off hiking

today we went into the park after dinner and after putting on our requisite lifespan-shortening mosquito spray we ambled into McGhee meadow and walked into about 50 spiderwebs. and then we saw a moose and her baby, which was totally awesome. ah, i love this park. Most of this trip has been about adventuring to new trails and unmarked trails, and then retreading the familiar old territory of being confined in close quarters for 2 weeks with family and the love and challenges it breeds. hmmm. being back with the family, at least we can make each other laugh through the madness.

my mother today taught me that you should zip up pants when you wash them to protect the zipper. she has been slowly giving me new, helpful domestic hints.

today we met up for dinner with one of my dad's high school friends and his very tall family. they are incredibly attractive on the whole, and two of the daughters want to become physical therapists just like their dad. we had some awesome potatoes which you make my melting a pat of butter on a pan and then covering with parmesan cheese, putting potato halves on top and baking for an hour. that's my kind of dish--it looks sort of elegant and complex and in reality is very easy.

tomorrow we will be leaving for an overnight hike up on the Highline trail. we're taking a detour over to swiftcurrent overlook and it should come out to a two day total of 18 miles. i sure hope i can come back with pictures of my hair blowing in the wind on top of a mountain with canada and montana as mere dots in my wake. or our wake, if we all make it up there. we are so awesomely california, for our dinner tomorrow we have indian boilbag dinners from trader joe's. that's right, palak paneer for julie on the continental divide. riotous! did you guys know trail mix is insanely caloric? one package--easily edible in one snack sitting--of costco trail mix is 500 calories! and now you know i have been hanging around californians too long because i'm starting to know the ingredients and calories in all my foods. grrr, fie my superficial state and the neuroses it imbues in us!

my grandmother just made the most amazing banana bread. i think it is laced with crack. i cant believe i ever liked any banana bread before now.

well, off to bed and off to much higher ground. i'm sad for you guys because i bet none of you will be in a place as beautiful as i will for the next two days. but at least you will have flushing toilets. those are a big plus. but pray that i will meet some strapping mountain man who likes a woman with some serious curves, and we shall climb to the various mountain tops of teh world together forever! weehee.

love
jules