Flying by the Seat of Our Plans

My sisters Katie and Christi came to Carbondale to meet Lucy.  The forecast was calling for wintry mix for their drive, but changed to just rain.  Lots of rain and even January thunderstorms.  But they made it to the house safely on Saturday morning.  We spend Saturday running some errands and lounging around the house with Lucy. All that rain and some posts on Facebook groups had me thinking about chasing waterfalls.  After getting Katie some rubber boots, we headed to Devil's Kitchen Lake to see the falls on Rocky Bluff Trail.  We loaded up the jogging stroller, but luckily some hikers told us that the trail wouldn't really allow for it.  So I put Lucy in the Ergo carrier that Christi had handed down to us and put my that on my chest.  I shouldered my backpack full of camera gear, distributed hiking poles, and we started down the trail.  It was a short walk to the first falls, where we jumped a few rocks up the creek to get to the spla...

Laura and I were so excited that Katie had found Richard Bird and that they were in love and to be married!  We looked forward to going to Florida to attend their wedding and join them on their wedding cruise reception.  So, as excited as we were that Laura was pregnant, we were a bit disappointed when we realized that she would be eight months pregnant at the time of the wedding, and thus, unable to go on the cruise.  We debated driving to the wedding (air travel also prohibited), but it would be a long drive with lots of pee breaks for a 15-minute ceremony.  Katie sweetly convinced Laura not to make the trip for the short wedding alone, and Laura sweetly convinced me to go without her. I love adventures, but they are more fun with someone to share them with.  Because my favorite travel partner was out, I decided to invite a friend.  Over the last year or two, Mikie has been such a positive person in my life and has always been intrigued and excited to...