A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away—at least that’s how it feels today—a young man signed up for an account on an online journaling website. This was his first foray into blogging, a term that had been coined just a few years earlier. He wrote mostly about the minutiae of daily life. … Continue reading How Two Bloggers Three States Apart Became One Heckuva Couple
Tag: Washington
10 Things I Love About You
I woke up Sunday morning and asked Tara, "Hey, wanna move to South Dakota this week?" Fortunately, she was down. So: here we are. Moving week. Four more days! It still feels surreal, even though Tara's last day at work was Friday and mine is Wednesday. This is the final push! She'll be busy packing … Continue reading 10 Things I Love About You
This Looks Familiar
Six years ago, shortly after Tara moved out here, we took a drive and came across a couple who were stuck in the snow. We helped them out of that jam by enlisting the aid of a guy with a pickup truck and a tow hitch who happened to be camping nearby. In an odd … Continue reading This Looks Familiar
Nobody Cares
I'm writing this post while kicking back in a vintage travel trailer on the Washington coast. It's the same trailer Tara and I booked in 2014, when we came out to Long Beach on my birthday weekend for the Astoria Crab, Seafood & Wine Festival. Deja vu, 'cause we are here again for the same … Continue reading Nobody Cares
May All Your Christmases Be White
Yesterday was my Monday, and today is my Friday. Too bad every workweek can't be just like this one. It's still hard to fathom that Christmas has come and gone. Every year there's so much buildup, and then it's over in a flash. The holiday felt extra special this year, because we ended up with … Continue reading May All Your Christmases Be White
Instaglory is Fleeting
A few days ago, one of my Instagram photos was shared by a site with a kajillion followers. Well, 80.8K, to be exact. To be fair, I think the "K" actually refers to "thousand" but that's a moot point anyway. It's still a lot of people! Washingtonexplored reposted a photo of a train trestle I … Continue reading Instaglory is Fleeting
A Well-Oiled Machine
We had a nice four-day weekend. Hectic and busy, but 'tis the season, right? This, despite The Cold From Hell. Tuesday, Tara said she was getting sick. Despite ingesting copious amounts of Vitamin C, echinacea, and oregano oil (god, she’s such a hippie!), there was no staving off the inevitable. By Wednesday it had turned … Continue reading A Well-Oiled Machine
The Whys Have It
I am standing on a bluff in the Badlands, looking over a sprawling prairie so vast it appears endless. A towering cumulonimbus cloud blots out the sun as it advances across the plains in a slow, angry march. Thunder rumbles across the prairie, echoing through the canyons and castle-like spires of red-striped rock so intently … Continue reading The Whys Have It
Inverse Correlations and Escaping Cats
Cats weren't meant to be kept in bags, so I'm going to let this one out now and share a bit o' news with y'all: Tara and I are moving to Rapid City, South Dakota next summer. Funny how something that started out as an off-the-cuff remark I never expected my wife to take seriously turned … Continue reading Inverse Correlations and Escaping Cats
Pink Tape
I have a bad habit of not checking trail conditions before setting out on a hike. Had I done so, I’d have known before we drove 2+ hours on Saturday that our destination, the Indian Heaven Wilderness, was closed due to wildfires in the vicinity. I also have a bad habit of not learning from past mistakes, … Continue reading Pink Tape
Mark My Words 