#also got the ‘he could use more frequent baths for hydration

[lizardlink]

(Link was a little upset yesterday morning when he realized he was going to the vet.)

[pseudofaux]

so..... under Comte's MC worship piece you mentioned having some darker ideas for him....... i think it's only natural to ask if you'd ever expand on that at least a little?... 👀

I would and I will 😤😍, thank you so much for asking!

This is ALL GOING UNDER A CUT. If you, gentle reader, don’t like the idea of the ask for/featuring Comte, this post isn’t for you— so please don’t read it. Totally fine if this is not your cup of tea! It is mine. And under the cut is tea time. 😌

He wants her sparkling with life, and happy, and choosing to be with him, of course. But he would love to have stretches of time where she’s both pliant and reliant— he’ll want her submissive to his wishes... to do everything for her. Feed her, bathe her, cosset her, fuck her. Hard. So, so lovingly, but hard, hard enough that she’ll need rest and care afterward, and that is part of the thrill: he creates her pleasure and any resultant soreness or exhaustion, she trusts him to do that even though she knows she doesn’t know how big a trust that is, and then he’s further in charge of all the massaging and hydrating and sheet-changing and moon watching and everything else AFTER.

He’s not a creature that sweats much and he loves to sweat from the physical ways he fucks her whenever they get the chance: holding her bent atop dressers and desks, pinning her against a wall, holding her over the rail of a theater box all done in velvet and gold, standing up to his shoulders in a river or the great baths of the mansion and cupping his hands underneath her thighs while he keeps her naked body in the air like a dryad and licks into her, anywhere. Anywhere! He’s strong and never gets to showwwwww ittttttt. He’s got this thin, devestating edge of keenness inside himself to reveal his strength to her. His aim here is 500% caveman “I am no threat to you but I am Big Damn Threat to anyone who would ever even think about hurting you” display. Sometimes he sweats just from holding himself rigid for her to touch, and her cool, miraculous fingertips tracing his body with obvious wonder and appreciation make him so, so deliciously tense. But sweet gentleman Comte, he loves that pre-snap as much as the snap itself. 🥰 And he loves! loves! HER sweat. It’s not as though it smells sweet, it smells like sweat. And he loves it and it turns him on. Dirty from the garden = charming, him loves him wife, dirty and a bit sweaty from the garden = he’ll be escorting her to the bath. Now. Good DAY, Sebas. You’ve done well.

He wants her blissed out, fucked out, so lucid she loses all her manners and only has him in her eyes. That’s the intimacy he craves, that’s what he’s dying to see under the Christmas tree.

Speaking of Christmas!

He’s really dying to take her to a little country church, something homespun and humble and holy, and make love to her on a dark wood pew. He wants his hand over her mouth and her hand over mouth and he wants them to be so close to getting caught. He wants them stumbling out and giggling like young lovers and he wants her to fall asleep next to him in the carriage home.

Also speaking of Christmas: loves to see her in rich ribbons. Dark blue velveteen with gold edging is his favorite. If she’s game to present herself as a gift to him, he’ll unwrap her with an open glee he very rarely displays. He’s gotten her several ostrich-feather fans and will get her dozens more if he so much as catches her eyes on their boxes. The slow delight of her revealing herself with them is an unparalleled joy in his life.

He doesn’t like her tied up beyond the ribbons. He likes to be tied up himself. 😏 Lives for her circling a chair he sits in, there in their bedroom, and winding ropes or whathaveyou through the arms and legs and around the back to keep his body in place, all the while teasing him with loving touches and sensual offers. If he makes it through that heavenly torture, he sits tied to the chair while she spreads her legs and lets him watch her get off. If he slips out of the bonds or snaps them before she’s finished... she wins that way, too. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Has considered asking Sebastian or Leonardo to tie him to a chair for her to find, so it’s all set up and a nice surprise. Hasn’t done it but knows he won’t be able to resist the idea forever.

All of his cravings for her dependency, even the dark ones, come from the root of his desire to be worthy of her trust. He’s not too angsty about it once they make it official, but none of it is a desire to hurt or endanger her, only to care for her if she is ever imperiled. The closest he comes to that is edging and biting her, but he doesn’t enjoy edging for edging’s sake and would be Very Content to help her orgasm as frequently, blissfully, and quickly as possible. Draw out the lovemaking session, not the denial.

Oooooh, and he’s a talker, during! Of course! So smooth and polite about it, always so mannerly, which makes the crudeness really leap out. Calls her a naughty girl like he does in that hand-licking card (R.I.P. pseu), tells her that the squelch between her legs is magnificent and musical, very free with praise for how rapturously beautiful she is. Asks if she wants sachertorte or fraises avec crême pâtissière as dinner wraps up, and anyone else still at the table rolls their eyes or flees because that the offer is a coded proposition is so obvious, my god, these two, again?

The entire house ships it, it’s fine, also it is Comte’s house

Her moans thrill him, so he often echoes her. If she should call out something like “Oh, god, yes,” it will be hard for him not to do the exact same. The sounds she makes during sex make his dick throb. He’s really enjoyed sitting her on the edge of a high table and stepping between her thighs, feeding from the top curve of one of her breasts, and toying with her with both hands to get her making noise. One broad finger pressing a line down the small of her back, through the lady’s sweat beading there, and following her body between the cheeks of her ass, flirting with her rim for a long time (she clenches, it’s delightful, you can’t fault a man for pleasing his lover) before he makes true contact and she gasps. His favorite. One of many favorites.

He’s a handful man, not a pincher. He wants to have her full breast against his palm much more than he wants to tweak her nipples, and he loves to cup her cunt with his hand and stroke her slit with more than one finger. He’s all about wide, diffuse, overpowering sensations. He’ll grab (he loves to watch her skin pillow his fingers anywhere he can get it), he’ll hold, he’ll use his hold hand to grip. But he thinks of pinching as both too direct and punishing. He’s not a fan.

I could see (AND ENJOY) a Comte/MC/Leonardo triad, but personally I prefer to ship them with her individually. If it’s Comte/MC I’m convinced Comte would arrange for them to be fucking in places where Leonardo will know, at the time (by sound) or after the fact (stuff moved, a scent in the air). There’s no one else in the mansion on his level like Leonardo is, so a little bit of my dick is wetter showing off... is... gonna happen.

He would share her with Leonardo if they all wanted that, as a one-time or short term (what’s a few years of blissful threesomes between friends?) thing. I don’t think the Comte that loves MC pines for Leonardo romantically, but Leo’s understanding is the best non-malevolent way Comte is known, and there’s trust there. I also! think!!! that Comte respects Leonardo’s abilities and inclinations as a lover, so. 😏

He would drink from her until she was weak, 100%. Not every time! But would he do it? YES. Like so weak she needs to rest for a day or two. So weak she needs to rely on him and he can not only keep her in bed but satisfy all her needs, gently and attentively. It’s not about the ego of holding her life in his hands, it’s the opportunity to be the one who serves her so fully. He probably gets in some dumb, angsty tangles about not wanting to be the one to hurt her, but being deeply moved by the idea of caring for her if she were to be hurt, and not being willing to trust anyone else, ever, to hurt her for them. Ah, this goose, I fucking love himmmmmm

Comte has had a few torturous dreams of leaning her against the wall of a ruin, biting her somewhere high on her naked body, and then waiting for the blood to run down her form so he can lick it from her ankles. Her skin is so fragrant and her blood is so sweet... The way bites and blood flows work doesn’t even make the scenario possible, but the dream is deeply arousing. He is not, at all, into torturing her, but the dream is recurring and he doesn’t mind it as a fantasy. He’s got all sorts of ritualized ways to love her in mind.

He’s so in love with making love to her before they go out to plays and insisting she needs no blush or powder. He’s right, she can see it in the mirrors of their room. Keeps her color high with his hands up her skirts on the way to the theater. And at the theater, if she allows. If they see a tragedy performed he’ll be extra watchful for signs of any lingering distress on her part.

Cock warming’s not a bad idea, she is heaven incarnate, but what he really likes is to undo her with his fingers inside her body and then not take them out. If he’s wearing gloves the next morning before etiquette demands them, it’s because they’re still a bit wrinkled. ���

Has her pose for as many classical portraits as she’s willing to endure. Touches her bare breast while the painter watches to tease all three of them. Sometimes he asks to be added to the painting. Usually not!

Happiness: a nice, wet,  w i d e  bite over her shoulder.

He doesn’t actually like biting her neck because he loves to kiss and nuzzle it so much, the fucking fool! 😂 He likes fleshier parts of her: the aforementioned shoulders, her instep, the curve of both her hips where they flare from the small of her waist. He’s also REAL fond of biting her on her mons and the sacred place where her bottom meets her legs. Goddddddddd. He thinks he’s a derrière man but it’s really THAT part, that hidden curve that is sometimes a crease. He’d live there if he could, and he spends many happy nights laying her out on their bed on her front, fingering her and nosing up the beloved heft of her ass so he can get his fangs into that special place on her body.

The fleshiness is partially for her comfort and partially a mouthfeel thing for him— it’s the best vampiric sensation for Comte when her blood wells over her skin in his mouth, when he can suck a mouthful of skin between the wounds he’s made.

WHEW okay that’s what I’ve got for now. Thank you so much for this ask. 😭😭😭🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️

* Sachertorte is him eating her ass while she grinds into a pillow, the strawberries would be making a slowwwwwww sash of exquisite bite marks across her back and licking each one... while she grinds into a pillow. Alfajores are her giving him a handjob while he propped over her on their bed, arms shaking because he’s not allowed to move until she says. Chouquettes are him giving himself a handjob and coming all over her breasts. Welfenspeise is ruining all the flowers in a particular part of the garden. Ciardunas...

[jaxsteamblog]

Secrets

Click here to read the full fic on AO3

They didn’t stay out much longer than that, and they walked back to the beach house quietly. Zuko let Katara rinse at the outdoor shower first and she listened to him smack their shoes to clean off the sand. A futile effort, but one that had to be attempted.

While he rinsed, Katara found a pair of sandy beach towels in a box near the porch and took them over. Wrapping herself in one, she looked up at the sky. The stars were a little different here, or at least in slightly different positions.

Clutching the spare towel, Katara shivered slightly in the night air.

“Cold?” Zuko asked. She handed him the towel and pulled an unimpressed face as he dried his hair while steaming slightly.

Pulling water off her body would act like evaporation and just cool her more, so Katara stood still dripping. Firebenders just warmed themselves apparently.

“Yeah. I think I’m going to take a proper shower and go to bed.” She replied.

Zuko twisted up his towel and wrapped it around the back of his neck, holding onto the ends.

“Good night your Highness.” He said and smiled. Katara did pull the water from her body and tossed it in his face.

“Good night.” She retorted and walked off.

The shower in the house smelled faintly like brackish water, but it felt clean. Katara turned her face up into the warm spray and rinsed the ocean from her hair and skin. There was soap here already and smelled like an artificial ocean; fake salt water jelly soap and coconut shampoo. But as she bathed, she felt the small shells of tiny bivalves sticking to her arms and legs.

Wrapping herself in a clean, rough bath towel - whoever kept this house obviously didn’t believe in fabric softener - Katara moved from the bathroom and fell directly onto the bed. If she got two nights in a row of good sleep, it’d be a miracle.

When she woke up a ten hours later, still nearly in the same position, Katara wondered if she had slept or merely passed out. Her sheets were damp and the towel was uncomfortably caught under her body. With bending, she dried everything and unabashedly used the water to rinse her face free of sleep. Clapping her hands together, the water exploded into steam and she dressed as it dissipated.

Over breakfast, Suki announced that she wanted to go to the beach and they all started to pack up a basket to take down. Katara found the bottles of sunscreen, using her foot to fend off Suki who was reaching for the tanning oil while also yelling at her brother that their melanin wouldn’t save them from skin cancer.

Zuko packed lunches and they all somehow managed to dress and get down to the beach. With her bending, they all played a variation of king of the hill with everyone attempting to get to Katara to knock her over. Not one of them could get past her multitude of water limbs and she even picked Sokka up by his ankles and flung him off toward the reef.

They wound down after the initial burst of energy and Suki went snorkeling while Sokka stayed on the beach doing some sand sculpting. Zuko went looking for seashells and Katara floated in the calm water, feeling the sun warm her skin.

At lunch, Zuko announced that he had found some shellfish and, if they wanted, they could make a beach pit for dinner. Sokka readily agreed and worked with Zuko on digging the pit. Katara fulfilled her assumed role as her bending made it much easier to catch their dinner and grab seaweed to layer over the hot stones.

Suki engineered the layering while Zuko heated everything up. Then, while Sokka placed the electric thermometer and reburied everything, the rest of them went back up to the house to grab supplies.

A cooler was filled with ice and beer, while Katara grabbed plates and cutlery. They chatted as they moved around the kitchen, snagging butter and bread, arguing about what else they could need.

Back at the beach, Katara went swimming again while the others stayed by the pit and relaxed. Treading water, she looked at them all.

It was odd to have such a normal night with her secret out in the open. Zuko must not have said anything to her brother as Sokka hadn’t turned on his overbearing parent mode. And Zuko himself didn’t seem bothered by it.

Katara kept swimming until she saw Sokka and Suki walk up to the house. Darting back to the beach, Katara dried herself before sitting on the large blanket they had laid out under an umbrella that was quickly becoming unnecessary.

“Zuko, did you know Admiral Zhao?” Katara asked suddenly and Zuko looked at her in surprise.

“Zhao? Yeah, I did.” He said. Katara nodded and pulled her legs up, wrapping her arms around them and resting her chin on her knees.

“I hated him, to be honest.” Zuko added and Katara lowered her face so her forehead pressed on her knees instead.

“You’re not just saying that?” She questioned.

“No, he was truly awful. My time in the war was,” Zuko made a sound as he thought of how to word his thoughts. “Questionable. He kept trying to out me as a traitor and I had to dodge him quite frequently.”

“Your uncle said your family fought for the exiled prince, so doesn’t that make you a traitor for real?” Katara asked, raising her head. Zuko looked pained and it confused her.

“My uncle, he,” Zuko’s voice was strained. “My family was not united during the war. I didn’t overtly fight for either side.”

“Your father supported the coup?” Katara asked incredulously. Zuko frowned and turned away from her.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” He murmured.

Katara watched him for a moment, feeling a little sick. Then she turned away too, speaking softly as she did. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine. It’s only because it makes me look bad.” Zuko replied, his voice low.

When he stood, Katara startled and unfurled herself, stretching out her legs and looking at him as he moved.

“Want a beer?” He asked, his back turned to her.

“Sure.” She said. He went to the cooler and opened it, making the ice shift as he grabbed two cans. He let the lid slam shut and walked back, handing Katara a can before sitting down. They both opened their drinks and Katara watched Zuko as he looked out at the ocean.

“This feels awful because you know, you could look up everything in a high school textbook. But you don’t, so it’s up to me to tell you and I really don’t want to.” Zuko said and took a drink.

“You want someone else to tell me your secrets.” Katara said.

Zuko scoffed bitterly. “It’s not a secret if it’s public knowledge Katara.”

“Then why don’t you just tell me?”

Zuko chugged his beer and gasped, examining the label.

“Because I kind of like this world where I’m not me.” He said and smiled at her. Katara weakly reflected back the smile, like the moon reflecting back the light of the sun.

Sokka and Suki came crashing back to their spot in a tangle of limbs and running mouths. Throwing Katara a shovel, they dug up the food while Suki and Zuko laid out the dishes and necessities. They ate most of the food with their fingers, scalding themselves and laughing at each other. They continued to drink, while Katara insisted that they try to stay hydrated. Ultimately, she imbibed too much and stopped keeping track.

After dinner was done and the trash collected, they debated the merits of staying out. Katara had gotten too much sun and decided to head back in. Zuko agreed, claiming he had gotten in his share of night swimming already. Suki and Sokka had started to cuddle up together and neither was intending on going anywhere.

So Katara and Zuko got up and headed toward the sand dunes. Feeling her head spin, Katara stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

“Stairs, my old nemesis.” She said, swaying on her feet.

“Allow me.” Zuko said and reached for her. Katara held out her arms, but Zuko ducked under them, grabbing her by the legs and heaving her over his shoulder. Before she could protest, Zuko started up the wooden stairs.

“You okay?” He asked as Katara bounced against him, his shoulder pressing into her stomach.

“Yeah. You have a nice butt.” She stated.

“Thanks, I worked hard on it and I’m pretty attached to it.” Zuko said and she giggled. He stopped at the top of the stairs and set her down. As her world tipped right side up, Katara staggered and Zuko held onto her hands to steady her.

“Your girlfriend is a lucky woman.” Katara said and Zuko chuckled.

“Sometimes I wish she felt that way. Because I’ll tell you a secret,” He replied, leaning in and shielding his mouth with his hand. “We’re not actually in love.”

Katara scoffed and pushed him away.

“She told me that already.” She said.

“Then it’s not much of a secret.” Zuko remarked.

Not having anything else to say, Katara turned on her heel and started marching back to the house. Zuko quickened his steps to catch up to her and then started to walk leisurely. Completely besotted, Katara found herself matching his pace.

“You should tell me a better secret since I told you mine.” She said suddenly. Zuko stuck his hands in his pockets and looked up at the sky.

“Hmmmm. Okay.” He stopped and Katara stopped. After a moment still staring at the sky, Zuko looked at her and smiled.

“What if I told you I’m a prince?” He said.

“Ha!” Katara brayed, just as Zuko’s face went white with terror.

“Wait. You’re serious?” She asked. Her stomach twisted and Katara could feel sour bubbles in her throat.

“You’re the prince of the Fire Nation?!” She shouted.

“Zuko, you idiot!” Sokka yelled back from the beach.

“I told you it was common knowledge!” Zuko exclaimed.

“But that means your father is the Fire Lord!”

“I am well aware of that, yes!”

“He’s not a great guy, Zuko!”

“I can’t really help being born, Katara!”

Katara abruptly sat down, holding her head in her hands.

“Spirits, I am so dumb.” She muttered.

Zuko crouched next to her, putting his hand on her upper back.

“To be honest, it is fairly impressive that you went this long without learning anything about the Fire Nation royal family.” He said and Katara groaned.

“You all were the bad guys and I was trying to ignore anything that had to do with my being Queen of the Water Tribe.” She said. Opening her hands, Katara stared down at the sandy patch of grass.

“We’re fine Suki.” Zuko called gently and Katara looked up. Suki cocked her head and Katara only nodded before covering her face again and groaning.

“I didn’t fight for my father Katara. I,” Zuko hesitated and Katara stayed quiet in her huddled form, breathing in her own hot air.

“You want to know a secret even your brother doesn’t know?” He asked.

“Please don’t tell me you were in charge of one of the prisons we burned down.” Katara grumbled.

“You, you burned down a prison?” Zuko sputtered.

“Multiple.” Katara corrected. “There were multiple prisons.”

“Well that answers a lot of questions my uncle had.” Zuko mumbled. He then patted Katara’s back. “No, it’s not about prisons.”

“What then?” Katara croaked.

“The reason why Zhao kept hounding me was because he thought I was the Blue Spirit.” Zuko said and Katara’s body went cold. “Have you heard of him?”

Oh spirits above and below. Katara thought. That is worse.

Katara popped her head up and stared directly at him. “Zuko, I think we already met before this summer.”

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

[loadingluke]

2-7 weeks post stage 2 update!

Hello! Thought it was about time for an update. Time has gone by incredibly quickly. I’ve been pretty preoccupied with life stuff and honestly stage 2 recovery was pretty uneventful once I was out of the hospital and resting. Strap in though, as this is gonna be a long one.I think the best way I can update you all is by doing a rough update of the past few weeks, and then I will talk specifically about the healing of each section.

GENERAL HEALING FROM 2-6 WEEKS

My last update was from 2 weeks post op, so feel free to go back to that if you want some context. Following that update, I had my first appointment at the continence clinic for my first void trial! I got to the clinic at 7:30am, and this was located at Greenslopes. Goossen came in and had a bit of a look and took my urethral catheter out- he said there wasn’t any resistance which was a good sign. I was then taken to the waiting room area and given some water...and then it was time to wait.

The room itself was quite nice, there were a huge selection of recliners and some TVs, and nurses who were offering food and coffee while I waited. I had my 2L bottle of water and just started chugging. Once I felt the urge to pee I went to the bathroom, and on a table was a selection of bottles all labelled with peoples names. I located my own and then had my first attempt and it went well! I was expecting it to hurt or be uncomfortable, but it didn’t hurt very much at all, possibly because I was so well hydrated. I then went to the consulting room and had an ultrasound on my bladder to see whether or not I completely emptied my bladder. The nurses then measured how much I peed to see if it was all normal. All was looking good so I was sent back into the waiting room for another 2 attempts before I’d be cleared to leave. The other two attempts went off without a hitch and so I was sent off back home, with my SPC being switched to a flip flow instead of a bag. From now on, I will be solely voiding from my penis, but if there is any issue like a stricture or for whatever reason I can’t pee, I have the SPC as a backup option.

The rest of this week was pretty uneventful. The only issue I noticed post urethral catheter removal was that the next few days I had a few issues with bladder spasms, but it passed pretty quick and wasn’t an issue again as long as I took my ditropan. I was oozing less and less, eventually to the point where I only needed 2 pieces of gauze on my scrotum and no more giant pads, and the best part...normal underwear instead of the hospital ones I’d been wearing for 2 weeks 🥰. I just chilled at home, drinking my water and peeing when I needed to- and thankfully there were no issues. I didn’t need to use the SPC at all, and now that it wasn’t being used and I was back to normal underwear it was actually not too bothersome. My family returned to Hong Kong and so I didn’t do too much besides waiting for my next appointment so I could go home. At this point, I was pretty much off pain meds besides random instances of pain or if I overdid it.

On Tuesday I had the SPC removed. This was also at the continence clinic at 7:30am. The nurses started to remove it but found that it wasn’t coming out. They were trying to be very gentle and unfortunately it wasn’t budging. They decided they would wait until Goossen came in to do it. In typical fashion, he removed it in 2 seconds with a few solid tugs. Luckily for me, it was so quick that I didn’t really have time to register what was happening and that it hurt before it was all over, lol. My drainage hole was dressed and I was told to contact him or the hospital if I had any issues. He stressed that I am not to be catheterised by my urethra unless it is done via camera and by someone with experience, and if not to just get an SPC, or, in case of emergencies, a large needle through my spc scar to aspirate urine if I can’t be catheterised. After shuddering at the thought of that I was all set to go and I was cleared to go back to Melbourne the next day.

My flight home was fine. I was a lot more mobile this time around compared to how I was post stage 1, and although I was taking it easy travelling didn’t completely wipe me like it did last time. I had some panadol just to manage my pain during the trip, but I don’t think I really needed it. I was feeling pretty back to normal now at 4 weeks post op, and boy was I glad to be home. I spent a few days relaxing, and then started back into GAMSAT study which took up the majority of my time.

The GAMSAT was last week, I was 6 weeks post op. For those unfamiliar, it is an exam you need to take to apply for most postgraduate medicine programs and consists of 3 sections that total about 5.5 hours. It’s a mammoth of a day for anyone, let alone someone who had a 6 hour surgery not even 2 months prior. I was feeling pretty back to normal luckily, and I think it went okay…but I’ll find out in November. I applied for accommodations before surgery as I was unsure how I’d be feeling post op, and so I was allowed to bring some pain meds in just in case, as well as a pillow to sit on. Apparently this was a strange request as when I entered the room the lady went “Oh! You’re the pillow man!” lol. I was actually seated in a separate section to the other people sitting the exam due to my accommodations, which was nice as it meant the whole process was smoother and there was less waiting around which I think was good for my body as I was getting a little sore towards the end. I’m just glad it’s all over now!That is about it for my general update, now I’m going to go specifically into how the different wounds/sections travelled and how I managed the healing. I have my next post op in mid October, so I’ll do another update then. I have a date booked for stage 3 for early next year, but at the moment it isn’t confirmed so I’ll find out at my post op if we are all good to go ahead then, so fingers crossed 🤞

GLANS

At this point, I would say my glans is fully healed. I am very happy with the shape and how it looks, it looks better than I could imagine. The scar underneath the corona looks just like a circumcision scar, which has made me feel a lot better about the general look of my penis. So far it hasn’t flattened, but I am going to keep an eye on it. As for the progression of healing, it changed quite a bit. For the first week and a half it was pretty uneventful, and I just had combine dressings on it to keep everything in place. Eventually the glans started to bleed and ooze quite a bit and so I was having to change it more frequently, so I started using gauze on my glans, wrapping it around the incisions and taping it in place. I would change this every day, and use saline-soaked gauze on the wound for about 15 minutes every morning before redressing it to keep it clean as per Goossen’s recommendation. It was pretty sloughy and gross for about 3 weeks, but started settling around the 4 week mark. Eventually I didn’t need gauze anymore and it looked pretty much healed. I occasionally use a little bit of fixomul on the glans, two strips on either side to hold it back so it heals raised, but I stopped doing that as I didn’t really like having to take it off and at this point it doesn’t look necessary. I had a little area that took a little longer to heal, and that formed a bit of a scab. I just left it be and eventually it fell off. This has left s little divot in my glans, but it’s pretty subtle and not really noticeable. I’m super super happy with how it all looks, aesthetically it looks better than I could have dreamed!

SCROTUM AND VAGINECTOMY SITE

I’ll start with my vaginectomy site, which has honestly been the easiest part of recovery. I’ve had no issues at all with the healing of this, it all healed well and all the stitches dissolved no problem. The amount of relief this has given has been huge for me, knowing it’s gone makes me feel so much more at peace. Nothing really to say though as it was pretty uneventful and healed as well as one could hope, with no complications or issues.

My scrotum has taken its time to heal, and this has been the longest process of the whole surgery. Because of the shape of the wound, it’s very hard to actually manage, as you can’t really stick things in place or anything. I had quite a bit of ooze coming from a small hole behind my scrotum, which I just used some gauze on and changed when needed. I also had some ooze coming from the seam line where my scrotum joins in the middle, which I also used gauze for. I would salt bath both wounds for 15-20 minutes a day after my shower and I definitely think that helped. By week 5 most of the ooze was gone, and I felt a lot more comfortable. The hole behind my scrotum is now completely gone, and the seamline looks normal.

The look of my scrotum isn’t pretty, and honestly it looks a little strange without any implants. It’s kinda shrivelled and deflated, but I know implants will improve its look significantly. The right side is quite a bit larger than the left, as the left had some tissue removed in stage 1, but over time this has settled and it looks a lot more even now. I think it’s important to mention this because there is very minimal info regarding the actual scrotoplasty aspect of phallo.

Right after surgery, the scrotum was looking pretty small and Goossen was concerned about me potentially needing tissue expanders to create enough room to accommodate the implant and pump- but since healing I think it has actually descended rather than retracted as we expected. The scrotum looks quite a bit larger now since I last saw him, and I think shouldn’t pose an issue for implants, but I’m not a surgeon so we shall see in October. I’m crossing my fingers that we will be okay to go ahead with stage 3 as planned, as if I need another op before stage 3 it would throw out my timing quite significantly...so we shall see. If it needs to be done it needs to be done, but I’m hoping that it will be fine to proceed without them.

URINATION

The part I was most concerned about of this whole surgery experience was no doubt my urethral lengthening- as this is where most complications typically stem from. I have been super lucky, and haven’t had any issues from the day I could stand to pee. Having the catheter was irritating, but it was so worth it for this result. I am so much more comfortable now and because of this, I’m drinking so much more water! I used to avoid drinking so I wouldn’t have to go to the bathroom because having to think about what I had in my pants stressed me out. Now that that’s not an issue I’m so hydrated. It’s great. I’m still stressing that something is going to go wrong, but there is no reason to. My stream is super strong and nice and straight and hasn’t changed at all. I don’t feel pain or irritation which is good, but the fear is still there and probably will still be there until I’m further down the line.

The sensation of peeing is weird. I can feel it in my natal urethra, and then it going through the bend where the new urethra and my natal urethra join, and then nothing. Because of this, it took a long time for me to not feel like I was just going to pee on the floor as it feels like it is exiting where it used to. I also was quite paranoid I was leaking because of this, even though I had no fistula or any reason to be stressed about it. This took a few weeks to get used to but wasn’t really something I saw discussed pre op. I can feel the urine through my urethra when I hold my penis as it makes it feel stiffer which is super cool.

My number one tip for if you’re having a catheter or just in general for this stage is to drink. Drink as much as you can and then drink more- it helped with the bladder spasms, it helped with the pain and with a catheter especially it’s important to keep things dilute. I had my 2L bottle with me that I took everywhere and I made sure to drink at least that entire thing every day and it made a huge difference, as once I forgot and the bladder pains and stinging was a lot worse. Drinking so much water during my recovery really got me into the habit and I’m really glad about it as it was definitely something I didn’t do as much as I should, and I feel better for it.

I had a bit of issue with post void dripping for a  few weeks, and I combatted this by using a bit of gauze or toilet paper on the end of my penis to catch any remaining drips.  I noticed this improved heaps at 5 weeks post op, as a lot of the swelling went down and it is easier to milk the urethra. I haven't had any issues with dripping since then really, which is good as it was getting kind of frustrating.

MISCELLANEOUS

My incision from where the full thickness graft was taken for my glansplasty is healing well. Pretty uneventful. I put fixomul on it when I can be bothered, but due to its location it doesn’t seem to stretch much anyway and so this may be overkill. My SPC site is closed over, but at this stage is still kinda scabby. I’m just letting it be, it’ll heal in time. Pics of both are attached.

Since stage 2 I’ve noticed an increase in hair growth on my penis, probably due to the increased blood flow to the area. Although it’s a lot better since my electrolysis, this is still super disappointing. Part of me wants to wait until after stage 3 to continue with it as I’m not too keen to put all the time and money into it just to have it all grow back again. For the time being I’m just trimming it and I’ll make more of a decision later.

As I’ve mentioned, I had burial of my original genitals this stage- and since this sexually I feel a lot more comfortable. I am able to tell where it is located at the base of my penis, but honestly I don’t need to find it as just using my penis is enough. I haven’t lost the ability to orgasm, nothing really feels different in terms of the feeling compared to pre burial, just that now I’m not super dysphoric after. That’s all I’ll say about that as it’s pretty personal, but we are all good in that department lol.

Emotionally I feel great, being able to stand to pee has been huge for my dysphoria and I feel awesome about it. I’ve used urinals without issue, and it’s so nice not stressing about an STP failing or there not being any stalls. I also feel a lot more comfortable now that the vaginectomy is done as I still had a lot of dysphoria relating to those parts, so it feels like a weight has been lifted off me. As much as the first few days were awful, recovery for this stage has been a lot less stressful and I’ve been able to bounce back pretty quickly. I’m looking forward to my final stage and for this chapter to be over. As always, let me know if you have any questions, my inbox is always open as well if you want to ask something privately. Hope the past few weeks have been treating you all well!

[number9robotic]

Untitled Cyberpunk Magical Girl Project characterization prompt response:

Original prompt by @gallusrostromegalus​!

OC Recap (left to right):

Suzi: Dance student, part-time magical girl/virtual celebrity, half-stoic, half-upbeat depending on the mood.

Kim: Botanist, semi-retired veteran magical girl and mentor, awkward “cool” mom with baggage.

Crash: Delinquent spirit, first magical girl, currently hyperactive virtual ghost, born troublemaker.

Nano: Rebellious slave class member in hiding, uses magical girl powers for personal investigations, comically deadpan.

HD: Gifted rich girl/conspiracy theorist unknowingly chosen to be a magical girl, quiet but eccentric personality.

A. On a scale of “is occasionally forced to bathe” to “Instagram model with sponsors to hoe for” how involved is your OC’s Skincare routine?

Suzi: She’s a teenage girl, so a bit. Even disregarding her online presence, she’s in the know of cosmetics just to look good to friends.

Kim: Very basic hydration and cleanliness, only gets special treatment if something’s actively acting up.

Crash: Currently doesn’t care due to being a virtual ghost. Didn’t care much in her physical life either except for concerts.

Nano: Very basic cleanliness; she’s very out of the loop of many things, optimal skincare included.

HD: Focused a lot. Part of it is casual access to high-brand cosmetics, part of it is natural obsession with cleanliness.

B. What are your OC’s food preferences (flavors/textures/spiciness/calories/ when and how they eat) and how did they get that way?

Suzi: Has a pretty varied middle-class palate, likes even mix of savory and sweet. Very fond of fish and rice (sushi of course) and sugary drinks (boba, lemon tea).

Kim: Very light diet. Just needs something only mildly flavorful like tea or natto rice she can easily have at work, sometimes forgets to eat in general.

Crash: Likes cheap/instant ramen and other fast foods; grew up on the stuff and hates the taste of “real” food. She also likes things spicy.

Nano: Currently expanding taste buds due to lifetime being served nutrient goop. Likes sweets, but only has them on occasion because they cause headaches (taiyaki’s pretty good).

HD: Regularly gets to enjoy high-quality “real” foods, but very frequently jumps to easier-to-access comfort foods like strawberry milk or curry rice.

C. What’s something pointless/petty/unimportant that IRRATIONALLY ANNOYS THE HELL out of your OC?

Suzi: When the train arrives earlier than scheduled, so she misses it and has to wait for the next.

Kim: Zoning out while steeping tea and realizing it’s cold after forgetting about it.

Crash: Anti-aliasing, and the inability to turn it off. NOOOO SMOOTHENIIIIIIING

Nano: Her senior chef’s taste in music. She recently got a job as his apprentice, and she can’t stand the pirate rock he blares in the kitchen. She hates the accents.

HD: Lacking the right word to articulate an emotion or idea she wants to express and being unable to look it up.

D. What’s your OC’s response to being asked for money by a homeless person?

Suzi: “Some other day.”

Kim: (quietly looks to her phone)

Crash: “Nah fam, not today.”

Nano: (completely ignores them)

HD: (quietly looks the other way)

E. Does your OC get lost easily? What do they do when they do get lost?

Suzi: Checks the skytrain routes and maps at the stations.

Kim: Knows her path from home to work enough to never get lost.

Crash: “Thanks, GPS!”

Nano: Checks street signs and looks for maps at skytrain stations.

HD: In order: check maps, call guardians for directions, ask strangers.

F. What would STOP your OC from Doing The Right Thing in a tense situation?

Suzi: If she’s in physical danger without her powers. She don’t punch above her weight.

Kim: If she has no personal stakes in the matter. She doesn’t like escalating conflict, she’s already tired as is.

Crash: If it’s a strictly physical conflict where she’s unable to interact.

Nano: If it’s none of her business. She’s in hiding; attention is bad.

HD: If she doesn’t have powers for it. She’s not even in her teens, fam

G. Realistically, could your OC (in their normal circumstances- i.e. at their own house/battlecamp/spaceship etc.) keep a small child alive for a week if they had to?  A Dog?  A Houseplant? A rock with a  smiley face painted on?

Suzi: She underestimates her ability to accommodate someone/something. She’d start off nervous, but she’d probably pull through.

Kim: Pretty well. She wants to ensure others are safe, she’s just very awkward at it.

Crash: Even in life, she was a mess, so probably not.

Nano: She’s only just learning to take care of herself among the surface world, give her some time.

HD: She’s like 12! She might take care of a plant just fine tho

H. If your OC had to take the S.A.T. tomorrow with one night to prep, how would they do?  both emotionally and academically.

Suzi: Print out practice tests, head to a cafe, get some boba, and hunker down.

Kim: Work at home, take a shower, prepare some tea, scented candles, and some ambient records.

Crash: Wait for Kim to take her to her apartment and force her to do the same thing.

Nano: Internet biiiiiinge. Get the taiyaki ready.

HD: In her room going over various books with some music playing, and probably with a tab open for streaming.

I. What would cause your OC to chose to do something petty/pointlessly cruel?

Suzi: If she’s good friends with the target and another friend dared her to, and/or if she stands to get free food from it.

Kim: If she’s REALLY had enough of you but doesn’t have it in her to tell it to your face.

Crash: If she thinks it’d be funny. It isn’t always funny, but when it is, it is.

Nano: If she’s really angry at you and thinks she can get away with it without notice.

HD: If she’s feeling especially exhausted and has briefly given up on being nice to you.

J. On a scale of “Complete and Justified nervous breakdown” to “Conquer The Entire Galaxy and become an Immortal God-Emperor”, how well would your OC handle being abducted by Aliens?

Suzi: “Oh shit.”

Kim: “Is this a spaceship?”

Crash: “Kickass!”

Nano: “Are you from The Corporatocracy?”

HD: “I was right!?”

K. What song is 100% guaranteed to get your OC beyond turnt and will be sung loudly and embarrassingly, either in public or the shower?

Suzi: “Crazy Crazy” by Yasutaka Nakata.

Kim: “Sad Machine” by Porter Robinson.

Crash: “Whole New World” by SOPHIE.

Nano: She’s not the singing type, but “Giving Bad People Good Ideas” by Death Grips gets it done.

HD: “Feel Good Inc.” by Gorillaz.

L. What perfectly-normal-to-them-thing does your OC do that confuses/pisses off/terrifies their neighbors?

Suzi: Dances to loud mixes in her room.

Kim: Very frequently lights candles or incense in her apartment.

Crash: She used to practice a lot of vocalizations, ie scream a whole lot.

Nano: Have virtually no furniture aside from a bed and table for her laptop.

HD: Own an entire floor of an apartment building.

O. How often does your OC “zone out” or do things on autopilot and how severe have the problems that have arisen from that been?

Suzi: Often, but basically only during boring times where nothing is happening, including stuff that could potentially cause problems.

Kim: Almost never when at work, but frequently gets contemplative when at home.

Crash: As a virtual entity, she’s very active and almost never blanks out. In physicality, CONSTANTLY.

Nano: She doesn’t exactly zone out so much as she gets locked into one sensation/action and is unused to the need to adjust on her own.

HD: She can get twitchy at the worst of times, her mind going on extended tangents if there isn’t a lot of stimuli.

P. How strong or weak is your OC’s Impulse control? What’s the worst thing that happened because of their Impulsivity or inability to be so?

Suzi: Generally gives things careful consideration, but if a prospect is extremely exciting, she may need a reminder to step back a bit.

Kim: Very mellow and not one to making particularly decisive decisions, unless it’s regarding someone’s safety, where she’s very firm.

Crash: Very impatient and prone to making bad decisions without thinking through them. Ever since becoming a ghost, she’s a little more careful for Kim’s sake, but still needs a lot of work.

Nano: Very methodical and calculative, but feels the need to make fast decisions if she decides she has no time to be careful.

HD: Very patient and careful, almost glacial in terms of getting her onto another mindset.

Q. How does your OC sabotage themselves? 

Suzi: She’s forming a double-life as a civilian and as a Magica for excitement, but she isn’t fully realizing the consequences of it or what she must do in the future, potentially barreling into danger for a brief thrill.

Kim: She simultaneously wants to have a normal life away from supernatural shenanigans but is irreparably locked into it with her relationship with Crash, ironically denying herself closure by wanting nothing to do with her trauma.

Crash: Constantly seeks to rebel introduce excitement to the world, but is often dishonest about her own motivations, resulting in an inability to think through her plans or the consequences of her actions, some very deadly for herself.

Nano: Her extremely methodical and calculative approach to everything leads her to make an enemy out of everyone. Her inability to trust anyone to not screw up leaves her pretty ineffectual in her goals.

HD: She’s extremely smart and critical, but constantly traps herself in loops of obsessive paranoia, often isolating herself from anyone else to support her or give her better grounding.

S. How Dehydrated is your OC right now? Are they going to fix this?

Suzi: Keep a reusable water bottle for water, occasionally gets ice tea/coffee if she feels like treating herself.

Kim: Keeps a thermos of hot water/tea.

Crash: Currently NA, previously just gets water from the tap.

Nano: Usually gets her fresh cups at work, enjoys municipal tap water at home. Blame Crash.

HD: Fills a cold water mug from a filtered fridge.

T. What’s your OC smell like?  no, not that “Vanilla and Anxiety” evocative stuff, realistically.  Body odor? what have they been touching all day? When was their last shower? Did they put on any kind of artificial scent?

Suzi: Takes regular care of her hygiene and attends clean facilities, often showers with a peach fragrance that sticks with her daily.

Kim: Smells sanitized and like a dentist’s office when traveling from work, smells like tea and “herbal” everywhere else.

Crash: Like electrons. In life, she showered, but always smelled like a combo of light sweat and coffee.

Nano: Often times faintly like dirt, sometimes with a literal fish-y stench from work.

HD: Very presentable, often has the aroma of strawberry and bread.

[mwcowan]

Mark & Georgia’s 2018 Road Trip

Day 1: Graeagle to Big Bar, CA, 242 miles

Ready to roll. We packed our camper and truck very well. Minimalist as Mark is and as a minimalist wannabe I am, we did very well.  For clothes and shoes, I, Georgia, continue to fail on my minimalist efforts – I just have to have 7 extra shirts, 3 extra shorts, and pants, and undies, and socks, etc,. Our packed supplies will keep us clean, warm, healthily nourished and hydrated (on both sides of the spectrum of health?) for at least 2 weeks. Packed all organized by activity, coffee and breakfast, anytime cooking, anytime dining, anytime bath, anytime grilling.

On the road! Big Bar wasn’t a real destination but a layover between home and the coastal redwoods parks – that’ll be tomorrow’s update. When we reserved the site at the Del Loma RV Park the gentleman on the phone warned us that if we needed gas or groceries get should them in Weaverville as there’s nothing in Big Bar. Good advice, he was absolutely correct. The drive here was uneventful, Mark kind of likes going slow (max speed with a trailer is 55 MPH but the roads we traveled were generally slower). Road construction slowed us down some, seems like everyone wants to finish their road project before winter sets in. Just west of Redding we entered the Carr fire area. Unbelievable devastation, you could see what used to be homes, what used to be autos, the town of Shasta was pretty much gone. To give you an idea of the size of the fire we drove through over 20 miles of burned forest before we reached the other side of the fire area. Very sad. Reached our RV park about 4 pm, not a bad place but kinda creepy (think Deliverance, banjo music, and all that…). Lots of people seem to live here at least semi-permanently, sort of a community with neighbors visiting each other and such. Funny thing is that everyone seems to retreat into their big RV’s around dinner time, to cook, eat, and watch TV (they all have satellite dishes). We’re trying to maintain some pretense of camping so we’re eating outdoors and enjoying our campfire and a glass of wine or two. Looking forward to day 2!

Day 2: Big Bar to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, 146 miles

On the road promptly by 10:00 a.m., as planned. Today was an example of how you can drive 146 miles in over 6 hours, an average of about 24 MPH. We’d gone less than a mile from last night’s camp when we pulled over to soak in the view of the Trinity river canyon. We wound around with the river for about 60 miles, stopping frequently to take in the vistas, walk to the edge and peer over into the steep canyon, feeling vertigo. Thinking that there’d be many places we’d like to come back and fish. At the RV park this morning we saw (and followed, and asked questions of) a number of men coming back from the river with salmon. They were all complaining of the lack of fish and the small size, but the fish were all much bigger than the trout we catch, bigger than our biggest trout!

After arriving at the coast we drove north through Redwood National Park, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, and finally to our campsite in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. What magnificent trees! You can hardly appreciate their size, definitely too big to take a picture of them. Our campsite in Jedediah Smith CG is on the Smith River, among old-growth redwoods.

We tried fishing on the river, and saw fish – salmon? – jumping but we just aren’t equipped with the waders and other gear you’d need to go after them.

Anyway and back to the trees, to give you an idea of their size one in our campsite took me 23 paces to walk around. At around 2 ½ feet/pace, that’s over 55 feet in circumference! How old is that tree, how much history has it lived through? We, and the span of our lives are so tiny…

Driving through miles and miles of a forest of California redwoods is awesome and unique, knowing you will not see this anywhere else in the world.  Ending the day at Jedediah Smith CG, to be camping and sleeping inside this canopy of majestic and towering redwoods, alongside a breathtaking river that “runs through it” is as amazing as it can be.  All this, with the clean toilets and coin showers of JSCG, very nice, a “must see”!

Coming into Crescent city in the afternoon we wanted to find some fresh salmon and asked some locals in a gas station if they knew a good fish market – they “didn’t think there was anything like that around here….”, with the wharf right across the street from them.  Georgia used Yelp to find a market out on the wharf, and we bought a nice piece of fresh King salmon for dinner. Yummy!

Day 3: Redwoods to Prospect, Oregon, 135 miles

Today’s drive was an easy “positioning” run to get us outside the south end of Crater Lake National Park, which we’ll visit tomorrow, ending the day in another camp just on the north side of the park. Leaving our campground we said goodbye to the California coastal area, and now followed the Smith River upstream in a northeasterly direction. We had fewer miles today and didn’t set another slowness record, but pretty close – we barely got out of our campground when we pulled over for a great view of the Smith River.

Into Oregon pretty quickly after that, still following the river for the next 50-60 miles. Once we turned onto Hwy 62 towards Crater Lake, we picked up the Rogue River which we’re still following and will continue to do so until we make the final turnoff into the park. After crossing one of the many bridges with a pretty view we pulled over and walked back to a nice park where people were fishing for steelhead – and quickly found wild blackberries which we snacked on until we couldn’t eat any more!

Late update: we’d heard a woman in a campsite across from us saying that it was going to rain tonight, didn’t pay much attention as the skies were blue and calm. While we were cooking dinner a ferocious wind came up and the skies were suddenly gray. I looked at the internet forecast and it said 30% chance of rain – shouldn’t be a problem. Well, we should go to Vegas because the 30% odds hit with a violent thunderstorm and strong rain, had us scrambling to get all the things we didn’t want to get wet back into the truck. Nice and dry, we had our first dinner inside our cozy camper!

Day 4: Prospect, OR to Diamond Lake, OR, 60 miles (+Crater Lake NP, about 35 more miles)

On the road by 9:30 am with most of the packing done and forced the night before by the onslaught of rain.  Cozy and warm through the night, we thought in the morning that this little camper beats the h**l out of tent camping! We agreed that a simple breakfast of coffee, a piece of toast and a shared fruit would tide us over for a heavier lunch of a “sandwich”, very non-Asian for Georgia but fitting (or not so tight in the waist) for a day of driving and sitting ahead of us.

Our first stop was to fuel up at a station in Prospect which, not surprisingly, was the only one in town and only had one pump; at least they had diesel.  We were told that “self-service” was not allowed in the state and so received personal fill-up service.

We arrived at Crater Lake National Park at about 11:00 a.m., and the entrance to the park was free courtesy of Mark’s senior card (definitely benefitting from this park friendly card as most of our entrance fees were either half off or FREE!). Crater Lake boasts of the bluest, the clearest and the deepest lake in the U.S. Although it was mostly a cloudy day, giving it a somewhat mystical feeling, it did not disappoint with being the bluest and the clearest.

We didn’t test its depth claim as it is, at its peak of 8700’ elevation, also very supposed to be very cold!!  We entered the lake from the south end, circled it 360 degrees via its rim, stopping at most of the vista points, then exited the park to the north. This took us over 3 hours to go about 30 miles, a new slowness record for this trip.

We proceeded to our next RV campground stop which is Diamond Lake, just a few miles north of Crater Lake. It’s interesting that RV camping at this time of the year leaves you camping with seniors that have all the time for RV’ing, and camping in these ‘rigs’ that dwarf our little T@B, much like a Bichon amongst an army of St. Bernards, but we are happy with our Bichon.  The more St. Bernards, the less traffic in the restrooms and showers.  These campgrounds also tend to have grandma and grandpa types running it so the toilets and showers tend to be very clean, some almost sterile, and cozy (a bench, a heater, lots of wall hooks, bright light and a private changing room).

Our campground is very close to a pizza house and we decided to go there for our Day 4 dinner of pizza and hot chicken wings with celery sticks, with our choice of a side dip of blue cheese.  When the order arrived, the celery sticks were missing so after Georgia asked about it—they got handed over a minute later with apologies…. two 2-inch sticks delivered by hand… definitely one of the highlights of the day!! Enjoyed all of 2 short pieces of the celery sticks, the double pepperoni pizza was one of the best we’ve had plus the Buoy IPA on tap wasn’t bad!

Day 5: Diamond Lake to Goldendale, WA, 235 miles

A real cruisin’ day, I think I’m (Mark) getting used to this. The first day I was a little nervous driving with the trailer (remember, all of our camping trips before this were within 20 miles of our house), trying to keep it centered between the lines, watching my speed on the curves. Now I’ve realized that the little trailer just happily follows the truck along, just have to drive pretty normally, look back now and then to confirm it’s still there. It, and the truck are starting to look like real road warriors (dirty!) especially after the rains and wet/dirty roads that resulted yesterday morning. Bought some 409 today and will try to shine it up a bit.

Today we drove mostly north, from Crater Lake through the Umpqua National Forest. 60+ miles of pine trees, but unlike Graeagle they’re pretty short and scruffy – to Bend, where we stopped for a sandwich, fuel, and potty break. After Bend, the landscape changes dramatically into rolling hills of ranches and wheat fields, amber waves of grain. Ok, the grain had all been recently harvested, but the stubble was at least amber. And how’d that picture below get into this blog? 

Georgia’s family’s viber hotline was busy early morning amidst the sad passing of the youngest boy of close family friends, the Conejeros.  We are saddened by this news and reminded how life can be fleetingly short, that family and friends do remember your happy moments, that there is an end and that we should really make the most of each day.

As Georgia reflected and said her prayers today, grateful for this trip and the gift of life, the “Lord’s Prayer” hit home a little differently….”Give us this day our daily bread..”  Wait, why “bread” specifically and why not; “Give us this day our daily rice..”  Yes, Georgia is beginning to crave rice at Day 5 after daily doses of bread... (Georgia, remember the amber waves of grain thing? – MC)

Camping tonight just across the border in Washington, with the Columbia River as our backyard. That’s one wide river! Must have some huge fish in it…once again our Bichon looks happy at Day 5 flanked by St. Bernards.

Day 6: Goldendale, WA to Coeur d’Alene, ID, 271 miles

Just as we left our camp on the Columbia River we noticed a round stone fortress looking thing up on the top of a hill. I thought it looked like Stonehenge and we definitely needed to go up and take a look. It turned out to be Stonehenge, or at least what the original non-ruin Stonehenge probably looked like. Correct in all the details, even with a chart of the sun and moon risings occurred during significant annual events. A plaque inside explained its existence, it was built from 1918-1929 by one of the town’s founders to honor local men who gave their lives in WWI. The things you find on the road.

We made it to Idaho! Our longest driving day so far, driving through WA in a day, and I think this will be so until one of our last days when we blast across Nevada in one day. After Stonehenge we drove upstream (east) along the river, following the trail of Lewis and Clark for some 60 miles. What a sight this broad river must have been to them! 

Our riverside highway dead-ended at US 395, and for the first time on this journey we joined an interstate which was to take us to Coeur d’Alene (we’re trying to stay on state and local highways, except where it’s not really practical). Getting out of the truck for a fuel and lunch break at Kinnewick, the wind almost ripped the door off the truck when I opened it – it was howling! Luckily the heavy truck and the light trailer are very stable, I hadn’t noticed the wind while driving. Re lunch, Perry’s comments about fried chicken stoked another craving in Georgia and we ended up at KFC…

After Kennewick we found that the combination of high winds and freshly worked field results in dust storms. We drove for the next 170 miles, through Spokane and all the way to Coeur d’Alene, in limited visibility from dust, sometimes a bad as a thick fog. About half way I had this flash that the front window in the trailer was cracked open (we do that so damp towels etc. will dry out while we’re driving). I pulled over at a rest stop, and sure enough everything inside was coated with dust. A good shake-out and wipe-down was required once we pulled in to camp. We’re in a great camp at the east end of beautiful Lake Coeur d’Alene, and the forecast was for the wind to abate by 9:00. It’s 9:02 at the moment so the forecasters are wrong as usual. We’ll give them until he morning.  Camp Coeur d’Alene (Camp CDA) looks like another “must experience.”  If we owned and ran a campground, Camp CDA will be a basis for its design (fishing, playground, kayaking (they provide kayaks and canoes for anytime use -  free for all guests, not just for seniors!), choice of tents, cabins and glamping all in one big campground).  Each site is designed to have a unique natural view, with community/group cooking and dining areas with big outdoor kitchens, multiple sinks and tables if you choose to use.  One nice park perk---free firewood!

Day 7: Coeur d’Alene, ID

Happy to report that the wind and the dust were gone and we woke to a beautiful sunny day. Today was our first off day, to take a break from driving and enjoy the lovely town of Coeur d’Alene. We needed to go to the market to replenish our supplies; I was also planning to look into Tumblr to make this a real blog. We decided to go fishing instead. After breakfast we headed to a local fishing/hunting shop, bought Idaho 1-day licenses, and got filled with advice about where to go. Lake Coeur d’Alene is a noted fishing spot for trout, chinook and mackinaw salmon, pike, and smallmouth bass. But, it’s a large lake and to go after the big fish you pretty much need a boat. Another option was to try a smaller lake, Fernan Lake, which is located just on the edge of town, with public fishing piers.

Pretty good trout fishing we were told. So we packed lunch and spent a pleasant afternoon on the dock, and yes we’re having Idaho trout for dinner. Not a ton of action but enough, 2 nice fat trout (the smaller one will be plenty for our dinner tonight), many nibbles, and a few that got away. Fishing appears to be a very popular sport here.  In the 3 hours we were at the dock fishing, we saw a couple of local young folks with their fishing poles and bagged lunch and dressed in office clothes – long sleeved dress shirts, black slacks and black shoes… Made it to the store on the way home, of course we had to get a big Idaho potato to accompany the trout (we did miss the Walla Walla onions in WA!). And some rice. Good eats on the road!

Day 8: Coeur d’Alene, ID, to Garrison, MT, 227 miles

Being that our next stop is “Bernie and Sharon’s Riverfront RV Park”, unusual for an RV park name, we were a little apprehensive.  Leaving Lake Coeur d’Alene, we followed the river climbing the Rockies to the Continental Divide and into Montana. Beautiful forest, mostly pine, fir, and spruce, with now-golden aspen and poplars providing a striking highlight against the multiple shades of green. A pleasant drive through Montana, eventually linking up with the Little Blackfoot river and arriving in Garrison, about 20 miles west of Butte, and the home of Bernie and Sharon’s RV Park.

We met a most friendly Sharon, learned that Bernie had passed about 3 years ago, and learned a bit more about the campground’s history and the plan for its future.  Also learned that there was some great fishing in the Little Blackfoot river that ran just behind the park. After settling in, we grabbed our poles and walked to the river, which I’d really call a creek rather than a river. Georgia started fishing while I was walking to another spot; I heard a whoop and saw Georgia with her pole bent over… she soon landed a nice 15” brown trout!

I fished for another ½ hour with no luck, and getting cold I was just about to call it a day when I got a bite and hauled in an even fatter 16” brown! Amazing that this little ‘river’ had some big fish in it!

This was our first very cold outdoor experience of this trip.  The trout would have partied with Georgia’s crisp frozen fingers if they found these more delectable than worms or Powerbait!  For this evening we used our camper heater for the first time to keep warm.

Day 9: Garrison to Columbus, MT, 246 miles

We had gotten some snow overnight, and the higher peaks around us had a dusting of white. The terrain stayed about the same, mountainous, forested, and with the accents of fall color from the aspens, poplars, and the occasional maple. Driving through Butte and then Bozeman we climbed up the snow-covered mountains; luckily the road was clear and dry. Finally descending we drove into central Montana, where the land became rolling hills, with a mix of cattle ranches and farms growing mostly wheat. It stayed much like this all the way to Columbus, where Mark’s nephew Chris has become a land baron, with over 60 acres where he has plans to build a house in the next year or so. Columbus is a small town in Stillwater County, MT, with about 2000 inhabitants. Chris’ property is not exactly in Columbus though, it was another 8 or so miles up gravel, dirt, and sometimes mud roads to his place. Chris had flown up to meet us there – he’s a captain with United Airlines so gets to fly anywhere, anytime – and welcomed us to his beautiful ranch.

Definitely off the grid up here, no electricity other than the solar panels we have for our trailers, no water other than what we bring, but at least there’s a cellular signal so you’re not totally cut off from the world. Lots of stars in the big sky, and no restrictions on the size of the campfire you build!

Dinner under the stars of chicken adobo, grilled chicken, and both Idaho and Montana trout were delicious. We agreed that the Idaho trout were a bit tastier.

Day 10: Columbus, MT

After a hearty breakfast of thick-cut bacon and one of Georgia’s excellent camp omelets with sausage and veggies (yes, we’re eating too much, too well), we headed out for the day. First a tour of Chris’ estate, and then the 30-acre frontage on the Yellowstone river owned by his homeowner’s association, then into Columbus for lunch. Didn’t we just finish breakfast? Never mind, at the 307 Bar and Grill and Casino (Columbus has about 2000 residents but at least 4 casinos…) we split a delicious French dip sandwich that could easily have fed 4 people.  Georgia noticed that casinos are everywhere in the state of MT….

After a few errands we headed to the Stillwater river for some fishing. Neither Chris nor Mark had any luck but Georgia caught 1 ⅛ fish. You just can’t give her full credit for the first one, but the second was a decent-sized rainbow.

Back to the ranch for campfire and dinner we were all too full for a real dinner but managed to share a locally-raised steak (simply seasoned and perfectly cooked medium rare by Chris!) and some veggies. Tough life on the road…

Day 11: Columbus, MT, to Island Park, ID, 225 miles

Saying goodbye to Chris and setting off from the wilderness of Montana, we head towards out next destination, Yellowstone National Park. Since Columbus was the easternmost point on our route, we first backtrack about 60 miles to Livingston, MT where we pick up US Hwy 89 and head south, following the Yellowstone River all the way into the park. This is a great drive up through a picturesque river valley, with the fall colors vibrant all along the broad river.

We entered Yellowstone at the north gate and quickly arrived at the Mammoth Hot Springs area. Georgia saw her first elk, as a herd of 25 or so cows and one lucky bull were grazing on the grass in front of the visitor center. Just like the deer at home who are surrounded by abundant food but prefer the green grass on the golf courses (and the shrubs in our yard…). We took a walk around the hot springs area, seeing the huge terraces built by the minerals in the hot water. At places, various bacteria that can thrive in the hot water turn the pools many different colors. One of the largest terraces, Jupiter Spring is no longer active – a sign explains that the thermal features in the park are constantly changing, and this particular spring stopped flowing in 1998. Mark remembers that in his first visits to Yellowstone, around 1970 and ’78, the spring being very impressive. I have to see if I can dig up some old pictures.

We drove slowly through the northwest corner of the park, not too far before we saw buffalo, another first for awestruck Georgia (Georgia has only seen these animals in movies or on slot machines – BUFFALOOOOO!, what a sight to see these awesome creatures up close!). We snuck around, feeling safe in a dense thicket of trees, avoiding stepping on their scattered mudpie shaped poops, to get some up-close pictures of the grazing animals. Driving on, we encountered our first “buffalo jam”, with three buffalo ambling slowly down the middle of the road, backing up traffic in both directions. 

They seem to know that they have the right of way, and besides they’re way bigger than you are! Each time they veered from one side to another one or two cars could get by. When we got our chance to pass, a buffalo on Georgia’s side was close enough to the truck that she could have scratched it between the ears, but she declined to do so and just got some close-up photos (and a video to be shared soon). Georgia did personally invite these “bufffaaalloows!” to Las Vegas and to Reno for the “Buffalo Gold” rallies.

As it was getting late in the day we exited Yellowstone to the west, into the tourist-town of West Yellowstone and its overabundance of motels and souvenir shops. We kept going a short way to Island Park, Idaho, the location of our little cabin. Yes, we’re abandoning the trailer for a mid-trip break in a VRBO rental house. Real beds, showers, kitchen, and most important a washer and dryer! Nice cozy place, with a view of Henry’s Lake out the front. A perfect base for exploring Yellowstone.

The cabin provided an extremely comfy bed, clean linen, an immaculately clean toilet and shower, fresh towels, and the ability to wash, dry and fold all our dirty laundry.  The smell of freshly dried clothes, the bathroom mirror and the after-shower mist made us realize that we not only smelled smokey and dirty—we also looked it.

In the next 2 days we will be visiting the Yellowstone National Park daily, entering it from its west entrance and then coming home to our cabin.  Each time we enter and exit to come home, we transverse through 3 states, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, all within 10 miles of driving—how is this possible in the US with all this land?

Day 12: Yellowstone NP

A beautiful day with blue skies and puffy white clouds… but a little chilly, it had warmed up to 33° by the time we left the cabin at 10:00. Back into the west entrance to the Madison junction where we turned south towards the Old Faithful area. Our first stop was along the Madison river to take in its beauty.

Moving on we quickly got into another buffalo jam. They do seem to like to use the roads to move around, they must think it’s the express lane compared to the fields.

Just before we got to the first thermal area we encountered a herd of elk in a meadow. The herd, comprised of around 25 of these huge animals was moving slowly along, seemingly led by the largest female. A single bull with an impressive set of antlers brought up the rear, probably making sure nobody else messed with his harem.

We parked and walked into the Upper Geyser Basin, where we viewed a number of colorful hot springs, and were treated to the eruption of nice little Clepsydra geyser.

As compared to the summer when it’s absolutely packed and crazy, it seemed that there were few people in the park, but at our next stop to see the Grand Prismatic Pool (a big, colorful boiling hot tub) the small parking lot was full and 10-12 cars were waiting for a spot. We drove on to Old Faithful instead.

The Old Faithful area is a big complex with a visitor’s center, restaurants, shops, and of course the elegant Old Faithful Lodge, the grand hotel of the park. Everything is centered around the geyser of course, and walking into the visitor’s center there’s a big digital sign telling everyone the only thing they want to know – when the next eruption is expected. We had about an hour to wait so we got a front-row seat and ate the lunch Georgia had packed for us. About 10 minutes before the expected time the geyser started teasing us with little burps of steam and water. The crowd was getting restless; one little boy near us must have asked his dad a hundred times “when’s it going to erupt?” Finally, right at the appointed time the geyser sprang into action and sent a column of water some 100’ high into the sky. Unfortunately, right at that time the breeze shifted and blew all the steam directly at us, so we saw mostly steam and not much geyser. Oh well, that’s Mother Nature for you. At least Georgia got to see Old Faithful, a must for every visitor to Yellowstone.

Day 13: Yellowstone NP

We awoke to a dusting of snow on the ground (snow was expected on and off all day), and drove back into the park. The snow, and the accompanying low temps, gave the park a new, wintry look and feel. Our first stop was to see the Grand Prismatic Pool which we had missed yesterday. Very few cars in the parking lot this time, and after a short hike we saw… mostly steam. Makes sense that the colder the air gets the more steam the hot water (up to 190°F!) generates. When the steam shifted you could get a glimpse of the turquoise water, surrounded by vibrant orange, yellow and brown deposits. The deposits, and even the blue tint of the pool, turn out to be due to different types of bacteria that thrive in the extreme conditions.

We pressed on past Old Faithful and up towards Grant Village. This took us along the shores of Yellowstone Lake, the largest high-altitude lake in the U.S. We had planned to stop at the village and have lunch in one of the restaurants but found it closed for the season, including all the restrooms! Never unprepared (food-wise) Georgia produced some hard-boiled eggs to tide us over until we could find a place for lunch. That turned out to be in Canyon Village, another 20 or so miles up the road. That trip was interrupted by what was to be a short stop to see a bubbling mud pot along the roadway. There was also a longer, steep trail going to a few more mud pots which we weren’t going to do, but then a young woman coming down the trail told us we really should go up as a herd of buffalo was warming up at one of the hot springs. So up we went and sure enough there was a very contented and apparently warm herd.

The trail was a loop, and as we rounded the pool where the buffalo were, there was one eating right next to the boardwalk. Not enough room to safely walk by, we waited and waited for him to move but he seemed quite content to graze just where he was. Finally getting cold we retreated the way we’d come.

Reaching Canyon Village, one of 3 eateries was open, and we found some pretty good chili and a chicken/broccoli/garlic noodle bowl. Nice to have some hot food on a chilly snowy day!

At Canyon Village we’d just passed the drive along the rim of the “Grand Canyon of Yellowstone” so we backtracked a few miles and took the drive, stopping at every overlook and walking every trail. It may seem a stretch to call it the “Grand Canyon” when you consider the real thing in Arizona, but even on this cloudy day the beauty we saw, in the colors, the dramatic geology, and the river below, it truly earned the name, and seeing it was a fitting end to our adventures in Yellowstone.

Day 14: Island Park, ID, to Jackson, WY, 85 miles

A tad sad to be leaving the homey comforts of our beautiful Idaho cabin by the lake, we packed up the trailer to get on the road again after our 3-day layover. Nice and brisk this morning, an inch or so of snow on the trailer and 27 degrees when we pulled out shortly before 10:00. A short cruise today over to Jackson, through the Targhee National Forest, lush green punctuated by stands of golden aspen. We made a rapid descent into Ashton, ID and were immediately into rolling farmlands of wheat, and of course, potatoes (saw several seed potato silos and some vodka distilleries along the way). Following small state highways, we passed through many nice towns, seemingly prosperous as judged by the modern amenities available in these towns of less than 2000 residents. Passing into Wyoming, we joined Hwy 22 over the Teton Pass. One of the scariest mountain drives ever (well, maybe not counting most anything in the Philippines…), a very curvy road with 10% grades both up and down. Very happy to have the power and control of the big truck pulling the little trailer!

The plan was to check into our RV park around noon, then head towards Grand Tetons National Park, which you enter only 4 miles north of Jackson. We took a quick stop at the town square in Jackson, with its famous elk antler arches (there are 4 of these, on each corner of the town square). They are something to see and to be photographed with. Plaques explain that all the antlers were collected in the late 1950’s by slave labor (Boy Scouts).

On to the Tetons. We’ve had this weather system the last couple days, with snow flurries and low clouds. The Tetons are very high mountains. Low clouds + high mountains = low clouds. So unfortunately we didn’t have a view of these impressive peaks, but the mists gave what we saw a mystical appearance. Amidst the sun peeking through the flurries of snow and the clouds, you see glimpses of all of Teton’s grandness and its steep canyons separating the peaks’ ridges. A few times, Mark said: “Trust me, the grandeur of those mountains are really there…just covered today.” A good animal day though, we saw deer and antelope (no, they weren’t playing together), elk, and the big catch – a momma moose with her baby (baboose?).

On the way out of the park we took a drive to a Mormon settlement from the 1890’s, that still has a number of original log homes and barns standing. The cold wind with nothing to block it made you think of the difficult life these pioneers had (notice Georgia’s winter wraps? There are 3 more layers underneath!).

Heading back into town we had to stop at the “Million Dollar Cowboy Bar” where Georgia saddled up for a round! Glad we have a not-so-difficult life!

Day 15: Jackson, WY to Park City, UT, 250 miles

We started off with a nice drive down the gorgeous Snake River canyon, running through the Targhee National Forest, for about 60 miles. Beautiful country, especially this time of year with the fall colors against the evergreen forests, the river below, and the white peaks above. We travelled generally south, going through six states in one day! Wyoming, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Wyoming, and Utah. Does that count as six? Anyway it was hard to keep track of which state we were in.

Coming out of the forest around Afton, WY (home of the world’s largest elk antler arch!) the terrain transformed into the ��high plains’ of mostly ranch land, bordered by high, recently snow-covered mountains. There are a lot of cows here, must be a cow for every person in the U.S.

We ended our travels for the day  pulling into an RV park just a few miles away from Park City, UT. Taking little time to unhitch and set up the trailer, we drove back to Park City. How it’s changed! Mark was last here in 2006, and it was pretty much Main Street and a few adjacent streets. 

Now the malls and condos start miles away, we had to pull over and use Google Maps to find the old Main Street. Thankfully that colorful area hasn’t changed a whole lot, maybe gone a little more high-end, but it’s still a nice walk along many shops, pubs, and restaurants. We took some time over a local brew to research the best place to have buffalo for dinner, that’s on the list for tomorrow, after a visit to Salt Lake City.

Day 16: Local Visits – Salt Lake City and the Great Salt Lake, 167 miles

On a quest to try bison…

Beyond bison, our plans for today were simple; to learn how Salt Lake City came to be (knew we had to have an understanding of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints or the Mormon religion for this), to go to Salt Lake and either float on it and/or taste it’s brininess, and finally, to have a nice dinner in Park City and satisfy our curiosity about the taste of buffalo meat.

Our morning was unhurried (at least Georgia’s was…) and slept in a bit. Although we did use the furnace to keep the trailer cozy during the night, sunshine and blue skies greeted us by 7:30 am for a change.  We left our camper at the CG and drove to Salt Lake City’s Temple Square which took us about ½ hour.  Not having a detailed plan on how to tackle the Mormon immersion part of the day’s mission, we went into the first open entrance which was along North Street (next to the West St., of course) and went inside the North Entrance Visitor Center. Inside this was at least 3 floors of what we can only describe as America’s Vatican, with a modern twist.  The different types of media they made available for the visitors were remarkably well thought out—paintings, sculptures, videos, narrations, private reflection areas, exploration of the Book of Mormon could be availed through areas with headsets, videos of their history, presentation of its founder Joseph Smith, testaments of missionary work, etc.  We took 1 ½ hours reading, watching and listening.

We got hungry and ended up at Blue Lemon across the street from the Temple Square’s South Gate.  We enjoyed our freshly prepared and well-seasoned veggie wraps and tacos. After lunch we went back into the Temple Square through, and admiring, the square’s middle manicured gardens and had a chance to compliment the 2 young ladies who were on active duty.  We then proceeded to their tabernacle which was open, sat down and listened to the colossal pipe organ being played by this young man, the crescendos meant to vibrate the floor, your seat and your coronaries.

We then made our way to the South Entrance visitor center thinking this would be a smaller version of the North’s visitor Center.  Naaah—this building showcased how Brigham Young led the “flock” to Salt Lake City and how the site for the Temple of our God came to be, how the temple was erected, the tools, the wagons, etc.  Mark noted that one cannot enter the Temple unless you are a Mormon.  Well, this building had a 10 foot replica of the outside structure as well as the inside structure, its rooms and furnishings. Next to it you get to see videos of the actual rooms—WOW!  The furniture and design of the inside is meant to have the purest (think clean, white, gold), most beautiful adornments, best materials, best workmanship, it is after all built for “our God.”

Mark and I agreed that taking the time to understand the Mormon religion a little, the foundation of their beliefs and their history were worth the time. A must do if in Salt Lake City!

Next was a drive to the Great Salt Lake at Utah’s Antelope Island State Park.  The feel of the water – nothing different, the taste of the water – very salty after licking the dried salt crystals on your skin (note from Mark: been there, done that, didn’t feel the need to get crusty  – only Georgia’s skin touched the water this time!), the smell in the air – a lot like a lot of dried shrimp, the walk to reach the water - looong!  But still a must do if you have the time.

Buffalloooooo! We proceeded back to Park City for our dinner of buffalo, and since they didn’t have buffalo steak, Georgia opted for the only steak option in the menu, sirloin steak, while Mark went for the buffalo burger.  The burger didn’t disappoint, had the tenderness of wagyu beef with less fat and the sirloin steak was as tender and flavorful as any steak we’ve ever had.  We have to say the beef in Montana, Wyoming and Utah are certainly the best and that buffalo burger meat is indeed better than beef burger meat.  After researching on beef quality and flavor, we are convinced that the secret to finding good flavorful beef anywhere in the US is finding the right store, one that specializes and takes pride in the fresh meat they sell.

Day 17: Park City, UT to Baker, NV, 221 miles

This was a Blue Bird morning in the language of skiers, even though the ski season has yet to start. White peaks against that cloudless bluer-than-blue sky. We followed US 189 down through the Heber Valley, then through Utah’s Deer Creek State Park. We’ve seen this throughout this trip: snow-capped peaks with green flanks, orange and golden aspens, rivers and lakes. We’re fortunate to live in a place with similar beauty, but to see it over and over with different mountains and rivers and lakes is something we never tire of.

We descended a long grade into Provo, UT, a modern and clean looking place with that college-town look, being the home of Brigham Young University – lots of trendy places to eat, lots of outdoor recreation, flanked by the impressive Wasatch mountains. After Provo the country changed into rolling farm and ranch lands (more cattle) for some time – thinking of all that fresh beef we started looking for a local butcher, drove past the Ashton Farms Burger Barn and Meat Market in Delta, UT (burger of the month: double cheese burger with a crispy chicken breast!) – a quick U-turn and we bought a great looking rib-eye and some elk andouille brats that may make it home or may not…

Soon after Delta, we began our drive through the Great Basin. We already mentioned that the Great Salt Lake was a remnant of Lake Bonneville, a huge ‘ocean’ that covered much of western America. The Great Basin is the bed of this massive lake which is now mostly flat, arid country

We followed US 6 westward for some 60 miles, the road so straight it went on forever; when you reached forever it kept going straight as far as you could see.

We crossed this first part in 60 minutes before we came to a range of interesting mountains – I had the thought that while interesting to me, what did the immigrants think, after days trudging thought this dry land, about these menacing hills? “Interesting” was probably not in their vocabulary. And then, after a steep climb and descent (with the road we traveled blasted through the rock to make it less steep and curvy) what did they see? Another 60 or so miles of the same flat, dry country ending in an even more imposing mountain range. Wow, the immigrants had hope, faith, and perseverance that we’ll never know. This country has a strange, arresting beauty. In some ways the straight flat road tells you to speed up and get across this as fast as you can; the beauty begs you to slow down and take it all in.

After a short prospecting stop – Georgia read about ‘rockhounds’ and wanted to see what it was all about, although neither of us would recognize a precious stone if it hit us in the head – we arrived in Baker, NV, population 68 (people, many more cows). The owner and hostess of the Whispering Elms Motel and RV Park is also the bartender in the saloon, apparently the hopping place in town. Why are we here? Baker was about a 4-hour drive (our standard day) from Park City and is the nearest town to the Great Basin National Park, on the schedule for tomorrow.

After about 10 days in very cold weather we appreciated the warm temps in Baker, put on our flip-flops and set up an outdoor table and chairs as we prefer to do. Poured a glass of wine, got dinner ready, started a fire, had some music going, all the stuff of a nice evening. After dinner as we were cleaning up, a strong, cold wind came up suddenly. Not strong, but STRONG! Got us hurrying to put everything away and get back into the cozy little trailer. Score one more point for trailer vs. tent (which would have been blown into the next county). For the first time Georgia thought our bichon could be flattened easily by that small tree if it fell on us.

Day 18: Baker NV, Great Basin National Park

Winter followed us from Park City to Baker, after last night’s warm start we woke to 20-degree temps and a strong wind that cut right through whatever you could wear. Our 2-gallon water jug was frozen solid!

Great Basin NP wouldn’t ever have been on my bucket list for National Parks to visit, but as it was about half way between Park City and Reno, it was a natural stop and one more NP to check off my list. Very undeveloped, only one paved road into the park, from Baker to Lehman cave. We took a 1-hour ranger-led tour into the caves, which were spectacular, even after many cave visits to more well-known caves such as Carlsbad and Mammoth, these were among the best and most well-preserved cave formations I’ve seen. And that’s after the early years of private exploitation, where the going rule was “if you can break it, you can take it”. Thankfully the formations must be pretty tough and there are a lot left for us to enjoy today, and more that are still forming for future generations.

Great Basin NP is also about the Great Basin. Geologically, it’s recently the leftover lakebed from Lake Bonneville, which covered most of Nevada and much of Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming, as recently as 12,000 years ago. The Great Salt Lake is the last remnant of this drying lake, but we can see the tale of the ancient lake in its lakebed (now flat and arid valleys) and in the foothills and mountains, once islands in the lake. This has left us with great vistas, wide-open spaces.

We’re most thankful for our leaders who have made efforts to preserve these natural treasures we have, for us to enjoy and for all the generations to come. I’ll probably never make it to every National Park, but I know I’ll enjoy each one that I do see. More to come on the next road trip!

Day 19: Baker NV, to Reno, NV, 383 miles

This was our ‘blast across Nevada’ day, the longest day of driving in this trip. I’d really expected one long, mind-numbing drive across featureless desert. I guess my Nevada geography was off a bit. We started by rounding the northern edge of Great Basin NP, with a great view of 13,065’ Wheeler Peak and the other dramatic peaks in the park.

Up and over the Sacramento Pass and down into the valley below. Across the flat valley and up and over another range, down into another valley, and rinse and repeat... I finally remembered a lesson from a book I read last summer (Hard Road West by Keith Meldahl) which is a history book written by a geologist. It follows the trail of the immigrants to the California gold fields in the 1850’s and ties in how the geology of the land they were traveling over affected their journey, and how the land came to be the way it is. The part that came back to me today was about travel westward through the Great Basin. “Basin” is a hydrogeological term describing how water entering the area doesn’t get out (doesn’t flow to the sea) rather than describing a flat area like the bottom of a wash basin. Anyway, the part that affected the immigrants is that many millions of years ago the basin was indeed flat, and also the west coast was much further west than it is now. The Pacific plate of the earth’s crust moves eastward, sliding underneath the western US plate, pushing California eastward. This compressed the Great Basin causing it to “wrinkle”, forming north-south running ridges – the photo here is looking north into a flat valley between two parallel ranges to the east and west.

The significance of this lesson was lost until today as we repeatedly crossed a 10 or 20 or 40 mile-wide flat valley floor, then an imposing mountain range with a 7500+ foot high pass. Then another, then another, 8 or 9 in all, I lost count, all the way across Nevada, until you come to the baddest wrinkle of all, the Sierra Nevada.

Can you imagine what the immigrants felt when they finally fought their way over a pass, only to look west and see yet another valley and mountain range?

Much of the drive through the Nevada Great Basin was on US 50 – signs appropriately called it “the loneliest road in America”; miles and miles of long stretches of straight one lane roads, repeated after crossing another mountain range. Georgia theorizes that Reno grew to the big city that it is (in comparison to the much smaller and less developed towns we saw along the way) because some immigrants just couldn’t go through another mountain range crossing nor another big lonely valley to trudge through to reach California. It had a little something to do with silver mining noted MC. But, Georgia could not imagine women immigrants traveling this trail… 6 months of wagon camping from the Midwest seems unhealthy with so many environmental challenges to contend with—Reno perhaps was a compromise, as all good relationships require?

Bottom line is that crossing the middle of Nevada was much more interesting than we thought it would be. We’re very thankful we weren’t among those immigrants!

Arrived in Reno a little after 4pm (after 9am start), selling out to the comforts of a shower, clean bed, and a celebratory dinner at the Silver Legacy. That shower felt great (nice when you don’t have to worry about touching the walls or having to balance so your feet don’t touch the floor), and our Sushi dinner was a treat, not just because we haven’t eaten well on the road but it’s something we don’t have at home.

Day 20: Reno, NV to Graeagle, 61 miles

After sleeping in, another shower, and a big breakfast we hitched up the little trailer for the last time on this trip, and made the uneventful 1-hour drive home. The last time we drove home from Reno with the trailer was the day we bought it; I was nervous and checking my rear-view mirror every 2 seconds to make sure it was still there. I feel like a pro now!

A little sad to be ending our adventure, but it’s softened by coming home to beautiful Graeagle. A perfectly blue and warm October day, with the aspens in the front yard a brilliant yellow. Maybe the best way to get over the sadness will be to start planning our next road trip…

[shannrussell-blog1]

The Bibbulmun Track is one of Australia’s best long-distance hiking tracks, and my personal favourite. If you experience the Bibbulmun for yourself, then you will understand why.

Winding its way for 1003kms through WA’s diverse land of bush and coastline, it has 9 sections with towns along the way, which gives you the chance to refuel before hitting the track again.

The trailheads are at Kalamunda (northern end) and Albany (southern end) with the majority of people starting their journey from Kalamunda in the springtime following the wildflower season down to the south.

I’ve hiked sections of this track over many years. In autumn 2017, I hiked end-to-end starting from Albany and finishing in my childhood hometown of Kalamunda. On this trip, I raised funds for the Bibbulmun Track Foundation and filmed a documentary about the track at the same time.

Here’s a rundown of my experiences on the track, and my advice to anyone who is planning this journey for themselves.

Hiking the Bibbulmun end-to-end is a long but worthwhile experience. 

History of the track

The track came about to encourage more people to venture into the bush back in the early 1970s. By 1979, it was officially opened as a long-distance trail, though it was only 650kms.

As the years have moved along, so has the track with help from the Foundation and over 380 volunteers who care and maintain the track to an extremely high standard.

In 1994, the track saw a massive upgrade with the installation of shelters, rain-water tanks and drop toilets placed at campsites dotting a day’s walk from each other. This was inspired by the famous Appalachian Trail in the US.

Over the past few decades, the track has received some upgrades to make it easier for hikers to attempt.

How the Bibbulmun got its name

The Bibbulmun name comes from the local indigenous tribe of the area known to travel long distances through the bush for ceremonial gatherings.

The signs you follow is known as the Waugal (serpent) meaning soul, or spirit or breath. These bright fluorescent yellow triangles are nailed to the trees for easy spotting.

This is a fully signed track though it is recommended to carry an up-to-date map and guidebook. If you are interested in learning more about the history of the track go to the foundation site here.

These are the trail markers you should be following along the way. 

Distance options 

Although it’s a long-distance track there are various ways to experience it. Many hikers go on day walks, overnighters or even longer sections as there are some great access points along the way to hop on and off the track.

One hiker I met was from Melbourne, and he loved he could come over and spend a week or two on the track, and then come back another time to complete another section.

The Bibbulmun can be a day trip or a multi-day hike depending on what you want to do. 

When to hike

Best time to hike the Bibbulmun track is between April and October. Summer is not recommended as Western Australia has extremely hot dry summers and is high-risk fire season. There’s a chance of no water, with many days the temperatures up in the high 30’s, and some days reaching 40°C and over.

Over the years, many a shelter has sadly become the victim to fire. Just this summer there was a fire that swept through the northern section of the track resulting in the loss of a shelter. A hiker also had to be helicoptered out literally minutes before it burnt down.

April to October is the best time of the year to experience this walk. 

Duration of the track

The track is 1003km long and is predominantly out in the bushland. Though you do get 9 towns as points of contact where you will enter back into civilisation. This provides the opportunity to shower and wash your clothes, re-stock your supplies, have a cold beer and sleep in a real bed.

The average time a hiker would take on the track is around 6-8 weeks or 45-60 days. I took 54 days and would have loved more. Some people like the challenge of being the fastest, like one woman completing her journey in 15 days!

There is estimated to be over 100 hikers each year completing this track and becoming an end-to-ender. This is by either hiking it in one go or completing sections over a period.

There are lots of international hikers as well as Aussies on the track which is fantastic to see. When embarking on a journey like this, it’s extremely important to plan your journey well before heading out there to suit you.

This is a long hike that can take between 6 to 8 weeks to finish. 

Preparation

The first thing to do before attempting this hike is to research and find out all you need to know about it. This is a wilderness track and one can expect to be anywhere between 10 – 15 days at a time between towns.

In some areas, there is no phone coverage, so it can be quite isolating out there. You do meet other hikers most days and share a campsite with them but there are times that doesn’t happen. This means that you need to be self-sufficient.

Self-sufficiency is essential, even though you will meet other people along the way.

Where to start your research

Where do you begin? Start at the Bibbulmun Track Foundation website here. This is set up for hikers heading out on the track. They have all the information you need including support to help get you ready for the journey ahead.

They also offer different workshops on everything Bibbulmun. Check out online groups, they are often run by hikers who frequent the track.

Training for the track

My other advice is to train! Get hiking fit! It’s so much more enjoyable and less chance of injury if you are fit and ready for your adventure.

It’s important to be ‘hiking fit’ before attempting a long walk such as this. 

Shelters and campsites

There are 49 shelters and campsites in total along the way which are free to stay at. Each shelter is a 3-sided, either wooden or rammed earth structure, with sleeping platforms, a picnic table, tent sites and a drop toilet.

Most of the campsites in the northern section have fire pits but the southern section doesn’t due to restrictions.

There is a register book and a logbook for the hikers on the track. It is important to sign in so emergency services know who is on the track at any given time, also its a guide to how many people are using the track.

There are several shelters and campsites provided along the way. 

Navigation

There are 8 guidebooks and maps for this track broken down into sections which you can check out here. It is extremely well marked though it’s advisable to carry the ones you need. You can purchase them online through the Bibbulmun Foundation or in various hiking stores.

Learn how to read a map and compass – don’t just put it in your pack. It’s a wilderness track and is important that you are responsible for your own safety.

Food drops and resupply

Let’s face it you can’t carry 2 months’ worth of food, so you need to organise food drops. This can be done by pre-planning your meals and supplies to coordinate with the 9 towns you pass through.

You can post them ahead of time to either the post office of the town or the accommodation you plan to stop at. Some people will do a drive down with their boxes, but Australia post works pretty well in my opinion.

Supplying yourself with food for the trip is something you need to work out in advance.

Food

I cooked and dehydrated most of my meals but there are great choices on the market for hikers like the Back-Country Cuisine range. I do love the Cinnamon Rice Pudding one!

Be sure you pack enough nutrient-rich foods as your body will be using a lot of fuel and will need to replenish.

I also added into my supplies Sports Nutrition Endurance Powder just for that little bit more. You’ll find by week 3 that you’ll be super hungry.

Dehydrating your food is a great alternative to pre-made freeze-dried meals. You can also food and other supplies into my 70L Rucksack (Osprey Xena). Here are all of the other essentials that I took on my  trip:

My sleeping quarters for the trip – the Sea to Summit Specialist Duo. 

Sleeping gear and shelter

Tent (Sea to Summit Specialist Duo)

Sleeping bag and silk liner (Sea to Summit Spark SP3 bag and Aeros Pillow)

Sleeping mat (Sea to Summit Comfort Light Insulator, best mat ever)

Appliances and tools

Battery charger (20000mAh), iPhone

Head torch

Pocket knife

A reliable cooking system is an essential piece of gear for the track. 

Cooking gear

Stove and gas cylinder (JetBoil MiniMo)

Waterproof matches and lighter

Coffee press (for the JetBoil, it’s the best investment)

Pot and

Hydration

Hydration system – 3-litre capacity

LifeStraw

Katadyn Micropur Forte Tablets (recommended to treat all water)

Here’s a snapshot of all my gear laid out beside my pack. 

Safety and navigation

Maps and compass

Suunto Traverse watch

Disposable hand warmers (for those extra cool nights)

PLB (ACR ResQlink)

Snakebite kit 

It’s extremely important to bring a map – and learn how to read it!

Comfort gear

Sit-a-pon (waterproof mat to sit on)

One change of clothes and socks (put in a compression bag to save room)

Gaiters

Hiking poles

Insect repellent (Bushmans works best for the march flies)

Head buff

Mosquito Headnet

Wet weather gear

Warm windproof jacket

Crocs (sandals for camp)

Beanie and sun hat

Sarong (my multipurpose best item)

Toiletries (including Lavender oil – put a drop in some warm water at camp for bathing)

Getting to the track

For those hikers flying in, there is a regular 30-minute bus ride from the airport to Kalamunda. The buses leave twice every hour, so look for bus 296 and 299. If coming in from the city, its approximately a 1hr ride from the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre leaving every 10 – 15 mins.

The buses you can take are the 282, 283, 296, 299. If you need more up to date information, check out Perth’s transport website here.

There are a few ways you can go about getting to the Bibbulmun track. 

Accommodation 

In terms of accommodation, in Kalamunda, you can stay in the Kalamunda Carriages and 3 Gums Cottages which you can check out here.

They’re Bibbulmun track friendly with 10% discount if you’re a Bibbulmun Track Foundation member. If you’re interested in becoming a member and supporting the track, head here for more information.

In Kalamunda, near the Trail Head, is the Perth Hills Visitor Centre. Here is where you first sign in the log book to say you are on the track.

They are a great resource for information as well if you want to see more details you can head to their website.

Happy trails, everyone!

Aside from the Bibbulmun, what other long distance trails have you walked here in Australia? 

The post Walking the Bibbulmun Track End-to-End appeared first on Snowys Blog.

[bloggingday]

Dubia Roaches

We didn't know anything about having a bearded dragon when the idea of purchasing one found us. Before plunging in to the purchase, I needed to make certain we a minimum of had an idea of the items i was stepping into. We read books and did some internet surfing. We thought i was ready. Actually there have been things that we didn't find out about coupled with to uncover by ourselves. I will reveal to you 4 essential training we have learned from owning our bearded dragons. For more information on Dubia Roaches, visit our website today.

Lesson 1: High Maintenance

You'd most likely think a lizard will be a easy and simple pet to consider proper care of however, a bearded dragon is a touch diverse from other lizards. Bearded dragons are social creatures and have to be socialized by their proprietors. Because the parent, you will have to socialize them every single day to obtain them accustomed to you picking them up and handling them. This helps these to 't be fearful as well as create a having faith in relationship between both you and your pet.

Bearded dragons want to be outdoors from the cage. Ours will frequently go exploring at home. When they're from the cage, you will have to watch them as if you would a couple years old child. The dragons get a feeling of their surroundings by licking everything. Once we'd a moist paper towel on the ground from washing the cage and Cessna licked it and started eating it. We'd to leap into action and pull it of his mouth. On another occasion, Hawker was out under the sun room after i left for any second to reply to the telephone. After I returned I possibly could not fund him anywhere. As soon as I had been about to stop and appear inside a different room, I spotted his tail protruding from behind a bookcase. I needed to use the effectiveness of a mother to maneuver it and obtain him out. He was pretty shaken up while he didn't know precisely what had happened. Lesson learned never leave your dragon out without supervision, not really for any second.

All this playing around is excellent exercise on their behalf. Much like around, they have to stretch their legs and run. It will help to obtain the body moving and dealing inside and out. This means your dragon will have "accidents" outdoors from the cage. Make certain you are prepared having a paper towel and a few carpet cleaner. You might be able to paper train them, but I haven't really attempted yet. Once Cessna was under the sun room basking as i was studying the newspaper on the ground. He ran to my paper, did his business, and ran off. It's not happened again, however that does not mean it could not.

Because bearded dragons spend more often than not within their cages, they'll need baths. We bathe our dragons about once per week or with an when needed basis. Many people suggest bathing them more frequently. A shower is advantageous on their behalf because they could absorb water through their skin for hydration. Not every dragons enjoy their baths. Hawker, particularly, hates bathtime and it has rose my husbands arm to his back simply to avoid the water.

Lesson 2: Food

We think it is great that bearded dragons eat mostly vegetables. This will probably be easy because each week we buy veggies to live in, we simply need to buy some extra for that dragons. I additionally new they needed protein everyday for around the very first year, however it wasn't forever. We simply didn't consider just how much food 3 dragons would eat per day.

Sooner or later we thought growing our very own vegetables could be economical. The only real factor we didn't consider was the truth that we've not found our eco-friendly thumbs yet. Our soil is mainly clay there are also the rodents, bugs, and illnesses. For those who have methods to discourage the unwanted pests and illnesses then you suffer from the elements. In southern Virginia, our summers are hot and dry or wet. When our schedules outside, hurry up and we're inside a drought, we are able to frequently forget to water our plants. There are the hurricanes and also the plants drown. I simply cannot appear to decipher it yet. To individuals who are able to effectively grow an outdoor, my hat beeps for you. Whether or not you grow them or purchase them, you still need to slice and clean food regularly for the dragons.

Now onto protein, bugs (I love to give them a call wrigglies). My hubby thought it might be an excellent money saver when we bread our very own crickets. Between 3 dragons these were eating countless crickets each day. He did some investigation and generate a container and tried to breed crickets. I must admit, we ended up getting some babies however, they didn't live very lengthy after hatching. The mess and also the stink weren't worthwhile or even the savings. We ongoing to purchase crickets in boxes of 1000 and stored them lengthy enough to become eaten. The worst was whenever we needed to buy large crickets because not just were they stinky, however they were noisy too. My hubby seemed to be interested in breeding dubia roaches while he read that they are less gross, but I didn't want to undergo that again.

Lesson 3: Multiple Dragons

Little did we all know that male dragons cannot live harmoniously together due to dominance issues. In some way we've were left with 3 male dragons. Maybe when we had a minimum of 1 female, things wouldn't be so tense within my house. Pointless to state, the house is filled with testosterone with 3 male dragons, 2 male cats, a boy, along with a husband. Yes, I'm the only real female that manages this crazy house.

I've come across lots of videos on the web where bearded dragons are roaming throughout the house concurrently or perhaps share a cage. Once again to occur with my dragons. Piper hates Cessna, Hawker hates Piper, and Cessna does not take care of either of these. Just one dragon could be out at any given time unless of course rules are adopted. To avoid them from getting close enough to battle, my hubby made harnesses on their behalf. The dragons will have to put on their harnesses and a great distance from one another if several dragon has gone out at any given time. With laminate flooring they aren't able to get much traction also it can be rather entertaining to determine them slide over the floor and run in position.

We've observed that whenever they get all labored up each and every others cages attempting to fight with the glass, they'll frequently leave "presents" in their enemies cage. They'll also mind bob, arm waive, turn their beards black, and glass dance. At times tend to be more quiet than the others. They're in separate cages, but all reside in exactly the same room and may see one another and listen to one another climbing all over the cage.

Lesson 4: Financial Expense

Not used to we consider the price of these dragons. Due to their testosterone driven dominance, we wanted to purchase 3 cages. In individuals cages really are a log, lights, heater, house, outlet timers, and food bowls. All this can also add up rapidly which is just to obtain the house setup. Thankfully, we're saving some cash around the substrate by utilizing newspaper, but if you choose to use sand, that'll be yet another cost.

Since their lights and heaters take presctiption during the majority of the day, we certainly saw a rise in our power bill. We certainly didn't consider our utility bill whenever we got the three dragons. One dragon will most likely not make that a alternation in the ability bill, however. Remember substitute bulbs! You'll also have one burn up when you're not prepared. Want to know more about Dubia? Visit our website to know more.

Lastly, we return to the meals. The new veggies, the crickets, after which whatever extras you might get as treats. Everything accumulate rapidly and could get you unexpectedly. I'm wishing to remove the surprise from the financial expense that is included with the possession of bearded dragons.

[pellerini]

I am so over shopping for stocking stuffers that literally just do that – stuff the stocking but are useless. 

One year my husband and I were both tasked with getting stocking stuffers for the family.�� We figured if we both were on task, we could finish it one, two, three.  Christmas morning everyone got two hand creams, two chapsticks…you get the idea.  

I searched for the fun, practical, and coolest stocking stuffers and here they are.  Bookmark this page because I am going to add even more as I find them!

PAMPERING STOCKING STUFFERS

Facial Masks

I don’t care what anyone says, facial masks can be for everyone – men and women alike.  There are so many different types based on your skin type.  Are you prone to dry skin, oily skin, constant breakouts, or many want some whitening action to get rid of the sun spots?

7th Heaven has a mask for just about anyone.  They are super affordable, so you can pop a few in each stocking.  My favorites are:

Silver Easy Peel-Off Mask: minimizes the appearance of pores, cleanses the skin of dirt and grease.  It’s so cool to peel it off once dried.  

Tea Tree Oil Peel-Off Mask: targets the t-zone and other problem areas, tea tree oil aids in reducing occurrences of blemishes, calms and soothes skin

Dead Sea Peel-Off Mask: This mask harnesses the therapeutic properties of the Dead Sea.  It mask deep cleanses with the crushed sea salts, while the seaweed fights free radicals, and the chamomile soothes.  This one is only $2.50 per pouch.  

Coconut and Clay Peel-Off Mask: Coconut hydrates the skin while the clay and seaweed help to purify and refine pores.  

Bath Bombs

Soaking in a warm (or hot) bath can be heavenly after a long day at work, running after the kids, or overly-strenuous workout.  I’m all about bath bombs and this new version is sure to be a hit with the recipient.  

Green Grove’s Revive Mood Boost bath bomb soothed my sore muscles from a long day of painting.  The bath bomb contains baking soda, non-GMO citric acid, epsom salt, pink himalayan sea salt, CBD, fractioned coconut oil, hemp extract, and therapeutic essential oils bergamot, lemon, and orange.  

You can also choose to gift any of the other high-quality CBD products, such as tinctures, salves, and more!

ONE SIZE FITS ALL

You can never go wrong with gift cards.  My boys love their (decaf) Starbucks frappuccinos, so a $5 gift card is a perfect stocking addition.  Ice cream and candy shop gift cards are big hits too!

FOR THE KIDDOS

I used to put little tchotchkas in their stockings until I really took a look at what they would run up to their room with after opening gifts and what was left on the couch.  It was the tchotchkas that didn’t make it to the second floor.  Now I opt for pocket sized games, such as Kanoodle, card games like UNO, and Rubik’s Cube. 

amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "pellerini-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_title = "My Amazon Picks"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "9c78bac7f5c201294ae3585f81904be2"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B01IX1KIP4,B000FGECAI,B00I19QZX8,B004MU9V8Q,B00NQQTZCO";

PRACTICAL

Socks

Everyone needs socks.  If you ask my dad, he’ll tell you he has over fifty pairs of socks, and that is no exaggeration.  My mom sweetly requested that I no longer buy socks for him, but I can’t help it.  

AND, I may add that giving socks are not the same as giving underwear.

Here are some cool options to choose from: amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "pellerini-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_title = "My Amazon Picks"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B01N4170WA,B077HXQJ27,B01NAEIODL,B00JM8MWTI"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "e8312d0c29a8299a93976ccf063b4b9e";

Smooth Skin

I love smooth skin, especially when it comes to my hands.  I wash my hands frequently, which makes my skin drier than normal.  For me, a hand cream in my stocking is a win! 😉  Here are some I recommend:

  A Toothbrush?  Seriously?!

Yes, very seriously.  My mom introduced me to the Quip toothbrush and now it is going in everyone’s stocking.  No more worrying about having to go to the store to get a new toothbrush every three months – or in our case wondering when we last changed our toothbrush.  

These super sleek and affordable electric toothbrushes come straight to your doorstep.  Sign up to receive a new toothbrush head and batteries every three months.  There’s nothing to even think about.  

COOLEST STOCKING STUFFERS

I’d love to hear what you like to stuff your stockings with. Comment below!

Coolest Stocking Stuffers I am so over shopping for stocking stuffers that literally just do that - stuff the stocking but are useless.

[thegloober]

7 reasons you think you can’t breastfeed and what to do instead

It’s good for your baby, but not every mother finds breastfeeding comes naturally. Here’s what to do if you’re struggling says world-leading researcher and infant feeding expert Professor Amy Brown 

Breastfeeding hit the headlines last week when ultra-marathon runner, Sophie Power, 36, was snapped breastfeeding her three-month-old son mid-race and the photo went viral.

While some detractors questioned whether Power should have run, the response on social media has been mainly positive; Power was not in fact allowed to defer her place, so the choice was run or lose the opportunity.

And why wouldn’t it be? It’s hard to think of a better ad for breastfeeding. Power, who had just run 50 miles looks composed, especially compared to the male runner lying next to her flat on his back.

This photo of Power sparked controversy for breastfeeding baby Corman at a grueling ultramarathon. She struck back against critics in this Instagram post.

Whether you are runner or not, there’s no doubt that breastfeeding is great for you and your baby. And as we’ve seen from these shots, breastfeeding doesn’t need to get in the way of your life or fitness.

breastfeeding protects against a whole range of illnesses, and reduces your risk of developing heart disease, cancer and diabetes

The case in favour of breastfeeding is incredibly positive; it protects against a whole range of illnesses, and reduces your risk of developing heart disease, cancer and diabetes. It saves you buying formula and once you’ve got the hang of it, breastfeeding can be rewarding and far quicker and easier than having to make up bottles.

But that doesn’t mean it always comes easy. Those early weeks can feel really challenging and it’s normal to have all sorts of worries. Is he getting enough milk? Am I latching her on right? Is feeding in public ok?

An infant feeding survey conducted by the NHS found that 80 per cent of women who stop breastfeeding in the first 6 weeks are not ready to do so – and most stop for reasons that with the right support and information could have been prevented.  It also found that in the UK, just half of women are breastfeeding by six weeks compared to 90 per cent in Scandinavia.

Knowledge is power, so here are some of the top breastfeeding concerns and what you can do about them. from world-leading researcher and infant feeding expert and author of new book, world-leading researcher and infant feeding expert Professor Amy Brown.

1. It will hurt

It’s common to worry that breastfeeding will hurt, but with the right advice and support, it shouldn’t. The sensation can sometimes take a little getting used to, but any pain that lasts more than a brief few seconds, is excruciating rather than uncomfortable, or damages your nipple needs sorting out. But the good news is that there are plenty of trained professionals out there who can help you.

The key to comfortable feeding is getting your latch right. Lots of people imagine a baby just sucking on the nipple like a straw but when a baby latches on correctly they take a big mouthful of your nipple and surrounding darker skin (your areola) and draw your nipple right back into their mouth.

It can be tricky to get this right at first, but it’s really important to persevere as if the latch is not right your baby can damage your nipple and may not get enough milk.  A few tiny adjustments in angle or how you are holding your baby could save your nipples. Ask your midwife to check your latch as many times as you like. Check out this La Leche League guide for more information.

If your baby is still struggling and doesn’t seem to be able to get a deep mouthful of breast, talk to your health professional about getting them assessed for tongue tie. Some baby’s tongues are tethered too tightly in their mouths meaning they struggle to latch. Infections such as thrush or mastitis can cause pain too. If you notice any itching or pain in your nipples, or deep in your breasts, or hot, red areas then contact your health professional as soon as possible. All of these things are fixable and do not have to mean the end of breastfeeding.

2. ‘I won’t be able to make enough milk’

You might have heard stories that lots of women don’t make enough milk. However, with the right knowledge and support most women should make enough milk for their baby. The secret is to feed your baby responsively. This means feeding them whenever they want to be fed, throughout the day and night. Babies often feed at least every 2 – 3 hours, often more. Sometimes they have short feeds, and sometimes longer – just like as adults we don’t eat and drink in a set pattern.

Your body matches your milk supply to how much milk you or your baby remove. When you feed your baby, your body replaces that milk. If you feed frequently, you make more milk but if you try to feed less often or give a bottle your body thinks less milk is needed, so makes less. Your baby is the best judge of whether they are hungry, not the clock. Ignore anyone who suggests your baby feeds too much or should feed in a routine.

if you feed frequently, you make more milk but if you try to feed less often or give a bottle your body thinks less milk is needed, so makes less

You can check whether your baby is getting enough milk by thinking about what goes in and what comes out. Is your baby feeding at least 8 – 12 times in 24 hours? Can you hear them swallowing? If they’re over a week old do they have at least 6 wet and 2 dirty nappies a day? (babies older than 6 weeks might have dirty nappies less frequently). Do they look alert and hydrated? For more signs check out the Baby Friendly website.

Some health conditions such as diabetes or thyroid disorders mean you might not make enough milk. Sometimes women do not have enough glandular tissue in their breasts (known as hypoplasia) so might make less milk. If you have this you probably noticed your breasts did not change much in pregnancy, may be long and thin, and widely spaced. However, not making a full milk supply does not need to mean the end of breastfeeding – you can still breastfeed alongside formula if necessary. Talk to your health professional about the best ways of making as much milk as possible.

3. ‘I need to take a medication’

It’s natural to worry about taking a medication when breastfeeding but the good news is that in many cases the medication, or an alternative, will be fine. For many medications only a small amount (or sometimes none at all) will pass into your milk which and is not harmful for your baby. There are exceptions including lithium, some arthritis medications and chemotherapy. But talk to your health professional about your options.

If you have been prescribed a medication and are unsure it is safe, or have been told that you can’t breastfeed and take it, you can contact the Breastfeeding Network’s drugs in breast milk service. Led by a pharmacist with many years experience in supporting breastfeeding, they can give you up to date information about different medications.

4. ‘My baby will be less settled’

Lots of people might tell you that formula will make your baby more settled but this isn’t true. Babies having lots of needs is normal. When they were still inside you they had a constant supply of food, warmth and comfort – being born can be quite a shock! Babies are vulnerable and are programmed to want to be held and stay close to you.

Crying is their only way to communicate. They have tiny tummies so need to feed frequently and shorter sleep cycles so wake often.  If they do wake at night, they often need help getting back to sleep. Lots of adults wake at night but can tuck themselves back in or get themselves a drink.

These things are just your baby’s way of feeling secure and having their needs met rather than something to be fixed. However often we’re not prepared for this. Our first baby may be the first baby we have spent much time around, or even held. Adverts tell us that babies are smiley, happy creatures. No one tells us how much input new babies need. So we often worry that something is wrong, or needs fixing.

Some people might tell you that formula will solve all of this for you. It won’t. There is no reason why a bottle of formula would change what is normal baby behaviour. Your baby just wants you however they are fed. This can be really tough though, so make sure everyone around you helps by looking after you. After all, you just grew a whole new human, and are now keeping it alive with your boobs – you deserve it!

5. ‘I won’t be able to feed in public’

It can be nerve wracking the first few times you feed a baby in public, sat in an unfamiliar chair, all the while silently thinking ‘I’ve got my breast out in public’. But the number one thing to remember is that you are protected to breastfeed your baby by law wherever and whenever you want. No one can ask you to stop, to move elsewhere, or to leave.

If you are worried you can practice in front of a mirror: strategically drape a muslin cloth, or face away from others –  but only do that if it helps you feel more comfortable, not for anyone else. Taking a friend or partner the first few times can help you feel supported too.

But once you’ve got that baby latched on and look up, you’ll most likely find that no one has noticed. Although we might hear stories where women have been harassed or asked to feed in a toilet, many thousands of women breastfeed their babies every day without issue. You might even find, like I did, that people come up and talk to you, or even stoke your baby’s head, without even realising they are feeding! 

6. ‘My partner won’t bond with the baby’

This one is so common to hear but absolutely does not need to be true. There are so many ways to bond with a baby; giving them a bath, cuddling them in a sling, or taking them out for a walk in between feeds. Your partner could sit with, so you’re all cuddled up together. And when they’re a little older (it’s best to wait for around 6 weeks to get your supply sorted) if you’re both happy, you can express a feed for them to give. Some couples choose the feed before bed so you can get a head start on some sleep.

It’s also important to remember that although we might have an idyllic image of giving a baby a bottle, it doesn’t always work out that way. Some babies refuse a bottle. And then there’s the sterilising and preparing and buying of formula. There can be more relaxing ways to bond!

7. ‘My diet isn’t healthy enough’ 

Eating healthily is important, but that’s mainly to make sure you feel as strong as possible. The human body is clever, and will prioritise making sure your baby gets enough milk, but if your diet is not great, then it’s you who might end up feeling a bit rubbish. But you don’t have to worry about your milk – what you eat doesn’t really have any impact on its nutrients. Focus on good foods that nourish and help repair your body after birth – but there’s no need to be really strict. Cake definitely has its place.

Hopefully you are now feeling more confident about breastfeeding your baby. If you have any further questions, you can contact the National Breastfeeding Helpline, open 9.30am – 9.30pm 365 days a year (0300 100 0212). Calls are answered by trained experts, who have breastfed their own babies. For extra support and friendly faces, ask your health professional for details of your local breastfeeding peer support group. Breastfeeding mums and trained supporters can help answer your queries or just sympathise about your shared exhaustion, often over cake.

The Positive Breastfeeding Book: Everything you need to feed your baby with confidence by Amy Brown is published by Pinter & Martin £14.99

Professor Amy Brown is based in the Department of Public Health, Policy and Social Sciences at Swansea University in the UK where she leads the MSc in Child Public Health. With a background in psychology, she first became interested in the many barriers women face when breastfeeding after having her first baby. Three babies and a PhD later she has spent the last twelve years exploring psychological, cultural and societal barriers to breastfeeding, with an emphasis on understanding how we can better support women to breastfeed and subsequently raise breastfeeding rates.

Find out more: breastfeedinguncovered.co.uk Follow Professor Brown on Twitter: @Prof_AmyBrown

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The post 7 reasons you think you can’t breastfeed and what to do instead was shared from BlogHyped.com.

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Out of the ordinary Article Uncovers the Deceitful Habits of Essay in UK

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Fast Hair Growth information

For a lucky few, enviably long hair just occurs. For the rest folks, it takes staying power, effort and a few very planned modifications in our haircare routine. If it looks as if your hair just is not growing as long or as quick as you need, these seasoned guidelines will manual you within the proper direction. Get common trims — yes, simply. it may seem counterintuitive, however if you want long hair it's genuinely wholesome, you need to get ordinary trims. "at the same time as haircuts don't make your hair develop any quicker, they dispose of split ends that destroy your hair," explains movie star hairstylist Michael Dueñas. "casting off the breakage gives the advent that your hair is growing faster." in any case, a break up end that breaks can result in your hair dropping length — now not to mention shine, extent and smoothness. if you need to know precisely how lengthy you may cross between trims, comply with this manual. face up to the urge to move blonde. As elegant as platinum hair appears, going from a darker colour to mild blonde may want to stand among you and your longest-feasible hair. "when the cuticle of the hair is damaged from bleach, you could have more breakage or cut up ends," explains Elizabeth Hiserodt, senior colorist at Cutler Salon in ny town. "the less chemical remedies, the better your hair will grow." Distribute your hair's herbal oil. Going to bed with unbrushed hair may appear tempting when you're tired, but giving your hair a few quick strokes can be fantastic for its fitness. "beginning on the scalp, use a boar bristle brush to distribute your scalp's oils lightly onto your hair so it stays clearly moisturized," recommends Meri Kate O'Connor, senior colorist and hair educator at Eva Scrivo Salon. Bonus: This easy step each night allows growth circulate, which helps make your scalp more healthy. Which leads us to… hold your scalp healthy. think of your hair like a tree: If the soil and roots aren't taken care of, the tree can not grow tall and solid. "Hair boom starts offevolved with a healthful scalp," explains celeb hairstylist and WENfounder Chaz Dean. "whilst you cleanse and treat your scalp with wholesome components, you produce strong, beautiful hair." in case you're no longer certain how healthy your hair is, Chaz recommends doing a "root elevate take a look at": at the crown of your head, hold up a section of your hair. healthy hair should be the same thickness root to cease, however if your ends are thinner, it's time to rethink your hair care regimen. consuming the right foods. Having lengthy, robust hair does not just depend on which merchandise you put on your hair; it additionally depends on what you placed into your body. 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"And rinse with cool water to help seal the cuticle and support your hair earlier than styling it." Be careful when you brush wet hair. Hair is in particular susceptible to breakage while it is moist, however in case you actually should get a few knots out put up-bathe, make sure to apply a brush a good way to move smooth on your strands. "the usage of a Tangle Teezer or wet Brush is fundamental," says Davey Partain, stylist at Kennaland salon in Brooklyn. He also notes that the method is simply as essential because the device. "start gently brushing from the ends and regularly work your way up. And do not simply brush the top layer — brush the hair underneath as nicely." stop doing latest "cleanses." eating regimen businesses can also attempt to convince you that a "cleanse" will flip your complete lifestyles around, however Dueñas strongly advises against them. "Doing a cleanse is horrible in your hair due to the fact you're depriving your frame of vitamins," he warns. "After doing a cleanse even for every week, you will word slower hair growth and lackluster locks." Sleep on a silk pillowcase. Getting higher hair for your sleep is possible — all you want is to switch up your pillowcase. "Silk is less complicated on hair — it helps avoid tangles and breakage," says Jesleen Ahluwalia, M.D., a medical doctor from Spring road Dermatology in the big apple metropolis. The less breakage your hair experiences, the longer your hair might be. (Slip's silk pillowcases are available in a diffusion of quite colours.) be aware of your skin. it's smooth to look bright hair first of all and anticipate a product is running for you, but Dean recommends taking a closer look. "What the system is doing in your pores and skin is usually what it's doing to your hair," he says. "Does it make your skin f eel dry, stripped, heavy, waxy, sticky or greasy? Or does it sense gentle, hydrated, silky and supple?" treat your hair the manner you will treat your skin — in any case, it is every other part of you! if your hair follicles are clogged and congested, there may be no way it is able to develop as effectively. from Blogger http://ift.tt/2mtrzX3 via IFTTT

[angeforemanbobier]

These are all the beauty and home fragrance products I’ve used up in October.  I’ve grouped them into Bee Shopping recommendations, Positive BUZZ rated and BUZZ Off (don’t bother).  Each has my thoughts and opinions.  What product have you used up lately?  Leave it in the comments.  ** some products are PR samples, some have affiliate websites and some I purchased myself**

These products get a BEE Shopping recommendation from me.

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John used up this Axe Anarchy 2 in 1 Shampoo and Conditioner. He’s already requested we buy more so I’ll probably put it on his Christmas list. I like how it smells as well.

We both love the Herbal Essences Wild Naturals Rejuvenating Shampoo. I think we used up the conditioner last month. We will be repurchasing the set the next time we need hair care.

I am so into these exfoliates from Ingenium Naturals. We always have one in our shower. I use this a couple mornings a week and so does John. This one is the Rejuva-Net Papaya Exfoliate. I’ll be getting more of these next time I place an order with my affiliate promo code. According to the tube, Papaya is known for rejuvenating, skin lightening, skin repair, and anti scarring benefits. High in antioxidants Vitamin A and C. I enjoy the softness of my skin after each use. https://www.ingeniumnaturals.com/?Click=1065 Here’s a one time use promo code for my followers: beauty15 (allowing for a 15% reduction on your purchases, as well as free shipping for all orders over 50$ USD

I took the Plexus VitalBiome Intensive Gut Microbiome Support for a month but I’m not sure if it made a difference. I think this is something you need to use for a longer time to make a decision on. I will repurchase and do a 3-4 month commitment and keep better track of how I feel. Here’s my website to order https://plexusworldwide.com/angelabobier/home

I have enjoyed the Ingenium Naturals Revita Purifying Citrus Cream. My skin was brighter, smoother and hydrated. I will be purchasing this again with my next affiliate promo order. https://www.ingeniumnaturals.com/?Click=1065 Here’s a one time use promo code for my followers: beauty15 (allowing for a 15% reduction on your purchases, as well as free shipping for all orders over 50$ USD

This is my go to brow product from Benefit Cosmetics. It’s the GimmeBrow! Unfortunately right now it is under recall because if it gets in your eye it causes irritation. I have never had an issue. I will get another one once they solve this issue.

My lip liner dried up before I could use it all. This is Bound from ColourPop. I will order this again knowing that I have to use it more frequently. Bound is the perfect pink/mauve liner and goes with so many lipsticks. ColourPop is also an affordable brand.

I’m currently attempting to melt my stock of waxes. I highly recommend the Blackberry Boudoir from the Forbidden Fruits line of Partylite. Here’s my consultant’s website http://www.partylite.biz/sites/aromasoflife

Scentsy Bars are also fantastic and this Simply Nashi Pear smelled yummy. Try it out.

I’m still using my Plexus Slim pink drink each morning. Here’s my website to place an order https://plexusworldwide.com/angelabobier/home

These get a Positive BUZZ rating.

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Que Bella Bath & Beauty Relaxing lavendar aromatherapy mask contains enough to pamper your skin with one use. This was good. My skin was soft after washing this off.

e.l.f. Hydrating Water Sheet Mask with purified water and aloe was good. My skin looked hydrated after use. I’d try these out again.

I’d use this Avocado Face Mask from Fruits and Passion again too.

I cannot remember where I got this Colour Combos Skincare Oatmeal mask. It might have been in a blogger swap. I liked it but not enough to go searching to repurchase.

I’ve used up one of these deluxe sample of this Clinique Smart Custom Repair Serum before. My skin felt and looked good; I enjoyed the texture of the serum and would use it in the future, but I have serums I like better to spend my money on. There’s nothing bad about this serum so give it a try.

This Weleda Calendula Intensive Skin Recovery I used on my psoriasis and it helped keep the spots from drying our and cracking. I’m so glad I have another tube ready to go. This is a thick cream. 100% certified natural. Free of synthetic preservatives, fragrances, and colorants. Free of raw materials derived from mineral oils. No GMOs. This was a PR sample.

I only got one use of this tube of Soak it Up Moisturizing Conditioner from North American Hemp Co. This is an all natural formula. Gluten, paraben and DEA free. I would need to use this more to see if it warrants a BEE Shopping rating, but it was good.

Lancome Creme Radiance Clarifying Cream-to-Foam Cleanser is for normal and combination skin. This has a very perfume scent that not everyone would like. I do not recommend this for someone with dry skin because it does clarify the skin and I think it would cause drying. My skin was squeaky clean for sure. The foaming action is fun. I need a more nourishing and hydrating cleanser now so this isn’t something I would repurchase, but I would use it again if it came my way. It removes makeup very well.

If I didn’t have so many body washes right now I would look for a holiday value set of Korres Shower Gels. I loved the Guava invigorating blend of tropical fruits. Luckily I still have the matching body lotion. This is 91.4% natural. No mineral oils, Paraffin Wax, Silicones, Parabens, Propylene Glycol, Ethanolamines, PEG, ALES, Synthetic Dyes, Phthalates, Polycyclic Musks, Retinol, Alcohol, Nuts, Animal by-products, or Animal Testing. There is SLES, fragrance, ph-neutral, wheat and is suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

These products get a BUZZ off rating.

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I didn’t think these Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels did anything. Under my eyes didn’t feel like any serum had been there at all. I’d try another set just in case this one was a dud, but I wouldn ‘t buy these. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

I got this 50:50 Balanced Conditioner by Giovanni Eco Chic Hair Care from a hotel I stayed in. My hair felt like straw afterwards so I wouldn’t use this again.

This smelled really bad. The Dove Advanced Hair Series Serum-in-Oil regenerative nourishment sounds like a good idea. I have dry hair issues due to scalp psoriasis but I didn’t like this oil on clean damp hair or as a conditioner. Skip this product and try the shampoo and conditioner instead.

  My October #beauty #empties are up with opinions. #bblogger #bbloggersca These are all the beauty and home fragrance products I've used up in October.  I've grouped them into Bee Shopping recommendations, Positive BUZZ rated and BUZZ Off (don't bother). 

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Reasons Your Constipation Treatment Is Not What It Could Be

Аvoíding Childhoοd Constipation and Getting Things Moving It is névér an enjoyable time when Áour young ones are receiving trouble pooping; in reality, it can be really painful for them. You might have currently had one or two dilemmas with the kids éxрerіenćing somе form of blockage and are searching fór techniques to prevent іt from happening once more. Well, right here are some helpful recommendations and information that can go a way that is long making certain they stay regular and letting you keep your sanity. How frequently ѕhoùld it be? The ćyclé of pooping différs based on the diét regarding the son or daughter. A child who has a consistent nutritious diet οf no јunk foοd and mostly vegetables, frυits, whòle grains plus some meat proteinѕ will usùally рoοp once tо twicе a day. The poop that is ideal resemble lοng slender strands of sauѕage or look like chíckén nuggets. However, it doesn't mean that they're constipated if they don't. Constipation in a young child results whén s/he haѕ not pooped іn about 3 times or théy are straining to poop and nòthing ćomés out (that can frequently be sоoner than 3 times). The poop that is trapped in thé rectum can start to solidify making ít also hàrdér and much more páinful to pass through. Kids сan even be pooping lіttlé pellet-ѕized poops and be сonstípаtéd since the idea is to completely expel all fecal content frоm the human anatomy, maybe not in small quantities. The causes of youth constipation? Рhysićal Health Caυsés & Solutions Let's start with thé apparent, and that is diet. Health practitioners and nυtritionіsts are now actually discovering that as littlé as one "bad" meal a day can toss a young child's gastrointestinal system completely out of whack. What does "bad" méan anyway-here are a number of the worst offénderѕ: Lack óf liquid. It is that easy sometimes. Mаking suré your child gets énough water ànd not soda or sugary fruit juices will help kéep the body stay constipation-free while making the stools sоft and éasy to pass through. Solution: Íf your youngster ís on a diet that is healthy lots of fruits and veggies, odds are, they will gét mòst оf thé water thеy require from the food. Bοttled watér wіth electrolytes can álso hеlp maintaіn hydration, especially if they consume fast fòod or were ill. Foods that contain sodium/salt are in the top of record you need to include all food that is fast fully processed foods from boxes. Solution: Ban fàst food and processéd foods àt your property, at first; scale back modestly them out completely until you can phase. These kind of food do more damage tо your youngster than simply constipation. Increase fruits that are fresh béans, nuts and vegetables to your son or daughter'ѕ diet. Fοodѕ wіth small to nò fiber, іnсludіng íce сrеam, pizza, ćhips, kid ceréals and friés Solution: Look for little means to sneak ín fibre rićh food; mix іn frυit with yóur dessert-whole fruit, not jυice, haѕ plenty of fibеr. Use recipes for goodies that ínćlude incorporating vegetable purée as án ingredient. You can find online cookie and brownie recipes that call for carrot, cauliflower οr brοccoli рurées. Get creative, make Fridаy night véggie bean chili with fresh cоrnbreád instеad of pizza; ànd yóu can constantly put in a glass of mixed frоzen vegetables to mac-and-cheese. Scale back on high protein food diets full óf fats like beef, milk, cheese and for some extent chicken. Solution: Beanѕ, nuts, soy and fish básed foods designed to lοok and taste like hambυrgérs and chіcken fingers áre also lоaded wíth protein but have mоre dietary fiber, specially beans which are also heart heаlthуA. Lack óf exerćise in conjunction with a diet that is poor gíve your child the exрress admission to constipation. Ѕolùtión: Éxercise is good fοr the digestion procéss and promotes stool regularity. Тurníng from the game ѕystem and having a walk that is twenty-minute thé community with yòur kíds can go a long way to keéping them régυlar while additionally teaching them healthy workout habits. Mental Héalth Causes & Solutions Kids сan devеloр somе pretty аwfυl hang-ups about poop. ТheÁ ćan develop fears ábout carrying it out in public restrooms or have now been constipated once and carry that lingering association that is unpleasant аll future poоping efforts. This kind of stigma can mаke them poop-avoіdànt and thus lеad thém in the future to constipation. Heré are some problems that are common solutions: Embarrassed tο usé toilets that are public. Who taught уAour son or daughter to worry using a public lavatory? It máy have already been you, and it might be why they are holding theіr poοp ínѕide giving them constipation. You, the párent, will be the many voice that is powerful planet in their mind, whateνer you saÁ...theÁ belíeve. Solution: Vocalіze how important it is they feel they need to and that it's perfectly natural for them to poop whenever. Іf you have got public toilet issues, teach them some basic actions for hygiene, like bυilding a band of rest room paper on the toilet seat before рoópіng, and wáshing thеir hands wíth detergent and wátеr aftеr completing. Giving them a travel pack of damp wiрeѕ to utilize might also signify in their mind it's okay to usé a toilet that is public. Doésn't liké goíng in generаl. Sometimes children fоr a varіetÀ of reasons do not lіké gоing. That is if you want to enjoy a conversation with thém-іs it psychological, рhÀsіcal ór bοth. Whether or not it's psychològical, take to to enjoy the conversation. Solution: Explain to them evérÀbοdуA poops, perhaps the furrуA cute small animals ánd wild birds take action. Inform them ít's component to be happy and healthy and that there surely is nothing wrong along with it. Encourage them to tàlk аbοut the presssing problem every time they have to and thаt it'ѕ perféctlÀ wélсomed. When it'ѕ Chronic Even with doing everything "right" your son or daughter may nevertheless have "pooр" isѕueѕ. Here àre sоme rеmediés which will help unblock the problem. Chronic constipation іs ùsuallÀ understood to be your child having at least twò to three bouts with constipation in a twο-wеek period. Relieve the pressure that is painful straining: ��f á child has been straining and it hurts, get one of these hot bath (because hοt as théy сan hаndle). The temperature will reléaѕe the muscle tissue in thе sphіnćtеr аnd relieve the pain that is terrible discomfort, instantly. Creams with hydrocortisone ćan àlsо helр with the burning and throbbing following a painful expulsion. Take to normal Laxátives and Ѕofténérs: Senna Leaf Powdеr is normal and a powerful laxative that can hélp clean the system. اسباب الامساك عند الاطفال عمر سنتين а tea ánd adding it can be made by some honey more palatable. Also allowing the child to smell the brew simply can be sufficient to create thém go. Olive oil and olives are also normal stool softеners. Any sort of laxative should only be utilized as an interim measure and never be ùsed as a rоutіne mеthod for defecation. Visiting your Pedíatríciаn: in the event your child suffers frоm chronic constipation, it'ѕ always best tó include your pediatrіcián within the equatіon. There could be ѕomething élѕe thаt іs underlying the matter that a trained medical expert can detect. In additión, chrònic constipation could also need medicine or advanced treatments thát should only be performed under the supervision of doctor.10

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The Bibbulmun Track is one of Australia’s best long-distance hiking tracks, and my personal favourite. If you experience the Bibbulmun for yourself, then you will understand why.

Winding its way for 1003kms through WA’s diverse land of bush and coastline, it has 9 sections with towns along the way, which gives you the chance to refuel before hitting the track again.

The trailheads are at Kalamunda (northern end) and Albany (southern end) with the majority of people starting their journey from Kalamunda in the springtime following the wildflower season down to the south.

I’ve hiked sections of this track over many years. In autumn 2017, I hiked end-to-end starting from Albany and finishing in my childhood hometown of Kalamunda. On this trip, I raised funds for the Bibbulmun Track Foundation and filmed a documentary about the track at the same time.

Here’s a rundown of my experiences on the track, and my advice to anyone who is planning this journey for themselves.

Hiking the Bibbulmun end-to-end is a long but worthwhile experience. 

History of the track

The track came about to encourage more people to venture into the bush back in the early 1970s. By 1979, it was officially opened as a long-distance trail, though it was only 650kms.

As the years have moved along, so has the track with help from the Foundation and over 380 volunteers who care and maintain the track to an extremely high standard.

In 1994, the track saw a massive upgrade with the installation of shelters, rain-water tanks and drop toilets placed at campsites dotting a day’s walk from each other. This was inspired by the famous Appalachian Trail in the US.

Over the past few decades, the track has received some upgrades to make it easier for hikers to attempt.

How the Bibbulmun got its name

The Bibbulmun name comes from the local indigenous tribe of the area known to travel long distances through the bush for ceremonial gatherings.

The signs you follow is known as the Waugal (serpent) meaning soul, or spirit or breath. These bright fluorescent yellow triangles are nailed to the trees for easy spotting.

This is a fully signed track though it is recommended to carry an up-to-date map and guidebook. If you are interested in learning more about the history of the track go to the foundation site here.

These are the trail markers you should be following along the way. 

Distance options 

Although it’s a long-distance track there are various ways to experience it. Many hikers go on day walks, overnighters or even longer sections as there are some great access points along the way to hop on and off the track.

One hiker I met was from Melbourne, and he loved he could come over and spend a week or two on the track, and then come back another time to complete another section.

The Bibbulmun can be a day trip or a multi-day hike depending on what you want to do. 

When to hike

Best time to hike the Bibbulmun track is between April and October. Summer is not recommended as Western Australia has extremely hot dry summers and is high-risk fire season. There’s a chance of no water, with many days the temperatures up in the high 30’s, and some days reaching 40°C and over.

Over the years, many a shelter has sadly become the victim to fire. Just this summer there was a fire that swept through the northern section of the track resulting in the loss of a shelter. A hiker also had to be helicoptered out literally minutes before it burnt down.

April to October is the best time of the year to experience this walk. 

Duration of the track

The track is 1003km long and is predominantly out in the bushland. Though you do get 9 towns as points of contact where you will enter back into civilisation. This provides the opportunity to shower and wash your clothes, re-stock your supplies, have a cold beer and sleep in a real bed.

The average time a hiker would take on the track is around 6-8 weeks or 45-60 days. I took 54 days and would have loved more. Some people like the challenge of being the fastest, like one woman completing her journey in 15 days!

There is estimated to be over 100 hikers each year completing this track and becoming an end-to-ender. This is by either hiking it in one go or completing sections over a period.

There are lots of international hikers as well as Aussies on the track which is fantastic to see. When embarking on a journey like this, it’s extremely important to plan your journey well before heading out there to suit you.

This is a long hike that can take between 6 to 8 weeks to finish. 

Preparation

The first thing to do before attempting this hike is to research and find out all you need to know about it. This is a wilderness track and one can expect to be anywhere between 10 – 15 days at a time between towns.

In some areas, there is no phone coverage, so it can be quite isolating out there. You do meet other hikers most days and share a campsite with them but there are times that doesn’t happen. This means that you need to be self-sufficient.

Self-sufficiency is essential, even though you will meet other people along the way.

Where to start your research

Where do you begin? Start at the Bibbulmun Track Foundation website here. This is set up for hikers heading out on the track. They have all the information you need including support to help get you ready for the journey ahead.

They also offer different workshops on everything Bibbulmun. Check out online groups, they are often run by hikers who frequent the track.

Training for the track

My other advice is to train! Get hiking fit! It’s so much more enjoyable and less chance of injury if you are fit and ready for your adventure.

It’s important to be ‘hiking fit’ before attempting a long walk such as this. 

Shelters and campsites

There are 49 shelters and campsites in total along the way which are free to stay at. Each shelter is a 3-sided, either wooden or rammed earth structure, with sleeping platforms, a picnic table, tent sites and a drop toilet.

Most of the campsites in the northern section have fire pits but the southern section doesn’t due to restrictions.

There is a register book and a logbook for the hikers on the track. It is important to sign in so emergency services know who is on the track at any given time, also its a guide to how many people are using the track.

There are several shelters and campsites provided along the way. 

Navigation

There are 8 guidebooks and maps for this track broken down into sections which you can check out here. It is extremely well marked though it’s advisable to carry the ones you need. You can purchase them online through the Bibbulmun Foundation or in various hiking stores.

Learn how to read a map and compass – don’t just put it in your pack. It’s a wilderness track and is important that you are responsible for your own safety.

Food drops and resupply

Let’s face it you can’t carry 2 months’ worth of food, so you need to organise food drops. This can be done by pre-planning your meals and supplies to coordinate with the 9 towns you pass through.

You can post them ahead of time to either the post office of the town or the accommodation you plan to stop at. Some people will do a drive down with their boxes, but Australia post works pretty well in my opinion.

Supplying yourself with food for the trip is something you need to work out in advance.

Food

I cooked and dehydrated most of my meals but there are great choices on the market for hikers like the Back-Country Cuisine range. I do love the Cinnamon Rice Pudding one!

Be sure you pack enough nutrient-rich foods as your body will be using a lot of fuel and will need to replenish.

I also added into my supplies Sports Nutrition Endurance Powder just for that little bit more. You’ll find by week 3 that you’ll be super hungry.

Dehydrating your food is a great alternative to pre-made freeze-dried meals. You can also food and other supplies into my 70L Rucksack (Osprey Xena). Here are all of the other essentials that I took on my  trip:

My sleeping quarters for the trip – the Sea to Summit Specialist Duo. 

Sleeping gear and shelter

Tent (Sea to Summit Specialist Duo)

Sleeping bag and silk liner (Sea to Summit Spark SP3 bag and Aeros Pillow)

Sleeping mat (Sea to Summit Comfort Light Insulator, best mat ever)

Appliances and tools

Battery charger (20000mAh), iPhone

Head torch

Pocket knife

A reliable cooking system is an essential piece of gear for the track. 

Cooking gear

Stove and gas cylinder (JetBoil MiniMo)

Waterproof matches and lighter

Coffee press (for the JetBoil, it’s the best investment)

Pot and

Hydration

Hydration system – 3-litre capacity

LifeStraw

Katadyn Micropur Forte Tablets (recommended to treat all water)

Here’s a snapshot of all my gear laid out beside my pack. 

Safety and navigation

Maps and compass

Suunto Traverse watch

Disposable hand warmers (for those extra cool nights)

PLB (ACR ResQlink)

Snakebite kit 

It’s extremely important to bring a map – and learn how to read it!

Comfort gear

Sit-a-pon (waterproof mat to sit on)

One change of clothes and socks (put in a compression bag to save room)

Gaiters

Hiking poles

Insect repellent (Bushmans works best for the march flies)

Head buff

Mosquito Headnet

Wet weather gear

Warm windproof jacket

Crocs (sandals for camp)

Beanie and sun hat

Sarong (my multipurpose best item)

Toiletries (including Lavender oil – put a drop in some warm water at camp for bathing)

Getting to the track

For those hikers flying in, there is a regular 30-minute bus ride from the airport to Kalamunda. The buses leave twice every hour, so look for bus 296 and 299. If coming in from the city, its approximately a 1hr ride from the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre leaving every 10 – 15 mins.

The buses you can take are the 282, 283, 296, 299. If you need more up to date information, check out Perth’s transport website here.

There are a few ways you can go about getting to the Bibbulmun track. 

Accommodation 

In terms of accommodation, in Kalamunda, you can stay in the Kalamunda Carriages and 3 Gums Cottages which you can check out here.

They’re Bibbulmun track friendly with 10% discount if you’re a Bibbulmun Track Foundation member. If you’re interested in becoming a member and supporting the track, head here for more information.

In Kalamunda, near the Trail Head, is the Perth Hills Visitor Centre. Here is where you first sign in the log book to say you are on the track.

They are a great resource for information as well if you want to see more details you can head to their website.

Happy trails, everyone!

Aside from the Bibbulmun, what other long distance trails have you walked here in Australia? 

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