Sep
25
Hey, remember when I applied for my passport?
I got it in the mail today. I look bloated and shiny. Can’t wait to go to Mexico with it!
Sep
24
October 15th is Blog Action Day! Take this day to write about the environment in whatever fashion you normally blog about.
Only 20 days left. Sign up!
Sep
23
Wow. It’s already Sunday night. How did this happen?
I have to go back to work tomorrow. I don’t wanna.
I gotta, like, shave and wear make-up and, like, a bra and stuff. I must admit. Being in the wilderness, so to speak, has it’s perks! I’m not sure I’m ready for this sort of professionalism on a regular basis. Sigh. When did I become a grownup where phrases like “pantyhose with open toe shoes” and “pleasant demeanor” became part of my daily vocabulary?
I remember when I backpacked in Yellowstone and I had to go back to work at Camp…at least then all I had to worry about was whether or not I had a polo shirt and khaki’s that were stained too badly to wear. Of course, I also had to worry about whether or not I had suicidal or “special needs” kids on my team, or if I was rested enough to work 90 hours in one week, but still….no make-up was nice all the same.
At least I really like my job now, even if I don’t get to go roaming around the woods or strap annoying kids into simulators I’m sure will make them puke. I also don’t get sexually harassed in public and I make more than 8 bucks an hour.
I guess everything has an upside.
Sep
21
It’s nice to be back…but also weird. Going from being completely alone in Nature for hours at a time to having constant noise and people around. Wowsa. The drive was long (duh). My wonderful car, Ginny (yes, as in Ginny Weasley) made the 2400 round-trip trek with nary a problem! I’m so proud of her. It’s the longest she’s driven. I gave her a fancy bath at the Car Wash today and she seems very pleased with herself now. She’s showing off in the parking lot now.
It’s been a bit of a challenge to wind down. I’m more tired today than yesterday (got back Wednesday night), but I’m taking it very easy. I want to be truly refreshed and relaxed when I go back to work on Monday (or, rather, as much as possible) and that, of course, meant not working or even doing work email in my two off days in town. I think I’m finally getting to the point where I can close my eyes and NOT feel like I’m still cruising down the freeway at 80 MPH.
I have, however, managed to upload all of my pictures on Flickr; just follow that link and look in the Columbia River Gorge and Sequoia National Park groups. There’s probably over 500 pictures, though, just so’s you knows.
I’ll post some directly on here in the next few days along with some stories about them, but I haven’t decided which ones to use yet.
But just to tease you a little, here’s one shot of one of the stags I saw while in Sequoia. I have tons more, and I’m not sure if this is the best shot or not, but here it is anyway.
There were 3 of the stags together, so that was pretty neat. I also have pictures of the three bears (sans Goldilocks, dunno what that bitch was up to) who crossed our path on a hike. VERY SCARY…but neat. 2 cubs and a mama bear. Needless to say those pictures aren’t as clear cause I didn’t want to get too close.
I’ll be back soon with more pics and more stories!
Sep
18
La la la la la. I can’t wait to be back on the road again. (Except, yes, yes I can. I can wait a LONG TIME.)
I’s tired. Driving is exhausting. We’re now in Sequoia National Park, and it’s absofrickinlutely gorgeous. I saw deer, DEER, walking from our room to the lodge for dinner. There’s no cell phone reception, but good God almighty, if there hasn’t been Wi-Fi in every place JS and I have stayed. It’s pretty great, actually. I got to keep up with which of my stories won Emmy’s and which ones got shaft. Yay for Terry O’Quinn! Yay for Katherine Heigl! And Sally Field? Uh, whatever. No offense, of course, to those who love her and that show.
(Please excuse typos and misspellings. Am too tired and 2 glasses of wine into the night. Also, am dyslexic so is not my fault. Take that!)
It will take me at least a week to recover from all of the driving. And it will take poor JS months of therapy to get over my foul mood at the end of each driving day. Meh, what can ya do?
OK, well, we’re gonna aim for being back late tomorrow night…maybe Thursday morning. I’ll have tons of photos to post (I’ve taken about 350 so far, and I’ve taken none of the Sequoia’s yet!). But not right away. First I’ll need sleep and a bath and…I don’t know, a day or so to make the world stop moving at the same pace as I-5.
Peace out, yo!