Our first morning, we walked to Amsterdam Centraal. As the main transportation station, it connected the trains and ferries and trams to the rest of the country. It was a hub of energy. We joined the flow of weary travelers and brisk pedestrians and zippy bicyclists. At a crosswalk, a man in a flower-adorned … More Ambling Around Amsterdam
The journey over was smooth, for the most part. We showed up early, went through security and lounged in the airport with time to spare. The domestic flight, however, left much to be desired – there was a wailing child who screamed every two minutes. We breathed a sigh of relief once the plane landed, … More We’ve Arrived in Europe! … More We’ve Arrived in Europe!
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On our last day, we visited a touristy ski town, then a local mountain town. It turned out to be the perfect way to cap off our trip. We walked along the streets – drifting in and out of stores, grocers, and museums. We ate rocky road ice cream and drank ginger ale and people-watched. … More Like Déjà Vu
“Can we get some signage around here?” I flipped through the newspaper-style map, crinkling through pages and circling destinations. Today I was on a mission. According to the guide, we had arrived during elk mating season. Therefore, we were seeing elk. The trip was special for another big reason: it was my first visit … More My First Visit to a National Park
Every time I felt nervous, I whispered: if the Taliban can scale mountains in a Tacoma, so can we. On the winding shelf roads of A. Pass, straddled by a quaint mountain town, we listened to music and took in our surroundings. Trees, rivers, creeks, mountains. It was, for the most part, smooth sailing. That is, … More Winding Shelf Roads
Near the end of the pass, we noticed a herd of cows. We stopped to say hi. One chocolatey cow in particular stared at us. She would dip her head to eat grass, then quickly raise it to watch us. She stared, curious, while the other cows continued their business. I named her Bessie. … More Beso: Kisses
On the week’s edition of Silent Sonday Sunday, during which I share contextless photos of my sons. … More Silent Sondays
On Wednesday, after leaving the crockpot on overnight, I woke up to some of the best stew I had ever had in my life. After eating several helpings, I turned off my out-of-office message and attended a few calls on the balcony. Then we went for a drive on S. Pass. We drove through the … More What if the Sky and the Stars Are for Show?
In the morning, we stopped by a coffeeshop and grabbed almondy lattes. It had been filled with chattering locals. Warming our hands on the cups, we stood by the creek and talked. Yesterday we had also checked out another café. It had a tarot card vending machine and homemade syrups. We agreed the drinks there … More Morning Views and Afternoon Hikes
Our first morning, we woke up to the sun rising behind the mountains. The living room flooded with light. Walking over carpet and oak wood felt nostalgic. Christmassy. It reminded me of the house I grew up in. I played Fleet Foxes, then made pumpkin coffee and maple oatmeal. As I waited for le beau, … More Snowcapped
While walking through the woods, we made a bet. If, before Friday, I rowed five miles nonstop on the rowing machine, le beau would drive us into the mountains. Pinky promise? He hesitated. Anything can be broken except for the pinky promise. Not thinking I could do it, he agreed. On Tuesday, I braced … More Promises Made
This is how we live. Day to day. In the present. Carpe diem and all that. I used to live in the future, I used to plan my life, and then I got there, and I was like, you know what? This is underwhelming. I spent so much time fixated on the destination that I entirely forgot about the journey. I listened to a song waiting for it to end, and when it ended, it was quiet, and I was like, goddamn. In a similar vein, I can’t look to what other people are doing, feeling, or saying, and I can’t treat life like a song that I’m waiting to end. … More Carpe Diem and All That
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