When Bobby and I initially decided to go to Ireland, we had to choose, out of a whole country of options, where to spend our time. You’d think we might choose based on main tourist attractions, but no, we chose based on a google search for hostels.

But finally I’m there in Ireland, stumping up to my little Irish hostel across a bridge from downtown Dublin. My roommates and I silently nodded at each other and then proceeded to ignore each other’s existence.

“Oh my gosh.” My shoulder throbbing, I jerked my head up at the overhang to see an indentation the size of both my fists in the mud above my head. “Bobby, I think I just got hit by a falling rock!”

Bobby and I tossed our (my) beachy-warm dreams to the wind and went for the exact opposite: a frozen adventure out on Utah Lake.

You check your bed for the signs on the daily, even though the bedbug guys said you only need to check once a week when you wash your sheets. You can’t fall asleep at night because every itch or tickle makes you think there must be a bedbug on you

Here are 20 things I’m grateful for in 2020.

I know what you’re thinking. “You have bedbugs?! Gross!!!” Had, my friends. Had. Past tense. But oh my gosh, three most stressful days of 2020, and we’ve all lived through 2020, so . . . that should give you an idea of what it was like.

did some research to find more remote camping/hiking locations, and Moonshine Wash stood out. Decent-length hike, not too long of a drive (relatively speaking), “lightly trafficked.” Check, check, check.

Drumroll! After seven months of dealing with a pandemic, having a very busy summer at work, and revising five days a week nearly every week, I’ve got myself a second draft of my current work in progress!

At this time of year, I most love trees with blossoms. You know the ones I’m talking about. Trees with pink blossoms that look like cotton candy and trees with fluffy white blossoms that look like popcorn balls. When the blossoms get all thick on these trees, my word to describe them is “frothy.”