Huggins the Cat

A month ago, every night for a week before I was to be home, our 16 year-old cat, Huggins, had been sleeping at the head of my bed.  

Catnap in the living room rays of sunshine

"She hasn't done that in a while. She must know you're coming home."

After I left, she didn't go back into my room.  It's interesting how these things work. 

The past few days she hasn't eaten, and is dehydrated and uninterested at making her funny chattering noises at the birds in the window. She wouldn't leave one chair until someone came home.  

I was an artist once

"She purred a little bit last night. I think she's been suffering and we just didn't know it...I think she waiting until she saw you one more time."

 Huggins was put to rest tonight and buried next to Sunny the Cat, with the blue rabbits foot that I got in elementary school next to her.  My poor mother. The bonds we make with our pets. The years of our lives they represent. 

In the land of apple cider doughnuts

I used my last Mardi Gras costume contest plane ticket (thanks Rafters of Mammoth Lakes) that I won and went home to Vermont for a few weeks. I forgot my camera charger, but I did take a few photos.  I really needed Vermont time. A time to see good friends and family and new babies.  I also visited UNH and UVM to see about their Graduate programs. I almost got to SUNY Cortland.  It was fun to be in the Boston area a few days and learn I'm not so great with the train schedules, and spend time (or try to) with some great long-time friends from home and college.

Many times when I visited my parents in Southern VT, even when I lived in Vermont- I wanted to see everyone I knew and do everything I could. That is virtually impossible. Even though I had more time this visit, I still didn't accomplish seeing everyone and doing everything. Next time. 

A foggy view of the Green Mountains/ Appalachian Trail ridges from Mt. Anthony hike with Mom.

Why We Build the Wall

I've had a few weekends of office work, with a computer looking at a wall.  The Fire Prevention Officer shut the lights out on me one Sunday.  I said loudly, "Nope!", and he popped his head in and said, "Sorry didn't realize you were in here. We're going to have to cut a window infront of your desk so people know you're in here".

Haven't done that yet. But I did get to listen to a good ETown, from Burlington, VT episode.  The last song is Anais Mitchell and "Why We Build the Wall".  I love this song!

Grill time?

As you may recall, the Snowpowcolypse brought Mammoth Lakes 15+ feet of snow.  Well, it hasn't snowed much since and the temps are high. In December I couldn't see my grill. Then snow has been melting in town, and someone shoveled the grill out.

Where's the freshies? In the meantime... maybe I'll actually eat some nice grass-fed beef. I've also realized I'm a health food store snob. I want my Hunger Mt. Coop back! But we have a health food store in Mammoth. Yay. 

Also, sometimes I miss the sock room's organization at ORS.  Scary? Maybe not.  

Cheers!

Let's put another shrimp on the barbi

Vermonty Times Had on the Eastside

At least I still am on the Eastside of something. The Eastside of the Sierras is a great place. There's at least 3 publications about it... Eastside Magazine, Eastern Sierra something... there's more, but I'm typing this in my car and my feet are cold. Wi-fi at home soon? A luxury or a necessity? Necessity when applying to grad school.  That aside. Let me ramble.

My roomate, Don, is gone to Peru (hope you're having fun!!!) and I decided why not finally host a couchsurfer.  Couchsurfing.com is a great resource. You just have to have a sense of adventure and trust. Both of which I seem to have a majority of the time.

Well, let me tell you as fate would have it, I was contacted by someone who grew up about 60 miles north of me in Vermont.  Right now he's stone's throw away in summer on the other side of Yosemite in El Portal doing outdoor education.  A career I dabble in from time to time.  In winter Tioga Pass is closed, so he's 8 hours away.

We haven't had the best snow after the Snowpowcolypse of 15+ feet of snow- but it doesn't mean there isn't any skiing. It just means you have to wait for the snow to corn up. There's not much avalanche danger at the moment either.

Let's just say I couldn't have had a better time skiing and talking about CA and VT.  It made me a little homesick, but it also made me realize HOW MUCH stuff is out there that I still have to do and see.

Home is the place where...

Home is the place where, when you have to go there, They have to take you in.  - Robert Frost


Except sometimes they just miss you!


I had a great visit in Vermont and no place else is like it.  I didn't get to see everyone I wanted to see, but sleeping in at home that one day in a "I'm allergic to my cat, Huggins, and took benedryl" coma was kind of nice.  I have all these license plates in my room and I was just thinking about how I finally got to see some of those places.  However, there is nothing like the feeling of going home, and knowing this is home.  Vermont- I will return. 


Thank you all my friends and family for Family Night on Monday. Did anyone take pictures????   I didn't see my whole family, but I was blessed to be there after my Grandma had her pacemaker put in, and I got to hear my Dad sing Christmas songs with choir since I'm missing Christmas at home.


Thanks to the ORS Crew and Amanda, James, and Miles for shuffling me around in my Montpelier visit and taking me skiing (thanks Kip and Jen for the skis, and Phlip for picking my ass up).  I will improve and impress next time we ski. I have to!  Glad I got to go to 3 Penny and have beer with ORS people and Kathryn W!  Cheryl and Sarah I will see you sometime. Kudos for last minute visiting at Barnes and Noble with Heather and Chris (you guys are adorable) and Amanda and Ava for taking me to the plane- can you believe we've known each other since 5th grade? 


Thanks to Shannon M, Katherine M, and Michelle  J for Girl's Night! Sorry we were missing a few people. At least I got to see the VT Bachelor- the one and only Shane Meaney!


In the midst Sarah and Tristan moved to a new home in Plainfield where I got to stay! It's beautiful! Congratulations. 


I also now have 5 women (cousins and friends) who are due to have babies between July and September. Whoa! Congratulations!!!


Glad I at least emailed and talked to people on the phone I couldn't see in person.


I have to checkout of Circus Circus in 10 minutes so I better go.  And I just checked. My Grafton smoked cheddar still tastes good. 

Kip, Phlip and I skinned up MRG

View from Worcester early AM

My Oma's house (now Bob's!!!)

ORS-sick... it happens(the dictionary definition and then some)

Word: ORS-sick
Pronunciation: /O-R-S sik/
Part of Speech: Adjective
Definition: nostalgic for Onion River Sports; missing former lifestyle, community, and way of life; pining for home, friends, family and familiar mountains; in a nostalgic condition
Synonyms: homesick, hankering, pining, heartsick, lonely, longing for home, missing, wistful, yearning
Antonyms: California,West Coast
Usage Examples:
-The girl from Vermont was so ORS-sick that she couldn't sleep at Circus Circus due to sheer excitement of her homecoming.
-She was ORS-sick because close-knit friends and communities are hard to come by.
-She was ORS-sick before she even packed her car for California.
-Inevitably everyone one gets ORS-sick from time to time.
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I do love Vermont, but for the next 6 months I'm in California- this is about that

So here I am. It's snowing in Mammoth Lakes. I started work yesterday for the Forest Service at the Inyo National Forest Visitor Center. They gave me my ugly ugly uniform. I shortly thereafter went running. The only cool part of the uniform is that I get to not wear it after work, and I get to wear my Darn Tough VT socks with hiking boots of my choice. Other than that, I have a lot to learn.

I still need to go explore more of town, but it's great. First night here I got to have dinner with an old UMaine Parks, Rec. and Tourism buddy, Barrett, and his girlfriend (from VT!) Jill, and Barrett's best friend who used to work at East Burke Sports, Tyler, and his wife, Laura. Then I got to meet K-Wrig's friend, who was visiting town, and who is Jill's sister. If you are confused now, you should be. But basically it's like 6 degrees of separation Vermont/ Maine style- and right here in Mammoth Lakes, CA.

So my move here was purely because I already turned down an offer with the Forest Service before, and I just was feeling like I wasn't being an overly adventurous person. I think after this I will surely know what I want in life. I am pretty positive I want a more permanent job, maybe not with the government. Maybe more non-profit. Maybe with trails, maybe with kids. All I know is I left an amazing job at Onion River Sports (love you guys more than you know) and a supportive, outdoor family who I am so glad to have. I will keep in touch!

I also left all my best friends and family since like 4th grade, highschool, and college. But it's an adventure.

If it's one thing I've learned- it's that I have the most supportive friends anyone could ever ask for. Thank you to you all who have listened to me debate things numerous times and decide what is good for me. I love you all. I am so blessed. You all mean so much to me, and you all know who you are.

Well- this blog isn't as graceful and thought out as Tristan and Sarah's, but I'm going on hour 3 in this cafe, Looney Bean, in Mammoth Lakes, and I've had a lot of coffee. Time to sign out.

I'll come up with something better later.

Hear's to the best friends and outdoor adventurers a girl could ever have!