I try to do my part. Recycle, reuse, donate. Make more and buy less. Walk more. Compost. Nothing too crazy, nothing too special, but I try to participate, and love that my city does too. I also try to save my back and shoulders, and now avoid carrying a huge purse, the Mary Poppins kind, with everything in it. One problem though, I systematically underestimate my need for coffee. It's shocking, I should know better, but quite often, I find myself with the need, or at least the strong desire for a delicious cuppa latte. I feel bad for the to-go cups I use, although I recycle them. So most often I at least skip the sleeve, and instead enjoy the warmth the hot coffee provides to my hands through the paper. If you've met me, you know that I'm almost always cold, so this is amazing. On warmer days though, the heat of the coffee feels more like a burning sensation, straight through that once lovely cup, and I try to walk, sip and wiggle my fingers all at the same time. It doesn't usually end well.

I'm not going to lie, the last few weeks have been rough. And, unfortunately, not in the "I really wish my pants had an elastic waistband" or "guess I forgot to drink water last night" kind of way. Well, ok, there was a bit of that. Truth be told, there has been a lot of good, a lot of fun and laughter. But there has also been illnesses, injuries, loss and sadness. A few too many moments where I thought to myself, maybe if I just go back to bed now, I'll wake up and it'll all be over. As I'm getting ready to fly back home to be with family, I'm taking a few moments to treasure the good memories, and try to forget everything else.

It seems like just a few days ago that we made it through the long series of flights to visit my family for the Holidays, and already we are back home. It was a blur of food and wine, of embraces, stories and laughter, and next thing I know I'm back home, snuggling on the couch with my little furry buddy, promising to drink water and eat salads for a while. If you are anything like me, the first grocery trip I make after a trip is filled with fruits and vegetables, enough to feed an army of... not very hungry people. I go a little overboard, and forget to include anything more substantial, going from over-eating to being hungry all day long. Luckily, not for too long, as we are headed to Mt Baker to share a cabin with good friends, wanting nothing more than powder and a hot tub to ring in the New Year.

I'm in complete denial that summer is over, and dreaming of waking up in a tent, somewhere remote and quiet. Despite the temperature rating of my sleeping bag promising comfort below freezing, deep down I know that the season is now over for me. Camping in the PNW can get pretty chilly. Or maybe it's me. I like to believe that it's both. Needless to say, I'm often pretty cold by the time we are ready for an early campfire, and I've been known to wear my winter coat in July. I now try to cover myself in duvet, and this is totally on my wish list, although I would probably be tempted to wear it way too often and in less than appropriate situations.