Here we go again!

As I run my fingertip over my hands, I find a small sense of pride in the rough callused parts, the little tiny blood spots hiding just under my finger tips, my black thumb nail, the entire patches of skin missing from flappers, and today the raw skin on my pinky thanks to that undercling hand wedge that even though I tried a million times I still couldn’t do the move required to get me through the 10c crux. Let’s not get into the cuts, scrapes and bruises on the rest of my body. In the last 14 months climbing has completely changed my life. My priorities have changed. I found myself packing for this trip in a crag bag, packing two pairs of climbing shoes, with Bryan (my 60m Rope), Goldilocks & Barney (the cams), all my draws, personal anchor, top rope anchor, extra carabiners, chalk bag, harness, ATCs, and liquid chalk. My crag bag is 40L and designed to be a carry on, as you can probably imagine this didn’t leave much space. Not that I care. All I want to do is climb every day for the next seven months. Poor mema she thinks I’m a geologist.

I’m Europe bound yet again and this time the goodbyes were harder than ever. Saying goodbye to my little ball of fur and knowing there is a very good chance he won’t be there when I get home brings tears to my eyes even while I write this. Just thinking about him makes me well up instantly. How can such a little ball of fur own so much of my heart. It’s unfair to expect him to still be there when I return. I found myself so many nights over this last week telling him it was okay if he wanted to go to sleep and not wake up. But every morning he was there to greet me with his front paws on the side of my bed and oh so very excited I was getting up. Always full of love and excited to see me every time he forgot I was in the room and found me again. Love like that is hard to find. I’m not sure I will even be able to proof read this section. I’m crying like a baby drinking chardonnay on an airplane. Poor Margaret (the MacBook) doesn’t need tears on her.

I think it’s safe to say these endless travels will be coming to an end. As soon as I find a place that feels right. Okay so maybe not that soon, there is still so much of the world to see & climb. So don't get too excited mom! I really need to get better at taking photographs.