You're probably tired of hearing people say it: The holidays will look different this year. They won't just "look" different, they will feel different. (It's felt different this entire month!) I'm home in Seattle for the holidays. Many people around the world cannot go home for the holidays. Better worded: They are making the smart… Continue reading Home for the holidays, but it feels different
Yesterday I was reminded of Natalie's death in a weird way: a Facebook post of friends' wedding anniversary. If I hadn't seen their anniversary post, would I have even remembered? I wasn't sure. And, that made me suddenly feel really sad. I mean, sure, during this pandemic, who is keeping track of the days anyway?… Continue reading Still missing you
What would you do if you had an extra day? This year is a Leap Year so we will have 29 days in the month of February instead of the typical 28. We'll get an extra, sacred, 24 hours. I can't remember what I did the last time we had a leap year but I… Continue reading To Disneyland for my “extra” (leap) day
Grey skies, but moments of sun breaks. No rain. Spotting a pod of small dolphins! Next to the beach. Walking a loop trail that eventually returned us to our campsite. Tall evergreen trees. "Is that an island? Or is that a boat?" "What?" "Over there." *Unsure ... but eventually we agree that it's a very… Continue reading Snapshots of Camano camping
One of the nice things about Seattle is that there are so many options for quick day trips or weekend getaways that make you feel like you are hundreds of miles away from the city. Exhibit A: Taking the ferry to Bainbridge Island. My BFF had planned an outing to Bainbridge Island as a belated… Continue reading An island jaunt
It's crazy to think I got along just fine traveling on my own with no smart phone, let alone cell phone, back when I was in college. (This was more than a decade ago, eeek!) I'm so reliant on my phone now. How did I manage back then? I guess a decade ago I was… Continue reading That time I spent less than 24 hours in Rome — on purpose
Anyone who knows me well, knows that I am a planner. I actually use a paper planner and I like always knowing my schedule so I know what to expect. I hate surprises. On Sundays, Bryce and I figure out what we will be making for dinner during the week so that we can buy… Continue reading An impromptu urban excursion
"I just saw a fin over there!" she exclaimed to the rest of us as she pointed out into the water. The rest of us responded with "Where?" or "What?" as we looked on in the direction she pointed towards. We were looking out into Puget Sound so who knows what it could have been.… Continue reading Magical Vashon getaway
A few weeks ago if you had asked me if I had done any "Christmas activities" my answer would have been "no" followed by a long sigh. (I love Christmas and everything about the holiday season — with a hard exception for eggnog). To make sure I efficiently and effectively got into the Christmas spirit,… Continue reading Being a holiday tourist in your hometown
otter travel more 