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…
Tag: writing
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…
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…
Keep Laughing, It Makes the Devil Mad
Back in February 2011, I wrote a little line that has stuck with me ever since: “Keep laughing, it makes the devil mad.” Let me tell you how that saying came to be part of my lexicon. The boys and I were down in New Orleans. The youngest two had appointments, so we loaded up the Suburban in Mandeville and…
Why I Say What I Mean (and Mean What I Say)
This Tuesday, September 29th marks 43 years since my brother David died from a self inflicted gunshot wound. September 29, 1983. I was fifteen. Suicide affects the living family members forever. The pain and questions dull over the years, but the scar leaves a mark for all eternity. That anniversary, plus a rough week, has me thinking about why I…
The Backpacking Chair That Earned Its Keep (and the One That Weighs Almost Nothing)
Somewhere along the 100-Mile Wilderness, my chair broke. Marty wasn’t even sure he wanted to bring a chair when we were doing our final gear shakedowns. He already owned an REI Flexlite that tipped the scales at 1 lb 11 oz. Once I tried it on trail, though, the decision was easy. He ordered a second one so we could…
Preparing for Maine: Natural Bug Spray, New Ear Tube and More
Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there! Recently, I have been getting into the Lego botanical sets. They are so much fun and very relaxing to assemble! They are available on Amazon! Sean got a Mother’s Day Bouquet for me and I got it put together this week. He was originally supposed to be out of town today,…
Why Smartwool Leggings are a Hiker’s Best Choice
Hello! The new client rollout went very smoothly for the first two days. Whew! The first few days are always the roughest with any rollout and I am thankful that it went well. I love my job SO much. It is a blessing to have such an amazing job with a great company. I am always amazed when I look…
