Plans Unraveled

We had planned for The Enchantments.  We were meeting some friends Wednesday night to car camp and then we'd spend four days and three nights in an area of National Forest land that is so coveted, you have to win a permit in an annual lottery.  A friend, DR, had been planning it for us since May or so. I'd been the only one of the group to win a permit, for September 26-29. That would cover up to eight people.

But things started unraveling on Tuesday.  The forecast wasn't looking good, but it wasn't yet horrible either.  A bit of rain, cooler temps than we were hoping. We sent a flurry of emails around to confirm last minute details.

Wednesday morning DR pulled out sick.  He'd been fighting strep and it rebounded with a vengeance.  four days hiking in the wet and cold wouldn't help.  The forecast at the start of Wednesday was alright for Thursday and Friday - 20% chance of rain at night, highs of 47 or so and sun during the day, with Saturday and Sunday looking worse at 50% chance of rain during the day. We figured we could just cut the trip short.

The about 2pm on Wednesday the forecast updated.  It was 50% chance of rain all day Friday and 60-70% chance of rain/snow both Saturday and Sunday.  The high temperature for all four days was 42.

Grumble.

25 and I were skeptical Wednesday morning and our resolve gave out by those updated forecasts. We both like hiking and camping but four days of cold, wet mud didn't seem like fun. Cold you can plan for.  Wet is a whole other beast.

In what has become typical style, 25 and I made the most of it.  We decided to keep Thursday and Friday off work. We would drive over the pass and spend Wednesday night in Cashmere, a tiny town in fruit orchards. Then spend Thursday strolling around, going to a distillery I had a Groupon for tasting and tour, lunching in Leavenworth, the German themed town that will shortly be inundated for Oktoberfest, and then come home.

Or not.

Snoqualmie pass through the mountains was closed when we tried to drive over it on Wednesday. A detour would mean we wouldn't get in to Cashmere until ten. We took that as a sign that we should pack it in for the night.

Attempt number two at making the most of it!  Thursday morning we woke up, headed out and make it to Leavenworth.  Lunch of brats and beer at Gustav's was good.  I have an Oktoberfest beer that was mildly disappointing.  The brats for only $7.50 were a deal and it wasn't too packed. The town was busy but not overloaded.

We then made it to Cashmere where we went to It's 5 o'clock Somewhere Distillery where the owner gave us a tour and imparted knowledge. It was interesting to see the still and facility.  We also tried pear and cherry brandies, grappa, rhubarb liqueur, moonshine (corn whiskey) and gin.  A bottle of the rhubarb made it home with us as well as two cool glasses.  We also went to The Cider Mill for samples of three types of hard cider and several non-alcoholic ciders as well. We ended up, surprisingly, with a non alcoholic bottle or the original apple cider from there.

A stop at Milepost 111 Brewery was disappointing as it wasn't a brewery, but a brew pub.  That said, we each enjoyed a beer and nachos on happy hour, the whole lot setting us back a mere $9.81. The nachos were excellent.

A short drive back to Leavenworth to walk around and hit Icicle Brewing.  They have only a cold kitchen but the meat & cheese plate was stellar.  We had a six beer sampler with an additional taster of Apres Fresh, their fresh hopped beer. The tasting room is beautiful with a view into the brewing area and lot of lovely wood. I would definitely recommend a visit.  The only beer I found disappointing was their Priebe Porter, but was happily surprised by the IPA and Helles Lager.

It was a long drive back.  25 did all the driving.  I like riding with him because I always feel safe.  I even dozed a bit on the drive back.  It was cold and dark at 10:30 when we got home, our home.  It still feels neat to say since he's more or less officially living here.

Today we are cleaning house, moving him in, taking care of the To Do list. We'll pack more of his things up and move them here,  we have a Do Nothing day planned before the weekend is out.  25 was looking a bit burnt out as we've been going full tilt lately; work all week then completely full weekends. I'm grateful to have a day to give him as a reprieve.  It wasn't the weekend we'd planned but I think we're both enjoying it nonetheless. One more addition to the list of why 25 is wonderful: his ability to flex with the situation and make it into a fantastic opportunity, not a stressful issue.

What a Difference a Day Makes

Life is what happens when you're busy making plans they say.

What if I was making the plans that rushing up to meet me?

My contract is set to end the last week of November.  I've know that since May.  That's not a shock.  I keep track of it so I know when I have to start the job (yes, it's like a second job) of finding a new contract.

I thought the new contract offer would come in October.  These things take time to put together don't ya know.  25 and I knew it would mean a talk.  We'd had a talk about having a talk.  I never say "talk" because that's not how we are.  We can converse openly about things in the relationship and don't let it build up in to a "We need to have a talk" moment.  Living arrangements, next job, etc would all be up for discussion.

I got my next offer yesterday. The parent company of the current hospital system I work for has other hospital systems around the nation.  Specifically, there is one in Omaha, Nebraska. It's in the middle of the country, in the flat, vague states of the midwest. Reminiscent of Missoula and Spokane, not exactly the place I'll want to be in January with the snow and the cold and all.

The details were few but important.  Start December second, break for Christmas/New Years, runs through the end of June. That's good news.  I already know folks on the team, the pay is good, my contracting company would be the same. I had lots of questions about the minutia of the new contract and then the brakes in my brain sqealed to a halt when I realized the talk had just been rescheduled.

A six and a half month contract away would mean big changes for things with 25. We had been talking about maybe living together when his lease is up in December. That's got to be considered NOW.  If I'm away, what is happening with the dog and cat? Who's taking care of the house? How much with custodians for those things cost?  What about the mental and emotional strain of being at a distance for so long? And those depend on the minutia of how often do I get to go home and for how long, is the pay enough to stay on, etc.

No wonder I didn't sleep well last night, I can't get my brain to stop long enough.

Itinerary

Warning: I'm going on holiday.  I like holidays to be a time to unplug.  I will email my mother and occasionally update my facebook status but in general I like the fact that it's a good excuse to drop out of the technology rat race. There may be a sporadic post or half dozen but don't expect that.

I'll be away from Jakarta for exactly a month - July 11th until August 11th. I'll be in Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia. I am proud of this snazzy map I made that outlines my trip.  The itinerary is on the left had side, in chronological order. Red lines are flights, black lines are buses, purple lines are boats and green the green line is unknown (possibly motorbike).    Map link

If any of you have been to any of the places on my map and have advice, I'd gladly accept it. There will be photos and review after.

Where's the off button on this thing?

The winds of change, or at least of semi-pandemonium, seem to be blowing lately. Everyone I know has plans, issues, frustrations and excitements that are causing life modifications and such.

Here in Jakarta, it's the start of summer.  How do you know in an equatorial country?  It's not the temperatures, although I have seen a recent uptick in mosquitoes buzzing around. It's summer vacation.  The first schools went on break about two weeks ago.  As is routine here, all the teachers have made plans to get the heck outta dodge (JKT) for as long as possible.  My good friend Julia left on Monday to the States.  Donna will head out on Sunday, then there are two more departures on the 22nd and 25th. That also means lots of going away events even though the majority of us will be back by or before August. My school started late after Christmas (we weren't up and going until February) and as a result we aren't off until July.  I think I'm the last one to take off.  The current plan is Vietnam, Cambodia and then a destination to be determined. The girls are off to the US, England, Wales, Australia, and Bali. The crazy thing is that once back, we all have a short turn around to another holiday - Idul Fitri at the end of August.

Courtesy of myfirstholiday.com

Plans are being updated, changed and added to.  Then there are people who are going to see others.  Carla is getting a visitor from home (NZ), and I know some people in the US who are on the move.  Everyone seems to be electrified with their personal possibilities.  It's a grown up version of Christmas.  It's an event we look forward to for weeks or months, counting down, planning, preparing and yes, spending sleepless nights thinking about it.  The mind starts to spin at the possibilities.  Where do go?  What to do?  When to leave? Options, choices, contingency plans.  And then when those are all set out, life makes a change for you (or against you as the case may be)  and your brain is set a whirl again.

And this is how it feels!

A couple people in my life who are in flux for work. BoT will be changing jobs for lots of reasons.  Now it's a matter of working out the timing and the details.  Fired friend has, after much drama and indecision, stayed in Jakarta.  He's got an offer but it exploring other options. There are a few folks whose contract end dates are approaching and beyond then their lives are a blank slate. The song "Do I stay or do I go now?" comes to mind.

Courtesy of aorticdissection.com.  Don't we always hope?

Lastly there are a couple people who are involved in relationships that will require one of the two parties involved to move. Not within the same city, but significant distances so they can continue on together.  Long distance relationships only work if there are plans to get to the same place as far as I'm concerned.

Courtesy of kartoen.be

Everyone seems to be exhausted but unable to get more sleep.  There are two categories.  Those, like myself, who can't manage to get into bed early as there are things to be done.  Once I hit the pillow, I think I can count to two and then become entirely unconscious.  There are those in another category who, even if in bed, can't turn their brains off.  There are plans, plots, schemes, ideas that abound.  They are busy hypothesizing, interpreting, conceiving, suggesting, and comprehending things. What I'd like to help them do is to find their own, personal off button. 

P.S. Apologies for all the lists today.  I didn't realize my "to do list" mood was spreading!