we won't melt

Yesterday morning Astrid and I were determined to make it to the top of Sentinel, so before any torrential downpour or any other reason could present a 'why we shouldn't go' ~ we went!


(Why the obsession with duckies?  She has always had a weakness for these things...  I have had to drag the kid kicking and screaming out of a store on more than a few occasions.  She got these two beauts from Auntie Genevieve and has held onto them for over two weeks straight...the beach in Maine...the wedding...and now they have made it to the top of Sentinel.  What's next?  I can't seem to wrangle them out of her hands...thus...how she happened to get (more like pilfer) them from Auntie.)

We did get sprinkled on from time to time and pummeled by the wind at the top but it felt so good to be out in the fresh mountain air.  Astrid had to dismount at the top so I could wrap my orange windbreaker tightly around her fasten the string on her hat for the trip down.



When I first started the hike I felt like I was literally heaving one leg in front of the other in a slow rythmic pace.  Feeling the elevation.  Feeling the "time off".  Feeling the weight of everything.  It was even difficult to talk with Chatty "Attie" (Astrid). But the closer I got to the top the more comforable it all got.  I sometimes get the feeling (as I did yesterday) it is Dad pulling me to the top.  I appreciated his help with my 30+ lb weight... so that we could enjoy this view on the way down.


I also have to tell you that I was very naughty yesterday...I brought Skagit up the mountain with us.  The reason I say it was naughty is that Skag got injured while at the kennel during the time that Jeff met us in Maine (Smakwater & Sprezzatura is simply the BEST kennel ever, by the way) most likely she was playing too rough with her sister Jetta who was also there for a couple of days (they often put them together to play throughout the day).

These things happen.

I took her in to see her doctor after I picked her up and we got x-rays. No broken bones, but a recommendation for no activity for 7-10 days. This is torture on Skagit to see me dress in my running garb and then not be able to go. After a couple days of this and she started taking stuffed animals out of Astrid's toybox to get a rise out of me. I gave in when I noticed she wasn't limping anymore. She went on a run with me on Saturday and I had one of those devastating moments of mother's guilt. During the run she had a grand old time running circles around me and sniffing around, but she paid for her fun later that night when she couldn't even put that foot down.

Another four days passed.

Yesterday morning Skagit saw me put on my running stuff and started blocking my every move like good man-to-man defense in basketball. She grabbed this stuffed moose of Astrid's four million times while we were getting ready to go and started tearing the hair out of another doll's head. I had to take the chance that she had done some healing in that four day torture routine. This was killing us both.

I kept her under control for the most part. If I saw her running too crazily I'd call her in, she'd heel when other dogs were around, and when we ran into Jetta and Kathy along the trail I leashed her to keep her calm (she loves her sister!)

I'm happy to report Skagit has not limped or had any ill effects from the hike, and I think my pup is on the mend!

(oh, I was also naughty and used the suicide trail on the way down...  my goal was to get Astrid out of the whipping wind as fast as possible...so, I decided to take this route.)


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This weekend we are heading back up to the lake and I'm looking forward to a little more of this...


and this...


(Dad and Astrid are spotting some rainbow trout that are spawning in a little stream that dumps into the lake.  It is a special part of "life" on the lake that we watch for each Spring.)

(if you look closely you can see them.)








(pointing out an eagle perched - waiting for the right moment to dive in for a trout treat!)

(fresh bear scat right next to the stream)

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I uploaded this video I shot a couple weeks ago at my cousin Patrick's wedding and it made me smile.  While watching Patrick and Jamieson dance to "Ice, Ice Baby" it seemed to bring it all back.  It seemed like just yesterday we were children swimming at the lake together on a hot Summer afternoon.  Jumping off our 12' back porch - each yelling our full names before we took the huge leap down.  Kick the can.  Hide & seek.

I love these little pieces that add up to one big beautiful masterpiece.  LIFE.