Hawaii

So, I had some friends going to Hawaii. It ended up being WAY cheaper than going halfway around the world. And yes, I might have been here before. However, that being said, the last time I went to Hawaii I was sick and only there for a week.

A week long trip and I was sick for the entire thing. Awesome. Yes, I had to go back. There was SO much that I had wanted to do and was unable to. Yes, I checked MANY more things off of my to do list while in Hawaii. I ended up exploring SO much of the island. And even got to experience a tsunami in the process. Totally, 100% worth it.

No, it wasn't Bali, or Germany, but it was one of the best trips I have EVER had.

Thanks to some wonderful friends that wanted me to tag along with them.

We got scuba certified and also did a lot of snorkeling. We went horseback riding, explored lava tubes and saw new lava flow. We had to evacuate due to a tsunami and slept in the car for 12 hours. We drove around the entire island of Maui including the Hana Highway. We went up and watched the sunset on Mount Haleakala. We swam with turtles and walked on sandy beaches. We explored the rain forests, the high cliffs, and the beautiful pools and waterfalls.

Another time I shall experience another world that I know will leave me breathless in awe of all it's beauty. My time will just have to wait.

A New Chapter

My brother sent me an email last month about these two dogs that his friend was trying to find a home for. He was taking care of them for his daughter who was no longer able and was going to need to move back down South to Washington to be a trucker. So, not being able to take them with him he'd been looking for a home both of them could go to.
I took them for an afternoon to see how my cat would react and how they would react around her. They were sweet and didn't chase even though that's what they seem to do with every other cat they come across. After they left, Thai spent the next couple days looking for them throughout the house. It was clear, I didn't really have a choice, she'd made it for me. She's been so lonely ever sense Aspen passed away and even though she's been getting a lot of attention it wasn't the same. She loved having the dogs around. After the first 5 minutes she even got down to see if she could get them to play with her.

The next week, I went and picked them up. They reeked of the barns and horses around the area they were staying. And so the first thing I did after I walked them and got them home was I gave them a bath!

Luna

Eva

Immediately after I had put them in the warm clear water had turned black with mud. After four refilled tubes I took to using the hose and got them clean. They went from a thick matt finish to a high gloss soft texture. Then a trimming. Which proved to be more difficult.

A couple new names and a new outlook on life. Welcome home Eva and Luna.


I soon discovered a few things:
Eva, was a pig and an attention thief. She wanted whatever her sister had and whenever she was getting attention, she wanted it too.
Luna was the runt of the litter and was a still born pup at first.
Eva was a pig stealing Luna's food whenever the opportunity arose.
Eva 23 pounds and Luna only 17.
There is a Spanish Soap Opera titled Eva Luna... I found that incredibly entertaining...
Eva is block head as she jumped out of a parked truck and hit her head on the ground with even being fazed.
Luna has epilepsy.

She had a seizure 6 months prior to me picking them up. The second day I had them my parents were playing with the pups with one of the laser lights and I guess a little too long perhaps but it send Luna into a seizure. No more laser lights in our house.
I also found out last night it looks like Luna also has to eat regularly because I fed them a little late last night and she wouldn't really touch her food and had a very small seizure last night. Also throwing up what little food I was able to get her to eat. Hmm... I think I better start packing around a back pack of goodies for them in case we take too long getting home now.

Eva

Luna&EvaEva
LunaEva&Luna

All in all though, they are great dogs and my parents love them. I'm excited to go on many new adventures with them. And good thing too because I've got 6 camping trips planned so far this summer.

Projects & Passing the Wet Winter Dark Months Away

This winter has been kind of well mild. And warm and wet. Every time I actually get some time on my hands to go out sledding or up the mountain to snowboard/snowshoe/x-country ski it rains and all the snow goes away. LAME.

So in an attempt to one... deal with the boredom of darkness and two... help deplete some of my yarn stash (not to mention eating away my boredom), I figured I'd whip out a few things. Hats mostly, as they are super easy and I know a ton of people who might want them. Here are the ones I've finished so far...

~Red Huckleberry Hat with Leaves~

~Painting the Roses Red Hat~

~Blueberry Hat~

~Hats made for the Homeless~

~Sparkle Ponies Unite (Unicorn) Hat~

~Monster/Dinosaur Hat~

In and out

Over this winter I have been doing a lot of thinking.
My little adventurer is gone, but I must carry on our traditions as though she is still here with me.
I must make it a prerogative to get out there and let myself be vulnerable.

I mean, you are on your own journey. No one can tell you what they think you should do with your life. No one. It is your right to be happy.

So, if you wanted to go out and leave the nest, that's great! If you wanted to spread your wings and fly, perfect. Explore new lands, phenomenal! Want to start over from scratch? Why not? You can do whatever you want.

Looking outside in this crazy dry winter we are having it's letting me focus more on what I want. I see people I know all around me doing what they want in there lives and making it happen. Why can't I have it all too? I can, I'm just afraid. That's what it boils down too in all reality.

I'm a chicken. I need to leave the nest and I haven't. I need to start anew and believe me, I've thought about it and know what I want. It's just figuring out how to pull all the pieces together where I start to get a little freaked out.

But today is a new day and we are going to make it ours.

Yule be in my heart forever and always

This winter solstice we had a lunar eclipse. The first on Yule sense around 1880 or so. Very cool. Made me realize even more that we've turned the corner, that life goes on weather your are ready or not.

I could feel the warmth from the moon leave us as the earth's shadow covered the moon. Down the road from where I had taken some friends there was a beach party and bonfire. It was quite the sight to be had. I felt a huge push through my body as we went from dead Winter to heading toward Spring. It was fantastic.

I stood there outside the car in the dark, just staring up through the clouds at the moon as it slowly faded away. The cold air nipping at my cheeks.

My little four year old friend was very excited. Although, more excited to go look at Christmas decoration on our way home. She was amazed when I told her exactly what a lunar eclipse was.

Being Thankful

When thinking of what I'm thankful this year. There are many thoughts that come to my mind. I mean, it has been a very up and down year. What with the loss of so many friends and my beloved Aspen. With the travel that I was able to take this year to see good friends and meet many more new ones. All the wonderful crazy fun fabulous adventures that I went on this year.

I am thankful for my friends who were there for me when Aspen was caught with a sudden illness and her life taken. I am thankful for my friends who were able to help keep me busy and help me get on with life at that time. Taking me out to celebrate her life & camping to help clear my head.

I am thankful for my parents who have been so wonderful and amazing. I love you so much.

Cowee Creek Cabin

November 5-6 I went with a couple friends and their dogs to Cowee Creek Meadows. It was a rainy trail and we didn't leave until I was off of work so it was pitch black by the time we got out to the cabin. It was a sight to be seen. If that is, I could have seen it. We all had head lamps but still couldn't see much. And in the process of getting out there we almost lost Logan the wiener dog in the marsh. And I had my glasses on so they were fogging up every few feet making it rather impossible to see much of anything.


We spent the evening trying to start a fire which was rather difficult as I could not get the oil stove lit. I think that the rain had gotten down inside the chimney. But, luckily for us we managed to haul out some dry firewood which we used to dry more dead wood we found around the cabin. I had also brought with me my camp stove which provided excellent heat while we were there.

We brought out a bottle of french absinthe and between the three of us, we managed to drink the entire thing. We went out and explored the surrounding area, and went down to the beach. Back at the cabin, we warmed up the fire to dry off our damp clothes and did some cooking, made coffee with Baileys, did some oil pastel drawings and listened to some music.

Not before too long we noticed the cabin was all smokey. One of my friend's shirts was cooking away so much so that it was crispy. Oops.

Our last day there we woke to the most beautiful sunrise, and even though it was cold and it was a small group, we had fun.

We burned the rest of my friend's sweatshirt and packed up everything. Heading back it was a much better weather, the clouds were higher up the mountains and we could actually see where we were going. And because the dogs had such a hard time getting out there in the middle of the night, you can bet that they stayed right next to our sides hiking back to the car.

It was a fun much needed break from civilization. However, I managed to leave the dome light in my car on for 2 days. And it was a good thing we took too cars and met up at the trail head because otherwise, I would have had to hike in several miles to get cell phone reception.
You know it's a good camping trip when you get home and have a nice long 2 hour long shower to warm you up.