The birthday week continues as we celebrated Jackson’s second birthday yesterday! He enjoyed a day at the dog park, swimming and playing ball, along with extra special treats, then he finished off the day with his own steak. Henry made sure to give him extra head bumps and stole some of his treats when he wasn’t looking!
Since our return from Jackson Hole at this time last week our schedule has been fairly mellow. It has been a much easier re-entry to reality than after our trip to Mexico last month.
I had a huge fundraising event that I helped put on for my work on Friday evening. The event was really fun, but an enormous amount of work. We hosted a wine, beer and spirits tasting event, along with a silent auction, and had 200 guests come to support the great work that the organization does. It was a very successful event in terms of the attendees enjoying themselves, and of course, raising some money.
We had a really quiet, relaxing weekend at home to get caught up, which was wonderful because I was absolutely exhausted after Friday’s event. Alex went for a long bike ride on Sunday with some friends, which kicked off his bike training to prepare for his July bike ride to Vancouver. Since we have a pretty low-key spring we made a gigantic spring cleaning list and have come up with some projects to tackle in the next few weeks. We got a slow start to the list, as we’re in no hurry to get all of the tasks accomplished. Probably two months ago we were debating hiring a landscaping company to come overhaul our backyard. Since then, we have come to realize that Jackson is the cause of 80% of the problem, with the wet climate accounting for the other 20%. We decided that the best option for us is to simply try to grow the grass as thick as we can back there to create a solid yard for Jackson, throw a few new plants in there and call it good. That said, we’ve got our work cut out for us in getting our yard and house in ship-shape for spring and summer!
In other news, we had been monitoring some strange behaviors in Jackson over the last few months, to which we referred to as “episodes.” Jackson had been exhibiting uneasy motions and it almost seemed as though he had lost control in his movement, particularly his left front side, and after observing this a few times we started to notice his face twitching and his eyes dilate. During the “episodes” he was cognitively aware and responsive, but lacked full command over his body.
This sounds more dramatic than it is to experience it – it actually was really subtle when we first saw it and because he’s so aware it almost looks like his limb is asleep. Ultimately we became concerned when these “episodes” became more frequent, so we checked in with our vet, who diagnosed Jackson with epilepsy. Again, this sounds really dramatic, and it’s definitely cause for concern, but our vet assured us that epilepsy is extremely common in male golden retrievers and can be effectively managed with anti-seizure medications, which he will have to be on indefinitely.
We’re bummed that Jackson has been going through this and that he’s not perfectly healthy, but having experienced far more difficult health issues, this is a walk in the park. It’s manageable and it’ll just be a blip on the radar screen. Otherwise, Jackson is very healthy, extremely happy, and we’re about to celebrate his second birthday!
On a more positive subject, Alex and I just hired a Spanish tutor who will come over to our house once a week to hopefully kick our butts and help us become conversationally fluent in Spanish. It has been a goal of ours for a number of years to be able to have a conversation in Spanish and we’re on track to making that happen. We also aspire to participate in an immersion program in a Spanish-speaking country sometime in the hopefully not too distant future to solidify our skills.
I have been going to a Pilates studio in my neighborhood for about 9 months now and since January have been taking mat classes, yoga and reformer classes four days a week. I have been absolutely loving it. Unfortunately the studio just increased the price of the membership that allows you to take unlimited classes by $100 a month (!!) and I am unwilling to pay that much, so I’ll be dropping down, probably to once a week. I think the timing will work out okay, as I have decided to run a half marathon at the end of the summer. Training begins next week! And Jackson is my training partner… not sure if he’s the best choice 🙂
We have some spring cleaning in store for us this weekend, along with a birthday celebration for Jackson on Saturday {I foresee a steak with his name on it!} and then a joint birthday celebration in the form of a boozy brunch full day for my friend Mary and me on Sunday. I can’t wait! Hopefully the forecast turns around for the weekend and gets back to being sunny now that it is officially spring.
Today is Henry’s 4th birthday! We are so thankful that he is here to celebrate and continue to keep us entertained with his quirks, lukewarm sweetness and occasional cuddles. Happy birthday Henry cat!
To finish off our virtually non-existent ski season we took a long weekend trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming with my dad.
Knowing that the snow conditions in the Tetons weren’t ideal, our spirits were still high and we were all looking forward to spring skiing, the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort culture, hot tubbing, eating the fine foods that Jackson offers, catching up and just spending time together, and that is just what we got!
Our trip consisted of three full days of skiing at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Alex and I had been to Jackson to ski once before – four years ago with my dad and brother. My dad, on the other hand, is Jackson Hole veteran, having spent quite a bit of time in his late teens ski bumming in Jackson, and made two trips out there last winter. Needless to say, he knows this special mountain very well!
We spent our time skiing the mountain wall to wall seeking out the best conditions. I should preface this by saying that consisted of trying to gauge the exact moment when the snow would turn from ice to a soft, slush, but before it went to absolute mush in order to maximize the conditions.
Thankfully for us we were quite successful in our mission. We enjoyed some really fun soft, spring bumps, along with some cruisin’ groomers while we explored some new areas of the mountain.
When we weren’t skiing it is most likely you would have found us eating somewhere. We ate quite well while we were in Jackson. There is little to be desired in the Jackson Hole restaurant scene. It’s really hard to pick a favorite because we never had a bad meal. Here is where we ate:
Another memorable highlight was our day in the town of Jackson. We took one day off to recover and just spend some time in town. The day started at Mountain Man Toy Shop where we got to throw tomahawks. Yes, we got to throw tomahawks.
With full bellies after an amazing lunch at Persephone we headed to the National Elk Refuge, a 25,000 acre prairie just outside town where 8,000 elk call home for much of the year. We did a “sleigh ride” which was more like a wagon ride due to the fact that there was no snow. Either way, it was a true highlight of the trip.
We got up close and personal with the elk and it was extraordinary to see the creatures so close. The refuge has always been home to sleigh rides which has made the elk quite tame and used to people stomping around on their turf, though the guide stressed that if a person was just wandering around on his feet inside the refuge it would be a different story. The tour was very informative and provided a unique experience we all thoroughly enjoyed.
In the end, we all had a wonderful time and shared a lot of great ski runs, apres drinks, sunshine and made many new memories. Until next time, Jackson, until next time…
Not a whole lot has happened since our trip to Mexico. Amidst the transition to my new full-time job, decompressing after our trip, watching House of Cards season 3 {honestly, we watched it fast so we could be done with it…}, enjoying the ah-mazing weather and trying to get into a new routine I neglected to keep up with our blog. So, let’s catch up!
The weekend before last was awesome – we had a great time reconnecting with some friends through a night out in Ballard, a trendy neighborhood in Seattle, and then drinking wine in Woodinville on Saturday.
This past weekend was more leisurely, but we headed up to Stevens Pass for what we expect to be our final ski day in Washington. It was around 50 degrees on the mountain and in the mid-60s in Seattle, so the conditions were spring-like. We met up with our friends Carrie, Patrick, Chris and Diane, all of whom are fantastic skiers. I love spring skiing – it’s such a fun, low-key and relaxed day on the slopes, and that is exactly what we had!
Last night we brushed off the dust and cobwebs from the grill and officially started our grilling season. Our cat and dog were ecstatic. Henry cat kept running in and out of the grill cover and Jackson tried to eat everything involved with the grill. I think this means spring has truly come early and we are going to really need to stock up on charcoal.
Along the lines of our backyard, we are trying to decide what to do back there. Initially we had discussed hiring someone to do an overhaul. At this junction we are not interested in the investment it would take to complete that project, particularly because we have realized that Jackson is the culprit and he’s not going anywhere, so it makes us nervous that if we fork over all of this money for a complete renovation back there, that he might just wreck it next winter and we’ll be back where we started, but several thousand dollars poorer.
So, right now, the popular idea on the table is literally just to throw some grass seed back there, keep the dog out of the backyard for a month and water like crazy to see if we can build up the grass again. Another idea is to do the work ourselves and build out our patio and either lay sod or grow seed and do some additional landscaping. I have a feeling we’ll go for the former.
For this week, we are enjoying the weather and getting ready for one final ski trip. Our summer plans are really starting to take shape, so those will need some finessing. We made a big spring cleaning list, along with some projects to tackle after our trip. Otherwise, we’re just taking things a day at a time and enjoying a more calm schedule.
Before we begin, lets just get a few things out of the way first. Yes I actually am able to write blog posts. No I haven’t ever written one before this very moment. And of course: yes, I procrastinated writing this enough that Ali release part 3 before I even wrote part 2. Shes way better at accomplishing things than I am. On to the blog.
When I first heard my friend Nigel was getting married in Mexico, I was excited at the possibility of exploring a new country. Having never been to Mexico before, my hope was that I could see the “real” Mexico and take in a bit of culture along side some delicious and authentic food. Unfortunately, I wasn’t sure how many vacations days I could use which lead to Ali planning a lovely beach trip in Puerta Vallarta without me. Upon realizing I would actually be able to make a week in Mexico work, it was too late for me to barge in on Ali’s vacation with her mom. No problem: I have a few friends that live in Mexico that were happy to show me a round a bit.
It was quickly decided that Guadalajara would be the city when myself and my friends Chris, Justin, and Brian would convene. Guadalajara was chosen for a few reasons: its close to Puerta Vallarta, it has reputation for good food, and its the largest city of the Mexican State Jalisco.
My arrival alone in a new country where I marginally understood the language was actually quite uneventful. Most airports in Mexico seem to have an official taxi stand where one can grab a cab to your desired location and be relatively certain you are getting one that is legitimate. I was warned ahead of time that the bus was a much cheaper option, but given the exchange rate I was willing to risk it. I think it cost me a total of $18 for a 45 minute cab ride. This would be the most expensive transpiration of my entire stay.
Justin had graciously rented a place for us to crash in that was located in a quite neighborhood. It matched my expectations perfectly: bright blue exterior, a couple of bedrooms, a guayabera on the clothesline, and a mostly empty bottle of Jack Daniels in the cupboard.
Guadalajara is considered the home of Mariachi, so the first night out we decided to hit up a bar known for Mariachi – Casa Bariachi. We were able to get a great table, and quickly tucked into some guacamole, tacos, and of course tequila shots. Once the show was over, we meandered back to our little casa to rest up for a day of sightseeing.
When hanging with your friends in a foreign city where beer is safer and cheaper than water, its good to have some ground rules. In order to not spend the entire day bellied up to the bar, we decided to enforce a strict culture to beer conversion. Experiencing a single culture could net you upwards of three beers. Needless to say, we were motivated to see a lot of culture.
Our first stop was an area know as the Nine Corners – or its spanish equivalent. This is an area famous for its Birria which is a spicy stew usually made from goat. We ate ours with corn tortillas, lime, and the best raw onion I have ever experienced. Seriously, I don’t love onions and these things were amazing. If you are keeping track, that is one culture down for a three beer deficit (well one, after lunch).
To keep the culture train rolling, we stopped by the Guadalajara Cathedral as well as quite a few municipal buildings. We made an honest effort to stop by quite a few museums, but turns out they are all closed on Monday. Still counts. To round out our culture, we stopped by Cantina La Fuente, which has been around since 1921 and looks like it has barely been touched since then. Two birds, one stone.
On Tuesday, we headed down to a pedestrian area know as Tlaquepaque to see a few cathedrals and grab some lunch. This area is mostly closed to cars, so locals come here to stroll, sit in the park, and do tequila tasting (or maybe that’s just us tourists). Sitting outside in the 75 degree weather and basking in the sun, I was amazing to see most locals walking by wearing jackets and sweatshirts. Clearly I am not genetically inclined for the heat.
We concluded our Tuesday by meeting up with our friend Tania who had just arrived, and eating at a truly incredible burger bar named Pig’s Pearls. Yes, you heard that correct – good burgers in the middle of Mexico. Mine was a beef patty wrapped in what was basically smoked ham. It’s no wonder why Tania wanted this to be her first stop.
With our culture quota filled and our beer deficit balanced, it was time to heat to Puerta Vallarta. It may be a sign of how old we are getting, but we managed to make it on the 8:00 AM bus for a short 5 hour ride to Puerta Vallarta. This may not sound too exciting, but it was actually one of the highlights. A swanky bus, air conditioning, and the ability to see some of the surrounding countryside. I had a great time in Guadalajara, and was very grateful I got to see a bit of Mexico before stepping foot in the resort wonderland that is Puerta Vallarta. I’d tell you to read more about that later, but given my procrastination you likely already have.
After our time in Puerto Vallarta was up, we began the journey to Yelapa to attend Nigel and Jolene’s wedding in the Mexican jungle. The couple had tried to find a private island to get married on, and instead settled on Verana, a resort outside the town of Yelapa. They rented out the whole resort for their guests, so between Verana and neighboring El Jardin, all 40 or 45 of us spent Thursday through Sunday together, celebrating Nigel and Jolene.
Our journey to Yelapa was an adventure in itself. We took a very long cab ride to a quaint marina, Boca de Tomatlan, boarded a fishing boat with several other wedding guests and made the very bumpy ride across the bay to Yelapa. It’s not quite an island, but it is only accessible by boat, which makes it quite remote.
From the boat landing, our bags were taken up the hill by donkey while we sauntered our way along a steep cobblestonish path through the jungle. By the time we made it up to the main area of the resort, the staff had prepared us all lemonade and offered us damp towels to clean ourselves up. The spa staff welcomed us by providing a short head and neck massage too! It was quite a lovely introduction to Verana, the resort where we would spend the next three days.
Now I’ll try to paint a picture of Verana for you. Imagine you’re in the rain forest or jungle on a steep hill with several acres up and down that is dedicated to the resort. All you can see is lush, green foliage and some cacti, complete with a sweeping panoramic view of Bandaras Bay off in front of you. There are about 12 different bungalows spread out across the expansive property. It seemed like the bungalows were typically either built into the side of the slope or hidden by the hill. Each bungalow is distinctly different and quite discreet and private from the rest of the resort. The bungalows mainly have two walls and then a straw roof overhead. They all have a bed with mosquito net, their own bathroom and private entrance. The open-air bungalows were really beautiful and very close to nature.
We stayed in the Studio house, which was one of the only houses with four walls. We had two concrete walls and two walls that were all glass. When you walk into the Studio it is quite large and open, the bed is right in front of you – complete with mosquito net – and then a nice sitting area to gaze across the bay at the incredible view.
Then, you walk to the other side of the room and go through the doorway {no door} into the “bathroom” which is entirely outside. The shower was enclosed by three walls, while the sink was completely exposed. The toilet was in it’s own four-walled structure, complete with a door. The bathroom was fully stocked with handmade soaps, shampoos, scrubs and creams that were made by the ladies in the spa. We had two lovely sitting areas outside, as well.
Just up the hill from our house was the main hang-out area where we were served breakfast and dinner and where the bar is located. It is a flat space that overlooks the bay and the lush property. The tables were always set with bright colored linens and the main area and pool area boast bright orange umbrellas to shade people from the scorching sun.
Up about 500 cobblestone steps from the main lounging area is the infinity pool, which of course also overlooks the bay and property. It’s a hike to get up to the pool and the yoga palapa, though!
Despite the sheer beauty of the location we were staying in, Alex and I were both way out of our comfort zones. We enjoy camping and being out in nature, but I think the knowledge of scorpions and gigantic spiders being on the property, and the fact that we were in such a remote place in a foreign country really made us a little anxious about our accommodations.
We certainly weren’t going to let our anxiety ruin our trip, so we adjusted our attitudes and had a really great time. Still, though, there was always a little voice in the back of our heads saying “shake that towel vigorously” and “remember to zip up your bag and not leave your shoes out” or “keep your eyes out for scorpions!” It helped that we came prepared with headlamps and really good bug spray. The bugs never bothered us, except for when our room got infested with thousands of ants on Saturday. That was a bit much, but the staff at the resort took care of it quickly.
Every morning we were awaken by the beautiful red sunrise over Bandaras Bay. Once we peeled our way out of our mosquito net we sauntered out the “door” and found a tray of coffee and pastries awaiting us on the outside table.
We had a pretty incredible view to enjoy our coffee in front of, which made that time a major highlight, until I realized that my body rejects Mexican coffee {maybe they used tap water??}.
Our mornings were spent drinking our coffee, then walking up to eat breakfast with those who were awake at a reasonable time, then doing yoga. Shannon, one of the other wedding guests, is a yoga instructor and she volunteered to lead a yoga class every morning.
I just got into yoga about a month ago and have been loving it. Practicing yoga overlooking the ocean really set that in stone – it was a lot of fun! And, the best part is that Alex participated in the yoga classes and loved it too!
On our first full day in Verana we took a hike into the town of Yelapa right after we finished up with yoga. It was a good 30-40 minute walk/hike into town, and it was gorgeous. The first half of the walk was through the jungle, then the path led us down to the beach where we had striking views of the little cove that Yelapa is situated on.
From there we walked through the town. It was such a pleasure to see a real Mexican town. It was quite run-down but Yelapa just oozes character. The people were really friendly, too.
Eventually we made our way to a waterfall and some people stopped to take a dip in the pool beneath the falls, while others got a drink to sip on. It was really fun to check out the town and get some incredible views of the area, but I was ready to not hike anymore by the time we returned.
The afternoons were spent primarily hanging out around the pool together. People sort of did their own thing and somehow managed to meet up by the pool eventually. I was really surprised at how many people at the wedding we knew and who were from Seattle. The couple had some immediate family, but otherwise it was mostly their friends. And the amount of friends they had at the wedding speaks very loudly at their character. The fact that they had around 35 friends willing to travel to the Mexican jungle for their wedding is pretty incredible.
Another highlight for me was getting several days to catch up with my friend Tania. Tania lives in Mexico and dates one of Alex’s friends, Justin, who used to live in Seattle, but now moved to Mexico to live with Tania. Tania is one of the sweetest most enjoyable people I know and I really enjoy spending time with her. Her English is far superior to my Spanish, so we mainly spoke in English, but I did get to practice my Spanish a little bit.
On Friday afternoon I took a break from the crowd and headed to the resort’s spa for a relaxing massage. It was amazing! Then on Saturday afternoon we took a salsa dancing lesson with a few other couples. Salsa dancing is not as easy as it looks, particularly if you are not Latin!
The evenings at Verana were very nice, as well. The resort provided us all of our meals and we ate very well. We all ate dinner together in the evening, then one way or another ended up doing karaoke, some dancing, chatting and a lot of drinking.
Alex and I got many opportunities to catch up with old friends who had moved away from Seattle, and also to get to know some friends of Nigel and Jolene’s that we hadn’t previously met. It’s safe to say that they’ve got really nice friends!
Saturday was the wedding day! The weather was gorgeous – the best of the weekend. The ceremony and reception were both held outside at Verana, with the ceremony being at the very top of the hill, overlooking the resort and the bay. Their ceremony was lovely – short, sweet, to the point and full of love and aspirations for the future.
From there, we made our way back down to the main hangout area for cocktails, appetizers and chatting before dinner. The feeling of the evening was similar to the previous nights, just with a few extra fun events, like speeches, assigned seating, a little more formal dinner, photos, and a champagne tower. Nigel and Jolene also brought in a DJ that night, so we enjoyed an evening of dancing. One of us enjoyed the dancing so much he twisted his ankle! Oops!
It was very apparent throughout the whole weekend that Nigel and Jolene are very happy together and have a wonderful supportive network of friends who stand behind them. It was a great way to celebrate their new life together.
The trip as a whole was really incredible. We had a great time being adventurers in the Mexican jungle and I think it’s good to get out of your comfort zone every once in a while. Both of us are really glad we went.
Continuing with the theme of international travels this year, Alex and I just returned from an exciting adventure in Mexico. Our trip was a little disjointed so we’ll share our journey over the course of a few different blog posts. Alex promised to chronicle his solo portion himself, so stay tuned for his inaugural blog post… hopefully soon!
Anyway, the trip started on Thursday the 12th when I headed south to meet my mom for a week in Puerto Vallarta. Alex stayed home for the weekend and met a few of his friends in Guadalajara that Sunday, then when my mom went back to Minnesota on Wednesday, Alex came and joined me for a day before we headed across Bandaras Bay to Yelapa for Nigel and Jolene’s wedding.
My mom and I had not taken a trip together, just the two of us, since I was 7 or 8 and I joined her on a work trip to Miami. It was a great excuse to get together and share some beach time – who knows when we’ll have an opportunity to take a trip together again. We had a lot of really nice conversations and enjoyed spending time together, and only had one disagreement. It was a special time just the two of us and I am very grateful we were able to make this memorable trip happen.
We decided to stay near the marina in Puerto Vallarta at the CasaMagna Marriott hotel. After our experience, I would very happily return to that hotel and absolutely recommend it. We loved the location – the beach was really nice, albeit a bit rocky, and it was a bit off the beaten path from the downtown area, so it was quieter. The amenities were great and the service was exceptional. You really can’t beat the infinity pool overlooking the ocean!
Our routine was pretty low-key. Most mornings we got up, my mom had her tea on the balcony overlooking Bandaras Bay, then we made our way downstairs to have breakfast either at the hotel or the marina, which was a 5 minute walk away, and then we’d set ourselves up on a beach chair for a day filled with lounging, watching the waves crash, getting entertained {and a little annoyed!} by the beach vendors, and also reading. Eventually we would take a long and leisurely walk on the ocean. Pretty rough, huh??
We were surprised how much walking we did while we were there. One day we took our cell phones on our beach walk and measured 2.4 miles. Most days we walked either to the marina or around downtown/Old Town, as well. It’s always nice to get some exercise in while on vacation!
Most of the time we stayed close to the hotel and ventured to the marina for dinner. There were several restaurants to choose from that were within walking distance. A few of the days; however, we took a 15 minute cab ride into the Old Town area, also called the Romantic District, just to get out a bit and explore. This area was bustling with tourists, Senor Frogs locations and a lot of restaurants.
The Old Town area was really fun to explore. It’s a fairly old neighborhood with white-washed walls, wrought iron balconies, clay tile roofs and lots of palm trees. The best restaurants we ate at were La Palapa, where my mom and I had lunch one day, and Vista Grill, which I ate at with Alex on the last night in Puerto Vallarta. Alex and I also had tacos for lunch at cunado, a taco stand on the street in Old Town. It was nice to at least have a little “real” Mexican food while in Mexico!
For the first three days of my trip the weather was mediocre – very comfortable temperatures, but quite cloudy, though each day the weather improved more from the day before. On the fourth day the sun started coming out for most of the days and the temperature was in the low 80s.
On the first truly nice day of my trip my mom and I decided to go on a whale watching excursion. This was in celebration of her birthday, which was back in January. We booked a half day trip with a local company, Mike’s Fishing, to take us out on a beautiful catamaran to search for whales.
Our whale watching trip was a huge success! We saw so many whales there were times when both of us didn’t know which direction to look because there were whales all across our line of vision. There were several different pods, mostly with at least a male, female and calf, and some with two males.
We saw a lot of whales flapping their tails after allowing us to see their backs, but we didn’t ever get to see a whale breech. There were several times when we were just feet away from the whales. In addition to the whales, we also saw several dolphins, tons of silly birds, some eels, jellyfish and lots of big fish jumping in the water. It was a very memorable experience to say the least!
After my mom had stayed in Puerto Vallarta for a full week it was time for her to head home and for Alex to come over from Guadalajara to meet me. We just spent the afternoon and then one night in Puerto Vallarta before we made our way to the wedding we were attending. Since Alex was in Guadalajara, several hours from the beach, he was very excited to order a poolside drink and relax in the sun.
Since we were in separate countries for Valentine’s Day Alex and I decided to celebrate a few days later with a really nice dinner at Vista Grill, a restaurant that overlooks all of Puerto Vallarta. We had a great meal and a lovely view of the whole town. It was a great way to round out the experience in Puerto Vallarta.
Overall, I had a really great experience in Puerto Vallarta. I would definitely return. If I could get a direct flight there it would be even better, but really, it was pretty easy to get there. We eventually stumbled upon some good places to eat, and I hope to one day return to do some more exploring in Old Town and Downtown. The prices in Puerto Vallarta were totally unbeatable. Cab fares, food and hotel prices are extremely low, particularly compared to Hawaii. That’s reason enough to go back! I can’t say enough great things about the CasaMagna Marriott, though – we had such a lovely experience there.
The only thing that really turned me off about Puerto Vallarta is how overrun it is with Americans. I knew to expect this going into the trip, but for me it’s a little sad that the city caters so much to the American tourists and makes it so easy for them. I know that sounds a little brash, but everyone there speaks English, menus are almost exclusively in English, and it’s just so Americanized. It’s great that Americans have a place to go in Mexico that is so safe and comfortable for them, but I had hoped for a little more of an authentic experience. I was glad that Alex and I did have an opportunity to see “real” Mexico at the end of our trip, because I think I would have felt a little slighted if we had only seen Puerto Vallarta. With that… stay tuned for the next phase of our trip…!
Henry had a big adventure in the neighbor’s garage where he spent 11 days. One of the roommates who lives in the home two houses down from us had noticed our “lost cat” signs all over our street and then on Thursday night last week he heard meows coming from the garage. Sure enough, there was our Henry cat. Cameron grabbed him and carried him to our house and somehow Henry didn’t fight him.
Henry came home in good spirits. He lost quite a bit of weight and strength, so he has been spending a lot of time recovering over the past days. He is eating and drinking, purring and rubbing up on everything in the house, especially Jackson. Since his return he has put on a couple pounds and seems to be much more alert and wanting to be in the action, particularly since Sunday.
He still has a little ways to go before he gets back to normal, but he has made a really remarkable recovery. We are so happy to have our Henry cat home.
Just for the record, I did speak directly to the guy who owns the house where Henry was trapped and specifically asked him to check his garage to make sure Henry wasn’t in it. It’s been really, REALLY hard not to be mad about this, but we are focusing on what’s important – Henry’s return. We are so thankful that Cameron was keeping an eye out for Henry and was able to hear him making noise. Our neighbors are so kind and have been really supportive during this time. We are happy, though, to get back to normal.
After a few weeks of much uncertainty, our life went back to normal again last night when our Henry cat returned home from being trapped in our neighbor’s garage for 11 days. All is well here in our humble little home. The sun is out for a hot minute between the soaking rain showers spreading through the area. Jackson is passed out in his bed next to me and Henry cat is cuddled up down by my feet. I feel a sense of peace that has come over me and our little house. I feel so blessed for the wonderful life we are so fortunate to have.
The start of 2015 has been a little bit of a rollercoaster for us. We’ve had so many great things happen, like our ski trip to Utah, spending time with friends, my recent promotion and ultimately, my backcountry ski class, but we’ve also dealt with a few challenges like not knowing Henry’s whereabouts for a week and a half, the lack of a ski season here in Washington, my stress before and during my backcountry ski class and a lot of uncertainty about what was going to happen with my job. It is a relief to have things settle down and get back to the way they should be.
While we are very blessed and fortunate, Alex and I work very hard in different ways to be able to live the life we do. With that, I am excited to announce that I just received a big promotion in my job. It’s humbling to have been awarded this new position, as the organization I work for completely restructured itself around my capabilities. I am going to be moving from part-time to full-time after we return from our upcoming trip, and that means that I had to resign from my other part-time position as a household manager. I am really looking forward to the new job and the stability that having just one job will afford me. I never really thought of myself as “career-oriented” but I’m quite happy in my job and love the people I work with. It’s a wonderful organization and I get to see kindness and compassion among children and adults every day when I go to work. It’s pretty incredible, actually.
We’ve got a lot of great things going for us, including a great weekend. We’re just so happy that our Henry cat is home and that things have returned to normalcy around here. Even amidst the challenges there is always room for gratitude.