Happy Veterans Day! Last weekend, Marty and I were at a wedding reception at the VFW in St. Cloud, Florida. They had the place so decorated, it didn’t look much like a VFW. I had to smile. If I’m being honest, I joined the Army National Guard in July of 1986, right after I turned 18 and graduated high school,…
Egrets, Chacos, and a Horse-Drawn Carriage: A Florida Weekend
Marty and I headed to Florida for the wedding of our lifelong friends’ son. They make a very cute couple. And of course we couldn’t go all that way without getting on the water if we had the opportunity. The adventure started on the drive down, of course. We stopped at four Buc-ee’s between home and Florida. Once we decided…
Back at Lambeau, Twenty Years Later
Yesterday, I stood outside Lambeau Field again. This wasn’t my first trip to Lambeau. I’ve been to Green Bay a couple of times, including a summer visit when we toured the Hall of Fame, posed by the Lombardi statue, and watched fans do the Lambeau Leap. The trip I remember most was in September, 2006, when I drove my three…
I Can Do All the Things. I’m Usually the Chunkiest One Doing It.
I think I may have been skinny in kindergarten. <laughter> By high school, I knew I was the chunky girl. Nobody had to say it. I just knew. Most of my friends were smaller than my size 9/10, and I only dreamed of being an 8. In junior high, kids made fun of my chest size. That kind of thing…
Nine Stubborn Pounds and One Real Letter
I’ll be honest with you: these nine pounds are winning right now. Since Katahdin, I’ve gained nine pounds, and they will not budge. I’m doing everything “right.” I eat keto, Marty and I lift weights at the Y every other day, and I move every single day. The scale doesn’t care. Being 58 is no joke when it comes to…
You Are My Greatest Adventure
Tomorrow, Marty and I celebrate two years of marriage (and almost 7 years together). We had a fairytale wedding, and Marty even went along with my Jeep wedding photos. (You can read all about the Jeep photos here.) Our story started on a trail. On February 8, 2020, we met for a 7-mile hike, and Shadow tagged along. A week…
Seasoned
One year ago today, we said goodbye to Shadow. Shadow was five years old when he found us. Sean had wanted a husky since he was little. After one of his hospital procedures, we went to Build-A-Bear, and of course he built a husky. Years later, when he was away at college, he called me one night. A classmate had…
Soggy Trails and a Spoiled Husky
Well, friends, I promised to report back from the trail, and what a report it is! We hiked the entire Canebrake Trail, met up with the Foothills Trail, and stopped there for lunch. The rain that was supposed to start as a drizzle at 3 pm showed up at 1 pm instead and turned into a pretty heavy rain. We…
Heavy Hearts, Light Packs
Happy Saturday, friends! I’m sitting in a hotel room with my coffee, my pack is by the door. I made final adjustments to my pack in the room last night. Marty’s is still in the car. I’m itching to hit the trail. Before we head out, I want to look back on the week, because it was a full one.…
Nine Years and Two Days
Today, October 1st, marks 34 years since my brother Steve died from a drug overdose. October 1, 1992. I was 24. He was 33. Just two days ago was the 43rd anniversary of my brother David’s death. Nine years and two days apart. It’s strange how time heals these wounds. Every year, those two dates come back to back, and…
