December 3, 2024

Waitomo/Rotorua/Bay of Plenty

So far, we adore New Zealand. Crystal clear water, an abundance of tropical plants, and pastoral rolling pastures rife with fluffy sheep, cows and turkeys. And kind, incredibly friendly people from all over the world.

From Auckland, we journeyed south through Waitomo, which means water that flows into the earth.  We went Black Water Rafting, which entailed climbing down into limestone caves and then tubing and climbing and jumping over waterfalls, then floating through dark caverns with extraterrestrial 'constellations' of blue glow worms (actually Fungus Gnat larvae, but that's a whole different story that involves aged bug smoothies...). 


Constellation of Glow Worms   
(What they look like in light)
Truly other-worldly!
All geared up for the caves.

After that, we visited Marokopa Falls, which was absolutely spectacular. It was so beautiful I got goosebumps! It's as if somebody created a backdrop that would facilitate the perfect waterfall, and then positioned a wide river at the top of it. Truly breathtaking.
 
Marokopa Falls


Then we explored Rotorua and the Bay of Plenty. There's a lot of geothermal activity in the region, which includes sulphuric hot springs on the bank of the Rotorua Caldera. To earn our afternoon soak, we climbed Mt. Manganui, which led to some epic ocean vistas. The photos don't do the colors justice, the sea blended a million different shades of teal and green!

Brian spent the hike looking forward to a dip in the bay at the end. I just waded in the *cold* water while he swam - where other swimmers were wearing wet suits. (He decided that he was sufficiently refreshed when he noticed a couple of large jellyfish keeping him company.)

 

On our way up Mt. Manganui
View of the Bay of Plenty from the summit

Cooling off in the Bay after the hike down

 

Our last day there, we took a gondola up the mountain for a great view of the lake, and spent a couple of hours racing each other down 'luge' tracks. It was a little taste of Mario Kart powered by gravity, minus the banana peels.

 

 

After that, we explored a Redwood forest planted in honor of WWII soldiers. We hiked around a beautiful quarry during the day, then toured an elevated walkway after dark. The evening lighting was magical! The suspension bridges started about 3 stories high - probably this would have been an issue for me if I could clearly see the ground, but my fear of heights didn't distract me in the dark. It is a really cool and innovative installation.

 

He calls this "Tree Pose in the Trees"

 




Also, this is the region where kiwi fruit is grown. I've never seen a kiwi plant before, and thought we were driving through some really hearty grape vines until I realized they were kiwis! (So far, the golden variety are my favorite to eat!)


 
Lake Rotorua

Geothermal activity near the baths






November 28, 2024

Thanksgiving in Hawaii

This week we kicked off what is sure to be an epic month with a visit to O’ahu, celebrating with Max while Cait is deployed.  Yesterday he led us up the Diamond Head Crater and we had clear skies for a great view of Honolulu. We definitely earned the fresh poke bowls and Howzit hazy's we treated ourselves to afterward, and it was worth every stair!

View of the crater from the top.

Some cuties we met at the top.

View from the bunker at the top of Diamond Head.

Post-hike lunch and brews.


He hosted friendsgiving on Wednesday night and made an amazing Beef Wellington, then we had our least traditional Thanksgiving yet - we took turkey sandwiches to the beach and watched a bunch of honus (some gorgeous, very large green sea turtles) floating in the surf. On our way home from the beach, the Dole Plantation was surprisingly open(and incredibly busy), so we stopped in for some fresh Dolewhip and a short wander around their garden.



Haleiwa Beach Park

Haleiwa Beach Park

Haleiwa Beach Park

Hau'oli Lā Ho'omaika'i (Happy Thanksgiving) 

Baby pineapple

According to the Dole directional we have 4400 miles to go...


 

A hiu hou - tomorrow we are Auckland-bound!

 

November 13, 2024

Bound for the Southern Hemisphere

It's been a while since I have felt like anything happening in our life merited posting in this forum.  But for over two years, we've been planning a trip to New Zealand, and it's evolved into what I expect will be an epic experience. 

I traveled to Greece with a friend last year, and she faithfully posted about our adventures every day.  I received so much positive feedback about that from my friends and family who read her descriptions and saw our photos, that I have decided to attempt to share our upcoming adventures.  Not everyday - but at least about each region we visit. 

We'll start out visiting Max on O'ahu for Thanksgiving, then head to Auckland and spend 12 days exploring the North Island.  Then we'll fly to Queenstown and spend 8 days exploring the South Island.  We'll fly from Christchurch back to Auckland and spend our last few days in the city, before returning to Colorado just in time for Christmas.  Follow along, if you'd like!

North Island Stops:  


South Island Stops:  


August 26, 2019

A Golden Retriever Changed My Life

Thirteen years ago, the Universe conspired to bring us together in a whirlwind event that had ripple effects on everyone in my family for years. On this day in 2006, my cousin and his wife were waiting to turn at a red light when they were hit by a semi that lost control, sideswiping them and the row of cars stopped behind them. That night, we offered to take care of Bosco while my cousin and his wife recovered, thinking it would be a week or two while they could focus on getting out of the hospital and healing. At that point in time, we had been married just under a year, and had purchased our first home only a couple of weeks prior to the accident. We had not been thinking about, talking about, or looking for a pet! But the first night we went to bed with that soft and sassy golden snuggled between us, I knew in my heart that he had found his forever home.

One afternoon there was a voicemail waiting for us after work stating that the puppy was too much for them to manage on top of everything else, and either we could claim him or they would find him a new home. We walked to Sonic on that chilly October night to celebrate with some vanilla soft serve, which became a tradition for the three of us on special occasions.

At three months, he was potty trained when he moved in with us, but hadn’t had any other disciplines instilled yet. So we enrolled in the obedience course at the Boulder Humane Society, which teaches clicker training. On the afternoon following his ‘graduation’ from the class, he somehow retrieved the paper certificate and the plastic clicker from the kitchen counter and destroyed both of them. This ironic act of defiance fit directly in line with the independent personality Bosco showcased in all areas of his world.


When he was happy, the whole room was electrified with his joy. The unconditional affection that he lavished on us was the best way to come home after a tough day at work. And when he had done something naughty, he was guilty from head to tail! If he didn’t greet us at the door, we knew instantly something was wrong. He would cower in the corner while we searched for anything out of place, usually finding a chewed up piece of mail or music, the remnants of a loaf of bread he had nabbed from the counter, or – once – Brian’s hand-knit Christmas stocking partially unraveled. (Mom fixed it, and the next year she placed warning jingle bells in the toes of all of our stockings – the “Bubby bells,” which worked like a charm!) When you discovered the incident, he would slowly make his way over to you in the most pathetic army crawl, avoiding eye contact and radiating shame. Generally, watching us clean up the mess he had left seemed to be punishment enough because he would spend the next hour slinking around after you with remorseful eyes that begged forgiveness and promised good behavior from that moment on. 

Even in spite of his dependence on steroids to manage his Addison’s Disease, he loved food. Eating it, as well as watching us prepare it – especially salads. We called this sous-chefing, when he would insert himself as close to the counter as possible, and watch the activity with rapt attention. His favorite snack was leafy green vegetables! On one trip to pick up our farm share, he couldn’t restrain himself and I caught him chomping happily on some beet greens sticking out of the market bag. And breakfast and dinner were served on very strict schedules – unerringly within 5 minutes of his meal time, he would station himself in front of you and stare you down, in case you might forget that it was almost time to eat. When you scooped the kibbles out for him, he jumped in two quick ecstatic circles while making his way to his dish, which we referred to as his dinner dance.

He enjoyed riding in the car, hanging his head out the window and reveling in the wind rushing through his ears. He was always welcome at my parent's house when we spent time with them, and when we turned down their street he knew where we were headed. He had a loop around mom and dad’s acreage that he would do when he got out of the car, taking off and lapping around just beyond their treeline to check in on his land marks and explore any new developments, and eventually make it back around to the driveway. When he really got to run, it was a beautiful thing to watch the joy he experienced at full gallop. 

We were very fortunate to have supportive family so close, because one of the main complications from the Addison’s meant that any environmental changes or experiences outside of his routine stressed him out. It would take weeks to recover from a couple of days at the kennel, and once he was diagnosed and we figured out what was happening, my parents welcomed him any time we both had to travel. As much as he adored them both, he also knew they would do anything for him, and tended to take advantage of getting spoiled. Bosco could look sideways at the door at any point in time, and my dad would jump up to take him outside. And mom was prone to keeping puppy treats in her pockets, and if she was relaxing on the couch, he would nose his way in and help himself – no personal space!

He really loved to play in the snow. One winter afternoon we took him to my parents’ house and spent the day sledding on their large hill. Bosco definitely did not enjoy the experience from one of our laps in a saucer moving down the slope, but he LOVED chasing us down the hill! He would then grab the plastic sled from us and pull it back up the hill, ready to chase the next passenger down.

Swimming was also a fun pastime for him, though it was a skill that he had to re-learn every spring when it got warm enough to venture into ponds and streams. He would dash into the water eagerly, but the second his feet left the security of the ground, he would turn back toward the shore in panic and have to gather his wits about him before he’d venture back into the shallows. Inevitably, the pull of the tennis ball floating just beyond his reach would become so great he couldn’t resist, and he would steel himself to go after it. This first attempt always involved great strokes of his front legs coming up out of the water, generating huge splashes that obstructed his vision and pushed the ball he was after even further away. He would turn around, splash back to the shore, re-set, and try again. Each attempt became a little more graceful, until you could see the light bulb moment when he would find the rhythm, and swim gracefully after his prize. He would then swim the perimeter of the body of water he was in, collecting other balls – some that had been abandoned, and some that were involved in ongoing games of fetch. The most he ever got in his mouth at one time was three, which was quite a feat.

There were so may moments in our time together when it was obvious to me that he was absolutely meant to be a part of our family. The timing on us just moving into a pet-friendly place when he needed somewhere to stay. When he was diagnosed with Addison’s disease and several people in our life were surprised at our willingness to purchase and regularly inject him with the medicine his adrenal system needed to regulate itself. And the way he so easily assumed the role of my sidekick when I started working from home. There is no doubt in my mind that whether you know it or not, when the time is right, a pet will find its way into your life!

When we moved to Lafayette, our new back yard became a peaceful sanctuary for him. He knew every stone, every blade of grass, every short cut onto the deck. The last few months, the only time I felt like he was content was when he was lounging in the grass. He would settle in and pant happily, enjoying the sunshine and using his nose to follow the goings-on around him.

In his final years, he lost his hearing so gradually that I thought he had simply become an ornery old man who didn’t think he needed to listen to me when I called to him out in the yard. But when he didn’t react to the doorbell one day, it became apparent that his hardness of hearing was not elective. Eventually, his back legs got stiff and stopped cooperating with him. He rapidly lost his vision completely after last Christmas, which resulted in his hesitancy to tackle stairs and a new dependence on walls and furniture to find his way around the house. It also meant I abandoned my desk upstairs in the loft, and settled into a routine of working at the dining room table or the kitchen island, because it was such a challenge to get him back downstairs when he would inevitably find his way up the stairs searching for me. 


We had to say goodbye at the end of June. We spent his final day in the back yard, lounging in the grass, and enjoying the sunshine and some vanilla soft serve. All things considered, Bosco lived a really good life. He knew love and comfort, and shared his light with everyone in our life. 

Rest well, sweet friend. I will forever be grateful to have called you mine.


August 12, 2019

All My Old Flames Have New Names

In the car running an errand with a couple of cousins, we came up with a game:

Stripper Name or Car Color?
  1. Mystic Emerald
  2. Burnt Sunset
  3. Ooh La La Rouge
  4. Blizzard Pearl
  5. Freudian Gilt
  6. Beluga Brown
  7. Sassy Grass
  8. Tangerine Scream
  9. Plum Crazy
  10. Good Clean Fawn

*All of the above are car colors...which we agreed would make great stripper names!

April 20, 2019

You Wouldn't Get This From Any Other Guy

It's been a while since I've been to a live concert.  But Ben Rector came to town again, and we were gifted a couple of primo tickets to the Magic tour! 

Once again we fell in love with the opening act, Josie Dunne - a funky pop artist with a variety of grooves.  A bright mix of Motown, a bit of hip hop, and an extra helping of sass.

Then we enjoyed some of our favorites from Ben's early albums, a nice mix of his latest album, and a few of BG's recent faves - classics Ben has been recreating.  He even mashed up with Rick Astley and legitimately Rick-rolled the entire audience at the Fillmore.  Do yourself a favor and check out Newy Lewis and the Hues.

It was a great evening - and we even parked next to an apropos neon sign in the window of a salon, ending the night on an extra magical note!





January 11, 2019

Ticking Away the Moments

I can't remember which gathering it was, but during some event we hosted at our house over the holidays I had a conversation with someone older and much wiser than myself about our perceptions of time. Apparently, as we age, the amount of space memories and experiences take up in our physical brains gets smaller, so we actually perceive time to pass more quickly. Another effect of aging to join these expanding laugh lines! But I do find myself more frequently uttering, “How is it already Thursday?” and, “Holy cow, it’s almost February?” and, “Where did 2018 go?!”

I've had the luxury of being able to take extended weekends to appreciate the natural beauty of Colorado, to travel and explore new cities and savor new flavors, visit family all across the country, and relax in far-away places, and wouldn't trade those moments for anything. But, in order to truly cherish the beautiful moments, you can’t trade the icky ones either. The joy inherent in a reunion with a sweet friend also requires a goodbye.

With Bosco’s age becoming more apparent on a daily basis, last week I found myself thinking fondly of the days his boundless energy and destructive teeth wreaked havoc on our bedroom furniture. Something I would never have considered in the moment I was researching whether it was possible to smooth out and refinish walnut with chunks gnawed out of it!

I have also found myself nostalgic for days when all I had to do was get through piles of homework assignments and make sure the dishwasher was emptied when it was clean. I remember constantly feeling stressed and overwhelmed during high school and college, longing for the day when I’d have a job that didn’t involve bringing any work home, and I could enjoy my evenings and weekends – ha! I would love the ability to settle down with an interesting book and read for hours without feeling guilty about all of the things I should be doing instead.

Perceived speed aside, I did need the sage reminder that you only get to experience this life once, and each piece of it – beautiful or bitter – contributes to the tapestry you are weaving.