Author Archives: Brittany

• Let’s Go to Oregon – Hiking God’s Thumb

  Posted at 8:30 AM by Brittany, on September 26, 2022

  One of my favorite things to do is discover a hike (online), save a hike (to my AllTrails app), and complete a hike (with my feet.) Something about the progression, the build up of excitement, and the accomplishment of this process brings me so much joy. Bonus points happen when these hikes are international, but that doesn’t mean my home country hikes are any less stellar.

  One of my latest discover it, save it, complete it adventures took me to my neighbor state of Oregon. I hadn’t been to Oregon in years, so Duncan and I took a mini getaway for the Labor Day weekend. I had wanted to hike God’s Thumb for a handful of months, and while trying to decide where we should go for his three day weekend (I take full advantage of these) he suggested Oregon.

  Badda Boom Badda Bing, Oregon hear me sing.

  

  In my 33 years of life I have never been to the Oregon coast. I didn’t realize this was a fact until after our trip, but my goodness is it beautiful. It felt so much different than the Washington cost. Each are beautiful, but Oregon felt to me like I was stepping onto the coast of Ireland. Maybe I just have Europe on my mind…

  We spent two nights in the small town of Falls City at an adorable tiny house surrounded by cats and chickens and rabbits and a dog. Give me an Air B&B with cats and I am a happy human. The tiny house was adorable, and perfectly situated between God’s Thumb and another hike we wanted to do, but first up was God’s Thumb.

  

  This hike is a goldilocks hike – not too hard and not too easy. It was steeper in sections than I expected, but we managed fine and the first chunk of the trail is in the forested canopy area. Perfect for a warm summer day. Eventually the trail opens to a giant field before coming over a hill to see the first sight of the “thumb.”

  

  I think this was my favorite hike of the summer. The crashing waves, the blue water, the unique shape of the point we were walking towards made me feel incredibly warm inside. As did the sun, it was a mistake to wear a black shirt on this hike. We spent a decent amount of time on the thumb with a plethora of other humans, but I managed to sit in different spots for different views trying to soak it all up.

  I could have sat there for hours.

  

  

  We chose to do the loop part of the hike, opposed to the out and back. There are multiple places to park for this hike, but the main parking area on AllTrails worked out perfectly. The lot closest to the trail fills quickly, but we started later in the day and got a front row spot. Plus, there is plenty of parking lining the road further down. Overall we hiked around 5 miles and certainly worked up an appetite.

  

  We made it to our Air B&B around 1830, and spent the evening relaxing before our next adventure. These weekend getaways are just the right amount of adventure to fill my meter back up after feeling like I have been in one place for too long. I don’t know what it is, but something about sleeping in someone else’s house in an area I would otherwise never see brings me so much joy.

  It’s the little things.

  

  Next up: second day in Oregon – trip to Silver Falls State Park.

  Q: Have you been to the Oregon coast? Apparently the Oregon coast is called the “peoples coast”, because the entirety of it is public land.

  

  | 24 Comments Tagged Hiking, Oregon, Tiny House

• Early Morning Confessions

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on September 20, 2022

  1. My cat and I have started a new evening routine. I have started taking him outside (he has been strictly indoors aside from a handful of Houdini escapes for probably ten of his fourteen years of life), and it has been quite the sight to see. We are working on manners, because when we first started going out he would hiss at me if he was not ready to go inside.

  The hissing has since stopped, and he runs up to me more, but I still have to watch him.

  His behavior is respectful for the first ten minutes, and then he gets a bit shady. Going too close to gaps in the fence, or getting into the position like he wants to try to jump it – he knows what he is doing. Some days however, he is an angel the entire time and we go out for 15-20 minutes, and then I pick him up and we go inside. He even walks himself in the door after we’ve been out a bit.

  All creatures deserve to enjoy nature, even when they sass their mom.

  

  2. My anxiety has been off the charts lately. I have had a lot of things on my plate the last few months and my body has felt like a balloon about to burst. I took a weekend getaway a couple weeks ago and I was so riddled with stress my shoulders seized up. It took three weeks for my neck and shoulders to relax.

  3. Duncan had the most wonderful day date idea recently. He said to me: “Let’s go to the nursery and each pick out a plant.” Be still my beating heart. We wandered the entire nursery (I chose the biggest one near us) and we both ended up choosing the same plant. I wanted one that would clean the air, and he agreed.

  We then chose our own pottery to plant them in. I wasn’t sure if my pottery of choice had enough drainage capabilities, so I put some rocks from a nearby park on the bottom of the pot.

  

  

  4. Drinking my morning coffee is like a spiritual practice for me. I have had such a long road with coffee, and I am thankful I have found a way to make this black beauty work for me in my life. Something about that first sip…I am so excited for the changing seasons, drinking coffee on a crisp fall morning is unlike anything else. Anytime the seasons change I feely myself shift and change too.

  5. When I was living in Deutschland I would often bike through a town that had a Birkenstock outlet. I am not one to buy things that I don’t need, but I stopped in a few times to see what they had to offer. The prices were unbelievable, and I spent months trying to find a reason to justify buying another pair (I already had two.) Eventually I needed a new pair of work shoes, so I thought I would give the clogs that all the cooks were wearing a try.

  I did not care for them. They looked like clown shoes and I had to go a size bigger than my sandals because I felt my toes hitting the inside.

  I thought about returning them, but at the end of the day I figured I could just resell them in the states. Fast forward to working a job in a warehouse where my back is compromised. I have to wear closed toed shoes to work, so my sandals were out, but I thought I would try the clogs at work because the sandals always made my body feel good on the concrete. Low and behold the clogs have had their glory moment. They are the only shoes I have worn to work for the last year now.

  

  These shoes are over $120 in the states, but I paid maybe 45-50 euros for them. Plus, I can’t live in Germany and NOT buy a pair of locally grown Birkenstocks, that would just be wrong.

  6. My iPhone 8 is a piece of garbage. The battery sucks, and the charging port has started to give me problems. And yet, I cannot justify buying another one yet. I used the phone prior to this for a full year with an entirely cracked front screen because the phone still worked. The screen was annoying, but the phone worked. I will likely wait until I cannot charge this phone at all before I buy another one.

  7. I have not been hiking nearly as much as I would have liked this summer. I feel like my time has been stretched thin, and when the weekend comes I either can’t find anyone to go with (I have adapted the whole “don’t hike alone” mindset in my old age), or I am just too tired from my week. I think fall will be my time to shine, it’s just too hot in the summer most days for me.

  

  8. I have been trying to reprioritize my life again. I have been getting far too bent out of shape over things that happen at my workplace, despite the fact that I learned early on in my working “career” that I never wanted to spend more time working for someone than I did actually living my life. I am thankful I was given the tools on how to properly and effectively save money for my future, which has left me feeling like I can continue to work a job on “my terms.”

  I no longer care how others perceive my way of life.

  It helps that I don’t have a high rent to pay, and I have a very minimalistic lifestyle, but I truly believe anyone can make a life of simplicity work. It starts with a shift of priorities – life can be as simple as you want it. For me – I prefer simple. So on I float, wherever the wind takes me. I have shifted my perspective at work and have been working on letting things affect me less. The entire reason I choose to work the jobs I do are because I want a low stress environment.

  9. I also choose the jobs I do because a requirement for my life is flexibility. I have been feeling unfulfilled in my daily life lately with thoughts of future challenges and daily stressors at home. Without a proper balance of what makes me feel alive I start feeling bluer than a fresh batch of gorgonzola. I haven’t been riding my bike much lately, but this past weekend I took her out for a 20 mile spin on a beautiful farm road.

  It took me a while, but the gravel bike I bought back in March finally feels like a glove. I feel peace and joy when I sit on the bike, just like I did with my mountain bike from Germany.

  

  10. I am going to Sweden next week. One of my friends has family in Sweden, and he is just as impulsive as I am. It was a whirlwind of a decision, ticket purchase, and itinerary planning process, but I am taking the entire trip with a grain of salt. I will only be gone for twelve days, but I already miss Duncan. And my cat.

  Q: What’s your confession?

  

  | 33 Comments Tagged Biking, Early Morning Confessions, Life

• Basic Invite

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on September 9, 2022

  Nothing gets my anxiety roaring quite like being invited to a party. The thought of being in a room with people I might not know and forced to make small talk makes me want to curl into a ball and close my eyes tight. Work parties, birthday parties, college graduation parties, baby showers – I never know where to put my hands, how to dress, what to say.

  You’d never know any of this though, I am a MacGyver at pretending to be comfortable when I am not.

  When I was younger I used to adore parties. Birthday parties meant cake, goodie bags, and usually some kind of adventure. These days I don’t eat the cake, I don’t want the clutter, and I don’t like sitting inside on my butt. However, as with most things in life there is an exception to this rule. I absolutely, positively, root toot tootingly adore weddings. When I get that save the date card I am PUMPED.

  

  I love, love. So incredibly much. I am a sucker for a good rom com, I eat up the dramatizations of romance we see in movies (don’t worry, I do know it’s wildly unrealistic most times), and I feel so many emotions when I watch two humans stare deeply into each others eye sockets while saying “til death do us part.”

  The irony in all of this is that I don’t know if I personally want to be married, but that’s beside the point.

  I didn’t fall in love with weddings until I was invited to my friend Lily’s wedding wayyy back in 2014. We met through this little blog here and the entire process of going to visit her for the first time at her wedding was a memory I will never forget. I flew to visit a girl named Megan, who I also met through this blog, and we road tripped to Lily’s wedding. Then two years later, Lily and I road tripped to Megan’s wedding.

  And I can’t forget the time I was a bridesmaid in my dear friend Gigi’s wedding in 2016. Who I also met through blogging. I am sensing a theme here.

  

  Call me a hopeless romantic, but the one kind of invite I get where I don’t feel flooded with anxiety is a wedding invite. I will forever love celebrating love. With that said, if you are getting married anytime soon please send me an invite. I would love to come dance drunkenly off the love in the air. Something about showing up and soaking in the vibes, without the hassle of planning the party just speaks to me.

  If anyone needs formal invitations, so that you can send me one, check out Basic Invite – everything is 15% off right now!

  

  I don’t know who Jennifer and Jonathan are, but I am all about the simple vibe. I think should I ever legally bind myself to another human I would like to elope. Somewhere in the mountains. If I decide to keep my freedom however, perhaps when I make it to ten years with a life partner I will still have a celebration. Alone. In the mountains.

  Alright. I will spare you all anymore sappy vibes on my end, but if you’re married I want to hear everything. Also, please still invite me to parties. I like to have the option even if I overthink it all.

  Q’s:

  • How did you propose/get proposed to?
  • What was your wedding like?
  • Did you elope?
  • If you’re not married, do you want to be?

  

  | 39 Comments Tagged Sponsored, Wedding

• Mount Angeles

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on August 15, 2022

  One of my pals just bought a new Subaru Outback. Naturally when one buys an adventure mobile such as this, adventure is put onto the radar almost immediately. I was happy to oblige when she asked me to go for a hike with her, and we had plans to go for a mild, chill elevation hike last week just to get the feet moving.

  Then the tables turned and I couldn’t have been more pleased with the outcome.

  I have been craving, longing for, pining and whining to get my feet onto an epic hike all summer, and I finally did just that. I haven’t always been the best at last minute changes to a plan, I like to have an idea of what I need to prepare for, but as I have gotten older I have been working on morphing more into a human like flubber so that I can bend and roll with what’s thrown my way.

  A work in progress, but a progress nonetheless.

  

  A group of pals from work had a hike in the works, and when they asked me to join I didn’t think twice. It helped that I was in the peak energy and social phase of my cycle (ladies, I cannot stress enough tracking your cycle and knowing how your body works throughout the entirety of it!) We planned to meet at 0600 for an early start at the Hurricane Ridge location of Olympic National Park.

  This area fills up quick on weekends, so an early start is a must.

  Our plan was to hike Mount Angeles, a new to me trail with recent bear sightings and a scramble at the summit. What could possibly go wrong? Fortunately for us nothing went wrong, and the trail was mosey and mild for the first couple miles, allowing the entire group to stick together. When we started the hike we could see our destination at the end, although in the beginning I had no idea the curved peak was our summit.

  

  There were six of us total, and we kept a nice pace walking along chatting about the awe and wonder around us, the possibility of wildlife sightings, and the amount of sunscreen our pal Chris had accidentally put on. His entire body looked like the face of a mime. At least he would not be getting burned. We eventually came to a fork where the left had a drastically steep start, and we were not sure if it was the correct path despite the map telling us it was.

  So we went right instead.

  After ten minutes of going down, down, down, we realized we had gone onto a different path heading to a different destination, and four out of six of us decided we wanted to go back and try the path to the left. We headed back to the fork, waved goodbye to the other two, while four remaining hikers trekked on into the wilderness, hopeful for new sights, sounds, and smells.

  

  I had the idea of a “scramble” in my head, but I wasn’t sure what exactly that entailed. The four of us slowly made our way up the mountain and it was certainly more steep than the first half of the hike, but nothing was unmanageable. We took it slow and only one person passed us coming down. I asked if he made it up the scramble and he said yes.

  He advised to keep to the left, that it was longer but easier, and while I appreciated the input I didn’t anticipate I would be crawling up a rock wall.

  The closer we got the more we realized the landscape difference between what we had been hiking and what must be the scramble portion of the trail. We all decided then that we would hike to just below the scramble and call it. We made it to a beautiful open meadow where two of the girls stopped, but I had to touch the trees at the very base of the scramble.

  I had to go the final 100 ft before I no longer felt comfortable.

  

  As I sat at my chosen summit, the other two decided to join and we all savored the views before turning back to the parking lot. The summit provides a panoramic view of the entire range around us, but I was happy with the views we had. The climb was a little too vertical for me with no designated path. Maybe one day I will enjoy the idea of a scramble. I would be fine crawling up, it’s the coming back down that scares me.

  

  

  After admiring some local marmots, we made our way back to the fork where we hoped to find the other two members of our party. Turns out our hour and a half detour was a bit longer than everyone expected and the other two made their way back to the parking lot. The views from the lot were just as awe inspiring meaning everyone left happy that day. This hike was just what I needed to bring my soul to life, even if just for a few hours.

  I’m thankful for good friends with a zest for life, and I cannot wait for more adventures in my friends new Subaru.

  

  

  Q: Would you crawl up the scramble?

  

  | 27 Comments Tagged Hiking, Mount Angeles, Olympic Mountains, PNW, REI

• Early Morning Confessions

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on July 26, 2022

  1. I am writing this post from Duncan’s apartment where the WiFi is like that of my dreams. Fast like a Starbucks lobby, but comfortable like a hug from an old friend. The WiFi at my place is horrid, and often prevents me from wanting to write anything because of how sSSsLLooOwwWw it is. Little luxuries like this keep the world spinning.

  2. I have had the last two weeks off of work for what was meant to be a vacation, but turned into a staycation. For the first week I was irritable, kicking myself for not having anywhere to go after changing original plans, but during the second week I settled right in. I go back to work today and can’t say I am looking forward to it. I’ve been biking, hiking, sleeping, running, eating, staring at the wall, and reading.

  I’m currently reading A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, and prior to that I finished the book below.

  

  3. With this time away from work, my chronic – year long back pain – has subsided during the second week. I am certain that my job has been contributing to my lack of healing, and I am now game planning my next move. No job is worth breaking my body for.

  4. The heat has hit Washington and it has hit haarrdd. Duncan and I went for a mid morning hike recently that should have been moderate to easy, but it felt hard with the heat. I suppose having Covid two weeks prior made it difficult too, but who knows. The views were great though.

  I don’t know which I preferred, the mountains off yonder or the gray jay’s stealing food out of people’s hands.

  

  

  5. I have a possibly unhealthy attachment to my cat. I feel genuine sadness when I leave him for a night or two. I have always loved the little ball of fur, but lately I feel closer to him. Please live forever. Please let me put you on a leash and come with me on hikes.

  6. I have been more mindful of my Instagram usage lately, and occasionally take days off at a time. The benefits I get from staying off of it outweigh the temporary boredom quell, but recently during one of my allotted scroll times I entered a giveaway for some local GF/V donuts I have been wanting to try. Spoiler: I WON!!!

  I was stoked to get a free six pack of their current seasonal flavors. Half of them were more of a miss, but the other half were tasty. Although I still prefer my Brittany friendly muffins from another local biz.

  

  7. Speaking of Brittany friendly muffins, I woke up Sunday morning to Duncan surprising me with one of these muffins. I told him I wanted a muffin surprise someday, and I didn’t anticipate that day being so soon. It was delicious, despite the fact they initially gave him the wrong muffin. We went back to get the right one.

  8. I found a new road to ride my bike on that gives me backroad farm vibes. Maybe because it is a backroad with farms…but it makes me feel like I am biking in an area that warms my soul which is hard to find where I currently live. I rode there three times in the last week, and I think I have finally found my new spot.

  

  9. I miss the spirit of blogging past. When I first started this blog, I met copious amounts of others both online and in person because blogging was a growing hobby for many. I understand the entirety of this type of social media has changed with the onslaught of Twitter and Facebook and Instagram etc, but sometimes I just miss the community these blogs fostered.

  I also adore when those who still read my blog leave me a comment. Like, it legitimately makes my day. Please be a community with me. I need friends.

  10. I sometimes get sucked into the homebody aura that Duncan exudes, and while this is helpful at times it can also be harmful for me. This past weekend we got out of our bubble and went to a brewery for a friends birthday and played card games with six other humans. We laughed until our bellies ached, and afterwards we ate sushi with the sunset.

  It doesn’t take much, but that evening was a complete recharge for my mental health battery.

  

  Q: What’s your confession?

  

  | 57 Comments Tagged Biking, Donuts, Early Morning Confessions, Hiking, REI

• A Weekend Away

  Posted at 9:45 AM by Brittany, on July 21, 2022

  I’ve always been a bit indifferent to holiday weekends. Most of the jobs I have worked don’t have holidays off, and they often feel like just another day of the week. I do love a good Thanksgiving feast, thrive watching my cat run through Christmas wrapping paper, and when I was a kid I felt like an all star staying up late watching Twilight Zone marathons on NYE, but these days I can take or leave most of the lesser known holidays.

  Fourth of July is typically my least favorite holiday. I don’t enjoy fireworks unless I am hot and sweaty after a full day at Disneyland, and I don’t have a big family to aggregate with for BBQ and brews. This year, things were a bit different. This year I am dating a human who works a M-F job, where holidays are a thing. This meant the Fourth of July weekend was a prime time for a weekend getaway.

  So we got away.

  

  Duncan has more of a Type B personality, while I am more of a Type A. This means I like control of the planning process, not that we needed to plan too much for a short weekend away. I made a last minute change in plans, taking us to the town of Anacortes, and this turned out to be such a lovely little reset.

  We arrived Saturday afternoon, and our first stop was to Mount Erie – the tallest mountain in Anacortes. This wasn’t saying much, as the peak tops out at 1300′, but after recovering from my second bout of Covid just a few days prior I felt the 1000’+ elevation gain. We took it slow, and savored the view from the top.

  

  

  After basking in our sense of superiority at the top amongst the other humans who drove up, we made our way back down and headed to our Air B & B. I found this Air B & B two days before we were to arrive, which was literally perfect timing. Someone had just canceled their stay, and the hosts put the spot back up for a discounted price.

  I happened to be the lucky soul who found it – talk about divine intervention.

  This Air B & B was PERFECT. I adored everything about it. It was small, and minimal, and bright, and OPEN, and airy and beautiful. Fully equipped with everything, including a fun couples card game that Duncan and I played. I would absolutely stay at this place again, it was just so wonderful.

  They even provided sleep masks because the skylights brought in so much natural light! Little touches do not go unnoticed.

  

  After dropping off our stuff we headed to the nearby grocery to buy some fooooood. We made dinner, watched some Netflix, played the card game, and headed to bed. The next morning we had a casual breakfast before driving to Whidbey Island for a walk at Fort Ebey. I had found this hike (more like a walk) a few weeks prior, but I knew it would require a weekend trip away as it was too much to drive in one day.

  The drive took about 40 minutes, and it was a rainy, blustery day, but we had a car full of snack and veins full of coffee. The trail was beautiful. Like something out of the UK. My only complaint was the amount of snails. It was like I couldn’t catch a break. If you read my last post you will know I JUST walked a trail where the slugs were endless, and I felt like my anxiety was in overdrive.

  Thankfully my lovely boyfriend hugged me and let me take my time when I had a full blown meltdown.

  

  

  

  

  I don’t claim to have a “normal” phobia, alas it is what it is. We made it out of snail territory and looped back on the beach for a relaxing walk back to the car. We hunted for beach glass, unique rocks, and pretty shells to take home with us. Duncan even got himself an eagle floof. We very briefly went to see one of the old military bunkers at Fort Ebey State Park before making our way back to the Air B & B.

  Duncan promptly fell asleep after eating an early dinner, so I made myself a Brittany friendly meal while watching Netflix and let the gentle giant slumber.

  The following day we were set to head home, but not before one more minor exploration. It was Monday the 4th, and downtown Anacortes was crowded for a parade. We headed to Washington Park for a loop around the area, which turned into more after getting a wee bit lost. Duncan spearheaded us out, and we made it back to the car and back home in record time.

  

  I tend to enjoy a busy vacation, with lots to see and do. Duncan enjoys more of a restful vacation, but he was a trooper and indulged me in my need to walk and hike and explore. This was just what I needed to scratch the itch. A weekend away keeps the wanderlust at bay, even if just temporarily.

  Q: Do you enjoy weekend getaways, or would you rather save everything for a week long trip?

  

  | 10 Comments Tagged Duncan, Hike, PNW, Vacation

• Guillemot Cove

  Posted at 7:00 AM by Brittany, on July 2, 2022

  I mentioned in my previous post that Duncan and I have a plethora of differences. One of the main areas we differ is what we prefer to do with our free time. When I have zero responsibilities the first place I want to go is outside. I want to hike, or bike, or explore a new town. Duncan is more of a homebody and he prefers calm and quiet times at home.

  This was one of the first areas of our relationship where we were able to practice productive compromise and communication – two fundamental building blocks of a healthy relationship. We spend most of our weekends together and try to spend one day doing an activity for me, and one day doing something chill for him.

  So far we have been able to make this work, while also communicating it’s ok if we do things separately.

  

  One of our most recent outdoor adventures was to a very chill, but equally beautiful walking area called Guillemot Cove. I had been here once before, but I hadn’t explored the entirety of it. There are multiple trails that lead into one large cove area, encompassing around 3-4 miles.

  It’s like a choose your own ending book.

  We pulled up to a surprisingly busy parking area, which shouldn’t have surprised me as it was a sunny Saturday. We don’t have a lot of that bright light in this state. We started in the woods, and took our first right taking us down the steepest part of the trail. From the woods we were thrown into an open area of tall grasses giving the first sneak peak of the cove on the beach.

  

  

  Despite how many cars we saw in the lot, we didn’t see too many other humans until the second half of our hike. It was as if Zeus himself was smiting me by bringing the humans out at the most inopportune times. More on that later. Our first destination was the beach – to see the cove, and my goodness it did not disappoint.

  I certainly have my moments of wanting to travel wide and far, but it’s close to home spots like this that keep me somewhat grounded.

  

  We sat at the beach for a bit while Duncan watched three Osprey hover over the thermal vents and dive for fish. While he was watching a live showing of National Geographic I was admiring the surrounding hills feeling waves of nostalgia for other similar landscapes I have visited throughout my life.

  Memories are both beautiful and soul tugging at the same time.

  

  

  After pining over the views it was time to finish the trails. This is where things got sticky. Right next to the beach is a Ridge Trail that climbs up for maybe 5 minutes, and then climbs back down making a loop. I could have done without this trail because there were no views, and at the top there were SO.MANY.SLUGS. I’m talking big, fat, banana, brown – just vile.

  The path was so narrow that I had to walk far too close to them.

  

  Duncan was my knight in green polo shirt on this hike because I nearly had a panic attack. From here on slugs seemed to overtake the trails, live ones, dead ones, tree ones, grass ones, and the people came out of the woodwork making the trails even more narrow to walk on. I can’t tell you how many times I had to walk close to a slimy spawn of satan.

  If you’re new round these parts, I have a phobia of slugs. It’s weird, I know.

  I wanted to show Duncan the stump house, which is what this hike is known for, so I sucked it up and we pushed on. A quick hello to the stump house (essentially a large stump someone built a little “roof” onto), and we headed back to the car. Away from slug city.

  

  After our hike we drove to a nearby state park for a picnic, enjoying the last bit of sunshine. It was a lovely Brittany day, and I am quite certain Duncan enjoyed himself too. Aside from having to hold my hand like a small child when I couldn’t walk over the fallen trees covered with slugs. But hey, love knows no bounds.

  Today we set off for our first weekend getaway since our vacation to Glacier/Sawtooth’s LAST SUMMER. My first mini getaway in over a year. I’ve been a mess of a human for months, and I am so ready to spend some time away from home in a new to me city. Let’s hope we find good coffee, good views, and some good times.

  Q: What’s one of your phobias? Please make me feel better about myself by telling me you also have a really weird one.

  

  | 24 Comments Tagged Duncan, Hike, Phobia, PNW

• Joyful June

  Posted at 9:30 AM by Brittany, on June 28, 2022

  I am a sucker for a good alliteration (hence my corny blog URL circa 2011.) Nothing flows off the tongue quite like two words with the same first letter, and because I have been a bit of a pessimistic pill the last couple of months, I have decided to dedicate an entire post to more uplifting energy. I am trying my damndest to find joy in my everyday life despite the stagnation I feel.

  Not to worry, this is a normal way of existence for me. I don’t like the idea of settling for mundane, so when my life feels a bit monotonous I feel an uptick in anxiety. I have been coping, and there are indeed joyful days sprinkled amid the stale air in my lungs, but they do say you are your attitude after all.

  Without further adieu, let’s list five joyful specks in my life.

  

  1. Duncan. Ohhh Duncan. Where do I even begin? Duncan and I have a bit of an age gap. Erm, a decently significant age gap, as well as a plethora of differences. We had no idea where this relationship was going to go, and somedays we still don’t, but what I do know is that age has nothing to do with the ability to provide proper emotional support.

  Never have I ever dated someone who holds me so tightly when I cry.

  He has been such an unexpected blessing in my life, and I am thankful everyday to be shown what a meaningful relationship consists of. He also sometimes rocks a mustache giving me real Tom Selleck vibes. We celebrated our one year anniversary in April, and I went full high school prom proposal with a candy board.

  The idea was indeed borrowed, but the cringe worthy words were all my own. No shame.

  

  

  2. Hikes with friends. I have maintained a consistent fitness routine throughout the year, but my baseline hikes have been low-level adventures. I embarked on my first higher elevation hike a few weeks ago with two gal pals and I was sore for two days after. I don’t have many people around me that I truly enjoy investing my time in, but every so often a few slip through the cracks and we enjoy an outdoor adventure.

  Plus, I recently watched Grizzly Man for the first time, and have become absurdly afraid of bears. I don’t see many solo hikes in my future for a while.

  

  

  

  3. Torture Device. Aka my inversion table. Out of pure desperation after a year of consistent sciatic pain, I bought an inversion table. I had literally nothing to loose (except some money I suppose.) Nothing was working, I was in constant discomfort or pain, and my quality of life was suffering because of this unwelcome guest always nagging at my nerves.

  I cannot say if this has been exclusively what helped, but for about two weeks now I have had minimal discomfort allowing me to run again. I find this table to be a place of relaxation, and I can adjust how far back I want to go. Some days I only invert a little, and some days I invert more. I am a fan, and I will be keeping this tool in my repertoire.

  Also, shoutout to Duncan for helping me assemble this the day it came. I was extremely overwhelmed by the weight and the instructions, but he showed up at my door without being asked.

  

  4. Running. Running and I have had such an on again off again relationship. Recently I stopped running in attempt to help the above mentioned back issues (herniated disc), but I have been able to start again the last couple weeks and already it has improved my mood. I’m never without a weapon though, because running outside as a woman is always a gamble.

  The sad reality of the world we live in.

  

  5. My baby. Sometimes it’s hard for me to fathom how this tiny being had such a life threatening health concern four and a half years ago. I spent a lot of money to ensure he lived another day, and each day I have with him is now a blessing. He brings me so much joy, and his neediness over the last few years has been welcomed with open arms.

  Except when he humps me.

  

  I am thankful to have these pockets of joy in my life, but I also appreciate the ability to recognize that sometimes it’s ok to feel stuck. I’m realizing this is a recurring situation for me, and perhaps not just a short term struggle. Perhaps this is something I will continue to manage throughout my life. The up’s and the down’s are expected, but the waves feel more frequent than I would like at times.

  At the end of the day I know when I fall into these pockets of life my body is trying to tell me something. Typically a change is needed in some form, and I am trying to figure out where I want to start first. Change is not always easy, but it is almost always necessary. All things considered, I have become quite good at surfing these waves of life.

  Most days.

  Q: What is bringing you joy right now?

  

  | 21 Comments Tagged Duncan, Hiking, Life, PNW, Running

• Your Body Will Thank You

  Posted at 7:00 AM by Brittany, on May 27, 2022

  I recently bought a new gravel bike after months of trying to decide which bike I wanted to purchase. I am as frugal as they come, and the process of me trying to pull the trigger on this bike was nearly as difficult as my cat trying to pass struvite crystals through his urethra. Do I need a new bike? No. Do I get a killer employee discount opening up the world of bikes I would normally never consider? Yes.

  My KTM mountain bike served me well, and she will forever live with me even if her placement finds itself on my garage wall, but I wanted to treat myself to an upgrade. Little did I know that upgrade would come with additional purchases for added comfort. Gone are the days I can just pull a bike out of a box ready to roll.

  I’m convinced no bike will fit quite like the glove that Frosty did. We had a special bond.

  

  I have owned my new gravel bike for two months now, and have slogged through around five rides with her on a bike seat harder than cement. My lady bits and fanny mits have been put through the wringer, and for what? Because I am frugal. I thought to myself: “I already had to buy pedals for this bike, and add a stem riser, do I really need to invest in a new seat?“

  Yes. Yes I did. After going for a test ride with Duncan’s already upgraded bike seat (because he was smart from the start), I felt the heavens open just for me. Suddenly I remembered what comfort was, and the air smelled sweeter. The breeze felt warmer, and my smile felt brighter. Admittedly I didn’t love riding this bike when I bought it (perhaps because my heart will always belong to Frosty), but this seat will be a game changer.

  I can now call myself a biker again…because I will actually want to bike.

  

  Truth be told, I haven’t wanted to bike much since moving back to Washington because there are so few bike paths here. I don’t enjoy traditional mountain biking, so I find myself left with lackluster roads filled with cars who don’t know how to share the space. My longest rides have been 20 milers, and even those feel like a chore. I am confident I will eventually find myself dwelling somewhere with better biking options, and when I do I will be ready.

  With three bikes.

  The decision to buy the bike seat will have my body and my fanny thanking me. My theme for this summer is to be kind to my body, so I made another purchase recently for the sake of my skin. Duncan and I like to go to the beach, but found ourselves scorched on many occasions last summer. Insert the umbrella/tent hybrid. I found the below masterpiece on Amazon a few days before our first beach day of the season.

  It did not disappoint.

  

  

  What a time to be alive, 5 star beach shelters and boujee bike seats. I am hopeful for some adventure this summer, Lord knows I need it. I’m trying my damndest not to rely on Duncan for my source of adventurous joy, because that’s not fair to him. We have different adventure needs (and current goals), and I am learning how to understand that he does not have to be my source for everything.

  Is this what it means to be in an adult relationship?

  With that said, I am currently accepting applications for summer travel buddies. I had high hopes of going to Scotland this summer with my dear friend and her family, but the Covid testing chaos stresses me out. Alas, there is much to see within the United States still. I just need to find my solo courage again, I think I lost it when America became a dumpster fire.

  Q: Do you try to save money anywhere you can? Haters gonna hate, but I didn’t build this empire by spending all my money…

  

  | 26 Comments Tagged Biking, Frosty, Frugal

• Early Morning Confessions

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on April 19, 2022

  1. Long time no talk. How about a “what’s new” Early Morning Confessions style post? For starters I got a new bike. I actually got a new mountain bike, but then realized I don’t like mountain biking much. I like forest service roads, and I like long distances through designated trails, but I don’t like single tracks.

  Thankfully I bought the bike at REI, and they have a fantastic return policy. So I returned this bike, and bought a new gravel bike instead. Oh, and I also had to order them both online. It’s hard to buy a bike online! The first bike was too big for me, but thankfully my new gravel gal is just right.

  My longest distance with her at one time thus far has been 20 miles. Our love affair is a slow build, as I am still getting used to drop handle bars.

  

  2. Duncan got a new bike too. Same story. Bought a mtn bike, and changed to gravel. We now have the same exact bike. I made sure we got different pedals though, we can’t be exactly the same after all. I now have three bikes, and I officially understand the n+1 problem when it comes to owning bikes…

  3. Speaking of Duncan, he and I went to a cat cafe recently and it was so unbelievably enjoyable. I’ve been wanting to do something like that for a while now, and we started small with a cafe close-ish to home. Seattle has a few bigger cafes we might visit in time, but Catffeinated was a great intro.

  

  4. I have been an absolute tornado in the kitchen the last month. Winter blues always bite me in the backside causing me to feel temptations I don’t normally feel during the warmer months, but it’s worse when I start to feel stagnant. I know this about myself – I start feeling a need for change and when I don’t make a change my brain starts to allow my body to take less care of itself.

  5. Case in point.

  

  6. Legendary Doughnuts was visited after the cat cafe, and inhibitions were down after an hour of kitty time. Duncan bought a dozen doughnuts and I decided to YOLO that day. What I am about to say next will be shocking, so brace yourself.

  We ate all but maybe 2 donuts in one day. ALL OF THEM.

  I know I need to go easy on myself when these splurges happen, but it can be hard to completely let go of food anxiety. At the end of the day I do not regret consuming my body weight in gluten filled pillows of sugar heaven, but it did take me 48 hours to feel like I could function normally. The joy’s of a 30 something with food sensitivities.

  7. Despite my tornado like behavior, I think my consistent activity helps to thwart any drastic changes to my body after these caloric surpluses. Hiking and biking are my best of friends. And Duncan, he is my best of friend too.

  

  

  8. At the end of March I had the stomach flu for 24 hours, and it was the most brutal experience I have endured in a very long time. I would rather have Covid again, than to ever puke for 8 hours straight. The lingering effects lasted for a few days, but I am thankful I didn’t have weeks of recovery like some do.

  9. I have the itch to work a seasonal job again, somewhere in the deep heart of Alaska, or Wyoming. I am not entirely against this idea, but I also have the itch to build a tiny little life in a tiny little space in a tiny little town with my tiny little cat in a tiny little hat.

  

  10. One week from today, Duncan and I will have been dating for a year. I am flabbergasted by this, for so many reasons. Perhaps I will write a post dedicated to Duncan and I, and some of our back story, but for now I say this – I am beyond blessed to have someone like him in my life. Swoon.

  Q: What’s your confession?

  

  | 32 Comments Tagged Biking, Duncan, Early Morning Confessions, Hiking

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