SVSoulsticeAdventures: WHOOPSIES! Meant to do a post before return to HI

Jeezers!!! This is something my girlfriend, Lynne, would say...

I forgot an entry that I wanted to make between the January blog post and the Return to HI May post. We worked mostly but I did get a fabulous visit with my nephews, Sean and AJ at the end of January. They flew out from Maryland and we had a great time on Mt. Rose ski hill, some trap shooting at the Capitol City Gun Club, archery, and a nighttime campfire on top of Duck Hill to mention some of the good times. I enjoy it when family comes to see me because I do get more quality time with them than when I go home and try to see everybody. They grew up so fast and I love that they are kind, young men who are establishing their independence and way in the world!! So proud of them both. In my next blog entry, I will mention going home to celebrate Sean's graduation from Towson University.

Our time also got filled up with planning our passage to Alaska which included purchasing 2 water immersion suits. They are enormous Gumby-sized suits and I hope NEVER to be in one but better to have and not need as they say. Look below to see this fashion statement! They will float in the water when zipped up properly and ideally prevent you from getting COLD SHOCK and hypothermia. Yep, I am in, let's buy them (not that he/Stephen really gave me a choice) although if I end up in this suit for a long period of time I may decide to cross to the other side... Stephen gets upset when I say that but it is the same way I feel about ending up in a bunker eating canned goods at the end of the world. Not interested... Nuff said there.

One of our cherished visits was with the Jones Family ( see family photo below) They are neighbors from the Minden NV hood days and also sailors. They contemplate taking off and sailing but they also have 2 young daughters still in the school system. They had us over for dinner and honestly they reek of good energy. There is some vortex of goodness that radiates from all of them. I am not even really a 6th sense person but they do vibrate at a frequency I love. Thanks, Jones Family for always making some time for us and just being who you are!

In February, we decided to get a camp trip in to Saling Hot Spring in Desert Valley. It is one of our favorite places to go and chill. No-fuss for the camping, camp wherever you want. No fees and just be respectful. Lots of good ol' community hippies, old and young, enjoying some well-maintained hot springs. It is truly is an oasis in the desert. You can hike where ever you fancy but be sure to bring food and water. No resources close by to be found. Stephen and I both love camping. Some folks want a fancy hotel room and we prefer to go to bed after sunset with the stars filling the big open sky and wake up with the sun shining on our faces to let you know a new day has begun. The peacefulness that sleeping outside brings has no comparable feeling.

I snuck in a picture of a visit with Mike Jacoby, our sailing buddy from SV Easy. He made a visit from his home in Oregon to be a part of an annual event at Donner Ski Resort which honors some heroes during the infancy of snowboarding and skateboarding too. They had some race events on the hill and then an awards ceremony. We met up with Mike to say hello and be part of his history as a World Champion snowboarder.

I decided to just cut and paste from Wikipedia and save the trouble of listing his numerous accolades:)

Snowboarding career

First event 1986 swatch world championships in Breckenridge Co Junior 16 and under Slalom 7th Giant slalom 8th Half pipe 5th

1987 Swatch World championship Mens am auteur Slalom 1st Giant slalom 1st Halfpipe 14th This was the first event the J-tear was done in a event.

The first World Cup tour was 1988

1991 Overall World Champion (ISF tour)

1992 Overall World Super-G Champion (ISF tour)

Jacoby won the gold medal in both the 1995 and 1996 World Cup giant slalom.^[4] He placed second in the 1996 FIS Snowboarding World Championships giant slalom,^[5] and in the 1997 Snowboarding World Championships placed first in the parallel slalom^[6] and second in the giant slalom.^[7] He placed 17th in the 1998 Winter Olympics.^[2]

Our visit was short and sweet but we will hopefully see him again in Hawaii as he has offered to help crew a friend's boat, Adam, on Vaimana, a Freedom Ketch, a cool monohull with 2 carbon fiber masts and NO standing rigging. Adam's sails it loose-footed too, no booms, so NO accidental jibes. They are making the passage from HI to CA with plans to end up in Ensenada. This boat is one slip away from us in the Ko Olina Marina. They will be leaving similar time to us and so we should be kinda buddy boating until they head East trying to skirt around the Pacific High.

Finally, pics at the end show some Jagger Family Farm pics. We again cannot say how fortunate we were to meet Shawn and Troy in Kauai last year on their vacation with Robertsons. They graciously said we could rent their basement space that was set up like a furnished apartment. Stephen and I really appreciated their kindness and fell in love with the family. Jadyn and Maddy, their daughters, are two bright young ladies, busy with swimming, school, and church. The farm is bustling and requires daily attention. We loved on their dogs and they all will be missed! We left some stuff there including our cars:) so we know we will see them again and possibly be their basement dwellers once again when we return for work!

Speaking of work, Stephen did get a few work pics that I have posted below. We worked from the end of August to mid-April at the Carson Tahoe Hospital in Carson City, Nevada. I worked 3p-3a as an Acute Care NP in the ICU and also doing admissions and Stephen worked the day shift in the same ICU and some shifts again doing critical care transport in Sacramento. The COVID caregiving time was exhausting, extremely stressful, and filled with lots of sadness. The numbers were down when we left and we hope it stays that way but that is TBD....

That is all folks~! I got distracted and missed this entry. I felt like it was a big blur at the end getting ready to leave but this did deserve a separate posting I felt!!

Enjoying an evening sunset on Duck Hill by Washoe Lake with my nephews

DJ Mini Mavic 2 getting some action

Nevada sunsets can be glorius

Shoe Tree brewery afternoon - the Shoe Horn one of my favs

Taking Sean and AJ up to Mt. Rose for a day of snowboarding

Jadyn and Troy on a horse ride by Washoe Lake

Water immersion suit - Check!!!!

Troy made a very good observation!!!!

Saline Hot Springs in Desert Valley - last camp trip for our time in NV - went in February

The Jones Family - a family we absolutely adore and always enjoy a visit with these guys! Good energy always!!!

Our buddies, Dexter on the left, Ollie on the pink blanket and old man Gauge on the right

Jadyn blowing out Maddy's birthday candles! March 9!

Lawn crew

Slow to grow relationship... Old Man Gauge not always of fan of this little whipper snapper

Cows that will be burgers later on in the Spring - hard to look them in the eye- For Reals!

Zeus and Atlas - also some relationship issues. Zeus is much older and establishing some territorial boundaries with Atlas

The ladies !

Was never a fan of small dogs but honestly he is cute and cuddly

Mike Jacoby - Obie One Kanoby we call him! We made the trip to see him do some snowboard slalom at Donner Ranch - It was a special trip to honor the Snowboard Czars from the 80's

What does Jenny eat and drink at 3 am after she gets home from work.... Ta Da !

I think last work day, in the bowling alley we call it... doing ER admits with my co-worker Alex

Dr. Amanda Griffith, our ICU intensivist, and my buddy! We worked closely together and I always appreciate her hard efforts and genuine caring for not only patients but her ICU staff!

Stephen with some ICU folks. Addison, ICU RN and Carrie, ICU Unit Clerk

Alysha, ICU RN, and also an educator. She works more nights now and I get to enjoy her company more than Stephen. Super sharp and she turned me on to "New Girl " so love her for that:)

Rich, ICU Night Charge RN, and truly an amazing RN in every capacity!

Life on the Jagger Farm with Troy at the wheel

Playing cribbage with the Jaggers

Going away party at the Jaggers

Left to right, Brad Orvick ( ER RN at CTH), Dylan Linnell (PA works w/ Jen), Adam Roberston ( Carson medic/firefighter/swat team) and Ryan Sanders ( medic/firefighter/bomb squad) - some good company:)