

It’s the second week of December, and in Washington the rain is heavy, and the clouds are dark. I don’t mind this weather (yet), but I do find myself reminiscing on the brightness of fall. Two months ago my friend Caitlin and I went for one final big hike, and today I am going to share that story. It’s not often I see a hike that is four hours away and wrangle someone into coming with me, but per usual Caitlin is my go to gal – up for any adventure.

Our original plan was to do this hike (driving included) in one day. We would get up before the birds, drive the long haul to the North Cascades, hike 11-12 miles, and drive home. We would be tired, but we could do it, right? This trail is one of, if not THE most popular trail in the North Cascades meaning we had to ensure getting to the trail early, or we risked having to park on the already too tiny gravel road. In order to ensure we had a parking spot we decided to find a cheap Air B&B and drive up the night before.

We found Lolita, a 1979 Airstream for a whopping $70 a night.

Lolita was cozy, but the bed was rock hard and I slept maybe a total of 3 hours that night. We woke up around 0500, and headed straight for the trail head. Thankfully I had enough caffeine and adrenaline to get me going, and I was stoked to only be driving two hours instead of four. We arrived at the trail head around 0700 with just enough time to snag one of the remaining parking spots.

The lot was filling up fast, but thankfully for the majority of our hike we didn’t run into too many people.

This hike is popular because there are two main options: hike the Cascade Pass Trail which is a moderate 7 mile round trip hike to a beautiful overlook, or continue on to the Sahale Arm which is an additional 5 miles round trip (plus about 2000 feet more elevation.) I would say half of the people who come to this trail stop at the Cascade Pass. The views to Cascade Pass are beautiful on their own, but I cannot imagine coming all this way and not continuing on to the Sahale Arm.

Caitlin and I specifically saved this hike for the first week of October because it is well known for having amazing fall colors. We could not have gone on a better day, the temperature was perfect, the sun was bright, and the colors were intense. If we had waited just one more week we would have been hit with snow.

We arrived at Cascade Pass just under two hours after we started. This is when the wind started to pick up, and it only got stronger the higher we got. I was continually taking my jacket off and putting my jacket on in an attempt to combat the heat from climbing and the chill from the wind. We took our time to stop and savor the views along the way, all the while playing leap from with one woman who was wearing the same jacket as me, but in a different color.

We savored the view of the above lake both on the way up and on the way down. This lake would be our focal point for the majority of the second half of the hike. At one point I even saw myself rolling down the hill, falling into the lake. More on that later. Overall I felt great on this hike, physically I had energy, and mentally I was stoked. We were having fun and the landscape could not have been more beautiful.

Until…

I eventually reached a point where each step felt like I had bricks tied to the bottom of my feet. My lungs felt like someone was sitting on them, and the air around me felt tight. I often struggle accepting when things are physically challenging for me, so I was getting frustrated by the fact that Caitlin seemed unfazed while I was having a hard time.

Turns out we were nearing 7000 feet of elevation, explaining why I was struggling with air.

Ultimately it shouldn’t matter, but I was comforted by this justification for my breathing. As we continued on we weren’t sure of where the end was. We just kept putting one foot in front of the other, fighting the wind, and admiring the brave souls who camped overnight. I cannot imagine sleeping with that kind of wind all night. We finally came to the end of the obvious trail, and met the portion of trail that was predominately boulders. This was a “choose your own path” type of trail, and when a pair of men passed us to the right, we chose to follow them.

Mistakes were made.

While Caitlin billy goated her way after them, I began crawling as the “trail” became tighter and the rocks became smaller and more slippery. We were on an edge that made every single hair on my body stand up as I shook with each crawl. I am a dramatic child when it comes to trail edges, and I was starting to struggle. Caitlin sensed my struggle, and was also convinced we took the wrong side. She didn’t have to tell me twice about finding an alternative route, but before we turned around she snapped the above photo of me while I was trying to find my footing.

I almost look like I know what I am doing. Thankfully I did not in fact roll down the hill into the lake.

We found a far better path, but my adrenaline was still high. We were both exhausted and unsure if we wanted to continue the final 0.3 miles to the “summit.” We had made it to the main view point, we were moving slow with the altitude and fatigue, and I was a bit shook by the trail edge. We sat at our chosen end spot for 20 minutes, eating snacks, before deciding we were too damn close to stop there. We were going to stop at the proper summit even if it took us an hour.

Turns out it only took us an additional 10 minutes or so. This is a reminder that our brains often tell us something is harder than it really is.

The final push brought us over a ridge that allowed us to see what most people come here for – the Sahale Glacier. We couldn’t see the glacier from our original stopping point, and while I had no desire to walk onto the glacier, seeing it was worth the extra trudge. We clocked in around 12 miles with 4000 feet of elevation when we made it back down, and the entire hike took us around 8 hours. This was by far the best hike I have done in a while, and I am so jazzed Caitlin and I made it happen.

The drive out was just as much of an adventure as the drive in because people had parked on both sides of a tiny road. We knew this was happening ahead of time thanks to multiple trail reports, all the more reason we wanted to arrive early. I cannot justify parking like an asshole, and it was sketchy trying to squeeze between two cars. It felt like driving on a back road somewhere in the UK.

Our four hour drive home turned into five or six thanks to Seattle traffic, but Caitlin and I were riding the high of our hike the entire drive back. It doesn’t take much to make me a happy camper. A quick overnight trip for a beautiful hike is almost all it takes to reset my factory settings when I am feeling off. This was my first hike in the North Cascades, and I can assure you it will not be my last.

Q: Anyone else reminiscing on fall? It’s my favorite season, but I do try to savor each season for what it brings.

1. Well, well, well. It’s been a while. Between house projects and needing to update my MacBook I disappeared for quite some time. I don’t have anything exciting to report, but because I feel like checking in we are going to travel back in time to last month.

2. I managed to find the most decadent, delicious, astounding gluten free pie that disappeared just as quickly as I found it. Seriously, what’s with me and finding treats I enjoy (and that don’t make me feel like a bag of bricks) suddenly disappearing? Perhaps next holiday season it will return…

3. My Christmas gift to myself was $3,000 worth of car repairs. I’ve had the same car since 2008, and I hadn’t needed any major work until now. I suppose it was long overdue, I am amazed at the longevity of my beloved. $700 of that bill was for new tires, which I suppose doesn’t count, but the timing of the remaining work racked up the bill. I needed a new alternator and a new radiator.

The only reason I knew there was an issue was because of a funny noise. She now purrs like the day she was manufactured. I hope for many more years with my granny mobile.

4. My car has taken Little and I on many wonderful drives together, including my current favorite core memory. I wrangled my mom, my sister, Duncan, and my child into the car and we went to look at Christmas lights. Little was more enthralled by the car headlights than the actual Christmas lights, but it was a magical hour nonetheless. The gang was all there.

5. When I moved back to the states at the end of 2020 I moved back into my childhood bedroom. My plan was to resettle into the area and then try to find a place to live. Turns out renting an apartment is something I couldn’t justify with the $1400 price tag, so I stayed with my mom and sister. Helping them and being close to family just continued to feel right. My older sister has autism and helping provide care for her is easier when living under the same roof.

At this rate I’m not sure I’ll ever leave. Just kidding. I think.

6. With that said, my childhood bedroom needed some help. I wasn’t planning to stay long, but suddenly three years went by and I was still occupying the space. On December 6th I was laying down looking at the walls and decided I wanted to rip the wallpaper off.

Much to my surprise it came off with ease, and I decided to go get paint.

Three days later my small space had a fresh coat of paint. What a difference this has made, and I am so happy I decided to impetuously give my room a facelift. There is one small area of the wall my lovely mother wanted to keep, a mural she painted fully equipped with drawings from when I was too young to know drawing on the wall was wrong. It’s an atrocious eye sore, but I’ve come to accept it.

I have since painted another room in my moms house, so basically you can now call me Bob Vila.

7. I started a run streak in the middle of November with the goal of running everyday until the new year. I completed my goal and ended the streak on Jan 2nd. I ran 56 days in a row, and truth be told I wish I would have kept going. There were only a few days I didn’t feel like running during the streak, but I was always able to manage one mile on those days.

I ended the streak with the idea that I might want to train for a half marathon, but I find myself fearful of the training process. My body handles running shorter distances everyday better than running longer distances every few days. This is something I have come to accept about my Sjögren’s, but I hope to eventually push through the fear of flare ups and just go for it.

I’m now running a few times a week, while I figure out my next goal.

8. While cleaning out my closet recently I found a costume I made when I first started my current job. I was there for a week when I discovered they dressed up for Halloween (something I have come to detest.) I was new and wanted to attempt the tradition and I made myself a snail costume.

It only makes sense that I dress as my biggest fear…ironically I adore Halloween, I just don’t love dressing up at work. The DIY snail found its way into the recycle bin, but not before I snapped one final photo.

9. I think my dream job would be to help willing people declutter their lives/homes. I say willing because if someone isn’t ready to let go of things, the process becomes more difficult. One of the current house projects I am working on is helping my mom declutter her space. 30+ years of belongings need to be sorted through and organized, and nothing brings me more satisfaction that organizing.

This was our plan when I moved back, but it took some time for my mom to be willing to jump on board. Patience has never been my virtue.

10. One of the perks of going through old boxes is finding absolute gems of photographs. I think I found my favorite class photo of me as a child – from the silk blouse, and the red overalls, to the scowl on my face with my hands in my pockets. This feels like an accurate depiction of who I am as a person.

Can we also take a moment to appreciate my Lord Farquadd haircut? My mom gave me this same snip for years.

Q: What’s your confession?

And finally, there is a moment to stop and breathe. Kind of. The last two months have been a whirlwind to say the least. I think perhaps this will be my new normal while I continue to live life with a geriatric cat. It sounds funny to refer to him as geriatric, as if he should be using a cane to walk. Alas just as it is with people, cats of his age are indeed geriatric by definition.

My child recently turned 16, and while overall he is doing ok, he is not without his struggles. Some of these struggles are thanks to his mother (aka me), who recently attempted to change his food, resulting in a trip to the ER. Twice. The recent food swap gave him a multi day run with constipation, something he hasn’t struggled with since last May.

Unfortunately I deviated twice from the food I know keeps him regular, hence two trips to the ER.

“But Brittany, if he was eating a food that helped him poop, why would you change it?!”

I’m so glad you asked. I am fairly confident the food that helps him poop makes him slightly nauseous. So I tried to find something else. I spent months before all this trying to find a food for him that also supported his kidney disease, to no avail (he is a picky little bugger.) So I switched him to a food that helped his nausea…but then he went and got his colon stuffed like a manicotti noodle.

The first time we went to the ER last month he was backed up for six days, and when I took him in I was advised he would need to be anesthetized for an enema/manual extraction. He made it out alive, and he came home with pupils the size of saucers and a swollen anus. All of this transpired on my birthday. Three weeks later he was backed up again, this time for five days. The price tag was cheaper on the second visit, but the anus was just as swollen.

Lessons have been learned, and I will never, ever, swap his food again. Or maybe I will, it’s been such a struggle finding the sweet spot for him with food.

I ended up having to cancel an overnight trip I booked on my birthday, and while I was a bit bummed, my mom and Duncan made up for it by smothering me with sweet treats. Nothing soothes a sad soul quite like sugar and chocolate. There is a bakery near my house that has excelled at making gluten free brownies. Not only do they taste amazing, they also don’t make me feel like I’ve been caught in a stampede of elephant seals. A double win.

It has been over a month since this most recent drama started with me and Little (my cat), and I finally feel like we are in a good spot. For now. The guilt I felt from causing his constipation is finally starting to wane, and he still purrs on my lap as if nothing happened. My anxiety has calmed a bit, and I feel more comfortable leaving him for the day knowing he is back on a normal poop path.

I could barely leave him to go to work I was so worried. Anxiety ain’t easy y’all.

To make up for my missed birthday adventure, or just because it was an excuse to get more sugar, a couple weeks ago Duncan took me to another gluten free bakery 50 minutes out of town. I made a pit stop at Trader Joe’s to buy myself a new tiny plant, meaning we arrived at the bakery too late in the day. Most everything was gone, but the two cakes we got were unbelievably delicious.

Unfortunately within 30 minutes of finishing my cake the elephant seal stampede hit.

You win some, and you lose some. My local bakery with the brownies is always a win, and The Wrens Nest was sadly a loss. The cake was delicious, but ultimately if I feel like a bag of trash after I eat something it’s an automatic no for me. The ambiance of this bakery was WONDERFUL though, and I would come back for a coffee because the vibe was too good.

I’m thankful for each mini adventure these days, as I am finding it harder to leave my house lately. I feel the clock of life ticking as each day passes, and I am wanting to spend as much quality time with my cat as possible. I know one day he will no longer be around, and I don’t want to miss out on too many moments. Most of my days feel as if I am waiting for the next shoe to drop, but he is worth the effort.

Time is something none of us can get back, and I want to be intentional with mine. For the first time in what feels like ever I am living day to day. I am unable to look into the future as I so often have in the past. I struggle with the idea of planning any vacations because the anxiety of leaving my cat for more than one night is too much. I’m in a floating limbo right now, and while I am still working on the concept of living in the moment, I think living in the day is a good place to start.

Time is likely one of the best gifts we can give to those we care about, be it a pet, a friend, or a loved one. When I find myself getting worked up over things out of my control I try to remind myself of what’s really important in life. Spoiler: it’s not work, it’s not thoughts of anxiety, it’s not an unexpected change in plans – it’s the simplicity of time spent with others, and time spent with ourselves.

Q: Do you consider pets another family member, or do you consider pets more of a convenience? Like a barn cat to catch mice, a dog for protection, etc. I have an arguably unhealthy attachment to pets, especially the one I have now.

The month was May, and the year was 2008. I don’t recall exactly what I was doing, but I vaguely remember I was outside my moms house as it was a beautifully sunny day. My mom had been gone for the majority of the morning singing at a wedding, and when I saw her car pull into the driveway I smiled and waved as I normally would, having no idea what was about to come next.

My mom opened her car door, and nestled above her forearm was a tiny black kitten with ears twice the size of his head. I was confused as to who this tiny kitty belonged to, and the moment my mom said she brought this small bat like fur ball home for me I immediately panicked. I was not prepared for another cat (we already had one at the time), and I can’t believe that for a brief moment in time I did not want this small black cat that would later become my best friend.

Thank goodness my intrusive thoughts didn’t win.

Although I was taken aback by this new arrival, I quickly got over my initial anxiety of another cat and welcomed him to the family. He immediately fit in, and was an absolute menace from day one. I couldn’t have asked for a better cat. Fast forward many years, many ailments, and many memories later – my sweet, spunky, spicy kitty has officially made it to the age of sixteen.

We assume he was around 8 weeks when he came home with my mom in May of 2008 (he was one of many kittens roaming the property at the wedding she was singing at), meaning he was likely born sometime in March of 2008. Last year we decided we would celebrate his birthday in April to meet somewhere in the middle. This year we celebrated again, and will continue to do so for as long as he decides to bless me with his presence. I adore cats, I live for cats, but I never saw myself as someone who would regularly celebrate a cats birthday.

But now, I can never look back.

We chose the first Sunday in April to celebrate, and I bought cupcakes and coffee for my family. For Little I bought fish flakes and a party collar, while Duncan bought him a new whale toy and a catnip filled log thing. Truthfully nothing compares to the cigar Duncan bought him last year, but these are a close second.

We decided before sitting down to eat and sing HBD we would take Little on a birthday drive.

After we drove around it was time to put on the party collar and indulge in some tasty treats. My local cupcake shop does an amazing GF cupcake (the same place I get the brownies from in my previous post), and let’s be real – any excuse for a cupcake is a good excuse. I can blame this on my cat all day long, but really I just needed a cupcake.

I’ve thankfully been back on track with Little and his diet to ensure he is no longer getting constipated (if you’re confused by this comment, see my last post), so I plopped a can of his wet food onto a plate and smothered it with fish flakes before sticking a candle in the top. I sent a photo of this cat “cake” to one of my friends and she said at first glance she thought it was apple pie.

I’m sure he wishes it was.

I can’t help but laugh looking at these photos, I am fully aware of how ridiculous I am in wanting to celebrate a cat. However, after the last few years of ups and downs we have had – every single day I have with him is a blessing. I will continue to celebrate his added years as if they were collectable figurines worth hundreds of dollars with zero shame.

Some people have human children, and some people have cat children. I’ll let you guess which person I am.

Happy sweet sixteen my Little, I am so thankful you were brought to me all those years ago with your tiny head and big ears. You are my best pal, and I love you more than all the cupcakes in the world.

Q: Have you ever had a birthday celebration for a pet? Would you?

Duncan and I first met in October of 2020. We met at my current workplace, and he was assigned to train me for a few hours – something he obviously hated doing. I’ll never forget the way he rushed through customer transactions in a way that offered me little to no knowledge on how to perform the tasks I needed to learn (this is how I prefer dealing with the public as well.) It wasn’t that he was bad at his job, he just couldn’t be bothered to train the new gal, and quite frankly I don’t blame him for that.

What he did offer was amazing banter from the start, and I immediately felt comfortable with him.

We quickly became friends and for three months at work we would chat when we had the chance, until one day at the end of January 2021 he invited me on a hike with two other guys. The four of us spent about two additional months going on weekly hikes and I lived for these adventures. I was freshly back in the area, had very few friends, and was mourning the loss of my “previous life.”

I was elated to have found a group of pals to go on adventures with so quickly after moving back. Not to mention I already had a ridiculously pathetic school girl crush on Duncan.

Then, one week in March our hiking group wasn’t able to go for a hike – so Duncan and I went alone. From there we hungout a handful of times just the two of us, banter at an all time high, having a good time learning more about each other. After a few weeks of this I knew enough was enough, and we had to have a chat. I could tell something was brewing, so I told him how I felt with no intention of dating him (despite having a crush, I was not at all in the market for a boyfriend, but I learned many years ago to always tell people how I felt.)

Alas, it seemed Duncan had a different idea.

He suggested we try dating, just for a bit to see how it goes. Before I could digest what was happening I said yes. What started as more of a summer fling between two people who were not looking for a relationship, has turned into three years of partnership with someone I love very dearly. While we never know what the future holds, I’m thankful we took that leap three years ago to see what might happen. Duncan has since obtained a much better job where he has been the last two years, but I’ll never let him live down that day of training.

We decided to celebrate three years together by visiting Leavenworth, where we spent our first weekend away together in 2021.

We both took a Thursday and Friday off work and left Thursday morning. It’s about a 3.5 hour drive on a weekday from where I live, and we left with enough time to stop by the grocery store in town before heading to our first of two hikes for the weekend. We hiked this same trail when we visited in 2021, and this is the perfect time of year to see the yellow flowers pop.

The Icicle Ridge Trail is about a 5 minute drive from downtown Leavenworth, making this one of the most convenient hikes in the area if you want to stay downtown.

After this hike we checked into the LOGE, aka the REI of hotels where we stayed last time. What I like about this hotel is that they offer both communal and private bathroom rooms. If I were staying there solo I would opt for the communal bathrooms because it saves about $50 a night. Duncan prefers a private bathroom and I don’t dare tell the working man no.

This isn’t sponsored by the LOGE, but it should be.

I love staying in downtown Leavenworth because I can park my car and not worry about using it again unless I am going out of town. Our second day in the area we did in fact go out of town, and this was the highlight of my year thus far. The bar was pretty low as my year hasn’t been overly exciting, but we drove about 20 minutes out of Leavenworth to the town of Cashmere for one of the most beautiful hikes I have done in a while.

This area of Washington has thick green hills for miles, and often reminded me of another country. From Ireland, to Germany, to Romania – I was enamored by these views. I cannot wait to return and sit amongst these hills. We opted for the Spring Canyon Loop Trail, which was an amazing 8 miles of walking with just over 2000′ of elevation. I could not have asked for a better anniversary hike.

We spent our second evening binge watching Curb Your Enthusiasm on HBO and snacking on anything we could. Our third and final day was reserved for wandering downtown Leavenworth before we headed back home. I have been to Leavenworth a handful of times, but I have never walked into the shops. I wanted to spend the afternoon wandering, and that is exactly what we did.

We started our morning with an hour or so walk by the river which is right behind the hotel. Perfect location.

Then we each got a coffee, and I ended up buying some local fudge. From there we walked around most all of the stores before stopping for a sweet treat at The Gingerbread Factory. We walked in and the moment I saw gluten free gingerbread cupcakes I knew I had to buy one. Duncan got a chocolate croissant the size of a newborn foal and we people watched while we ate our baked goods.

I am thankful we went on this trip for a plethora of reasons, but mostly because it helped me to quell my separation anxiety with my cat. This was the first time I have left him for more than one night since May of last year (if you’re a regular round here you’ll know he has had some health struggles.) Deep down I knew he would be fine with my mom, but letting go of control over my child is H-A-R-D.

Duncan has been a huge support with my overwhelm and I’m glad he was able to get away for a weekend too.

Duncan and I were the most unexpected pairing. We have an age gap, we have different hobbies, and we were both happily single. Consistent communication and occasional compromises have brought us this far. Thankfully we both enjoy hiking, and this year he has the bug more than ever before. I look forward to many adventures together, it’s going to be a fun summer.

Q: How did you and your significant other meet? OR if you’re single, how would you WANT to meet your significant other? Also if you’re single, embrace that life – I am blessed to have a fellow introvert for a partner and we spend just as much time apart as we do together. Alone time is so underrated.

So, I ran another half marathon. These are words I never thought I would write again after my last half marathon in October of 2014. It has been just shy of ten years since my last half, so how and why did I find myself running another one after all this time, and why didn’t I run one sooner? Well, let me tell you.

My journey with running went from all in to all out over a few years, but ultimately what caused me to stop all together was the onset of an autoimmune disease diagnosis. I’ll spare you the drama of those details, but now that I am older and wiser I can confidently say this was a classic case of “too much.”

Too much running, too much caffeine, too many 3am wake ups, too much stress, too much sugar, so on and so on. My body was in a full blown storm and each run caused flare ups that I didn’t know how to manage at the time.

I took running off the table sometime in 2016 when I couldn’t find a good balance, and when I was starting to dread the idea of running. It took me a handful of years to realize a simple shift in my efforts would allow me to not only run again, but to run further distances. I started running again somewhat regularly in 2021, but instead of trying to be “faster” I exclusively tried to keep my heart rate below a certain number.

Higher heart rate for me = too big of a cortisol spike = a small flare up = anxiety = not fun.

I continued on this low HR, low milage running journey for a few years because I continued to tell myself there was no way I could possibly run another 13.1 without causing problems. Then 2024 hit, I was about to turn 35, I was stale, unable (or rather unwilling) to travel far because I have a geriatric cat whom I adore, so I did what any sane person would do when they need a change.

I signed up for a half marathon.

I was done telling myself “you can’t.” Running sometimes sucks, and it’s uncomfortable, and even a bit painful at times, but those side effects always pass (unless you have an injury which is another story.) What sticks around is the knowledge that we pushed ourselves to do something we didn’t think we could. A half marathon in the world of running isn’t the biggest feat, but for me it was something I didn’t think was going to be possible.

If I can take one thing away from this experience it would be that my brain is forever my worst enemy. I let my fears and anxieties often dictate what I do, but usually when I push myself outside of my comfort zone I come out on the other side mentally stronger for it. I didn’t run fast, but I ran, and I am proud of destroying the mental barrier of “I can’t.”

OK. Gushy stuff aside, let’s talk about the race!

I chose a half in the city of Yakima, about three hours from where I live. The stars aligned with this run because what gave me the final push to register was finding a hotel within a two minute walk of the starting line. Call me crazy, but half the stress of showing up to an organized run is trying to figure out where to park. With that obstacle out of the way all I had to do was put in the work for training.

I did a 12 week training program, the same program I used to run my very first half marathon, and aside from a few skipped cross training days I followed it to a tee. My training had its ups and downs, with a few moved around long runs, one epic meltdown with so many tears I could have flooded an ant village, and a lot of random foods consumed.

Fueling was the hardest part for me with this training, and for the race I brought one of my favorite foods to eat along the way.

I stuffed a bag of mashed potatoes into my running vest because I won’t eat those garbage filled running gels. However, I am terrible at fueling while running and I didn’t suck any down until mile 11. This also happened to be the hottest weekend we’ve had all year, and with terrible fueling and overheating I had a hard time focusing on the beauty of the trail around me after the first few miles.

Hooray for me and my heat sensitivity!

Miles 1-3 were a breeze, I was vibing to Taylor Swift and loving the views of the river. It was still early and the heat hadn’t crept up yet. Miles 4-6 I started to feel the heat and my pace slowed a bit, I definitely started the race too fast and was going to pay for it later, but I was still going strong. Mile 7 I caved and drank some Gatorade which helped for about 5 minutes. Miles 8-10 I was playing leap frog with a woman and telling myself to make it to the next rest stop for another Gatorade.

Miles 11-12.5 I was deep in the pain cave. My hips hurt, my back hurt, the heat was strong, and I was gassed.

Duncan came with me, and I texted him at mile 11 to let him know I was within 20 minutes of finishing. The final push from 12.5-the end was all mental. I felt like my legs were moving through molasses, and thank goodness for this song. I played it over and over and over and over just to keep my feet moving to the beat. Seriously though, what a BOP.

I told myself I never have to do this again, just keep going and the sooner you get to the end the sooner it’s over. I saw Duncan waiting for me about .3 miles from the end, and this gave me the final push I needed. I finished 13.2 miles (course was a bit off) in 2:23 with a pace of 10:52. I went into this run with ZERO goals, zero expectations, but in the depths of my mind I knew I wanted to maintain a pace under 11min miles.

I immediately took my shoes off, sat in the grass, and watched other runners finish their run for about ten minutes before walking the two minutes back to my hotel for a shower. My original plan was to walk around the area a bit before driving home, but the heat was so oppressive we decided to head home early. Sitting in a car for 3.5 hours after running a half marathon was arguably more difficult than the run.

Would not recommend.

It’s been a week and a half since this run, and it only took me 24 hours before I started looking for my next one. It’s amazing how quickly we forget the pain or discomforts of running and want to go through the mental push all over again. I know I want to do another half marathon, I just don’t know when. My summer is reserved for hiking as much as I can, and I don’t want any training to interfere with that.

The training for this was more difficult at this stage of my life than when I was in my 20’s. My diet is drastically different, my energy reserves are fewer, and I have to be mindful of every daily decision to ensure I can train successfully. By the final month of training I was more than ready to be done. It was just as much mentally draining as physically, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

My goals with running now are to focus on better form to help minimize hip/back pain (I have a lingering disc issue I am constantly nurturing), maintain running 3-5 miles with ease, and to keep experimenting with foods to find a good balance. If only I could just eat a bagel like every other runner. I’m stoked I pushed through this barrier, and I’m even more stoked that my 35 yr old brain could care less about being a slower runner.

Shoutout to Duncan for being the lone sheep on the hill waving to me at mile 1, and welcoming me in at mile 12.8. I’m thankful he was with me, and even more thankful he forced me to wear my hydration vest. I’d have been dead without the consistent water. Perished on the side of the valley.

Thanks for reading my journey. Take this as your sign to do whatever it is that you’ve been telling yourself you cannot do. I’m willing to bet your brain is just as much of a liar as mine is at times. This was my seventh half marathon, and it was likely more meaningful to me than my first. For so long I let Sjögren’s tell me what I could and could not do. Alas, Sjögren’s can suck it because it turns out I can still run 13.1 after all.

Q: What is something you’ve done recently that you’re proud of? Let’s celebrate together!

Somewhere, somehow, and someway I managed to forget that Duncan would have Memorial Day off from work. I always have Monday’s off, and lucky for me most of the major holidays fall on a Monday. When I realized Duncan also had a three day weekend, I decided to plan a very last minute overnight trip to Eastern Washington.

I got off of work on Friday, booked a hotel, and we left Saturday morning.

I’m finding it helpful to have getaways somewhat planned ahead of time. By that I mean I have a handful of hikes saved that require more than a 2.5 hour drive. Most all of my weekend getaways revolve around hiking, making it easier to choose where I want to go. For this overnight trip I chose to go see the White Bluffs. All it takes is for me to see one photo of a good hike (or in this case a walk) and I will plan an entire day/weekend around this location.

This is the third time in one month I have made the trek to Eastern Washington, and it proved to be the final straw for my lower back. The continual 3.5-4hr drives (one way) did a number on my muscles and this adventure was ever so slightly tainted by the discomfort. Alas, we still had a great time. The journey to the bluffs was an adventure unlike one I’ve had thus far in my life.

The winds off the Columbia River were stronger than I anticipated. Wind alone is not a big deal, but the sand blowing into the sides of my legs and face at what felt like 100 MPH were not only painful, but disorienting. We were also warned by fellow walkers that they had seen a rattlesnake, adding to the heightened awareness of our surroundings.

Despite the wind blowing tiny spherical daggers into my skin, this was an epic adventure. The dunes were much cooler than I expected, and the surrounding views were just what I was hoping for. We stayed on the dune just long enough for me to summon a Sandworm while looking for Paul Atreides, and for Duncan to rescue my hat after it blew off.

The walk back to the car turned into sporadic jogging and occasional pauses to wait for our vision to be cleared. The wind started to get even worse, and I was thankful to be almost done with the sideways sand. I didn’t find the Fremen, but I did leave with 2lbs of sand in my ears that took me days to clean out.

All in all this visit to the dunes was worth it. Even though I lost a hubcap along the way.

We spent the night in the town of Othello, which let me tell you is nothing to write home about. We had a cheap bed to sleep on and a bathroom to shower in (fully equipped with a cracked leaking toilet) and that’s really all I could ask for. After a full nights sleep I woke to find my car had not blown away in the wind, and we set off on our second adventure.

Next up was a 25 minute drive north to Blythe Lake. I typically read trail reviews like I’m studying for a test, but I somehow glazed over this one. Thankfully I had battery on my phone because this trail turned into a walk through wild, trail-less terrain that required me to follow the little blue dot multiple times on the AllTrails app.

This started simple enough, an old road led us up to a decent view as we continued to wrap around the nature preserve.

We continued to play “where’s the rattlesnake” throughout this walk, but truthfully I was more concerned with ticks. The shrubbery was sharp at times, and I couldn’t tell you how many spur like needle things I had attached to my socks after this. Spirits were high despite the rogue wandering, until we came to an opening providing a view of where we parked.

From here we had to make our own path, and as one AllTrails reviewer said the trail became “a crapshoot.” Truthfully this was kind of fun, but I was ready to be done after a couple hours had passed. With no clear trail to the bottom of a moderately steep drop off we decided to make our own. And by we I mean Duncan saw a path someone else had gone on after I can only assume they were fed up.

Am I glad we did this one? Yes. Would I do it again? Definitely not. The views were quite something though.

From here we made the trek back home, and despite the back pain I still carry two weeks later (the joys of aging?) this was a fun overnight away. The story doesn’t stop here though. Remember how I lost a hupcap? Back in 2012 my car lost a hubcap for the first time. Then in 2014 a secret santa brought me a new one. Shortly after this wonderful gift, I found a hubcap on the side of the road that looked to be similar to the ones on my car.

Naturally, I kept the hubcap just in case I needed one someday.

A decade later, this slightly cracked and discolored hubcap that has been living in my garage is having its moment. These hubcaps sell brand new for $55. That is insane to me. I’d rather drive around hubcap-less than spend that kind of money on something aesthetic. The amount of joy it brought me to use this once lost hubcap is indescribable.

She ain’t perfect, but it’s better than the before.

I’m not typically one for last minute trips, I need a tentative plan and I don’t like flying by the seat of my pants. This getaway was a small mix of both spontaneous and planned. I already have another hike trip up my sleeve should the last minute opportunity present itself. Or when I can wrangle Duncan for another two night getaway. Only time will tell which comes first.

Q: Do you prefer spontaneous adventures, or preplanned? I can do shorter trips with some spontaneity, but longer trips I need to plan.

If you don’t like cats, skip this post and come back next time.

It’s absolutely no secret around these parts that I am obsessed with cats. I am also obsessed with coffee, and when you pair the two together in one location I am over the moon with joy. Duncan and I found a cat cafe a couple years ago and while I enjoyed visiting, it was a bit sad to only have a few cats to socialize with. Seattle has some larger cafe’s with upwards of 20+ cats, but I have zero desire to go to the city these days.

A couple weeks ago my friend Laura and I were trying to decide on somewhere to meet between the two of us for a hangout. We chose to meet at Ziggy’s Cat Lounge because she loves cats and coffee just as much as I do. While I didn’t love that coffee was extra at this cafe (the last one I went to included coffee in admission price), I am happy to support a good cause and to play with cats.

The americano I ordered was delicious though, worth the $4.

First impression was great. I could see multiple cats from outside of the building, and the main lobby next to the cat room was large, welcoming, and full of black cat decor. After we ordered our drinks we went into the cat room where we had 45 minutes to socialize with the cats. There were 10-11 cats on this day, more than I could have imagined. All the cats were great, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t immediately choose favorites.

I’ll give you one guess as to which colored cats were my favorite…

Shocker – Pawl and Clawdia, the two resident black cats were my favorites. Pawl was like the dad who wandered around making sure everyone was where they should be, while Clawdia chased a red laser beam like a drug addict searching for drugs. The little grey and white one was equally playful, and my other favorite. Please don’t tell him I have forgotten his name.

Cassie is holding a small toy in her left paw. She carried this thing around like she gave birth to it herself, and at one point got it lodged under a giant cat wheel (think hamster wheel, but large and for cats.) I saw my opportunity to save her kin, and freed the toy from its dungeon. She didn’t give me so much as a thank you meow, but I know she immediately categorized me as the best human in all the land.

The above black and white kitty was a sweet one. That’s all I have to say about her. Although there was a grey and white 2yr old going on 16yr old curmudgeon who did not like this black and white sweetie. When the black and white babe climbed up onto the local cat tree, grey and white came out of his hole hissing the most non threatening breath of air I have ever heard.

I can’t say I blame him, living in a room with 10 other roaming felines has to take its toll.

Aside from that, everyone got along famously. The feeding and watering holes were frequented by multiple cats at a time without any fights breaking out. All but four cats were social and in the main lobby with us, the other four were in a staff only room. Because these four were also up for adoption we were allowed to take a peek and say hello to them.

Initially I was bummed we only had 45 minutes here whereas at the last cat cafe I went to we had a full hour. Then 40 minutes passed and I felt ready to leave. We said our goodbyes in the last five minutes and headed off to spend the rest of our day drinking more coffee and catching up on life.

But not before taking a photo with the epic mural.

And that my friends is Ziggy’s Cat Lounge. 10/10 would recommend. While I would love to adopt another cat someday, Little would claw my face off if I came home with another cat. Or maybe he would love having a companion, we will never know. I think he quite likes being the center of attention though, and I quite like keeping a hawk eye on his eating and bathroom habits without the confusion of another eater and pooper.

Somedays I think about volunteering at my local humane society, something I used to do in my early 20’s. Back then I volunteered as a dog walker, but truth be told it was a bit scary at times. After too many mornings where I was the only volunteer to show up I decided to stop doing this. They have a need for cat socializers as well, and this seems more my speed.

Until then, I will spend my dollars on donations and socialize my own little black spawn.

Q: This post is so niche, I know there aren’t many cat lovers who come by this blog, so I’ll ask this: Do you donate anywhere in particular that you are proud to support?

I have been in love with pairing coffee and a sweet treat together since I delved deeper into my love for a proper coffee tasting. Coffee started for me as just a way to get my body moving (in more ways than one), but turned into a social and almost spiritual experience for me. A warm cup of good coffee transports me to my happy place.

Sadly, I went without coffee for a period of time before finding the right balance of caffeine and the right blend of beans. Those were dark times.

When I moved to Germany, I worked in a coffee shop and discovered the German cultural tradition of Kaffee und Kuchen. Otherwise known as coffee and cake (I discovered Sweden also has a similar tradition called a ‘fika’ and at this rate I think most cultures have a time where they like to stop mid day for coffee and a sweet treat.) I am more than happy to oblige these cultural traditions I have picked up during my existence.

When my friend Caitlin told me her sister had somewhat of a lackluster birthday at the beginning of the month, I suggested we do what I would want to do for my birthday. Kaffee und Kuchen on a mountain. We ended up hiking to a lake, so we had coffee and cake at the lake. What a treat. Caitlin was in charge of bringing the stove/pot/coffee, while I was in charge of securing the cake.

I chose cupcakes because that was 10x easier than transferring a cake.

Duncan came with us on this adventure, and he opted out of a cupcake so I brought him a granola bar because I wanted him to participate in the candle lighting and birthday singing. I stuck a candle in his granola bar just as I did with our cupcakes. My cupcake was the bottom right of the above photo, a GF ube flavor. Would never be my first choice, but it was still quite delicious.

We hiked to Annette Lake in the Snoqualmie Pass region of Washington. This area is only about an hour and a half from us, and makes for an easy day hike. I have done this hike a few times, and truth be told it is far too popular for my liking. I think I prefer this one in the winter when the traffic is lessened. It was still a beautiful hike and always great to get outside.

This was my first time bringing a box of cupcakes on a hike, and thankfully my pack wasn’t uncomfortable. Caitlins sister knew we were going to make coffee at the lake, but she had no idea about the cupcakes. It was such a joy to see her face light up when I brought out cupcakes with lit candles in them and we started to sing to her. We all shared a good laugh at Duncan’s granola bar.

It took each of us all of 5 seconds to hoover our cupcakes, and despite how quick they were demolished they still tasted infinitely better than they would have at a lower elevation. It’s just science. The coffee was equally delicious, a medium roast with notes of oak, chocolate, and honey. I chose the blend because I am a picky lass when it comes to coffee.

After sipping and savoring we made our way back down to the car, and I am confident this was a successful birthday hike. Some people want to fly to Vegas for their birthday, and some people want to eat cake on a mountain. Both are valid, but I know which group I would rather spend time with. Any excuse for kaffee und kuchen is a good excuse.

I’d like to make coffee on hikes more of a thing this summer, but that means I’ll need to bring cake too. Oh no, twist my arm. Cookies also work, or scones, or donuts…

Q: Would you haul a box of cupcakes up a mountain to eat them at the top?

It’s been raining a lot this week – at the end of June and just days after the arrival of summer. The thing is, I’m not upset about it. My summer has started off on a lack luster foot this year, and while I plan to get out and hike as much as I can, I know this will be a low key summer all around for me. It’s bittersweet because I would love to hop on a plane and spend a month in Germany with my dear pal MaryBeth, something I have been itching to do for a while, but I know leaving my sweet fur child that long is not an option.

I have a six day trip planned in September and while I love having something international on my calendar (even if it’s just a road trip into Canada, anything outside of the US counts), I have some underlying anxiety about leaving my cat for that long. My only goal for this summer is to continue finding smaller day/weekend trips to keep my stale soul as mold free as possible. Sometimes life forces us to slow down, and that’s ok. Or so I keep telling myself.

A helpful tool for me when slowing down is a good book.

I recently got back into reading, and this has been a wonderful hobby to help pass time instead of lusting over traveling too far. I am amongst the millennial community who succumbed to one particular book series last year, and from there I took off running. I have read 36 books since January, and have had to change my reading goal three times. I will be changing it again as my current goal is 40 books this year.

I have become obsessed with Goodreads. Anyone wanna be friends on there?

For my birthday back in February, Duncan gave me a Barnes and Noble gift card and told me we would each get a copy of a book to read for a two person book club. I am usually exclusively a library girl (owning books gives me clutter anxiety), but I loved this idea. We chose Watership Down and while we have been slow to finish, it’s been fun to discuss with him as we go.

Speaking of Duncan, he has been quite the handyman around my moms house lately. He fixed a leaking tub spout in the bathroom a few months back, replaced a cracked toilet, takes care of the grass in the backyard for me, and helped bring home some gardening materials. We have one trough filled with broccoli and other similar vegetables, but I need one of my own for potatoes.

My main hesitation are the slugs. I do not mess with slugs, hence the copper tape in the below photos.

This post is like a scatter of word vomit because I feel like I am currently running on a hamster wheel. I am going through the motions to exist within a society that I don’t really enjoy existing in. I strive to play by my own rules, but there is only so much of that I can feasibly do. I don’t relate to most people I encounter, I prefer a simpler way of life, and spending all my time working for someone else until I die is not my path.

I’ve been seeking the best fit for me for a while now, but I suppose it becomes more complicated when you feel obligated to stay close to family.

When I do find the rare few people I click with I hold onto them tight. My friend Caitlin turned 30 this week and we went on a whale watching adventure to start the celebrations. Truth be told I am indifferent to whales and I am even more indifferent to spending four hours on a boat. This tour was two hours too long, but it was good to get out of town for a day. It was also a good metaphor for my current life.

Sometimes we want to be somewhere else, but we learn to make the best of where we are until we can change our situations.

I sound dramatic, but I would have done this all over again because it was special to my good friend. Sometimes it’s more about the people we are with than the destination/location. Caitlin is the real deal because she saved the day with a spare hat and sunglasses for me. What kind of putz doesn’t bring these two essentials whale watching?

As someone who is usually overly prepared I don’t know who I am anymore.

Each excursion I take on a water vessel confirms that I am hands down a mountain/forest lover vs. a beach/water lover. We saw one pair of humpback whales waving their fins, but I was more interested in the sea lions we passed living their lives on a buoy. I strive for that kind of carefree life.

I’ve spend the last decade of my life navigating the thoughts of whether or not I am missing something vital to succeeding in modern life. I don’t want kids, I don’t think I want to get married, I don’t want a traditional career, I have revolved my life around my aging cat, I prioritize flexible schedules, and I’m not waiting until I am 59.5 to start living freely (I’ve at least been maxing out my Roth IRA contributions since I was 23) – and yet these are all things I have chosen because they are what I want. Not what someone else wants for me.

However, sometimes it’s hard to not feel like I am failing to progress as a fully functioning human adult, but that’s my ego talking.

That’s my mini rant/vent session. I don’t have much else. I’m just out here doing my best to find pockets of excitement in my day to day life, and change what I can (because change and knowledge are where I feel revived.) I hope everyone’s summer is off to a good start, please share with me any upcoming plans you may have.

Q: Current book recommendations? I like science, psychology, romance/romcom, mind benders, and WWII books. I do not like horror, thriller, or extremely dense reads.

1. My last post started with a statement about the weather. It was drizzly and dreary throughout June, but I didn’t mind it. I must have jinxed the atmosphere because almost immediately the temperatures skyrocketed into the mid 90’s. For about three weeks we have had uncomfortable temps in Washington, but I finally caved and bought a portable AC unit.

Verdict is still out on if it’s helping the 1400sqft house.

2. Temps are hot, but Duncan and I managed our first bike ride of the summer together. I often reminisce about my life when I rode my bike everywhere for two years, but sadly where I live now is not conducive to this lifestyle. Thankfully I know a few areas where we can bike that are safe and end with beautiful views.

3. Remember after my half marathon when I said I wanted to maintain running 3-5 miles with ease? Yeahhhh, I stopped running all together and have switched my focus to hiking. I’ve realized I like changing my sport up depending on the season. I might run here and there, but my focus is now on incline walks to have an easier time on my hikes. I’ll probably pick up running regularly again in the late fall. Who knows.

Variety is the spice of life.

4. I am incapable of going into a store that sells plants without looking at the plants. I am at full capacity, and yet I will find a reason to buy another one. I’m like a child at the checkout begging for a candy bar. Just one more plant, please. Duncan and I went to Home Depot for a drill bit recently and I HAD to have this small plant.

5. I have been blessed with nice skin for the majority of my life, but this doesn’t mean I am immune to the occasional zit or blackhead. No matter how many times I tell myself to leave the problem area alone, I always end up picking or popping. No one around me is safe either, specifically Duncan. He too has nice skin, but when I see a bump ripe for the picking he knows he has to run.

I’m gross, and I am aware.

6. My mid July was jam packed. My dad came to visit for five days, and just after that I drove down to Portland to spend 24 hours with two old blog pals. Lily is a swimming machine and swam the Portland Bridge Swim – an 11 mile open water swim under 11 Portland Bridges. Megan was her kayaker, helping her to refuel and keep her safe.

I was the post race out of town accomplice along for the ride.

We’ve known each other since 2011/2012, and it is fun to think back on how many pals I have made through this blog. While they no longer blog, I am thankful to have kept in touch all these years. We shared a couple meals, went for a walk around the city, had a sleepover, and tromped through Forest Park before saying our goodbyes.

7. It’s nice to see friends and family, but admittedly after the above mentioned week of socializing I was mentally fried. I had a few days where I needed silence and a dark room. In reality I was PMSing during this time, Little had a minor health snafu (he is fine), and I was exhausted from the heat. My equilibrium has since been reset and I feel back to normal.

8. One recent morning I was out in my backyard looking at the plants and growing vegetables when I noticed the biggest slug crawling on the base of the planter containing zucchini. Thankfully Duncan was on his way over, because I have the biggest, most irrationally ridiculous fear of slugs. Little and I watched from afar making sure Duncan properly removed the slug from the premise (don’t touch it with hands, but don’t kill it.)

I’m still haunted by this moment.

9. There has been a lost cat poster on the mailboxes around my neighborhood for a couple weeks now. A chunky black girl kitty, and my heart breaks for her owners. She got out one day and never came home. I continue to send hopeful thoughts her way. I have been extra emotional over these types of things lately. Sad video on social media about a pet? Game over – I’ll be sobbing.

10. My friend Caitlin and I embarked on a hike at the beginning of the month we have been wanting to do for quite some time, however it did not go as planned. Within the Olympic National Forest lies a crashed B-17 that was once a search and rescue plane. This plane was rescuing 8 people during the winter months in 1952, but after heading back towards its home base the plane clipped a ridge in the Olympics and skidded into the forest killing 3 of the 8 passengers.

The remnants of this crash remain on the Tull Canyon Trail, bringing hikers from all around to view the wreckage. We had been wanting to find this plane for years, and we finally chose this trail as one of our summer hikes. What we did not do was thoroughly read the trail description, something I typically do obsessively. As it turns out the trail you start on turns into a network of other trails. We missed the trail we needed to be on and continued two miles farther than where we were supposed to turn. All that to say we did not find the plane this visit, but now we know where to go and will return.

I was mega bummed we were so close (we saw the turn off on the way down), but it was a lovely day nonetheless. Another 10 mile hike through the Olympics.

Q: What’s your confession?