More ADK Adventures

It’s Tysabri infusion weekend, which I’m grateful for this drug that keeps my motor running and mostly keeps MS manageable. However, being on this medication for 12 years, I’m guaranteed my body’s reactions, which means a weekend of nausea, migraine type headache, and feeling off. Usually, by the time Monday rolls around (I schedule my infusions for Fridays) things are back to whatever ‘normal’ for me is, lol.

Last weekend was quite monumental. I had only minimal plans to go to one of my friend’s son’s 21st birthday bbq/party, and received a text from Becky inquiring if I wanted to try to go tackle a couple more 46er’s. I shortened my visit at the fun birthday party celebration and got some sleep, but could have certainly used more.

The weather forecast was beautiful, and hiking is my mental and physical solace so once again I geared up for a 2:45 am wake up call in order to get to the “Garden” a small parking lot, which fills up quickly on the weekends, so getting there by 5-6am is crucial to ensure you get a spot. Dropping one of our cars at Rooster’s Comb parking lot, we arrived around 5 ish to the Garden, and Becky, Tela and I began out on a journey to summit two peaks Lower and Upper WolfJaw. Lesson engrained in my head: In the ADK, there are several trail junctions, and not a plentiful amount of trail markers/signage. Therefore for future adventures, I will be stopping and verifying I am on course much more diligently.

Easy foreshadowing there, as we made a wrong turn, and ended up about half way up the ascent of Gothics. Now, shame on me for not fully educating myself on the surrounding area as well. I had not studied or read about Gothics and suitability for dogs. Tela is a rock star mountain dog with the drive and ambition getting to the summit, she’s 11, and while still amazingly agile, is aging (always so hard to watch).

So we decided to give it a go, knowing if Gothics seemed too much we could try to grab one other peak nearby. It wasn’t really what we wanted for the adventure, but at this point we decided to attempt and assess once we got closer, as you always want ideally to have a bail out plan. We passed a couple of hikers on the way, and they were descending. They mentioned that the cables on Gothics may be too much for a dog. Hesitation began to enter my mind, but decided we would push on to wait and see what these ‘cables’ would be like and if Tela could handle them. As we continued, we met another hiker who we talked more extensively with regarding the upcoming cable route. He was friends with the two hikers we had passed and advised they had bailed on Gothics. However, I hope I run into this hiker again, because he gave the best beta for Tela, watching what she was managing on the semi-technical scramble we were on he felt it could be done, with some assistance, and so we continued on. Thank you so much for your vote of confidence fellow hiker, which meant, we were in it to win it, with the goal of 4 peaks to be summited on this gorgeous day.

Once we arrived at the cables, I knew it would take a bit of help to get Tela up. Thankfully she had her pack on and Becky was amazing helping her when she was ahead. After some bloody paws redirection, up the cables we made it and were happy to summit what may be my favorite 46er I have hiked yet.

From here, we enjoyed the amazing views, felt the relief of getting through a particularly technical part, but did know we would encounter a pretty steep ladder on our next peak post summit of Armstrong. The hike to Armstrong seemed to go by quickly, and we were able really enjoy the views from this amazing vantage point. I took some videos, but don’t want to pay for the upgrade to upload, so a photo will do, but the 360 views are stunning.

Once we summited Armstrong, we knew it was a matter of time before we faced the ladder. By this time Tela’s paws were a bit better so we were trucking along. However, the ladder to descend was not easy for Tela. She would have been fine ascending but she basically wanted to be carried. We managed a one step at a time, Becky in front and me lifting her behind to get down safely. She was really brave, and Becky was such a great support as Tela really was clinging to her :).

We began our way to Upper WolfJaw. Becky was feeling really energetic, I was maybe not as much but trying to fuel. It’s so important even though sometimes you aren’t hungry to fuel and hydrate on long adventures, so some peanut M&M’s gave me a bit of a boost. Upper Wolfjaw required some scrambling, and Tela’s paws begin to get irritated again, and we made it to the top and worked through an assessment of our energy levels to complete Lower Wolfjaw.

After enjoying some views and refueling, we decided to give it our best to grab Lower Wolfjaw. It wasn’t very far (only adding a couple of miles to the trip) so we went for it. I was really happy we did. It was mental, prepared me for more adventures and increased my confidence.

Descending ended up being in a rightful way its own adventure. Only fitting for this amazing Type II fun day.

So squishy socks for a bit (only laziness on my part to keep moving) towards the car. We clocked in at hiking time of 11 hours and 12 hours out in the pure ADK wilderness. What a day! We felt super initiated into these mountains. There is so much that lies ahead to explore. We have been spoiled thus far with incredible weather and few bugs the last 3 weekends. When I return next weekend, I fully expect humidity, bugs, and potentially my first real encounter with with infamous ADK black flies.

So on to reflection… there’s no place I can feel more alive than hiking mountains. The challenge, the beauty… I wish I had another sabbatical for months to just hike. Now, how to make that happen…

Distracting myself, for a moment to process

The past two weekends, I have been all consumed, with spending time with friends, getting into the mountains, working towards goals of completing the 46 peaks of the Adirondack 46ers, (Mountains above 4600 ft.) This maybe doesn’t sound that difficult, but the approaches are long, and even yesterday as I was reminded about reading this thing call an “ADK mile” where it feels like twice that. I digress. This range of mountains in the High Peaks Wilderness are special and reminds you that you must respect the mountain and the surrounding forests. You can’t rely on a cable car or restaurant at the top. This is true ruggedness. I thought my count was 6/ 46 but it’s actually 7/46 down, 39 to go. Challenging goal, I hope to accomplish.

Some photos of Big Slide, summit with my roommate in grad school that I had not seen since 2017 and Chris and Tela, then summit of Tabletop Mountain and Phelps Mountain with Becky and Tela.

And now to the reality. I am still without words on the tragic, horrific events that occurred over the past two weeks in the USA. There of course is so much conflict in our world right now, not just in the USA, but of course all over. I hope there can be some changes and healing not just on a surface level, but a much deeper level. Wishing all stay healthy and talk to someone if you need to in these tough times. Wishing you a nice Memorial Day, and a great start to the summer!

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

“Oh, yeah, Mmm Still don’t know what I was waitin’ for
And my time was runnin’ wild
A million dead end streets and
Every time I thought I’d got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me
But I’ve never caught a glimpse
How the others must see the faker
I’m much too fast to take that test

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-changes
Don’t want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-changes
There’s gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can’t trace time

Mmm, yeahI watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence
And so the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They’re quite aware of what they’re goin’ through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-changes
Don’t tell them to grow up and out of it
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-changes
Where’s your shame?
You’ve left us up to our necks in it
Time may change me
But you can’t trace time

Strange fascinations fascinate me
Ah, changes are taking
The pace I’m goin’ through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-changes
Ooh, look out, you rock ‘n’ rollers
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Turn and face the strange
Ch-ch-changes
Pretty soon now you’re gonna get older
Time may change me
But I can’t trace time
I said that time may change me
But I can’t trace time– David Bowie

For anyone, following did you see what I did there, with my dorky sense of humor, I couldn’t help but to think of the best way to describe my life over the past few months (Changes) and using the CH CH CH CH (aka Switzerland) is if you don’t know, a little reference to the transition of Switzerland to Upstate New York, USA. In fact, this is embedded in my head as every Switzerland car had a CH sticker on it- including our own. Later, we learned this was because if we crossed internationally to other countries, people would know that we were from Switzerland. This didn’t make much sense to me, as the license plate has the Swiss flag and furthermore what canton you are from… interesting indeed (evidence below)

I digress.. So In April, we began one big life change, moving back to the USA, to a place where Chris had never even been. Upstate NY, Adirondacks, Catskills, sweet town, lots of lakes. Our sights were set on Saratoga Springs as our final destination. I was nervous about the flight, and Tela’s flight. It was the first time we had flown since the pandemic, and we were trying to ensure all items were wrapped up before leaving the country- foreshadowing- unsuccessful in this area, LOL.

All went well COVID wise traveling back, and Tela’s arrival and trip was so much better than when we moved to Switzerland. She was on a direct flight from Zurich to JFK, and then driving to Saratoga Springs. We were on a flight the following day, due to shortages of flights running from Zurich to Newark, then planned on driving to Saratoga to check into our temporary living apartment. We arrived, as typically tired from the International flight navigated our way to our rental car, managed to get turned around but finally were headed upstate!

It was weird at first to be back on that drive as we were technically in quarantine, so just trying to get there as quickly as possible was the goal. It was a late flight, and we managed to get in post midnight almost 1am. A guy met us at the apartment, to give us the keys and the lay of the land of the apartment and building. We didn’t really learn too much, so I’m not sure why a key drop wouldn’t have been easier, but, in this life you pick your conversations, especially on little sleep. We got settled in (aka brush teeth) and then and crashed into sleep.

Quarantine life in the US, well, just life overall is so much more convenient than Switzerland. Maybe this is because of culture, language, or 43 vs. 3 years of experience, but let me say, “America”! We were amazed at all the food we had missed out on. I did the ‘worst’ sort of American thing by Doordash’ing a piece of NY style cheesecake, because I wanted it. No shame, nope, not at all. It was delicious and I have 0 regrets.

I was able to celebrate my birthday in the joy of delicious oysters, a mistake on the kitchen’s part and thus a seafood tower, steak and my favorite California Russian River Pinot Noir. Pandemic or not, this night felt very good.

So we got reunited with Tela, and made it through quarantine with ease and set off on a whirlwind checklist. First we needed a New York State DL so that CK could get vaccinated for COVID-19, as the week we moved back, NY state opened access to all adults 35 years and older.

So we gathered all the documentation and headed to the DMV, which again, was just opening for in person visits, so a bit awkward for all I think. The pandemic will have a toll on re-calibration and the decision to re-introduce something you have stopped or changes you have made to make it through a particularly trying time for humanity. I expect we will see these impacts through different social cycles for generations to come.

The DMV required additional documentation to prove NY State residency (lease for temporary housing was insufficient) so off we went. Thank God I had a very attentive relocation team and they were able to generate a document that was acceptable to them, so check box, and then we were able to get CK an appointment for his first COVID vaccine the Friday after re-entering the US. Next up was taking advantage of Subaru’s 0% Financing Offer. As we both needed new cars, and we are a Subaru family, we both ended up with Outbacks. The story, I chose to try to erase from my memory as it was unnecessary challenges. Hopefully moving forward, the Subaru dealership here in Saratoga will improve their customer service, and we will drive these babies into the ground.

Of course one of the biggest food cravings I have desperately missed while living in Switzerland, is Mexican.

But let’s face it it is not just Mexican food I was missing, it was was few other food items as well. So I have to give a special shout out to the best grilled cheese I ever ate, the Lobster Grilled Cheese. Don’t miss this if in Saratoga Springs area! Eddie F’s · ftw! And we discovered a BBQ place that serves NC vinegar based BBQ but also a variety of all the popular BBQs- (St. Louis, KS City, Texas). It’s quality, even my dad couldn’t argue too much, minus he made better; which is true.

Before I started my new job, I was completely thrilled to reunite with a friend who I have missed greatly. It is such a blessing to pick up where your friendship left off 20 years later and although things are different, your friendship is still as awesome as it once was.

I did something that was a huge leap of faith for me, my first big exposure, getting a haircut. Although I felt fabulous afterwards, it was my first entry into the world where people were freely not masking appropriately, and did not care. I would not return to this salon (but admittedly haven’t thought of it again yet).

The next change for me was starting a new job, and rejoining a company I worked for early in my career. Finally, US Healthcare, so infusions, and a much needed visit to the eye dr resulting in reading glasses! Ugh, aging.

I loved our temporary housing location as it was so easy to roam around old town Saratoga Springs and admire all the porches and amazing homes and architecture.

The next big life change- Housing. Oh right, housing, you know that roof over your head thing. We selected temporary housing based on location, and right away it reminded us that we are too old for apartment living. So in conjunction with our realtor, we navigated the most challenging market I had experienced as a buyer. The Saratoga Real State Market for buyers can be summed up as the following:

You needed to see the property the day it hit the market or was available for showing to have a chance. You could also not delay or spend time researching your decision. If you were seeing a house you needed to be prepared to make an offer the day of viewing.
Just because you as the buyer offer above asking price will not ensure you have presented a more attractive deal. We had our first 2 offers declined.
We had to go back again and fight for the 3rd house we put an offer in on. I can’t say how grateful I am we got the house we selected. It feels like home, and there is still so much blank canvas to work with to create dream spaces. Super exciting. More to come on that later…
People in the USA are fleeing bigger cities, like NYC due to the pandemic, so many working arrangements have offered greater flexibility, it is nice to see, except when you are a fellow homebuyer who can’t afford all the luxuries of buying in all cash, waiving inspections, or making offers sight-unseen. This was where this market was. Complete insanity, and it was not only here the US was experiencing it.

Conveniently located to the highway, the Lake, SPAC, downtown Saratoga Springs, in a quiet peaceful neighborhood. Thumbs up! With SPAC being so close, CK and I rode our bikes to the Trey Solo Show, and enjoyed ourselves completely. It was great to see some friends and be distanced in that intimate environment.

Fast forward a bit, CK and I were thrilled as the previous owners put so much of their own touch into the house, and we hope to continue to do the same. We have both enjoyed different areas of our new abode, and better yet, we have been able to already share our home to visitors!

The first overnight guest was my friend Becky, who I hope is my hiking partner in crime for the ADK 46ers. We knocked two of them out, and this is one of my goals- complete all 46 within the next 5 years, so I’ve got some work to do. We also hosted CK’s cycling friend, wife and two children for a few days before the next two groups of visitors.

It had been since Father’s Day 2019, since I had physically seen my parents or niece, and it was so wonderful to host them in our new home. The visit was quite special, as it was my parents 36th wedding anniversary, and I was able to drive them to see Niagara Falls as a gift. We enjoyed our time although still too limited very much. We planted hibiscus, lilacs, a raspberry bush and a magnolia tree to set our roots here as a family.

The next visitor, we had not seen physically since 2018, which WAS WAY overdue, CK’s daughter, my beautiful step-daughter, Miss Elsa. She is now 5’9, just turned 13, and is just as wonderful as one could hope for. We have missed her so very much, and it’s hopefully the time when we can see her more often. The visit was her and CK’s first to NYC, we had a very short time there. Due to the delta variant coming back, things are also still picking up, yet hard to imagine how it was not as crowded as I can recall pre-Covid times. We stayed near Central Park, went to Coney Island, of course rode the Cyclone and Wonder Wheel, as well as a few other rides. The time was over too quickly, and we are looking forward to more visits.

An amazing time to see loved ones, but unfortunately risks were too high to proceed with some scheduled plans. We watch the data, make risk based decisions, with consultation as needed, and look forward to a booster shot for me, and hopefully more live music and hosting friends and family!

Be safe, be kind, and be well, love, laugh, dance, and sing often

Transitioning from Switzerland back to the USA

It’s been a long time, with valid reason of lack of time allocation to write. International moves, are definitely not for the weak of heart. After spending 3 years abroad as an auslander in Switzerland, some of the processes of leaving left a sour taste in our mouth. Although you try to plan as closely as you can, following up minus the potential language barrier or cultural differences, inevitably we faced challenges, but even if it was difficult, once we finally finished the apartment handover, we felt we could breathe again without conflict.

We had encountered a scare with Tela, as she needed a quick surgery for multiple tumors. She had a tumor on her paw, on in her rectum and two in the intestines and intestinal wall. Miraculously the biopsies were negative and minus not being able to hike due to the paw taking six weeks to heal, she is well!

We spent the last week in an amazing Airbnb right on Lake Brienzee. It was a perfect part of Switzerland as many spots were less crowded due to the pandemic. This area is surely a prime “tourist area”. I recall coming to this region many times to hike in the Jungfrau region, enjoying all the area offers including the famous villages of Grindelwald, Lautebrunnen, and Interlaken and it was pretty darn crowded every time.

I will cherish my sabbatical (this is one of the best company benefits for all those HR folks out there :), and a whole blog post to come on that experience later.

I digress- This last week in Switzerland was filled with some of the most perfect moments, early sunrise hikes with Tela, the aquamarine hues so special to Switzerland sparkled in the sunshine illuminating our way. One of my favorite captures, (see picture two below) of a fisherman catching his fish. This was while I was saying goodbye to our Swiss National friend, Flavia. One of the sweetest and kindest Swiss nationals I knew. She is a super special ray of sunshine.

Flavia- a dear previous colleague who before the pandemic was my Swiss local foodie buddy, excuse the frizzy Covid hair- we were on a hike

Oh those aqua hues- just to die for ❤️
“Fishing is a quest for knowledge and wonder as much as a pursuit of fish;”
Paul Schullery

My morning walk views

In this last week, Tela and I enjoyed hiking, and Chris biking. As covid measures were in place we only had the chance to try a few “take away”/delivery food options.

I was also able to say a decent covid goodbye to three of the most special supporters, friends and colleagues during my time in Switzerland. These ladies will always have a most special place in my heart.

Ah, such bittersweet feeling, closing this chapter of our lives abroad in one of the most beautiful countries in the world, yet very much excited about our new chapter in Saratoga Springs, NY.

**The purest of hearts and sharpest of minds ❤**

Last Teams call with my great Swiss colleagues

More to come- retrospective writing in progress.

Stay safe all- especially with the new delta variant, vaccinate, mask, and practice above normal hygiene.

Remembering One of a Kind

Today is my Granny’s birthday. The last year we were able to celebrate her birthday with her on Planet Earth was 2016. Time flies by, the world changes in so many ways, but I thank God I have wonderful memories of my Granny to hold on to tightly.

The last years of her life were very difficult as she was fighting and struggling, and I miss the possibility to have one of our many conversations. I often wonder what she would say watching the events of the last years evolve. This post is a letter to my Granny, honoring her life and the amazing inspiration she was to so many.

Dear Granny,

As I sit on a Sunday morning, thinking of you and how much your guidance, spirit, drive and determination has influenced my life, I wanted to take a moment to really celebrate your life today. You helped raise me, taught me the lessons of hard work in the garden, caring for the crops that would yield an abundance of vegetables, and fruits that would create an independence of reliance of store bought items.

When I reflect back on your life and teachings, one thing was crystal clear, you always gave everything you had to give and more. It didn’t matter if you were tired, your unyielding kindness and dedication to provide for your family and others in your community is unparalleled. In the spring you would spend time planning the crops to be planted, and then spend the summers getting up early to beat the heat in the multi-acre gardens, picking whatever vegetables could be harvested and putting a substantial bounty away for the winter months, just in case times got tough. I think some of this drive came from you growing up in the times of the depression, being poor financially, and the determination to be self-sufficient. You would spend so much time on the vegetables, from planting, to picking and harvesting, to shelling, shucking, carefully going through either a canning process or freezing process to preserve. One of your many acts of kindness was going through this work, and then giving away the fruits of your labor to so many in the community, and your family.

After starting your days early, then you would prepare yourself to work second shift as a nurse at Wake Medical Center, getting back home post midnight. On days you weren’t working in the garden, and when the winter came, your passion of quilting and making quilts not just for family, but your church family members was awe inspiring. In today’s world, most people who are making and designing quilts are doing so for money, but that thought never crossed your mind, you saw this as a way to create something your family could keep and treasure, and also serve functionally to keep warm with. The many quilts you created for me during my life, I am still using and feel like it’s a big hug from you everyday.

You can’t talk about Mary Parrish, my beloved Granny, without talking about Sunday ‘dinner’ or ‘lunch’ at your house. Again, the energy you spent to bring your family and community around the table for Sunday lunches, was something you took great pride in, and I know brought you and all those you invited to enjoy those special meals in your humble home great satisfaction and love. You spared zero efforts working with your daughters to ensure there were several meats, vegetables, biscuits, cornbread, and a multiple selection of desserts to please everyone. If someone had not been able to come in a few weeks from the family, you would call and make sure they knew they were welcome, and in turn, you would also make that person feel special, because you would cook their favorite of your delicious recipes.

After the cleanup from the feast was done, we would gather in the kitchen and living room and catch up by telling stories, catching up on the events of the world, watch college basketball during the season, and sometimes sing hymns together.

Another memory that the photo above clearly demonstrated was your love for greeting cards. Prior to the days of email, you would take care each week to share a card of kindness, sympathy, support, holiday celebration, birthdays or anniversaries for all of your loved ones, and many times those who were extensions of your family. Sometimes I wonder just how many cards you sent over the years to bring a smile to others.

You brought a richness to so many lives, my dear Granny. Everyday, I cook with your cast iron frying pan, wrap your quilt around me for a hug, and hold on to all the life lessons you taught me. You fought through so many challenges, domestic, financial, cultural, health, and you never once gave up. You always were a rock of determination, and your spirit lives on through all those you were an example for. Specifically, to try be a strong, independent woman, who aims to be kind, loving, and giving. I do not measure up to you in any stretch of the imagination on a scale, but am I one of the luckiest people in the world for having you as a strong woman role model and influence? You can count on it! Happy birthday in Heaven my sweet, strong Granny. I can’t begin to to you thank you for everything you gave, how you inspired me to live my life, I miss you still more than I would ever be able to formulate words for.

You’re smiling at me
From your picture frame
And I miss you
My life keeps on changing
But you stay the same
I miss you
So many moments
That we should have shared
I miss you

And the days turn to years
And it hasn’t stopped yet
The memories we shared
I will never forget
No I will never forget

There’s a hole in my heart
That will never be filled
I miss you
This all should get easier
But it never will
I miss you
I float through the days
And the long lonely nights
I miss you

And I hear your footsteps
You’re coming down the stairs
Lost in your laughter
The sun in your hair
A brief recollection
The light in your eyes
I see the reflection
But it passes by
It passes me by

You’re smiling at me
From your picture frame
And I miss you
Every morning I wake up
And I whisper your name
I miss you
You’re in faces of people
I see on the street
You’re everywhere
You’re everywhere
You’re everywhere

Lyrics- Trey Anastasio

“When we do the best we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another.” – Helen Keller

Your loving granddaughter,

Mary Elayne

2020… Hindsight is not what I expected

The last time I wrote in my blog, life was so different, the world was a completely different place. We were celebrating the life of Chris’s grandmother, spending time with family and friends back in Colorado. Although I had heard of the initial outbreaks of Coronavirus 2 (SARS–CoV–2) in January, like much of the world, I had no idea how this tiny virus would alter and dominate the world’s economic, social, physical, and mental well being. In the first weeks when the virus was really impacting our bordering country, Italy; my husband thought I was overly obsessive about this virus. I have always been a bit of an epidemiology dork and watching the data and trying to understand the science behind this virus was quite consuming. In the beginning days , I was fascinated and wanted to absorb all the analytical data and information I could get into my brain. Fascination soon turned to concern, worry, uncertainty and all the fun an unknown pandemic brings to the lives of us all.

I went back to my email, and noted that on 01 March I sent a mass email to many of my close friends expressing my concern about what I felt could be evolving. Here I am in August of 2020, and it’s still difficult to find the right words. Let’s face it, our entire lives have changed. Being someone who has a pre-existing condition, and considering there are so many unknowns still today about exact transmission risks, asymptomatic carriers, and very strange side effects post infection, we are still living a life of hyper-care. For me, until we have an effective safe vaccine, or efficacious therapeutic, this is life.

“I wish it need not have happened in my time,’ said Frodo. ‘So do I,’ said Gandalf, ‘and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
J.R.R. Tolkein

Tela and I hiking the Panorama Trail above the Davosersee

I am grateful to have a job that I along with all my colleagues have adjusted to a time of new normal. This year was intended to be full of travel to many places for work. Now, I am adjusting my time zone and they are adjusting theirs to meet virtually via video conferencing, and utilizing technology, intense planning and communication to keep things moving along. Working from home, or home office is not new to me, but always being at home and not traveling at all has been an adjustment. Just like everything in life, a new normal presents itself, and we as human’s find the best way to viably thrive and keep on keeping on. I long to keep in touch with friends and family more, but also find myself mentally exhausted from staring at a computer screen all day on video conferences for work.

What’s happening across the world, and especially in my home country of the USA is very difficult to watch, especially from afar. From the political environment, to the racial injustices, the stories of these days leave my heart heavy. Sadly, it seems there is a lot of misinformation about the pandemic, and the truth is for me there is still much to learn about this virus.

As always in times of challenges with life, I am very grateful to be able to still get outside and hike and take in the beauty of the mountains that surround me. Mountains, music, and food have always been my happy zones, and though some of these have changed, they continue to be my go to’s for strength.

The beautiful world of Switzerland- Glaciers and Mountains give me peace

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”
Socrates

Yesterday was Swiss National Day, and we celebrated Switzerland by reaching the summit of the Niesen otherwise known as “The Swiss Pyramid” from the valley floor. At an elevation gain of 5882 feet in six miles, it kept my heart rate going. These moments in life- the ones we really feel we are doing our best, pushing ourselves the hardest, are the one’s I live for.

I hope if you are still reading- you are all safe, healthy, and living the best life you can in this crazy world. Until next time, I keep with my current theme song…

Lyrics: (Anastasio/Marshall) Time to get out, I paid my dues
I need to shout there’s no time to lose
No more to give, the well is dry
The pavement’s warm, my brain is fried
It’s time to get out, I paid my dues
My shoes have holes, my socks are bare
The mirror’s secret is I’m losing my hair
I’m in prison without a crime
The sentence stretches on undefined
It’s time to get out, I paid my dues
I paid my dues

But, everything’s right, so just hold tight
Everything’s right, so just hold tight

Just hold tight

I’m going downhill with increasing speed
Compassion gives way, if you listen to greed
Focus on the past and that’s what will last
Nothing that is real and nothing you can feel
Focus on tomorrow you’ll have to borrow
Images and mind and friends you left behind
Focus on today, you’ll find a way
Happiness is how rooting in the now

Because everything’s right, so just hold tight
Everything’s right, so just hold tight
Everything’s right, so just hold tight
Just hold tight

Look into the eyes of everyone you meet
Try not to step on your best friend’s feet
The line is in the sand, the flag is planted
The rest of your life don’t take it for granted

Cuz everything’s right, so just hold tight
Everything’s right, so just hold tight
Everything’s right, so just hold tight
Just hold tight

Hindsight is 2020, Part Three

“Self–care is how you take your power back.”
Lalah Delia.

A few years ago, I was on an audit just outside of Barcelona. It was a big international trip and the logistics were so complex I had to keep a spreadsheet of cities, hotels, number of people and who was in my company vs. a joining company. Ten working days, six audits, six countries… good times.

One of the benefits of traveling for work is that you get glimpses of areas you would want to explore more or go back to one day. During that trip, we stayed at an Eco Resort, https://www.massalagros.com/ecoresort/. A part of our stay including an amazing tasting dinner at their restaurant, 1497. https://www.massalagros.com/gastronomia/. During this time, I had the most amazing lamb that I have ever had in my life. I half-joked that I would marry that lamb.

As we departed Girona; Chris and I both had a lot on our minds. We had learned that his grandmother had suffered a brain hemorrhage, and had surgery. At first the recovery process was looking positive. After talks with the family in the US, it was decided to wait a few days before making the flight back to the US.

We left Girona to reach the Mas Salagros resort in Vallromanes. Mentally tired from processing everything going on in the US, this resort was a blessing to return to for pleasure and not business. The Ecoresort has fantastic touches in the rooms such as a bathtub with a view, and intricate architecture and touches such as arches and stained glass. The last time I was in this beautiful place, I encountered a magnificent sunset, and this evening was no exception!

So, let’s talk about your memories of food for a moment. That lamb many years ago, really set the precedence for how I believe lamb should be prepared. My coworkers and I have spoken about it many times since eating there years ago. Would it be as amazing as I thought? Let’s break it down quite simply. When I eat food that I love or have a passion for, I typically try to take a photo. Although I managed to get photos of the rest of our meal, I was so excited for the lamb, my photo was blurred. However, I can tell you after speaking with the chef, understanding the 48 hour slow cooked lamb and preparation, it was so tender, juicy, and simply exquisite. I am married, but yes, I would still marry that lamb. ;).

Another hindsight 2020 moment was the lack of allowing enough time to fully enjoy Mas Salagros, as we stayed just one night and were off to the final destination of our holiday journey, one of my favorite places on Earth, the Gran Son Net Hotel in Puigpunyent, Mallorca.

We got a decent night’s sleep, checking in on the family in the US before deciding to continue on. We started our journey early in the morning, There aren’t many major airlines that fly from Barcelona to Mallorca. We flew Vueling and another it’s a small world reminder occurred. On our flight, were many of the musicians and the conductor/maestro from the Opera and ballet we saw in Barcelona. As we deplaned we had an opportunity to thank him for the performance which is always a good feeling. Artists and musicians always give so much to the world- it’s great to be able to personally thank them.

We collected our luggage, Chris’s bike, grabbed the rental car and off we went. We made a short pit stop at a grocery store to buy some water and snacks for the trip for hiking/ biking. Chris unpacked his bike and off he went for his first ride on the island. I drove to as I have mentioned one of my favorite hotels in the world… the Gran Son Net Hotel in Puigpunyent. There are a few places in this world where I immediately feel at home. This place is in the top five of my bliss zones. There is pure raw beauty of the landscape, the amazing hotel and staff, and the outdoor activities are endless. From hiking, biking, meditating, and relaxing, I can get my balance with euphoria.

“It’s filled with magic that’s how I know if something’s real.”
Nikki Rowe

There’s a lot to be said about staying in places where the staff treat you like family. That is the mind set of the feel since we first stepped on the grounds of the Gran Son Net hotel. Picture this- you feel as comfortable as you ever have with your family or friends, and you are treated like royalty. That’s the beauty and magic of the Gran Son Net. Mallorca is known to be an amazing cycling and hiking destination. In the busy season, we have heard it is very crowded. There’s something extra special about visiting during off-season meant easy opportunities to have a belated second anniversary dinner in the same amazing location of the first. So we spent our first days hiking, biking and exploring to our hearts content.

As we each explored to our hearts content, soaking up the beauty of this island,Unfortunately, back home the tides had changed. and things were looking quite different for Chris’s grandma. We were able to enjoy our belated 2nd anniversary dinner in our favorite treehouse in the world.

In a scurry of logistics arrangements, we worked to get Chris off the island of Mallorca back to Barcelona and onto Denver. The best route we could find put him in the US on the 6th Jan. He left the beautiful oasis of Mallorca on the 5th, flew that evening to Barcelona, and spent the next few hours in a crappy hotel before making the flight from Barcelona-Frankfurt-Denver. Due to some wifi issues in our secluded part of the hotel, they kindly switched me to one of the most old world amazing suites in the main part of the hotel, as I would finish out our stay before traveling back. This was quite an experience, and I enjoyed having this unique time. I visited my favorite local restaurant in town, The Rose after dropping Chris off for his flight. This family run establishment is simply exquisite. There is nothing “fancy” about it- again they just want you to feel at home. The owner immediately asked where Chris was at when she saw I was dining alone, and gave me a free meal due to the circumstances. I guess comfort food includes potatoes made two ways! It was such an act of unexpected kindness and reminded me that:

Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change
Bob Kerrey

The flights were too expensive to change for both of us. My last days in Mallorca were spent arranging all my logistics, Airbnb, work situations, rental cars, flowers for the funeral, making sure Tela was taken care of, and rescheduling my infusion.

My last two days in this magical paradise, gave me time for reflection, grieving, meditation, and planning for logistics. The magic is undeniable. My undying love for this oasis, will live in me forever, and I hope to continue to be blessed to visit, explore, connect with the people and the culture of Puigpunyent, Mallorca.

And so that concludes the trilogy of our Spanish holiday; and the three part blog series of Hindsight is 2020. Although the year did not begin as we hoped, I am grateful for the time, flexibility, love and light in this world. Next stop up Colorado for family, friends, and celebrating the life of a wonderful grandma, mother, and woman. As the day I post this on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. day, I end the blog with a picture of my last sunrise at the Gran Son, and one of my favorite quotes.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

2020- Where Hindsight is 20/20 Part 2

Before I start out the rest of the story, I have to take a minute to celebrate the life, and mourn the loss of an amazing woman, Chris’s grandmother, who passed away on 05 January. We are now back in the motherland of CO. An entire blog celebrating Chris’s grandmother, who was much more like his mother, is forthcoming- until then my love, strength, and hope goes out to all the family and friends as they grieve this truly amazing woman.

When I last left off on our Spanish adventure, we were completing our time in Barcelona. The next leg of our journey taught me a few lessons in life and travel. A good reminder that no matter how experienced or old we get we can always learn from our mistakes and errors.

Our original plan was to take a train from Barcelona to Girona. This would be the least expensive, and a very efficient way of traveling. I had already booked a car to be picked up in Girona, so this seemed very practical. Closer to the day before departure, Chris and I had a discussion of pros and cons. Disassembling his bike and packing it in a bag seemed like a big chore, however me taking the train and managing all the luggage (two suitcases, two backpacks and a bike bag with no bike) also seemed impractical. We settled on a compromise that Chris would ride his bike from Barcelona to Girona, and I would take a cab service to Girona. Chris timed his departure so he would arrive the same time I would arrive. The plan worked pretty well, minus the fact that it was a holiday on 26 December in Spain (St. Stephen’s Day) so many of the streets were not passable. We had rented an apartment for our stay in Girona, which was directly in old town. Girona has quite a rich history – https://www.spain-holiday.com/Girona-city/articles/experience-girona-history-and-culture-in-catalonia ; and an extensive amount of steps and cobblestone streets.

Unfortunately due to the road closures, it was not really possible to make it to the apartment by car, and the luggage had to be carried/rolled over the hilly cobblestone streets of Old Town until we reached our destination. This made me happy that we didn’t take the train as it was even further away, but it was quite the task.

Once we reached our apartment building, we met our host, Eric, a great young gentleman in his 20s. The building we were staying in had been renovated by him and his family, and during the process, they discovered parts that dated back to the 4th century. The apartments although nothing “fancy” were really amazing in the architecture with stone walls and arches, and the view of the old town was nothing short of spectacular. There was even some projectile artifacts discovered during renovation.

Once we had settled into the apartment, we were chatting with our host, and talked about needing to pick up our rental car. Our original plan was to rent the car in Girona, drive back down towards Barcelona and end up returning the car prior to our flight to Mallorca. It turned out there was also a rental car pickup at the train station that was much closer than our reservation at the airport. Eric recommended that we see if we could switch to a train station pick up. I called to change the reservation as we were pretty tired from the trip. The thought of taking additional transport to pick up the car seemed like such a chore, and since we could change the pick-up location to the train station, this would make life easier… no worries. Everything seemed to be in alignment as the company told me there were cancellation or change fees, but I needed to re-book online. I figured this was no problem, so I cancelled my original reservation.

And thus I started with a big “lesson learned” the hindsight 20/20 came completely into play as it wiped out my original plans for this leg of our trip for my recreational exploration and hiking… I made a decision based on the fact that both the rental car agency and the local host thought this would be no problem for a change… but it was… we tried a variety of options, but the lack of inventory of cars drove up the price to something that was unjustifiable for me. I accepted I would be without a car in Girona, and explore the area quite locally rather than explore the Costa Brava region and the Pyrenees as I had originally planned. Flexibility and adapting to changes is just a part of life, so I rolled with it.

Chris found a great bike shop that did many group rides in the area, so it was a great way for him to engage with other riders across the world. The owner of the bike shop also owned two coffee shops, one with a great breakfast/brunch, that Chris and I both enjoyed a few times.

So, let’s talk about the Catolonia food… well, to sum it it up it was pretty amazing. From simplistic Mexican tacos, bravas, seafood- including my favorite the lobster paella, mussels, it was pretty, pretty, pretty good.

So, you may have seen things about the protests in Catalonia. We did not see any protesting or issues when there, but we saw many yellow ribbons and signs for independence. Our world is constantly changing, evolving and if we look to history, someone is always fighting for their independence. It’s a reminder that no matter how much things change, somethings in life are always present. Fights over rights, independence, religion have been ongoing throughout recorded history. Until the Earth rotates no longer, this in my opinion will never change.

Being a Game of Thrones geek, it was cool to walk around the city to see where different scenes were filmed. Being around such historic places and architecture made the history dork in me filled with joy… sometimes it’s nice to just soak it all in. One of the best advantages of walking the Roman walls of Girona is that you can see the entire town — and beyond — from the spectacular vantage points. Girona offers so much including the iconic cathedral, one of the most prominent sights from the walls, and in the distance you can see the snow capped peaks of the Pyrenees.

Hiking and running around Girona seemed quite mystical. I happened upon what appeared to be a Jedi Council meeting place in the forest, someone’s lookout tree nest all while seeing the Pyrenees and the old stone buildings in the background.

Chris took a great bike road along the Costa Brava region, it’s a great place to put on the list to return to for some hiking and biking

Girona during the last week of December is normally pretty quiet, but not on NYE. An old stone scenic area turned into a massive rocking party to ring in 2020 a few hundred yards from our apartment. One tradition that our host, Eric ensured was we ate the 12 grapes at midnight.

“The twelve grapes of luck”) is a Spanish tradition that consists of eating a grape with each clock bell strike at midnight of December 31 to welcome the New Year.

The twelve grapes date back from at least 1895, but became established in 1909. In December of that year, some vine growers popularized this custom to better sell huge numbers of grapes from an excellent harvest. According to the tradition, eating the twelve grapes leads to a year of good luck and prosperity.In some areas, it is believed that it wards away witches and general evil, although this “magic” is treated like an old heritage, and in modern days it’s viewed as a cultural tradition to welcome the new year.

And with the 12 grapes, we began the year of 2020- Never underestimate the power you have to take your life in a new direction. Every moment is a fresh beginning. Life’s not about expecting, hoping and wishing, it’s about doing, being and becoming. I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past. Stay tuned for the next part of the journey, when we stop into Vallromanes and then hop over to one of my favorite places on Planet Earth, the place that inspired me to blog to begin with, Mallorca.

Welcome to 2020, Where Hindsight is Still 20/20 Part 1

The end of 2019 was a bit of a whirlwind for us. Chris and I both battled some cold/ virus for a few weeks leaving energy quite low to accomplish all the tasks to be completed. I had work travels to the Netherlands and Norway back to back and a big infusion appointment. But there was light at the end of the tunnel. Many months ago, we had set aside time for a big Christmas/Anniversary/New Years celebration holiday in Spain. We would relax, exercise, eat, live, love and live life to the fullest.

Our adventure started on 22 December, all packed for a few weeks; Tela on the farm settled in, and Chris kept humming “Today was a Good Day”. We checked into the Zurich airport hotel and then headed over to Theatre 11 where we attended the musical, The Book of Mormon. Should you be unfamiliar, it is not for the easily offended, but truly was an afternoon of laughs with some shock and awe mixed in.

The New York Times calls it ‘The best musical of this century.’ The Washington Post says, ‘It is the kind of evening that restores your faith in musicals.’ And Entertainment Weekly raves, ‘Grade A: the funniest musical of all time.” It’s The Book of Mormon, the nine-time Tony Award and four-time Olivier winning Best Musical.

This outrageous musical comedy from creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and Bobby Lopez co-writer of Avenue Q and Frozen, follows the misadventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries, sent on a mission to a place that’s about as far from Salt Lake City as you can get. Now with sold out productions in London, on Broadway, North America, Melbourne and Sydney, The Book of Mormon has become a worldwide sensation.

After many laughs, quoting some songs and parts of the play, we ran out in the rain to catch another train- this time, we were in search of one of my most missed food delicacies, southern fried chicken. I had stumbled upon Yard Bird https://www.yardbird.ch/ in my constant search for my favorite comfort foods in Switzerland, and this one did not disappoint. The name alone suggested an understanding of fried chicken. When we walked into the establishment we were greeted with a neon sign that said, “Today was a good day”. Cue up the twilight zone music as Chris was randomly singing this earlier in the day…. But on to the food. We ordered an appetizer of Crispy Chicken Skins …buttermilk braised chicken skins served with a homemade hot sauce & thyme. This alone brought on all the feels of growing up in North Carolina. Next we ordered a variety- the Nashville Hot …the pearl of Nashville is their hot of sauce, so it’s time to turn up the heat! tossed in homemade hot sauce and the American Dream … tossed in a homemade glaze of honey, bacon, chipotle & rosemary. So I have to say, I was indeed a very happy camper, the music selection took Chris and I both back to days of rap songs and music we hadn’t heard in ages. We learned the story of the establishment was two Swiss brothers that fell in love with American cuisine, and studied bbq, fried chicken and tacos- and have since opened establishments in Zurich. What a welcomed learning for my home food cravings– indeed that day was a good day.

We made it back to the airport hotel, checked our bags and Chris’s bike, and were up for our early morning flight to Barcelona! Since we were spending Christmas in a foreign city in a hotel room, it was important to me to choose somewhere special to celebrate. After much deliberation, I picked the El Palace Hotel. The service, festivities, and location made it easy to spend our three days in Barcelona seeing all the to do’s on our list, eating great food, and still managing to exercise. The El Palace Hotel is really a world class European charming hotel. From the top hat doorman, to the friendly staff willing to help you with anything, they always made sure to go the extra mile. Each night, chocolates were placed in our room and there were Christmas gifts waiting for us under the tree in our room on Christmas morning. We celebrated Christmas Eve dinner with a special meal, and then on Christmas Day after exercising and exploring, we attended a fantastic Strauss Festival Orchestra, joined here by the Soprano and the Ballet Ensemble in the intricate Opera House.

Color in certain places has the great value of making the outlines and structural planes seem more energetic.
Antoni Gaudi

One of my most desired places to visit in Barcelona was the SaGrada Familia house and all the works of Gaudi. Although I had always been intrigued by the unique genius of his architectural design, to see his work in person is something I will never forget. A creator who pushed the boundaries of architecture by using color and never ending innovation was truly a magnificent beauty to behold. I can go on an on, but at the risk of being too verbose, will just say that his work, use of lines, light, and stained glass is the most beautiful architecture I have ever seen in my life; and I am not sure it can get much better for me personally. Out of all the amazing eye candy, history, culture and food, Gaudi’s work was my favorite, and I was completely enthralled and enchanted.

Basílica de la Sagrada Família

Casa Batlló- Magical Space in Time

Sea and Sand and a glimpse of the food!

As mentioned, the food in Barcelona was amazing- from traditional cuisine to satisfying urges of tacos, we made sure to taste it all. Chris was able to ride his bike although it is not the easiest place to quickly escape the city. (Barcelona along with other parts of the Spanish holiday confirmed that I am not a fan of scooters, mopeds, or the people I experienced driving them with little regard for anyone’s safety). I do not have a counter for how much walking I did, but I did get some good runs and hikes in around local parks and down to the ocean. All in all, with the time we had available in Barcelona, I was very happy with this first leg of our Spanish holiday, with memories to last a lifetime.

“If happiness is the goal – and it should be, then adventures should be top priority.”
– Richard Branson

Thanks for joining part one- more to come on Hindsight 20/20

New experiences in Switzerland, That’s Life…One more Saturday Night

Time flies, and life has been moving at its usual lightning fast pace. Since we have relocated to Switzerland, we have not been to the movies. I was a frequent movie goer in my younger years, and have always enjoyed a trip to the movies. We started last Saturday evening on a double date with an American colleague and his wife, driving just south of Bern to a huge theater complex.

The set-up was impressive, yet of course carrying the CHF price you must accept for living here. First off, there was the movie theater…so maybe in big cities in the USA this type of movie theater setup could be commonplace, and living in the small town of Steamboat Springs has left me a bit in the dark. With that being said, I was overwhelmed by the concessions, it was all there for the taking, from the usual wares of candy, real food offerings, beer and wine, complete with real wine glasses, and of course as Swiss culture would require it a place to recycle or return your wine glasses.

The theater had several floors including a bar/bowling alley, a birch tree filled restaurant which had a great valued meal, burgers, vegan burgers, or specialty burgers with your choice of bread, salad, or several different pomme frites. The birch tree eatery, also reminded me of just how small this world is, after all. When we entered this eatery, for a pre-movie snack, our waitress advised she was going to be studying next semester at my graduate school alma mater, Appalachian State University in Boone, NC! I gave a few exchanges about how special the place is, my love for the Blue Ridge Mountains, Boone and the Parkway, and left with a big smile and reservations later for a full dinner.

Because I am always a kid at heart one of my favorite bonuses of this theater was the tunnel slide to descend from the upper floor to the lower floor. Another huge plus to movies in Switzerland- there is a 10 minute intermission. So if you usually are holding your bladder, like me and don’t want to get up to miss a minute of what you have paid for, not a problem. Indeed this set-up made me very happy.

We had heard lots of chatter about the movie “Joker”, but also had been careful to avoid any spoilers. I must say I am thrilled we were able to experience seeing this film in IMAX. You may ask why I was hesitant to see a movie abroad? I worried I would be distracted due to the French and German subtitles. Not only did I find this completely non-distracting, I found myself reading the German and picking out phrases that we have been studying in our lessons. Double win!

So I won’t give any spoilers, about “Joker” but I will give my opinion. If Joaquin Phoenix doesn’t receive an Oscar for that performance, I’m certain that I will lose faith in that organization too. This film although very dark, and disturbing, exhibited some of the best cinematography, character development, and evoked a deep connection and perspective for the origin of the Joker. Anytime a movie is on my mind longer than a day post watching, that says something. I’m not sure I would ever need or want to watch it again, but it was truly a work of art.

Otherwise, life is as good as you choose to make it, so much has happened, and so many exciting things are in front of me before the close of 2019: work trips to the Netherlands, Norway, and then a long Christmas and New Years holiday in Spain.

We have enjoyed a wonderful fall season and Halloween celebrating with friends and neighbors. I am super grateful that for the past few months I have been running quite religiously early in the mornings with Tela and averaging around 20 miles per week. Keep smiling and shining for the world!