We went hiking up near Lyons, Colorado today. I haven't been up to the mountains since moving to Denver in May 2006. We have a fabulous view of the Rockies from Denver, but it's tragic that I don't get up to the mountains more often! I need to change this.

Koda LOVED the hike.



I tested my balance as I walked over a stream. This photo makes it look like I could possibly be 10 feet up, but it was only about 2 feet.

Falling in love is like owning a dog
an epithalamion by Taylor Mali
www.taylormali.com

First of all, it's a big responsibility,
especially in a city like New York.
So think long and hard before deciding on love.
On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security:
when you're walking down the street late at night
and you have a leash on love
ain't no one going to mess with you.
Because crooks and muggers think love is unpredictable.
Who knows what love could do in its own defense?

On cold winter nights, love is warm.
It lies between you and lives and breathes
and makes funny noises.
Love wakes you up all hours of the night with its needs.
It needs to be fed so it will grow and stay healthy.

Love doesn't like being left alone for long.
But come home and love is always happy to see you.
It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life,
but you can never be mad at love for long.

Is love good all the time? No! No!
Love can be bad. Bad, love, bad! Very bad love.

Love makes messes.
Love leaves you little surprises here and there.
Love needs lots of cleaning up after.
Sometimes you just want to get love fixed.
Sometimes you want to roll up a piece of newspaper
and swat love on the nose,
not so much to cause pain,
just to let love know Don't you ever do that again!

Sometimes love just wants to go for a nice long walk.
Because love loves exercise.
It runs you around the block and leaves you panting.
It pulls you in several different directions at once,
or winds around and around you
until you're all wound up and can't move.

But love makes you meet people wherever you go.
People who have nothing in common but love
stop and talk to each other on the street.

Throw things away and love will bring them back,
again, and again, and again.
But most of all, love needs love, lots of it.
And in return, love loves you and never stops.

Sometimes I wonder why I've been training diligently for the past 8 weeks and have yet to really see a significant change in my weight. Then I remember that Brandon and I embrace this philosophy:

"Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first." Ernestine Ulmer

I miss my sweetie. There's definitely a certain spark that's missing when he's away. Even when I think we're going through the motions of our normal weekly routine (wake up, go to work, eat dinner, surf the web, lather, rinse & repeat...), the regular life stuff is just better with him around. I feel like marching around the perimeter of our living room chanting, "Boriiing... boriinng... bor-ing....," but I know Koda would be nipping at my heels because he was born with that instinct, and nobody would really be around to appreciate my boring dance the way Brandon always does.

Koda keeps staring at our front door, listening for any hint of recognizable sound that his best friend is home. He normally sleeps up in our bed, but last night, he slept in the doorway between our bedroom and living room. I'm not sure if he's taking on the role of my protector, planting himself between me and all the doors in our apartment, or if he's making sure our front door is in view so he can spot Brandon the second he gets home. I wish I knew doggie sign language for, "Your buddy will be home in a couple of days."

ladies in the city

Here's a photo from when my parents visited Denver in June.