Life of a Gal Named Liv

Fall is a season of reminiscing, squeezing in chilly camping trips, & eagerly awaiting the fall of snow. I’m guilty of saying “wow, that summer went by way too fast” every single year. Just as I am guilty of planning trip after trip, packing it all in, as I anticipate summer each spring. Ever since I stopped wildland firefighting, summer has regained its position as #1 in my heart, as the days are long & adventures take over.

While these adventures make life go by quickly, it is important (to me) to feel the gratitude of sunny days spent with our furry family & evenings spent laughing by the campfire. A few weekends ago, we were able to fit in an overnight camping trip on the Salmon River.

It was refreshing, and much needed after continuous “working weekends”. Our life is undergoing a lot of change, and I needed a “pause”; the smell of hash brown frying, birds happily chirping, and the subtle flow of the river nearby.

So, what have we been up to if we haven’t been on adventures? Well- we are coming to the last 6 months or so of Phin’s PhD, which makes way for moving away & onto the next job! Details are still “up in the air”, but it’s looking like a pretty big move for us. I have been working in the same laboratory as Phin to help him get the data he needs by doing all of the sample staining & fungi/bacteria counting (Epifluorescence microscopy)! It’s a pretty fun process, and neat to be a part of research!

On top of working in the lab, I have also been watching a cute little 2 year old 2 days/ week (who happens to be one of my best friend’s kid), taking 2 classes at UofI, doing mild landscaping work, volunteering, & just trying to keep up with the daily whirlwind. Enjoy a few photos of our life:

This Fall, has also been an emotional one for our family-our beloved Charlie cat passed away. It wasn’t peaceful- it was slow and painful-utterly heart wrenching. He was my best friend for ten years, and helped me through some of the toughest times of my life. That sweet cat lived in so many college apartments, traveled across the West in a van, and lived alongside Piñon and I in the tiny home.

He was a constant warmth in my life. When I felt like I had nobody, he was there purring beside me all night. There is something so special about a cat’s love, and he will forever have a spot in my heart. The gratitude is outpouring from my heart for this cat, and all the years he was with me.

We all miss him so much, but we are grateful we even had this long with him. He had severe FLUTD, a lifelong disorder that kept us on-edge every time we would leave him home alone. Many of you loved him & had the pleasure of his endless snuggles. Thanks to everybody who cared for our sweet Charlie over the years. He was a special kitty.

Anybody who knows me well, knows I’m not patient in the slightest. There was an empty spot in our home, and so…we rescued a kitten a week later.

She was rescued off of the streets of Spokane. An adorable little kitten with a hilarious personality…she fits right in 🙂

The dogs are learning to love her. Most of the time she is quite wild, with the exception of 10 minute cat naps cuddled up beside the pups. She is obsessed with attacking their tails, but thankfully they are being “good boys”!

So now onto our next pet story… since these 3 are the main content of our days besides work.

We went for a “quick” mountain bike ride, right before sunset, to relieve some stress. Goose dog was in tow, as he loves running between us as we ride. Long story short… Goose attacks a full grown moose. He runs down the mountain, through the thick brush, up the next mountain, and all the way around it (far, really far)!

We are, of course, running through the forest (oh what an oxymoron that is) chasing the frantic barks that are echoing through the darkening trees. Then, he stopped barking. He was gone. Just a mere mile or so away from where Charlie laid, Goose would stay too. We were heartbroken, crying, physically torn up & bruised, and actually quite lost in the darkness. It wasn’t a good situation. We almost gave up, found an old logging road, and started making our way in the direction we thought the car was parked.

& then a horrifying (seemingly very large) rustle in the darkness. I screamed “run” to my Phin. We fled down the road, scoping out trees to climb, but not thinking we stood a chance against “the Moose that was looking for revenge”….and then the moonlight shines on the “beast”. Goose. Goose was chasing us.

So, Goose is now required to be on-leash at all times. We did get him a fancy bike/ ski harness, so we can’t wait to try it out once we get enough snow! Well, that’s all for now folks. Enjoy the photos & I’ll try to post on a more frequent basis.

Much love,

Liv