Four years ago, I saw Lin’s sweet face on PetFinder and we rescued each other. The poor fella was abused, abandoned and had two days until euthanasia in Texas. He has been through so much, and I’ve been trying to make his life a brighter place ever since September 9, 2017.
Each Gotcha Day (birthday for rescue pups) I’ve tried extra hard to make his day even more special. This year, we kicked off our day with an hour-long hike in the woods. He enjoyed marking his territory, and we even saw some deer!
While I worked, we spent the entire day snuggling on the couch – which is one of our favorite pastimes 💛
After work, Juan and I took him to one of our favorite downtown areas and strolled along the river. Per usual, we had a great walk as a family.
We wrapped up our lovely celebration by running around with puppers at the dog park, treating Lin to some ice cream, and snuggles before bedtime ☺️
I can only hope that Linley is as happy as he’s made us throughout these past four years 🐶
August was, admittedly, a month full of turbulence, and was my last full month in Michigan. Despite all of this, there’s always light in the darkness. Here are some highlights that made me smile 😌
August 1 – kayaking, hiking and dining in Ann Arbor with Juan and Linley
Hiking at Gallup Park
August 2 – dinner and hot coco with my favorite cousin who visited from New York
Reunited with Katy
August 3 – an evening on the lake with one of my best friends
August 4 – Linley enjoying himself at Home Depot (and loving all the attention!)
August 5 – back to Home Depot!
August 6 – a good night with a great friend
August 7 – profound conversations
August 8 – checking out the Chicago home
Wrigleyville here we come!
August 12 – a night out with an old friend, and some new ones
August 13 – meeting Mindy, Tom and Autumn at the dog park
Lin’s favorite spot
August 14 – heading to Detroit’s infamous Eastern Market with one of my best friends, and being a friend’s plus one to the greatest wedding I’ve ever attended
August 15 – lots of small pups for Lin to play with at the dog park
August 18 – Linley getting Bark to School photos taken at camp, and playing with his friends at the dog park (again!)
August 19 – a dear friend taking my late-night phone call, and making my evening brighter
August 20 – a fun night in downtown Detroit
August 21 – Linley finally cooperating for a bike ride
August 22 – an afternoon at Belle Isle and eating ice cream
August 23 – getting to know my friend’s new boyfriend and having a little too much to drink on a Monday evening
August 25 – dinner and drinks with a bestie
August 26 – a best friend being a great listener
August 27 – celebrating Juan’s “big promotion” at our favorite jazz club
August 28 – reuniting with two of my best friends and spending the day together
Gonna miss Rochester Brunch House!
August 29 – family bonding in Ann Arbor
August 30 – seeing Lin run around with his friends at the dog park
August 31 – dinner and drinks at my favorite speakeasy with one of my closest friends
With heaviness in my heart, I reminisce about my times at my favorite Detroit jazz club. After moving to the Detroit area a few years ago, Cliff Bells instantly pulled me in with its allure and 1950s Art Deco. Now that we’re moving to Chicago next month, we won’t have the luxury of visiting every so often. I wish I could bring Cliff Bells with us, as selfish as that sounds…
Juan and I almost got married here.
Some of the better moments with my parents were shared over dinner and drinks here.
The best live music I’ve ever heard was played here.
Milestones were celebrated here.
Here, I laughed more than I’ve ever laughed in my life.
Here, I truly felt alive.
How can anywhere else compete with all that this jazz club has given me? Has given us?
I am beyond grateful for this incredible place, and hope to find something similar (not a replacement!) in Chicagoland 🥲
I have one month left before I leave my home state of Michigan. Wow. It’s exciting and emotional all in one. In times like these, I often reflect on parallel experiences that brought me to a similar state of mind, and for me, this is primarily my month volunteering in Thailand.
My time in the northern part of this beautiful country was exactly what I needed at that time in my life; I was in desperate need of an adventure and a positive change to get me through. My move to Chicago will open new, exciting opportunities and will allow me to explore common territory in a different way. I’m very much looking forward to pursuing my career aspirations, desired lifestyle and newness the same way I did in Thailand not too long ago.
August 12th was World Elephant Day, which is probably one of my favorite “random” holidays. The preservation and protection of the world’s elephants are extremely important, and it’s great that there’s a day dedicated to this area of animal welfare.
In 2017, it was a privilege and my honor to feed, bathe and (ethically) entertain the elephants provided and cared for by the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary in Chiangmai, Thailand. While traveling, it’s important to research which companies are truly sanctuaries as opposed to businesses that exploit and harm animals.
I hope to live in a world where all animals are treated with the respect and compassion they deserve ❤️
One of my closest friends was in a horrible hit-and-run car accident this weekend. Fortunately, she and her dad are okay, but it was still traumatic and they’re extremely lucky to be alive. Bethany has been through numerous hardships over these past couple of years, and I feel deeply sad that this happened (on top of everything else). I’m grateful that she’s okay and that other things are starting to look up in her life 💛
I’ve realized that the majority of my evenings have been consumed by river walks with Linley, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that! There’s a beautiful park near our neighborhood which allows us to mix up our walking routine every now and then. How have you been changing things up throughout this year and last?
When people say “it’s the little things in life,” they aren’t wrong. A simple, easy stroll with my husband and pup was just what I needed yesterday evening. After a highly stressful day full of unexpected drama, unwinding by the river with two of my favorite fellas meant the world to me. I hope the three of us can have more spontaneous, relaxing walks together – before and after we move.
I felt like F. Scott Fitzgerald this morning as I meandered along the babbling brook at the Grove Park Inn. Asheville, North Carolina is known for its breathtaking views and enchanting scenery – a wonderful place in which to be immersed in nature. Reading my book and sipping my dirty chai latte was the perfect way to start my day 🙂
