Tree-bound Escape Plan

Well, the summer is coming to a close, and Geoff and I have been feeling like we have done mostly work, and very little play. ...which, I suppose, is how it will be for most of our..adult.. lives, but I don't like it one bit! I need my play time, and summer is the best time for playing. So, we've planned a little vacation for ourselves.

Next week, I've taken 4 days off so that Geoff and I could drive up to King's Canyon/Sequoia National Park. We are going to camp out there Monday - Thursday. Neither of us have been there before, (as far as I can remember anyway...) so I am quite excited. There is a tree there called the "General Sherman" that is supposed to be the largest living thing on the planet! I definitely intend to bring my camera.

Geoff and I bought a big cooler that can hold all our food for 4 days, so we can bring everything with us instead of buying things in the park that will probably cost way more. We are going to try to camp at the campground called "Cold Springs". There are no RVs or trailers allowed, and that is what we like.

I don't know how the climbing is out there, so we probably won't be doing much of that. Most of what I've heard is of large rock faces for Trad Climbing only, and with just the two of us, it's probably safer if we stick to the smaller rocks and just do some Bouldering, if we can find any. I definitely want to check out their Crystal Caves as well..

I can't wait!

Extra Crispy

Sunday, Geoff and I went to Redondo Beach with his parents, and two of his younger brothers. It was a beautiful place, but it was rather windy that particular day, so I was pretty chilly most of the time. But of course, because I was thinking about being chilly, and not feeling the intense heat of the sun, I put on ZERO sunscreen. We were there for a few hours, so needless to say, I came home looking like a lobster. ...or I guess more like a Red Panda, as I seem to have these red and white stripes all over me.

Aloe Vera has become my new best friend for the next couple of days, and while you can't see from that photo that I am burned... you will just have to take my word for it. It's mostly my back.. and the worst of it is on my butt. Which, let me tell you, is the most horrible thing to burn badly. I apologize if this is too much information for you all, but let's just say I am discovering whole new levels of pain when sitting, sleeping, and bending over. Squatting is just completely out of the question. Thank you aloe and advil.

In other news, I have a couple days off this week, so Geoff and I may go camping again in the mountains, or perhaps in the desert where we can get some more climbing in, if my body heals in time. Let's hope so!

Photos and Such

Many apologies for keeping you all waiting on those photos of the apartment here in sunny Redlands. Things have been very busy for us out here, work taking up most of our time. I did manage to save some money to get my hair re-done though, which is awesome, since I was starting to look like a wilting tree.

I've included a photo for full effect of it's chili pepper colored glory.

I've been getting a ton of hours at work lately, (in fact, more hours than some of the other employees that have been working there longer than me!) and although that keeps me busy all the time, I'm glad to be making more money. Geoff and I have started a new fund for the puppy we won't give up on... We've decided to each dedicate $25 from every one of our paychecks to the "puppy fund", where we will save up the money we had before in order to try again next year. We're still hurting from the tragedy, and it's still hard for me to see other people with their dogs, doing the things we'd been planning to do with Tazz, but Geoff doesn't want to give up. After we move again next summer, (into the city... either L.A. or possibly San Francisco,) maybe we'll get another chance to adopt.

In the meantime, I've got some photos of the apartment for you guys!

Here's Geoff's and my room...

And here is our bathroom, (don't mind the messy counters,) with our whimsical saloon doors to the toilet and shower. Partnered with the pirate bath mat, I think it's the most amusing bathroom I've ever had.

This is just the hallway upstairs, with some storage area for my art supplies.

Here is the living room... I'm actually sitting on that couch right now!

And this is the hallway downstairs which leads to the kitchen, and upstairs as well.

Here is Geoff, surprised that I had a camera, in our tiny kitchen! Much smaller than the one we'd gotten used to last year, but it is the perfect size for the three of us now, and I just love it!

Here is our dining room table, which looks out on our patio.

I hope that's enough to satisfy you for now! I've got to go to work in about half an hour or so... and Geoff should be home soon!

If there's anything you'd like to hear more about in this blog, please comment and let me know so that I can get some more ideas of what to say... I never quite know what you will or won't be interested in hearing about. Papa helped me out with this one!

I hope you all are doing well, and I love you very much.

Take care of each other. Hopefully I will hear from you soon! :)