NJ and I visited the zoo last Friday. It was a wonderful way to spend the day, especially since she “does the zoo” the same way I do. Which drives Brock a little bonkers.

We read EVERYTHING. All the little signs, posts, quizzes, etc. It takes a lot longer that way, but she and I have some fairly arcane knowledge between the two of us. Which will come in handy someday, somehow, I’m sure.

She seems to have some deep connection with monkeys. They were by far her favorite to hang out and watch (esp the monkeys in the nocturnal exhibit). The siamang was checking us out casually when we walked up (I mean literally, eye contact, long stares, the whole bit). When NJ did a little monkey dance, he actually came over to the window and sat down to hang with us. The three of us just sat there, separated by inches, just chillin’. When a huge gaggle of people showed up, it ended the moment, of course. They wanted to crowd in and so we left. But it was a cool Urban Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom moment.

In the hustle-bustle of life in the last week, I neglected to mark a very important date. As of last Friday, I have lived onboard Katherine Jane for 2 years.

I wouldn’t trade it for anything; it’s been a rather jumbled path of learning curves & unexpected events. But it’s brought me to a place where I am fulfilled and content. It’s brought me a man who is everything I could have ever hoped for. I am so deeply grateful for all I have.

Moment of reflection. Thanks for reading along, sometimes commenting on the way (which I do love ~ please keep it up ~ or start, if you haven’t already).

NOW BACK TO WORK!!

All my adult, home-owning life, I have always been able to tell what day it was if I found myself with implements of destruction in my hand and a wall or two knocked out. For some unknown reason, the urge to begin big projects strikes me late on Sunday afternoons. I don’t know if it’s some “long, dark tea-time of the soul” or just an unnamed longing to improve upon my existence, but it’s been a theme running through the fabric of my life.

It’s about time I found a partner who shares my predilection for Sunday projects (actually, I think he just has endless stamina anytime or day, but hey, it fits well enough for my purposes). So I brought something home today.

And while destroying bits of the boat makes me gasp just a little (“modifying it,” Brock says), I am once again very excited to unveil the next luxury onboard our Katherine Jane.

All you boat dwellers out there, I’ll be very surprised if you can’t guess what it is…

You can depart from Seattle on Monday evening, cover 80% of Yellowstone National Park, with Grand Teton National Park thrown in for good measure, and be back in time for Thursday morning’s meeting with 12 hours to spare. We are seriously skilled at road trips.

It’s mating season for the elk and there was much hullaballoo from the males, bugling, rushing at the does, and generally acting like hormonally carbonated animals.

I actually saw TWO sunrises on the trip ~ for a professional-class sleeper such as myself, that alone was an amazing feat. The elk were again bugling, with the Tetons as the backdrop.

We hit all the major highlights of Yellowstone: Norris Geyser Basin, Upper Falls, Fountain Paint Pots, and of course, Old Faithful. I napped on a blanket by the side of the river while Brock stalked osprey and trout with the camera. We saw bison as well as many herds of elk.

Trip stats for those of you keeping score at home

Total trip time: 49 hours, 13 min
Driving time: 30 hours, 43 min
Distance traveled: 1775 miles
Average speed: 58 mph
Fuel efficiency: 27 mpg

Our biggest expense other than fuel? The $9 shower. Extravagant, yes. But well worth it.