Ape Caves

Last weekend, Andy and I went to visit the Ape Caves. So the caves formed a about two thousand years ago due to a basaltic flow. Basaltic flows are very unusual and normally found only in Hawaii. The caves are called Ape Caves after the sponsor of the Boy Scout troop that first explored the caves. The caves are very dark and very cool.

We went on the more difficult route with little knowledge of how difficult it would be. Here’s the description from the site:

The 1½-mile (2100m), upper portion of the cave takes about 2½ hours to complete, returning on a surface trail. Cavers must climb over approximately 27 boulder piles and scale an 8-foot (2.5m) high lava fall.

The boulder piles, called breakdown, formed after the eruption subsided and the fluid lava drained from the tube. As the lava tube cooled, it began to shrink and crack. These cracks weakened the ceiling and walls causing parts of them to collapse. The entrances to Ape Cave formed in this way.

Andy in the caves

Aleta in the caves.

The lava tube

Skin Update

I know you were all waiting with bated breathe over my skin issue. Quick recap: the last few months my skin has been breaking out so badly I thought I was going through puberty again. My face was so greasy that OPEC could have drilled. People suggested it was hormones, stress, allergies, etc. Like most women I’ve bought and tried new products in the last couple of months so it could have been allergies. I’ve been under a lot of stress. And hormones! It can always be tied to hormones.

I changed face lotions to a product that is hypoallergenic and won’t clog my pores. My skin is doing much better. I will post some photos as things start going back to normal. Thanks for all your help and concern.

Dream Job

I’ve been conversing with a friend via email about our dream jobs. You know the ones where money is no object so you can choose a job that either pays very little or no money. For most of us, they are one in the same. A few years ago, USATODAY ran an ongoing monthly column about people who are have their dream job. Reading through the article, the common theme is that people who have their dream job have a sense of control over their day, work, and responsibilities that the majority of us do not have.

My dream job changes from time to time. But a common theme is that it usually involves food and/or drink somehow some way. At times, I think I’d like to have a farm and others I’d love to be a writer (I could write about food or just eat and drink while I write). These days, baking sounds wonderful. If money were no object, what would your dream job be?

Tutt: The Sweetest Cat That Ever Did Live

Tutt

Our Tutt

This morning I got home from an early workout at the gym to find my sweet baby Tutt under the rocking chair (in his favorite spot) dead. His eyes were open and at first I thought he had just zoned out as he sometimes did. But he was gone. We don’t know how or why our little baby died. He was only 3 and a half years old. He hadn’t been sick or acting abnormally. We didn’t have poison in our house and there were no skirmishes with the other cats. He was an inside cat who lived a shy simple life. He loved to lick me and Andy’s fingers. He liked to crawl under the covers with me and lay on the floor on my side of the bed on my clothes. He was enjoyed playing with toys and was an accomplished killer with one mouse and a bird under his belt. As a litter of one, he had some serious issues with socialization and marking his territory. But regardless, he was a very sweet and very loving. I will miss him very, very much.

Tutt

Artichokes and Shrimp

The store had a great deal on artichokes and shrimp. Andy cleaned out the inside of the artichokes and grilled them. He sauteed some veggies and shrimp together. So we each ate 2 artichokes and a lot of shrimp and veggies. It was so fantastic I felt it needed its own blog post.

The chef at work!

Artichokes and Shrimp

Delicious.

Yum

Goggles

So I’ve been trying to swim at least one day at the local pool. I tried using my old goggles. They had really cool lenses and were heavily discounted when I purchased them five years ago. And they leak water like the punctured side of the Titanic. Not great when you rely on contacts to get you safely from end end of the pool to the other.

Andy and I made a trip to REI which is easily one of my most favorite stores ever. They didn’t have much in the way of selection but what they did have looked awesome. Andy helped me settle on a pair that have a way to easily adjust them while wearing them. I can get them so tight I can actually feel my eyeball bug out a bit. Not that that is how I will wear them. I just wanted to give them a little test.

New Goggles

Please ignore the messy hair and bad skin. Not sure if I am allergic to the apricot scrub I bought six weeks ago but my skin hasn’t been the same since I started using it. I don’t know.