fortynine – fiftyfive

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february 18, 2013

I discovered classy boxed wine and brought it camping tonight. It was pretty darn good!

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february 19, 2013

I love camping with my Explorer.

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february 20, 2013

Nick started working on garden stuff today. First order of business, tearing up the mess that was a green house.

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february 21, 2013

My beautiful, beautiful new mixer arrived today!! I broke her in with a double batch of oatmeal raisinet cookies.

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february 22, 2013

A great article about the show in the Missoulian today!

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february 23, 2013

A couple days ago I brought cookies to tech and today I brought coffee. Definitely everyone’s favorite person this week.

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february 24, 2013

I love our stage/set!

2012

JANUARY

• 1/1-2 – Daryl and Nick continued their tradition of skiing in the New Year and this year I got to join them! We rang in the New Year on Mt. St. Helens, camping in the snow and drinking Pliny The Elder. That afternoon we skinned up to about 6500ft, then skied back to camp. The next morning we skied back to the car, in the rain.
• 1/8 – Since we were all in town, my favorite coffee girls and I got beers at Fort George. I miss those two so much!
• 1/10 – The Explorer and I celebrate three years!
• 1/14-15 – Nick came out to the coast to fly his kite, then we caravanned back to Hillsboro to hang out with the Worden’s.
• 1/15 – It starts snowing in Astoria.
• 1/16 – Mama and I go yarn shopping. We were going to head down to Manzanita to our favorite yarn shop, but they were closed because of the snow, so we stayed in Seaside. Mama made friends with the shop cat. That evening Daryl taught a CPR class for Daddy and me. I’m now officially certified to attempt to save your life!
• 1/17 – There was SNOW in Astoria. Not just the usually light dusting, but actual, legitimate snow. So of course, we decided to ski Saddle Mountain, the highest point in Clatsop county.
• 1/18 – Indian Food and IPA dinner at Fort George.
• Spend most of the month packing up the basement. It was a long, long process.
• I attempted to write in my journal every day again. I made it 25 days before I gave up. Maybe one day I’ll do it again,
• 1/31 – Drove out of Astoria at 11pm to head to Nick’s apartment in Portland. We were officially on our way to Montana!

FEBRUARY

• 2/1 – We head to Montana. Since we were in two vehicles, we caravanned to Pasco before stopping for the night.
• 2/2 – We made it to Missoula! We stopped for pizza before heading to Mike’s house for the night. Oh man, it was good to not be driving any more!
• 2/4 – We settled into Doug and Jen’s the previous night and then met up with Mike to ski at Lost Trail. It was a bluebird day and perfect!
• 2/9 – Doug and Jen’s daughter Aiyana is a musher. She was deep in training mode when we got there, so Daryl and I decided to head out with them to get pictures and video for her website. Skalkaho Pass it was!
• 2/12 – Aiyana’s last local race of the year was the Jr. Race To the Sky, a 100-mile race from Lincoln to Seeley Lake. We had planned on meeting them in Lincoln to help with the start of the race, but were stopped by an accident on highway 200. Instead, we met them at the halfway point, White Tail Ranch. Aiyana was obviously out on the trail, so Daryl and I helped Doug prepare for her arrival. Once she got in, she bedded down the dogs, then we watched them while she slept. After she and the dogs took off again, we drove to Seeley Lake to wait for her. She rocked the race and kept a steady pace for the full 100 miles.
• 2/13 – After the award ceremony ended, Daryl loaded into the truck with Doug and Aiyana to hit the road to Alaska. Oh, how I wished to tell Daryl not to go. I was so, so, so bummed that I couldn’t go. That I couldn’t show Alaska to Daryl on his first trip. I have wanted to go back to Alaska since I was 5 and I hated that I didn’t get to go.
• 2/15 – After wallowing in self pity for a day about not going to Alaska, I got my ski stuff together and went on a little solo trip.
• 2/16 – After dropping the kids off at school, Jen, Zila, and I went on a hike.
• 2/17 – Bowling night with Liz, Tommy, Bart, and Nicole. I felt I was back in Seattle – on one side of us was a group of Asian students who weren’t speaking English and on the other, a group of hipsters wearing old school Mariners gear.
• 2/20 – I decided that while I was staying at Doug and Jen’s I was going to try my hardest to make sure Jeremiah didn’t get lost. His oldest sister is an all-star musher and he has two little brothers who get categorized as “the babies”, so he unfortunately is a bit of a middle child. Since it was President’s Day, he didn’t have school and Lost Trail was open on a Monday. Ski trip time! It was an awesome day for skiing. Doug, Daryl, Aiyana, and the dogs make it to Alaska (after six flat tires in two days!).
• 2/21 – I officially become a Montana resident!
• 2/22 – I set off on my first solo drive from Montana to Seattle, stopping at Molly’s house in Ellensburg for the night.
• 2/23 – My tax return deposited into my account, so after paying off my credit card, I buy my precious Arc’Teryx Stingray (in Peacock) for $100 off (and only pay $50 out of pocket!).
• 2/24 – My Becky-girl has her senior show at Cornish. Sue and John, her parents, flew out from Pennsylvania and we all had a joyous reunion (I don’t think all six of us have been together since her family moved there in 2002). Becky was of course beautiful and amazing and I cried during her solo and the piece she choreographed. After the show, when we all met up in the lobby, I burst into tears when I gave her a hug. She is absolutely my soul-sister and I was so incredibly proud of her.
• I was glued to my phone all of the 24th and 25th to track Aiyana’s progress in the Jr. Iditarod. I am so proud of her!
• 2/27 – I went to a very talented high school. Last year Logan (quoted in that article), one of the few boys who graced our hall, was cast at Gaston in his very first National Tour, and I couldn’t be more proud of him. Somehow the stars aligned so that the tour was in Seattle the same weekend I was there for Becky’s senior show. We snagged last minute tickets and giggled every time he made an entrance (when a boy you dated and who called himself “Logie Wat-Wat Denninghoff” as a child is suddenly on a big stage playing the macho anti-hero, you are required to giggle). Abbi was also at the show, so we had a mini-WAPA reunion and it was wonderful. [Also, the theatre world is so small because a girl from my Musical Theatre History class in college was in the ensemble.]

MARCH

• 3/1 – After driving back from Seattle, I stopped at Mike’s house and discovered one of my favorite nephews was there too! I hung out with Mike and Fisher for a couple hours and it was awesome. I love my family.
• 3/3 – Daryl, Doug, and Aiyana stayed longer than anticipated to help Kirk with the start of the Iditarod. Thankfully it was broadcast online, so Jen, Jeremiah, Kai, Noah, and I watched it from Hamilton.
• 3/4 – I had planned on a little solo ski trip again, but the snow was against me. I broke out an OPA and read about ballet history instead.
• 3/6 – Daryl, Doug, Aiyana, and the dogs start the trip home! I was SO HAPPY! I finally got my butt in gear and took a ballet class at Ballet Bitterroot. It was my first class in MONTHS AND MONTHS and I nailed a triple pirouette.
• 3/8 – Daryl gets back from Alaska!!
• 3/10-12 – Nick was randomly in town, so the three of us head out on a backcountry trip. After attempting the drive up Trapper and Saint Mary, we settle on Lost Trail.
• 3/16-21 – We help Mike move to Great Falls. After unpacking in Great Falls, we hang out with the kids. I adore those three.
• 3/24 – Lost Trail Cold Smoke Tour.
• 3/25-28 – I woke up the morning after the Cold Smoke Tour feeling icky and gross. Since we had no home to head back to, we instead went to Goldbug Hot Springs for the “healing vapors”. We spent three glorious days camping and soaking and I felt a thousand times better by the time we left!
• 3/29-30 – From Goldbug Hot Springs, we headed to Panther Creak Hot Springs for a few days.
• 3/31 – Lost Trail Skiesta. We didn’t actually ski, but instead hung around like skibums.

APRIL

• 4/2 – After our hot springs and skiing trips, we spent a few days at Mike and Nancy’s, caving friends of Daryl’s. I unfortunately developed the worst toothache of my entire life and was miserable (and miserable to be around, I’m sure).
• 4/3 – Liz and Tommy have a BBQ at the cabin. I’m sure it was great, and the food was fantastic, but I was in massive amounts of pain and alcohol made it worst. I basically sat on the couch and tried not to cry.
• 4/4 – I woke up and looked like a chipmunk. Liz gave me the name of her dentist, who was able to squeeze me in. He then referred me to an oral surgeon, and I had an appointment to get my tooth extracted the next day.
• 4/5 – My face continued to swell, despite the antibiotics and pain meds the dentist gave me. I have never cried from a shot at the dentist before, but man, I burst into tears when they gave me the numbing shot. I was so swollen and in so much pain. Thankfully, the tooth came out easily and the oral surgeon upped my antibiotic to a heavy duty one.
• 4/10 – Daryl and I head to Great Falls. We hung out with the kids for a day before heading off on a week and a half long caving trip.
• 4/12-16 – Logging Creek and Lick Creek Cave
• 4/17-19 – From Logging Creek, we moved camp to Smoke In Hole Creek. We spent a couple of days at a great camp site, convinced we would see the moose who clearly regularly occupied the area. No moose siting to be had, but Mike scared up a sow with two cubs and Daryl and I were charged by the Mama!
• 4/20 – We head back to Missoula and I take my first shower in 17 days. We order Philly West for delivery and I enjoy my first cheesesteak since I left Philadelphia. It was perfect.
• 4/22 – Spring sprang and I bust out shorts and a tank top. While attempting to drive to Trapper Peak, the truck started acting funny. We detour to Como Lake and enjoy the gorgeous weather, before limping the SKIburban back to Hamilton.
• 4/23 – After trading the truck for the Subaru, we actually make it to Trapper and camp on the road (snow levels were too low for us to make it to the trail head). We got up super early and start up the mountain. We didn’t summit, but we did have gorgeous weather the entire way up and I impressed both of us with my skiing on the way down.
• 4/24 – Date night!
• 4/25 – After weeks and weeks of contemplation and annoyance, I chop my hair off!
• 4/26-39 – Daryl and I go on an Asparagus Cavers trip. D has been to the cave several times in the past, but this was my first trip (and also my first time on rope!). It was so much fun! After the week and a half trip to the Little Belts with D and Mike earlier in the month, caving actually became fun for me. It wasn’t something I ever disliked, I just wasn’t comfortable. But this trip was the first truly FUN time I’d had caving.

MAY

• 5/1 – On the way back from our Asparagus trip, we stopped by Argenta Cave to place a data logger (Daryl is contracted through Fish, Wildlife, & Parks and the Forest Service to place data loggers in caves known to have bats). It’s a fun little cave! The entrance was a bit scary, since it was forty feet of ice, but I impressed Daryl because I’m ballsy and awesome.
• 5/2 – On the way back to Missoula from Argenta, we stopped in Bannack State Park, Montana’s oldest territorial capitol. It was awesome! I definitely want to go back for Bannack Days some time.
• 5/5 – After a brief recoup in Missoula, we headed back on the road to Idaho to visit Brian and Hadley in Hailey, ID.
• 5/8 – The snow was beautiful and tempting, so we of course hit a summit while we were in Idaho!
• 5/12 – After getting back to Montana, we try to camp on Saint Mary, but were stopped by fires. Literally, we turned a corner and there was a wall of (prescribed) fire. We instead camp at Bass Creek Campground, but went back to Saint Mary the next day to drive through the land of a thousand smokes.
• 5/15 – Tommy and Liz went to Idaho for a long weekend at Schwitzer, so Daryl and I dog-sat. Since it was nice, we took Debo and Aspen to the river and had a little picnic. I can’t wait until we have a dog of our own!
• 5/17 – Liz had the day off so we hiked for a while up the trail to the L on Mount Jumbo. We made it probably half way before Aspen was a bit too worn out? Never the less, it was a beautiful day and a good little hike.
• 5/21 – My first Northern Rocky Mountain Grotto sponsored trip: Ophir Cave. Daryl (our “experienced cave explorer” and trip leader), Liz, and I met Liz’s coworker Logan and Ann and Lee, two grotto members from Big Fork, and then we caravanned to the cave. It was a great trip! Liz nearly died using a Petzel “Go” and Ann and Lee didn’t get home until nearly 2 am, but it was highly successful and I definitely think it’d be fun to go back.
• 5/24 – We start another weekend of caving with a trip to Lewis & Clark Caverns. We stayed in a cute little cabin then played tourists on the cave tour. I can’t wait until the annual Grotto trip so we can see the rest of the cave!
• 5/25 – Asparagus Cavers – if it don’t snow, we don’t go!
• 5/30 – I became a “real” Missoula resident and climbed Mt. Sentinel.

JUNE

• 6/4 – My sweet love’s birthday! We camped at the Trapper Peak trail head, then drove through Painted Rocks State Park. It was laid back and no where near as memorable as I wanted it to be, but we were together, and that’s all the counts.
• 6/8 – We went to Great Falls to pick up Mike for another weekend of caving. We of course spent time with the kids and I melted when I was able to get Elsie to sleep when she was fussy. I just want to squeeze them all, they are the cutest kids ever. I’m not at all biased, since I’m not blood related to them. They are the cutest kids in the entire world and I will not be convinced otherwise.
• 6/9 – A classic Montana cave: Whitaker’s Sink. After a false start and deciding we needed more rope, we finally descend into the cave at 9pm and emerge 8 hours later as the sun rose. The next day (read: later the same day we got back to camp) we were rain/snow/wind stormed in our tent all day long.
• 6/11 – Drop another data logger, this time in Old Dry Wolf Station.
• 6/12 – Daryl leads another Grotto trip, this time to Wagner’s Cave with myself, Liz, Logan, and Logan’s roommate Joe. We saw a CRAZY ant pile. There are some beautiful formations in Wagner’s and we found some pretty old signatures on the wall.
• 6/14 – Nick and his Mom were in town on their way from Missouri to Portland, so the four of us (plus Ozzy!) hiked up Mount Jumbo. We sort of, kind of, definitely lost the trail and bushwhacked through trees, but we made it to the summit! Missoula really is so beautiful.
• 6/17 – Head to Astoria! We make amazing time and do the drive in one shot. Trading off every two hours was the most brilliant idea we’ve ever had. We got into Astoria late that night and sneak into our old house with the boys. The next morning we snuggled Sasha and surprised Spencer when he walked down stairs. “That’s what you get for leaving your door unlocked: dirty hippies grow on your floor!”
• I spend most days working in my Dad’s coin shop. Daryl finally got to experience the perfect Astoria summer days that he always missed because he was in Montana.
• 6/24 – We head to Portland for a couple of days and play tourists with the Worden’s.
• 6/25 – Happy 29th Anniversary to my parents!! They are absolutely my inspiration.
• 6/27 – Happy 25th Birthday to me! Daryl, Nick, Ozzy, and I head off on our First Annual, Non-Segregated, Birth Month Trip to Mt. Adams.
• 6/28-7/2 – Mt. Adams

JULY

• 7/1 – Summit Mt. Adams!
• 7/4 – Daryl and I pour beer at the Fort George 4th of July/Liberate The Ales BBQ. They actually didn’t have customer volunteers this year, but because they love us and miss us, they let us pour anyway!
• 7/7 – It had been a while since we last saw Amy, so the three of us decided to meet in the middle between Sequim and Astoria – in a very small town called Westport, WA. None of us had been there before, so we decided why not? Originally we were going to boogie board, but the weather was no cooperating, so instead we had a mini-brewery and wine tour.
• 7/14-15 – The day had come: yard sale time! I couldn’t believe how much junk we had to sell. And I couldn’t believe people bought nearly $500 of it! Everything we didn’t sell we took to the Women’s Resource Center. It was our junk no longer!
• 7/16 – Daryl, Alexis, and I head to Portland.
• 7/17 – The three of us leave Portland and caravan to Spokane. We stayed at a hotel with a water slide – it was AWESOME!
• 7/18 – We make it to Missoula!
• 7/19 – We head down to the Bitterroot and swim at Bells Crossing then we camped at the Bass Creek Overlook. We saw the edges of some Northern Lights! They were really faint, but they were there!
• 7/20 – Alexis said she wanted to rock climb, so we rented shoes at The Trail Head then went to Kootenai. She’s a natural! D and I couldn’t believe how she flew up the rock face! That night we went to Doug and Jen’s for dinner. Alexis and Aiyana hit it off almost immediately.
• 7/21 – Jessie and Adam’s wedding! It was so beautiful and perfect! The ceremony and reception were both at Lubrecht Experimental Forest. When The Explorer and I get married, we’re definitely getting married there too.
• 7/22 – We had planned on a float trip, but the day got away from us before we could rent tubes. Instead we decided to float the next day and camped at Corrick’s Riverbend. It was beautiful! We hung out in the river for a bit and watched the stars.
• 7/23 – Float trip! We rented tubes and were dropped off at Whitaker Bridge. We spent several hours floating down to Johnsrud. It was so much fun! I can’t wait to float more next summer!
• 7/24 – We packed up the truck and set off for a week at Glacier, with plans to back pack a little bit. That night we camped in this AMAZING campsite near Hungry Horse Reservoir.
• 7/25 – We made it into the park around the same time everything was opening up. Gosh, Glacier is so, so, so very beautiful. Definitely one of, if not the most, beautiful places I’ve ever been. We drove the Going To The Sun Road and along the way saw three grizzly bears, a ton of mountain goats, and ram horn sheep. From the Logan Pass visitor center we “hiked” up to Hidden Lake. A chipmunk tried to make friends with Daryl.
• 7/26 – It is decided that we aren’t going to do any hiking or backpacking (sad face), so instead we drive through the east side of the park. We nearly hit a moose when it ran across the road! We stop to picnic at Two Medicine Lake. It was so beautiful, we stayed to float, and end up camping next to the lake. I couldn’t believe how beautiful it was!
• 7/27 – The Glacier trip unfortunately stopped being fun, so we drove back to Missoula. After we got back to town there was an awesome thunder and lightening storm and we got Big Dipper ice cream.
• 7/28 – Daryl, Tommy, Alexis, and I take the dogs to the river. Tommy made an unbelievable dinner that night.
• 7/29 – It was hot and beautiful again, so Daryl, Alexis, and I take the dogs back to the river. It was a very river-y summer.
• 7/30 – Alexis flies back to Portland. Liz, Tommy, and Jamie all had the day off from work and it was hot again, so we filled two growlers at Kettlehouse and head to the river with the dogs. We were lush and got dinner at Tom Dooley’s (the hot dog place in town), then ice cream at Big Dipper, then filled two more growlers, though we were all asleep by 10pm, so they remained unopened.
• 7/31 – While the boys played with tools, Liz and I rode bikes around downtown Missoula. I love how bike friendly it is here!

AUGUST

• 8/2 – Our original caving plans for the summer was in the Scapegoat Wilderness, however the entire place decided to catch on fire, so that was out. In honor of our scrapped plans, we bought a keg of Big Sky Scapegoat Pale Ale to take on our new trip.
• 8/3 – Daryl, Liz, and I head down to Doug and Jen’s for dinner. We tap the keg and end up staying the night.
• 8/4 – We make it to Idaho and meet Brian and Hadley at Poison Peak. We set up camp and chillax around the fire.
• 8/5 – We spend the day around camp, organizing our gear and finishing the camp set up. We also discovered a great little “vacation camp” next to the creek and head there for a few hours. Somehow, the keg was empty by the end of the day.
• 8/6 – We drive up the trail head then hike to the cave. Drop rope and gear, then hike around for a bit looking for caves. Brian found a hole that looked like it went.
• 8/8 – We dig at Brian’s hole for several hours. Unfortunately, it didn’t go anywhere. We were all disappointed. That night at camp, Liz, Hadley, and I had a 90s dance party and annoy the boys. We were enjoying out numbering the boys for the first time ever!
• 8/9 – Daryl, Brian, Liz, and I head up to Poison Peak Blow Hole. Brian re-rigged the cave and Daryl set up a “ropes course” for Liz and I to practice change overs.
• 8/10 – We finally make it in the cave! Once you get into the cave, there really isn’t much to see. The boys did some work while Liz and I explored a little bit. We decide we’ll stay in camp the next day as we couldn’t really help the boys at all.
• 8/11 – Relaxing lady day at camp. Lots of reading and scaring off the cows. Liz started a fire in approximately thirty seconds and it was awesome.
• 8/12 – We all head home. Daryl, Liz, and I somehow manage to make it back to Missoula by 4:30pm!
• 8/14 – While walking around downtown turning resumes in to all the coffee shops, I was called in for an interview for the coffee shop in The Trail Head. I interview and then am offered the job within an hour. We head to the river to celebrate!
• 8/16 – My first day at work since November!
• 8/18 – Daryl, Liz, and I head down to Lolo to go to the river with Nicole. It was another beautiful Missoula summer day.
• 8/19 – Daryl heads to Oregon to work. I am sad.
• 8/23 – We got the house we looked at! I go in and sign the lease and start moving in!
• 8/24 – In lieu of an audition, the head of the dance department said I could just take the modern placement class. I of course felt awkward because I didn’t know anyone and modern isn’t my forte and I am the most awkward person in the world, but it goes pretty well.
• 8/25-26 – Elizabeth Parkinson workshop! It was so, so good. And, she complimented my technique during ballet class! Pretty good for someone who never ever takes class because I’m the laziest talented person I know. She taught us part of the opening number from Movin’ Out and a section of “Sing! Sing! Sing!” from Fosse. It was such a great workshop!
• 8/29 – Fiddler On The Roof and Jumping Into Fire auditions for the theatre and dance departments. I was so happy when I found out I could audition for shows even though I’m not in school yet. I pulled out my Amelia Earhart monologue from Chamber Music – it wasn’t perfect, but for my first theatre audition since college, it wasn’t too bad!
• 8/30 – I got called back for both Fiddler and Jumping Into Fire. I couldn’t do Fiddler because of the time commitment, so I only do the JiF call back. It was a fun, but extremely long, dance call back.

SEPTEMBER

• 9/1 – Daryl finished work a week early and so came home a week early! I was the happiest girl ever!
• 9/5 – We ended up with a keg of PBR in the break room at work, so we had an official kegger after we closed one night. I baked some killer cookies and we made friends with Conner and Lori. Daryl and Conner bonded over keg stands.
• 9/8 – I drove D to Spokane to fly to Portland so he could get the rest of our stuff. My new RAM for Millie came, so I upgraded from 2gb to 8gb!
• 9/11 – Daryl drive back to Missoula with a UHaul and all our stuff. We officially move into our first house!
• 9/13 – I rode my bike to the Hip Strip to get my hair cut and get hit by a car door. Thankfully, I had a feeling the woman driving wasn’t going to see me, so I slowed down and was prepared for her to open her door onto me. I get knocked off my bike, but was unhurt.
• 9/16 – My Dad let me have his upgrade, so I upgraded Frank The Third, my iPhone 3GS to Frankenfourther, an iPhone 4. For a dollar!
• 9/17 – We invite Liz, Tommy, Jamie, and the dogs over for dinner. I made a pot roast in the crock pot and killer mashed potatoes.
• 9/18 – I finally switch Sue Ann’s plates over to Montana plates. MNT KATT!

OCTOBER

• 10/2 – Daryl and I decide to fly up to Hot Springs, MT to spend the day soaking. Unfortunately, the wind didn’t exactly cooperate, so we turned around and flew back to Missoula. D made a post about it on his blog!
• 10/3 – First snow of the season! The Trail Head hosted PowderWhore’s Choose Your Adventure. Afterward, Daryl, Conner, Lori, and I went out to drinks with the guys behind the movie.
• 10/4 – Daryl and I rode out bikes and met up with Conner and Lori at the Urey Underground Lecture Hall for Reel Rock 7.
• 10/5 – Pray For Snow party at Caras Park. D and I rode over to Liz and Tommy’s (and I got my first ever flat tire on my bike), then the four of us rode downtown. We ate, drank, and were merry!
• 10/11 – I went into battle. Millie was in fighting mode, but I was prepared. I spoke to four different people at Apple, stumping all of them, before discovering on my own that the hard drive I had recently installed was in the same line as the hard drives Apple had recently recalled (rather, they recalled computers that came preinstalled with the hard drive). Daryl and I took it back to Best Buy and exchanged it for one we knew would work. BAM! Millie was finally the Mac I knew she could be: 8gb of RAM and a 1T hard drive, all wrapped up in a beautiful aluminum shell.
• 10/12-14 – Daryl and I went to Great Falls for a few days. Have I mentioned yet how much I adore those adorable nephews and niece of ours?
• 10/19 – Nick moved back to Missoula!
• 10/21 – Spencer came to visit! He had a week off for vacation, so he and Sasha-girl came to Missoula for a couple of days. I miss seeing Spencer every day.
• 10/22 – While I was at work, Daryl, Nick, Spencer, and Conner climb Ch-Paa-Qn. They got caught in a snow storm!
• 10/25 – It snowed for most of the day and I baked like a crazy person in preparation for our party.
• 10/26 – Happy 30th Birthday Liz & Tommy/Welcome Back To Missoula Nick/House Warming Party!. It was awesome. We had 40 people over. My cakes were a major success. We had a rockin’ fire in the backyard. We played frisbee until 4am in the snow.
• 10/28 – Daryl, Nick, and I attempted to go to Saddle Creek Cave, however Hoo Doo Pass was covered in snow. Instead, we made a snow lady, then went to Hungary Hollow Cave instead.

NOVEMBER

• 11/1 – Daryl and I make a quick day trip to Great Falls for a bat meeting with the Forest Service, Fish Wildlife & Parks, and the Montana Natural Heritage Program. I knew Daryl was really important in the work they’re doing to help protect our bats from White Nose Syndrome, but it made me so very proud to see it in action.
• 11/2 – Daryl and Nick went to Idaho and met Brian to go caving at Papoose Cave. Daryl got to lead the trip! I can’t wait until I get to go!
• 11/6 – Ozzy was pretty bummed with Nick gone, so we went on a hike up to the M. He’s such a great dog.
• 11/10 – Our heat died. It was awesome timing.
• 11/14 – Daryl, Conner, Nick, and I took a little 24 hour vacation from Missoula and went to Weir Hot Springs. We got there, set up camp, then went to the hot springs and soaked for a couple hours. It was awesome.
• 11/15 – Devil Makes Three concert! It was so great, especially when compared to the concert of theirs we saw at the Roseland in Portland. The Wilma is such a great venue and Devil Makes Three are awesome and it was so much fun.
• 11/16 – Date night! We got an awesome dinner at Iza then saw Sleepwalk With Me at the Wilma. I love date night. <3
• 11/21 – Friendsgiving! Conner and Lori suggested having a friends Thanksgiving and since we have a big house and a big yard, I counter-suggested having it at our house. Tommy sold Conner an amazing turkey, I made my Mama’s cranberry-raspberry pie, plus we had a ton of other amazing food. Plus, Pilgrim Juice and fire!
• 11/25 – Day One of the Skison!
• 11/27 – Saint Mary with Daryl, Nick, Conner, Lori, Tommy, Jamie, Ozzy, and Debo.

DECEMBER

• 12/1 – Daryl, Nick, and I drove to Idaho and then practically to Canada to place a data logger. Never in my life have I seen so much road hunting. For that matter, never in my life have I seen that many cars on a dirt road! After mine-caving for a bit, we drove back to Bonner’s Ferry and ate dinner at Kootenai River Brewing Company. The beer was good, but the food. Oh, the food. I got a half pound Salmon burger and Daryl got fish and chips with three of the biggest hunks of fish I’ve ever seen! So delicious!
• 12/4 – I caught the pinterest bug and made my first project I found there. Growing up we had a couple of cinnamon ornaments shaped like a moose. Since this is the first Christmas Daryl and I have decorated, we have no decorations. To rectify this, I made cinnamon ornaments. They were so easy and so cute. I decided that every year I’ll make a new decoration of sorts and then, in 25 or 30 years, we’ll have a house full of Christmas decorations that date back our whole life together. <3
• 12/6 – Lost Trail opening day! I’ve never been to an opening day of the skison before, I don’t think. It was great, great fun. I love it there.
• 12/7 – It snowed nearly all day in Missoula, it was fantastic. I was at work, but it was very pretty to look at. On my way home I stopped at the store. When I went back out to my car, Sue Ann wouldn’t turn on. D came and saved me and we got her home, but I was less than pleased. That night, it snowed and snowed and snowed and snowed. We had six inches in the back yard, I’m sure!
• 12/8 – Liz and her parents invited Daryl and I up to their house in Polson for first night of Hanukkah dinner. We drove up and man, was dinner delicious! Tommy couldn’t go because of work, but he gave Liz’s parents the recipe for the meat and oh gosh, even when he’s not there, he makes the best meat. We stayed the night and the next morning Daryl, Liz, and I soaked in the hot tub while looking out on the Mission mountains.
• 12/9 – We went Christmas Tree Hunting! It was only $5 to get a cut-your-own permit, so we went off in search of the perfect tree. It was so much fun! After we got home, The Explorer make a perfect Christmas tree stand.
• 12/12 – After work, I drove north to Whitefish and caught my train to Portland. I got a week off to go home for Christmas and I was so excited. I really wish D could’ve come with me, but never the less. I was going home to Astoria!
• 12/13 – I woke up in central Washington and stared out the window as we rode down the Columbia. I couldn’t believe it when I saw Multnomah Falls! I got into Portland around 10:30am and was so happy to see my Mama! We wandered downtown for a bit and said a quick “hi” to Lindsay, a friend from high school whom we’ve not seen since 2004 or 2005. It was so great to see her! Then we went to Powell’s and tried not to spend too much money. Oh, it was so good to be home! That night I snuggled with the kitties and it was good.
• 12/14 – My first full day in Astoria was beautiful. Perfect. My favorite kind of Astoria winter day. I hung out at Coffee Girl for a few hours, then worked in my Dad’s shop for a bit.
• 12/16 – Growing up, my Mama always sang in The Messiah at Christmas time. I was so excited when she told me I’d be home for one of her performances! I may have told her she sang too loud when I was little, but she’s always been my favorite singer.
• 12/17 – I went to Fort George and had a beer date with my favorite ginger and unsuccessfully attempted to steal Sasha-girl.
• 12/18 – I spent a few hours in the morning at my favorite Coffee Girl, listening to live music and slow dancing with Tammy. I met Kelsi for lunch at T. Paul’s Urban Cafe, then we walked around town in the rain for a bit.
• 12/19 – Time to leave Astoria. =( Mama and I headed out in the rain (a proper Astoria send off, if you ask me!). When I got to the train station I had to do a bit of repacking (did you know that 4.5 cases of beer weighs upwards of 120lbs?). The train left Portland on time at 4:45pm and arrived on time in Spokane at 12:15am.
• 12/20 – For future reference, if one must drive three hours to the train station, one should drive three hours to Spokane, not three hours to Whitefish. The Seattle section of our train (the Empire Builder starts in Portland and Seattle, then meets in Spokane and travels as one train to Chicago) got delayed and rerouted because of a mudslide. Eight hours after we were supposed to leave Spokane (around the same time we were supposed to be arriving in Whitefish), we finally pulled out of the station. It killed me, knowing I was only three hours from Missoula, but seven hours via train then three hours driving away in reality. At 3pm we arrived in Whitefish and I was so happy to be off the train! I got some food then hit the road home!
• 12/23 – Daryl and Nick left on a caving trip, so I enjoyed a wonderful day off, at home alone. An 11am nap might have happened. I also managed to get in and out of Target in 15 minutes (including parking!), which was a small miracle considering it was two days before Christmas.
• 12/25 – Christmas! We had planned on going to Lost Trail to ski, but I woke up not feeling well and D woke up with a kink in his neck, so we spent a relaxing day at home instead. Drank some coffee, had some Baileys, watched documentaries online, drank some wine, and read some books. That night we opened our (few) presents (being broke at Christmas is less than awesome).
• 12/28 – Daryl, Nick, Ozzy, and I went over to Liz and Tommy’s for our weekly dinner. Liz made a super delicious elk stew and then we had chocolate-chocolate chip cookies and Holiday Indulgence for dessert. We were good kids and walked the 12 blocks home.
• 12/29 – Absolutely gorgeous day in Missoula. D and I ran some errands, ate some pasties, and checked the mail for the first time in a week or so. Boxes galore! Our Christmas presents from my parents came (Wild Snow for Daryl and the Smitten Kitchen and Joy The Baker cookbooks for me) and the boxes of things I left in Oregon (including a very nice haul from Powell’s and four pounds of Thundermuck from Columbia River Coffee Roasters. It was Christmas all over again!
• 12/31 – After work, we filled growlers and finished getting stuff together before picking up Lori and Conner and heading to Lost Trail. Our 3rd Annual Ride-N The New Year! Happy New Year!

2012, you were a great, amazing, awesome year.
2013, you have a lot to live up to!

twohundredforty – twohundredfortysix

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august 27, 2012

I decided to treat myself and use my employee discount for the first time today. I snagged $78 worth of SmartWool socks for $40!

.241
august 28, 2012

Orange sun. Smokey skies. Awesome tree. New favorite window.

.242
august 29, 2012

I felt a bit awkward going to an audition wearing jeans (such a big no-no in my book!), but at least I went!

.243
august 30, 2012

Nothing tastes better after a 3 hour dance call back.

.244
august 31, 2012

It has been so smokey the past couple of days. Those aren’t clouds, those are smoke.

.245
september 1, 2012

Our coffee bar. Hunter Bay Coffee Roasters – Moose Drool in our Columbia River Coffee Roasters tin, organic raw sugar, grinder, AeroPress, and filters.

.246
september 2, 2012

I love our funky, weird little house.

twohundredthirtythree – twohundredthirtynine

.233
august 20, 2012

I LOVE buying new planners! These are, hands down, my favorite planners in the world.

.234
august 21, 2012

I cannot get over how much Liz’s garden has exploded this summer! Look at her zucchini plants! They are insane!

.235
august 22, 2012

A typical afternoon in the backyard of the cabin.

.236
august 23, 2012

First night in our new house!!

.237
august 24, 2012

I’ve started to put the kitchen together. This weird cabinet is perfect for our pint glass and coffee cup collection!

.238
august 25, 2012

Knit, knit, knit.

.239
august 26, 2012

Me with Elizabeth Parkinson after an AMAZING weekend of workshops.
(p.s., I don’t think I look like me at all in this photo…)

My perfect pond

A few years ago, I could’ve sent this secret into PostSecret.
I went to college, I got depressed, I dropped out, I moved home.

In the time since then, I met the man of my dreams, fell deeply in love, moved to Seattle to dance in two dance companies, quit my jobs and moved back to Oregon, then moved to Montana and have been enjoying a wonderful eight month vacation life.

Not a single one of those things would’ve happened had I not dropped out.

Next spring I’m going back to school to finish my degree. I plan on kicking ass and taking names and I have no qualms about saying that I’ll be at the top of my class.

Last night we went to see the last senior dance showcase of the year. It was so great to see dance again! It was also nice being reassured that I’ll be awesome when I get back to school. There were some very talented dancers and a few very talented choreographers and I know I will shine when I start classes.
I went to a very small, very talented high school. There were a LOT of big fish in a small pond. I was easily forgotten and never appreciated. Then I went to a small, talented university. There were big fish and loud, look-at-me-aren’t-I-awesome medium fish, and my quiet I’m-probably-actually-pretty-good-but-I-have-no-self-esteem medium fish was immediately lost.
I’m looking forward to going back to school. I believe in my talent and know that I am good. I think I’ve finally found the perfect sized pond for me. [I feel very stuck up and almost icky making this post, but it's true. I am a talented dancer and I will rock the dance department next year.]

So yes. In short:
Becoming depressed and dropping out of college was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. It sucked. I felt like such a failure.
After moving home, I met the love of my life, became a professional dancer, and moved to Montana where I am loving every single thing about every single day.
I am going back to school to finish my degree, six years to the semester after I dropped out, and I will be awesome.

sixtyfive – seventyone

.065
march 5, 2012

There have been some great gems in this book. Naked beneath a tiger skin coat? A dress of rose petals? These ladies of 1800 were scandalous!

.066
march 6, 2012

Who took her first ballet class in months and months and nailed a triple pirouette? This girl!

.067
march 7, 2012

White wine and a 550 page book on the history of ballet. A perfect evening.

.068
march 8, 2012

They have returned from Alaska!! So, so, so, so, so happy to have The Explorer home!

.069
march 9, 2012

This doesn’t seem like a dangerous situation at all…

.070
march 10, 2012

We got to Lost Trail after they closed for the night, then skinned straight up a green run. It was great!

.071
march 11, 2012

We skied up to the top of the ski area today. It was so beautiful!! It was great skiing through the woods with a dog for free while people were paying to ski down the runs!

A re-dedication

Ballet.
My first love. My true love. My life blood.

It’s amazing how long I go between classes sometimes. I feel more myself and more at home in a dance studio doing plies and tendus than I do almost anywhere and yet, I’ll go months between classes. Literally, the last ballet class I took was at Westlake with Julian, back in June.
That’s pathetic.

Sometime during our first week in town, The Explorer and I discovered a dance studio not far from the house. Since my audition is coming up at the end of the month (20 days!), I declared that while he was gone I was going to take at least one class a week.
For various and a sundry reasons, that didn’t happen. Plus, I was out of town in Seattle for a week.
But! Yesterday, I finally went to class. I called them on Monday and asked about drop-in rates and the person who answered the phone clearly thought I was crazy. I left my name and number and requested a call back with the answer. I didn’t hear anything, so I decided I’d just show up for class on Tuesday. I misread the schedule online and showed up at 4:30. The person running the front desk (I’m assuming the same person who seemed confused by the concept of “drop-in”) told me I could most probably take class, but to talk to the teacher before hand. Failing to mention that the class I was looking for didn’t start until 6:30….Thankfully another teacher was there and saved me. I went back to the house for a bit, then came back and took class. It was AWESOME.

It’s sad that I can say this, but it’s such a relief when I take class at a studio that clearly teaches good technique from the very beginning. You can tell so much about a studio and their teachers from barre. Plus, the students were all so welcoming and nice (which can be rare in small studios, especially when a random 24 year old comes to take class). Basically, Ballet Bitterroot is the ideal small-town studio.

I took class again tonight and I’m super proud of myself for that. It’s been even longer since I’ve taken ballet two days in a row, or even ballet twice a week.

I hate that I’m so lazy.
I’ve always been the person whose gotten away with it. Didn’t practice for piano? Get praised for how improved I am. Didn’t study for a test? Get the highest grade. Never rehearse outside of rehearsal? Am made the example of what everyone should do. Don’t take class for 8 months? Nail a triple pirouette first try.

I hate it. It sucks.
I’ve always said that I’d rather fail because I didn’t try than try my hardest and still fail. Which isn’t the case in this instance, but it’s close. Or maybe it is. I don’t know.
I could’ve made it big. I could’ve been a really amazing dancer. I could’ve made it into major professional companies. But I’m lazy. That’s the truth and there’s no two ways about it. I am lazy. I’m good – I’m really good. But I’m ridiculously lazy.

However, I’m taking this opportunity to change all of this. I am going back to school and I’m going to change my work habits. I’m going to take class as often as possible between now and then. I’m going to try my hardest to, before we travel to new towns for various adventures, research the studios and take a class while on the road. I am going to make the most of the new opportunities presented to me.

I have a clear advantage over all my future classmates: I will be 25. I will have done the typical party college thing. I will know what I want from life and from my dance career. I won’t be partying. I won’t be trying to find a boyfriend. I won’t be doing the college thing just because it’s what I’m “supposed” to do.

My audition is in 20 days. Between now and then, there are seven advanced ballet classes at the studio. I think Daryl, Nick, and I are planning a several day trip this up coming weekend, so I probably won’t be able to take class next Monday, but it is my goal to take five classes between now and then. And the head of the dance department at University of Montana invited me to take a modern class before the audition, so on Friday I shall visit again and find out when class is so I can take that as well.

I have been given a second chance at college. And I will make the most of it. Because I am a talented dancer and I do myself such a great disservice by not taking advantage of the opportunities presented to me. No more.

2011 in review

January

• 1/2 – Daryl and I tackle Sue Ann’s sunroof. After spending $500 of various and a sundry parts to fix her, it ended up being a $5 solution. We photo documented it and The Explorer finally posted a how-to so other people don’t have to suffer like I did.
• 1/10 – Our two year anniversary! Time flies when you’re crazy in love!
• 1/21-22 – New Vision Dance Company performs Cold, Cold Heart at IDT’s Winterfest show. My parents are in town for a coin show, so they come to the show and we grab dinner after.
• I found myself becoming really homesick. I decide that after my lease is up in November I’ll move back to Oregon.
• Daryl’s Mom had surgery to remove tumors from the pancreatic cancer.
• I started to think about going back to school and decide I’d like to finish my degree at OU and be a Duck.
• It snowed in Seattle!

February

• 2/5 – Last November when I posted a sign for the New Vision show at the Perennial Tea Room, Lisa told me I should audition for her dance company. I missed the first one, but was brave and went to the second one. I almost didn’t go. I almost let my insecurity get the best of me, but I went. I am so happy I did! I was so exhilarated after and that night I found out I was the newest member of 127th St Dance Company!
• 2/5 – B came to town again! I met her in Bellevue and had great fun drinking overpriced drinks. I love her face!
• 2/12-14 – I made a trip home for Valentine’s Day. The Explorer and I have a delicious date at Baked Alaska.
• 2/17-19 – I make another trip home (I said I was homesick!). Nick came out to the coast as well, so we hike, then party down with Orin, Shelley, Alex, and Riana.
• Becky is a wine drinker and I’ve mostly been a beer drinker. She finally converts me to her delicious ways of vino and it is awesome.
• My homesickness gets even worse. For a little while I contemplated moving home and driving up for rehearsals. Thankfully I realized that was a terrible idea.
• It snows in Seattle again!

March

• 3/1 – Right as I am informed that I was just hired as a season worker at the chocolate shop in Bellevue, I am called for an interview at a bakery. I interview, work a test shift, and am hired within three days!
• 3/9 – I start working at Sugar! Man, I love making coffee!
• 3/11-13 – Daryl comes up to Seattle for a weekend. His friend Lee had invited us to ski with her at Mt. Baker earlier in the season, so we make the trip up. So much snow! At the ski shop in Glacier we find a pair of AWESOME AT boots for me. Practically brand new boots for $150!
• 3/18-21 – Daryl’s friend from college came out to visit for the weekend. We skied and camped at Mt. St. Helens and then spent Monday at Meadows (I of course checked in on foursquare and earned my Ski Bum Badge).
• 3/25 – Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater came to Seattle. Becky bought her ticket months ago and convinced me to buy a last minute one the day of. We dressed up and went to the show. It was awesome. Not the best Ailey show I’ve seen (the show I saw in high school was AMAZING), but it is always great to see one of the great American dance companies perform. After we head to Broadway Grille and a couple guys bought us drinks.
• 3/26-27 – I head back down to Portland to ski!
• I continue to be homesick. It feels like every day is worse.

April

• 4/8-9 – I head back to Portland to ski. Daryl, Nick, and I head up the mountain on Friday night and camp in the Sno-Park parking lot. We woke up and were 5 minutes from Meadows! After arriving nice and early to the hill, we make a delicious pancake breakfast and are awarded “500 gnar points, man!” by a boarder walking past.
• 4/14 – All semester Becky has been rehearsing Pas de Quartre for the Cornish Dance Theatre show. Her Dad, John, came to town and we watched in awe. Becky is so, so, so beautiful.
• 4/16-18 – Daryl comes to Seattle. It doesn’t rain, so we wander Seattle and Pike Place. Even though I worked there for several months, I see the gum wall for the first time!
• 4/20 – After tech rehearsal at Washington Hall, Dana and I had an AMAZING rehearsal with Barbara and Rochelle at Seattle Center. I can’t pin-point exactly why, but it was the best rehearsal I’ve ever had in my entire life.
• 4/22-23 – 127th St Dance Company performs in All4One Dancpolooza. Very sadly Dana fell down a flight of stairs on her way to the first performance, so we were down a dancer. =(
• 4/26 – Selena brought in a coupon for a free hair cut at Seven in Bellevue, so I snag a $50+ hair cut for free. Got a small trim and some layers.
• 4/29-5/2 – Kevin called Daryl and said Barbara was back in the hospital and we needed to get down there immediately. I made arrangements with work and rehearsals and drove home as soon as I could.
• I finally got my gym membership at 24 Hour Fitness and start going fairly regularly.
• I was homesick most of the month and completely over being away from Daryl. The 1st marked a year of us being apart and it was no fun.

May

• 5/1 – After talking to Barbara himself, D decides Kevin was slightly exaggerating, so instead of driving down as soon as I got there, we fly down the next day. I am so, so, so thankful we went.
• 5/7 – Last weekend of skiing at Mt. Hood Meadows. I logged 8 days on the slopes this skison.
• 5/13 – Melissa had an extra ticket to see Guys & Dolls at 5th Avenue, so I hang with the Gould’s for the evening!
• 5/15 – New Vision starts rehearsal for IDT’s recital.
• 5/16-17 – I drive home to Astoria for the weekend to give Daryl some love and support.
• 5/21 – 127th St Dance Company performs at the Maple Valley Arts Council. We are awesome, the end.
• 5/30 – B comes to visit again!! I love when she’s here and wish she didn’t live so far away.
• Barbara is back in the hospital and makes a bad turn for the worse.

June

• 6/3-6 – We make an emergency trip to Eugene. I drove to Portland, we picked Mike up from the airport, and then we drove to Eugene. We spend the evening at the hospital. Barbara came to for a bit the next morning while Mike was with her, but then died later that evening while we were at her house in Oakridge. My poor sweet darling lost his Mom.
• 6/4 – D’s birthday. We tried to make the best of it and I took him out for breakfast at our favorite Off The Waffle, but it was a hard day.
• 6/10 – Molly moves into Becky’s room for the summer! I was bummed to lose my Becky-girl for the summer, but Molly is awesome, so it was a good summer.
• 6/17 – New Vision Dance Company performs at IDT’s recital.
• 6/22 – Rochelle, Barbara, and friends were getting drinks in my neck of the city, so I spend the evening with those awesome ladies.
• 6/24-26 – Daryl came to Seattle for my birthday!
• 6/25 – Amy was in Seattle after dropping Mikayla off at the airport, so we get breakfast at Saley’s before D and I head off for our seaplane ride! It was AMAZING. The Explorer got to fly the whole time and we landed at Bainbridge Island and over in Lake Washington before coming back to Lake Union. After, we pack up all our stuff, went to Black Raven Brewing in Redmond, got ice cream in Woodinville, and camped in Skykomish.
• 6/27-28 – I went home for my actual birthday and had a nice and relaxing day. On Tuesday Mama and I went down to Manzinita and explored. It’s a cute little town!
• 6/29 – 127th St Dance Company performs at Boeing Everett as part of their Diversity Event.
• As per usual, I was homesick. I’m not sure if all my trips home were making it better or worse. My tolerance for the city was waning.

July*

• 7/1 – A really good friend from Virginia, Matt, died at age 28 from pneumonia. It seems so crazy that someone so young can die from such a common illness.
• 7/3 – After work Selena, Erin, Ashley, Ashley, Kim, and I go out for drinks on the Hill. It was really nice to hang out while not in the bakery.
• 7/4 – I spend the 4th of July hanging out with Rochelle. Her friend Dana has an apartment one block down the hill from mine with a great view of the fireworks.
• 7/7 – While checking facebook on a break during rehearsal I find out that Ari died. Later that night I found out she killed herself. I drank an entire bottle of wine and spent the evening watching videos of her singing while sobbing.
• 7/16 – 127th St Dance Company presents: Ignite! Ari’s service was that morning, so I was basically a mess. The show went so, so, so well though! I’m so proud of all of my fellow dancers. I am so thankful for all of their strength and love, especially in the week leading up to the show. It was a really hard one and I’m sure I would’ve completely fallen apart had I not had rehearsals to look forward to and their love surrounding me 24/7.
• 7/22 – Megan caught a ride to Seattle with Daryl the weekend of my show, so I had a passenger on my drive home. The drive is so much faster with a friend!
• 7/24 – Daryl and I go to Indian Beach and surf! IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! D said he’s never seen me smile that much for that long.
• 7/29 – Mike flew into SeaTac and I picked him up and drove him to meet up with Saville and their kids. Mike is great and I adore those kids.
• 7/30 – Charlotte had a Lughnasadh feast at her house, so I pulled myself out of my head and had a great time. I’m sad she and I stopped being friends in high school and I’m thankful Ari brought us back together, though obviously it was in the worst way imaginable.
• Nine days after my Apple Care expired, my iPhone, Frank, died. Thankfully Apple is awesome and I walked away with a brand new phone, Frank The Second.
• I caught the Super Funk. So much death. It was hard. It was the lowest and darkest I’ve felt in years. I felt so, so, so terrible.
• Along with the Super Funk, I struggled a lot with the future. D and I were no longer thinking about Eugene as a place to live, so OU was out of the picture. I was so over living in the city but didn’t want to leave my dance companies. I wanted to be back home but knew I couldn’t stay in Astoria. Lots of tears.

August

• 8/5 – I leave straight from work in Seattle and head down to Oakridge. That is such a long drive! 6 hours when there’s no traffic and I left during rush hour. I was very happy to see a fridge full of delicious beer and get kisses from my sweet love when I finally got there, around 1am.
• 8/6 – Saville and the kids came out to the house and we went swimming instead of doing anything productive. I freakin’ love love LOVE those kids. I’m excited to be their Aunt one day.
• 8/8 – After frantically organizing stuff the day before, we had the yard sale at Barbara’s house. Her neighbor’s were so wonderful and helpful. Everyone who came by had a story about her. We felt so blessed to have so much love come our way. I hope Barbara knew how loved she was.
• 8/13 – Steph, Jana, Erin, and I went paddleboarding on Lake Union. Oh my goodness, so much fun! We paddleboarded from the south end of Lake Union all the way to the Fremont Bridge and back. After, Erin and I went out for Thai food. Yum!
• 8/15 – Jen, the wife of one of my regular customers at Coffee Girl, died from breast cancer. I didn’t really know her, but I cried for Chris and their three kids. I knew more people who died this summer than I had my whole life previous to 2011.
• 8/17 – Erin, Selena, and I went paddleboarding. We started in Portage Bay and paddled to Gas Works Park and back. So much fun!! This time I brought a waterproof disposable camera and decide I want to get a waterproof housing for my camera since I had already spent half the cost on two waterproof disposables and prints this summer.
• 8/19 – Jess came back into town for a wedding, so she, Charlotte, and I got drinks. Very glad to see her in a happy setting as opposed to earlier in the summer. She just got her SAG card and I’m so proud of her!
• 8/24 – Selena, Erin, Ashley, Alice, and I head to Lake Haller for some good ol’ fashioned floating. It was sunny and beautiful when we got there and started to rain while we were in the water, but we’re all Pacific Northwest girls and continued to swim in the rain.
• 8/25 – 127th St Dance Company performs at Boeing Bellevue for another Diversity Event. I got a sunburn, of course.
• 8/27 – Becky’s birthday! She was back in Seattle for the Spectrum workshop, so she, our roommate Anthony, Desiree, and I went out for dinner and drinks. Aside from an awkward run in with my high school ex on the walk back to our apartment, the night was so, so, so much fun. I spent too much money on drinks, but I was treating my Becky-girl, so it was worth it!
• 8/28 – Becky, Anthony, and I were all slow to wake this morning after our drunken stumble home the night before. We were all in the living room and the buzzer rang. Becky answered it and buzzed someone up, but didn’t say who, so I assumed it was Desiree. She answered the door and then my honey came around the corner. Daryl came back from Montana a week early and surprised me!!! He spends the week with me before we head back to Astoria.
• 8/31 – Charlotte invites D and I over for dinner. A delicious dinner and dessert night with Char, her adorable daughter, her Mom, and Grandma. We played with their kitten and I think I convinced him we need a cat.

September

• 9/3-4 – Amy and Mikayla make a trip down 101 and spend a few days in Astoria. We hit Seaside, Fort George, and watched the sunset from the Column, and then went to Hug Point the next day. Such a great weekend with great friends!
• 9/6 – Daryl, Megan, Chadler, and myself head out of town on our Redwoods Adventure. That night we camp near where D stayed on his first trip out West.
• 9/7 – We make it into the Redwoods and camp at Albee Creek Campground.
• 9/8 – We are awoken by a helicopter flying pot over our head. That day we see the Founders Grove and camp at Hooker Creek.
• 9/9 – We drive and wander through the Lady Bird Johnson Grove. It’s spectacular.
• 9/10 – We spend hours in the Stout Grove, then go swimming in an awesome river. That night we make it back to Oregon.
• 9/11 – We drive up I-5 and spend 45 minutes waiting to drop Megan off at an event in Portland. Chadler, Daryl, and I get pizza and have terrible service at Hot Lips before I catch the train back to Seattle.
• 9/18 – Before rehearsal on an almost rainy Saturday, Robin Purcell Photography took the New Vision Dance Company photos. We had a blast laughing and goofing around in the wet grass.
• 9/21 – After putting it off for way, way, way too long, Selena and I finally change the Sue Ann’s oil. We braved the traffic and even did it while she was parked on the side of the road.
• 9/23 – Selena and I stuck our coworkers with Friday closing and Saturday shift and we drove down to Astoria. She partied down with Daryl, Sasha, and I before disappearing. She got kidnapped to Corvallis and I didn’t see her again until Monday.
• 9/24 – Daryl and I snagged opening shifts at the Pacific Northwest Brew Cup and poured beer all morning before getting our drink on that afternoon. We then went home and got dressed before heading to Fort George for Caz and Melissa’s wedding reception! So happy for those guys! And in the future, D and I need to make sure we have someone take a photo of us at events, because we were lookin’ good and I wish we had a better photo of us from that night.
• 9/25 – To kick off their tour for the new album, Blind Pilot had a free show in Astoria. Originally it was to be at the column, which would’ve been amazing, but last minute it got moved to the high school. It was an AWESOME show. I’m so glad D was able to see them with me. He didn’t really know their music, but I adore them, and it was a really awesome show and he loves them now too.
• 9/27 – I start packing up my room in preparation for D coming up to get some of my stuff. I can’t believe I’ve lived in my apartment for almost a year!
• While walking home from work one day, I drop Frank The Second on the ground and crack the screen. I was up for a new phone at AT&T, but had no money for a new phone, so D bought an iPhone 4 and I got his [new] iPhone 3GS (Brian dropped his old one in water while they were caving this summer). I put a case on Frank The Third immediately and refuse to kill this one.

October

• 10/1 – The Explorer and I treat ourselves to an amazing and delicious brunch at Broadway Grille and start planning our Year Of Awesome.
• 10/4 – Char and I went in on two cases of apples and a case of peaches from an orchard in Yakima and today we started to can them. I’m so happy to start canning!
• 10/8 – The Russian Orthodox church on Capitol Hill had a Taste Of Russia event this weekend, so Becky and I wandered over there. Delicious food, awesome crafts, and a great tradition singing group.
• 10/13 – Living within sight of the flagship REI is great because they bring different athletes in for talks all the time. This month they brought Ingrid Backstrom, an amazing skier who grew up in Seattle, and The Explorer insisted on me going. I’m so glad I did! It got me even more excited for our Year of Awesome!
• 10/18 – After parking my car on Capitol Hill for nearly a year with absolutely no problems, I discovered someone tried to steal Sue Ann. Thankfully they failed and the cops were awesome and I was able to drive away an hour and a half later like nothing happened.
• 10/21 – I worked my last day at Sugar. I loved that job! I wish I had found it sooner. My favorite morning customer gave me a card and my favorite afternoon customer brought me flowers!
• 10/26 – Lynne’s birthday! She, Jc, and I started at Tavern Law and then wandered our way down the Hill. I love those girls.
• 10/29 – Daryl drove up the night before, then we woke up and got a UHaul. We managed to pack up my entire apartment in about an hour! After we were done, we drove out to Woodinville to meet up with Amy and friends for a winetasting. They invite us to a Halloween party they’re going to and party the night away in Bellevue. I drank an entire bottle of wine (apropos since I was a Wino) and we danced in the street. [My 10 hour rehearsal the next day was awesome.]
• 10/31 – I spent my entire Halloween cleaning the apartment. I can’t believe we moved in a year ago!

November**

• 11/1 – After moving out of the iLiad, I temporarily move in to Becky’s new apartment. It’s so cute!
• 11/4-5 – New Vision Dance Company presents: Harvest! The show was AWESOME. My parents came with my Grandma. Karyn, one of my favorite teachers in high school, came. Annie and Barbara came. Gabi and Sven came. Char came. Daryl, Nick, Alex, and Riana came. It was so great. After the last show D and I partied with company members before heading back to the hotel to watch ski porn with Nick.
• 11/6 – I move home!!!!!!! So, so, so, so, so happy to be back with my sweet love!!
• 11/13 – The Devil Makes Three concert at The Roseland with Daryl and Nick. We are NEVER seeing a show there again. It’s a fire disaster waiting to happen, plus we had to wait in line for an HOUR to get in the door, an HOUR to get from the door to theatre only to discover there was an HOUR wait to get to the bar in the theatre. We head to the downstairs bar (where you can only barely hear the music) and grab a couple drinks. We head back upstairs and manage to get into the upstairs bar, to catch only three songs.
• 11/14 – I start my job as Girl Friday at my Dad’s coin shop.
• 11/18-20 – Daryl and I head into Portland for the weekend. On Saturday we head to Ape Cave for my first caving experience. It was so much fun! There was so much snow on the ground, we had such hope for the skison.
• 11/20 – Ari’s Mom killed herself.
• 11/24 – Daryl and I spend Thanksgiving with my parents. I love my family.

December

• 12/3 – Daryl, Nick, Ozzy and I head up to Mt. St. Helens for our first turns of the year! The snow was terrible, but at least we were skiing.
• 12/4 – Jc is joining the Navy, so I drove up to Seattle for her going away party. After delicious drinks with Becky we wandered over to the bowling alley and had an absolute blast!
• 12/17 – 127th St Christmas party at Barbara’s house! It was so good see Annie, Rochelle, Barbara, and Dana again! Since Becky was already home for Christmas, I crashed at Selena’s house.
• 12/18-20 – I spent a few days at Selena’s house and then had rehearsal with Melissa. I miss working with Selena every day, so it was so much fun to see her again!
• 12/23 – My Grandpa died. He’s been sick for a long time and we knew it would happen at some point. I was so looking forward to spending Christmas with my Grandma, but she had to go back up to Seattle.
• 12/24 – This year we had a “traditional” (for me) Christmas Eve. Baking, then Christmas Eve service, Chinese food, and Christmas Eve gifts. I got an awesome pair of slippers this year and D scored some new pjs. The only thing missing was The Nutcracker!
• 12/25 – Christmas was long and wonderful this year! We woke up early and I put the cinnamon rolls in the oven while Daryl finished packing up the car. 45 minutes later, we were on the road to the mountain! We had a free pass to Timberline with no blackout dates, so we skied for Christmas! It was awesome. Amazing. Perfect. We needed a Christmas miracle because it hadn’t snowed since November, and we got it! After we were done we drove home and had Christmas dinner with my parents while we watched the original Miracle on 34th St. I am so happy my parents love The Explorer and I’m so happy he loves them too.
• 12/30-1/2 – For New Years Eve Daryl, Nick, Ozzy, and I went up to Mt. St. Helens for a weekend skiscursion. D and I drove to Portland Friday afternoon, then the four of us ran some errands (including finding the elusive Pliny The Elder at the awesome beer store near Nick’s house) before heading to the mountain. We skinned into camp the next morning then got deeeeee-runk in the woods while ringing in the New Year. [A full trip report will be coming soon!]

I’ve written year-in-review posts in the past as well, so check out 2010 in review and 2009 in review. While you’re at it, check out The Explorer’s blog, where I’m sure he’ll post a year in a review soon too!

*Photo by Emilie Trammel Photography
**Photo by John Cornicello

threehundredfour – threehundredten

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october 31, 2011

Moving day! Since Becky and Keara moved in before me, I had never seen the apartment completely bare before.

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november 1, 2011

I don’t even remember taking one of these home with me after the Brew Cup, but since I found one in my car while packing, it must’ve snuck its way in.

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november 2, 3011

Becky and I caught happy hour at Deluxe tonight after she finished some school work. Pomegranate Drop!

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november 3, 2011

It’s probably good that I didn’t discover Joe Bar until now – I definitely would’ve spent all my money and spare time there!

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november 4, 2011

Mary, looking stunning as usual, before our opening night show!
[photo by Photos By T]

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november 5, 2011

Closing show of Harvest. We sold out all three shows and they were amazing!!
[photo by John Cornicello]

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november 6, 2011

A beautiful send off from Seattle.

twohundrednintyseven – threehundredthree

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october 24, 2011

It was my last day at work today. =(
My favorite morning customer gave me a card and my favorite afternoon customer brought me flowers!

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october 25, 2011

My first day of unemployment went like this: sleep in super late, walk to QFC to buy breakfast things, walk home, make coffee and pancakes topped with Marionberry syrup. Pretty fantastic!

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october 26, 2011

Lynne’s birthday!! Lynne, Jc, and I went to Tavern Law and drank fancy drinks!

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october 27, 2011

After lunch with Karyn, I went to Target and finally found the case for my camera!

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october 28, 2011

I went to visit work and steal boxes. It was raining by the time Selena and I left, so clearly, I had to hide.

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october 29, 2011

After loading all my furniture into the UHaul, Daryl and I met up with Amy and some of her friends for wine tastings in Woodinville. Afterwards we ended up at a Halloween party.
No costume? No problem! Open a bottle of wine purchased at the tastings, drink. Instant costume: wino!

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october 30, 2011

Long day of New Vision rehearsal today. So excited for the show next weekend!