8/13 LOOSE LIPS: A hike in the fog.......

[Michelle and Mannie (GA)]

Good Morning LL (LOTS! L just love ), and Happy TUNA Tuesday!
LL! It's is I, Elsa, Lil Bit, kitteh barista!, president and CEO of Coffee Cat! Life is GOOD! GUESS WHAT! Today is TUNA TUESDAY!!! Once again Lola and Bug want to make their famous triple tuna pies, with tuna and nip infused crust, tuna toppings, and now triple tuna infused cheese. YUMMMMMMMM! these pizza pies totally rock! The tuna cheese is a still a little weird, even witht eh added tuna and nip, but I have to admit that they are pretty good! And once again this week please don't ask for a tuna mocha....they is just gross and we will leave the tuna in them tuna pies. so. well. anyways. Coffee time! For today, I proudly offer Elsa's special 10 hour energy coffee, and triple shot espresso, beans from the heart of central Ethiopia. and for my mocha fans: Venti Quad orange and vanilla mocha, laced with orange swirls, topped with chocolate whip, garnished with orange zest, slivered vanilla beans and chocolate swirls....SWEET! OH! No worries, a dollop of orange and vanilla and chocolate swirl ice cream, on top of a dollop of fudge, topped with crystallized oranges and chocolate drizzle.... Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh....... mega good! TJ's dunking cookies and Cronuts are along for the ride!

I hope everyone had a great Monday. Mine was great - another hike. YAY! I'm trying to get in a many as I can before I am involved with caring for William in addition to Nicholas. September will be nuts, and I'm not too sure how any days I will be able to be out on the trails. Besides... our weather has been so great, that one just has to be out in it. LOL on the weather comment. :lol: :lol: Great here, a different story up north in the North Cascades.... FOG, thunderstorms, and rains!, mixed with a few sun rays in between.... It does make for some interesting hiking adventures! Here's what I posted last night in the condo: "HI Everyone! I hope you all have had a great day today. Mine was good, hike was good, even if the weather did not cooperate. We did 't get any rain, but the fog never lifted up at Baker. ERRRRRR!!!!! Plus it took me three hours to get there! :shock: :roll: That last FSR up to the trailhead was a much of a challenge as it was reported to be: potholed, rocky, washboard gravel, and narrow! I took me close to 50 minutes to drive13 miles. and sheer craziness! and.... I get there and it is 100% fogged in. Well I knew the risk of that before I went, as the weather has been iffy up there for a few days. It is what it is, and went anyways. It was 1600 foot climb in about 1.5 miles. That was fun! I feel great tonight despite the effort it took. It is all in how one paces themselves. anyways - finally get topside and it is no better, fog as far as the eye could see, I did the ridge there too, it actually was rather nice, peaceful. I like fog, what it does to all that it touches. Once in a while things would open up, you could see a few things, for maybe a minute. HAHA. The wildflowers up there were gorgeous, and everywhere: very pretty. So I stayed 1.5 hours on the ridge, then headed out, as it was apparent that the fog was not clearing. I will laugh though the minute I get back on that FSR the sun comes out. oh HAHA! I doubt Baker and Shuskan were not out, but it was nice to finally see sun. I spent a few minutes on the Nooksack River, off of FSR 37 ( a break from all those potholes and that washboard...). Was that ever nice! Love those glacial rivers. so.... not too bad of a day, and I will go back. It has to be outstanding up there on a sunny day, well worth the work to get topside. Loved what I saw, made 6500 feet, hiked maybe 6 miles, climbed 1650 feet. YaHOO! aiyee.... one has to love fog....." Picassa link to the Skyline Divide hike, and the Nooksack River where I just hung out on the river some: Skyline Divide, Nooksack River

Hike was so fun yesterday, despite the fog. AND (!!) I was on time getting home, 30 minutes early actually, but even still the welcoming committee was waiting on the steps. it's as if they knew I was coming... hmmmm.... I had best check the car. I wonder if I now have a tracking device! :shock: Bug was pacing at the top of the stairs - he really is reminding me alot of Mannie lately. It was such a Mannie move: that stair prance. Lola on the other hand was rolling on the stairs. That seems to be her thing. Yesterday she rolled so fast that she flipped down the stairs. Silly cat went back up to the to and started rolling again. :lol: :lol: :lol: Sometimes I wonder if there isn't a screw loose somewhere.... nah! she's just having fun, being Lola. Speaking of being Lola, yesterday's plant tally: 3 dug up ones, one topped over, and dirt wherever from all four. omg. i may have to get artificial pants.... nah, best not. She'd probably eat those. I have yet to vacuum up the dirt... :lol: :lol: AND (!!) Elsa has resumed her role as the kitty choir, aka my back up alarm system. Thank goodness, as the bean has been mega tired, and that alarm that goes "beep beep beep" just isn't cutting it. Thank goodness Elsa has taken to meowing in my ear. Good girl!

Have a great day everyone. Today would normally be my trip into Seattle day, but my friend is on vacation, so no trip today... what shall I do? I DUNNO! maybe some yard work. maybe just veg out with a good book. I like the book option.... ;-)


KITTIES! Remember: think BLUE, think GREEN!!

 

[Melissa & Tarragon]

Bummer on the fog. I do agree that fog is beautiful in its own way. Sounds like quite the hike. How beautiful and yes, of course the sun came out when you got done. :lol:

How sweet with Bug. Mannie has been coaching him for sure. Lola cracks me up but I know how aggravating the plant thing can be. Turnup used to do that. She got over it eventually. Have a wonderful day Michelle! A good book sounds like a great idea.

 

[Ella & Rusty & Stu(GA)]

Good Morning, Michelle,

I really liked seeing those fabulous photos of your hike yesterday. I admire the trails there--so nice and smooth-looking and beautifully cared for! Your pictures remind me of the landscapes in the Austrian Alps, where we hiked hut-to-hut the year we lived in Vienna.

Those kitties are keeping you on your toes. Lola is trying to re-landscape your house! And turn it into her little amusement park!! It's neat that Bug is acquiring so many of Mannie's mannerisms. And Elsa is being very responsible. Good job, kitties!

Elsa, the Ethiopian espresso is primo this morning. Thank you!

Have a good "rest" day, Michelle. I vote for the book :smile:

Hugs, scritches,

Ella & Rusty

 

[Frosty]

Hi Michelle. Good idea to get your hikes in before the boys arrive. Something tells me they'll be keeping you pretty busy. Enjoyed reading about your welcome home committee meeting you on the stairs. :lol: What a perfect finish for you trip.

Have a great day Michelle.
Lola..maybe???

 

[Michelle and Mannie (GA)]

Morning everyone! Thanks for the visits!

Hi Melissa THX, the hike really was a good one, despite the darn fog! -- thx too on Bug, i agree too: Mannie is coaching him, their dispositions are much the same. and yes on Lola... she is fun, but dang on the plants! amazing that they are surviving! :shock: ;-) I had another cat once that did the same thing, She too got over it eventually. I hope too that Lola will - soon!

Hi Ella THX on the photos! Despite all that fog it was so nice up there! I will agree: they do an excellent job of maintaining trails here. the one yesterday was well cared for. Very cool on the Austrian Alps - that hut ot hut hiking sounds so cool. I have a friend that spent time last summer in the Dolomites, hiking hut to hut, she had such a wonderful time. It had to have been the same for you - just to be in the Alps - Awesome! oh es on the kitties! that they are. I like the amusement park description - that is so true!
Auntie Ella - you is so welcomes. I think of you every time I bring out the Ethiopian coffees. They are mega good, and I no you like them. SWEET! ~~Elsa, Lil BIT, kitteh barista

Hi John LOVE that video - and yes!!! that is Lola, exactly what she does. Silly cats! but it is alot of fun to watch her in action. I so need to get that on video.... I think so too on the boys. I have no doubt that was is bust now will be even busier! :shock: yes on the welcoming committee: I look forward to it. Fun stuff, and it is nice to be missed.

 

[ecurie]

Those are GREAT wildflowers! I especially love the Queen Ann's Lace! or is it Queen Anne's? oh well. so pretty!!!!! And also those blue ones, i don't know their name, we call them knee bells, because they're tall as my knee :lol: :lol: :lol:

I love the welcoming committee! It IS nice to be missed, and welcomed with such antics What's with the dirt Lola? I think we're gonna have to get her one of these

I'll put it in ollie's backpack and he can drop it off for her.
xoxoxo mary and ollie

 

[carfurby (GA)]

Great pictures as usual. I love hearing about the welcoming committee. That's funny with Lola rolling down the stairs. :lol:

 

[Amy&TrixieCat]

OH, those kitties. Mannie is obviously having a blast, showing them the ropes, then coaching them to kick it up a notch! Lola is such a silly girl...I love that she discovered yet another fun new game of rolling down the stairs :lol: ! I gave up having plants in the house before I even brought the kitties in...I just knew it wasn't going to be a good mix. What can ya do....they own the house, and I'm just lucky they let me live here and pay the bills for them :lol: !

Have a great evening, Michelle!

 

[Michelle and Mannie (GA)]

Hi Mary THX on the Pics! I think it is Anne's. ??? And the blue... hum, the lupine? The wildflowers up there were really nice. I like the logic behind the name knee bells! I so agree on the welcoming committee. it is nice to be missed. I love it when I come home and there they are - waiting. LOL on the vacuum! I LOVE it! It is Lola size and she can clean up her own messes. ;-) or... she can just stop digging up my plants! :lol: :lol:

Hi Carla many thanks on the photos. Me too on Lola, it was kinda funny. Silly cat! Me too on the welcoming committee, it is one of my fav things.

Hi Amy LOL, and I think so too on Mannie. I like the kick it up a notch. :lol: :lol: No doubt he is! I rally do hpe that she will tire of the plants. I had another cat once years ago that did the same thing. She eventually stopped... I am so hoping that Lola will too. I love my plants! At least she has stopped climbing the palm. :shock: ;-) )(anti-jinx!) :roll: LOVE THIS! :

they own the house, and I'm just lucky they let me live here and pay the bills for them :lol:

 

[Anne & Zener GA]

Ah, hiking in fog is a rare treat around here. We get fog about once a year! Of course, you get sun about once a year. :lol: ;-)
It sure is a good thing you have all the feline reinforcements to help care for double the boys in September. I'm sure Lola will be the biggest help of all. dancing_cat

 

[Michelle and Mannie (GA)]

Hi Anne, and Liz wow - only one day a year for fog? I'll send you all out extra, as we have lots to spare... :lol: and TRUE (!!) on our sun only once a year. :lol: :lol: :lol: oh yes on the feline reinforcements. They will be busy! Lola no doubt will be in the middle of it all.