Bathing Our Cat

Natasha is our very fluffy, very opinionated, mostly super sweet long hair domestic cat. She's 11 years old and knows EXACTLY what she likes and doesn't like. Her list of likes is much shorter than the dislikes, but she's a cat so that's pretty much expected.

Natasha likes:
Food
Belly rubs (a set amount..the number changes daily so watch out)
Food
Snuggling with your hip at night (only at night)
Food
Chewing on plastic bags
Food
Taking naps
Looking glorious

Natasha painstakingly grooms herself all the time. She looks like a fluffy princess 90% of the day, with the exception of when she wakes up from a nap looking like she went through a wind storm. She also hates it when you call her scraggly. She's a proud woman of color and doesn't like her imperfections being pointed out. I guess when you're 65 years old in cat years you can loudly state your opinion on whatever you want.

That being said, Natasha was not originally adopted by Will and me. She came to us via Will's aunt, then Will's mother. She was never abused, but she is a one family kind of cat and got super sad at being moved from one house to another. Will's mom had 2 dogs, one of which Natasha would always snuggle with and nap on, and 2 other cats as well. One cat weighs about as much as a horse and obviously he's pretty complacent and doesn't care about much, but food. They got along just fine. Sam on the other hand was a complete @$$ hat. He would bully her and she would spend all her days underneath one bed in one room. Not exactly the life of luxury cats deserve/are entitled to.

We adopted her into our pet free home.. which now has 1 other cat and the best puppy ever, but that's a different story. Long story short, she's been extremely happy ever since. That was only the beginning...

A few weeks ago we noticed she wasn't feeling well. As a result, she didn't really bathe herself for about 3 days. After checking with the vet we decided it was time to give her a bath. If you regularly bathe yourself about 3 times a day to 0 times in 3 days...well you have one greasy looking kitty.

Will and I had both seen horror clips from youtube videos of other suckers bathing their cats who then turned into raging monster ball of fluff, teeth, and nails. We knew she did okay when we clipped her nails, but she has a pretty mean growl that we didn't want her to actually act upon.

This is pretty much how it went:

W&E: Nataaaasha! Where are you pretty lady? We've got treats!
N: No response
W&E:  *shakes treat bag*
N: No response
W&E: Dang it! I think she's under the bed. You grab her. No you do it.

Will eventually caved and grabbed her from the bed. The yelling that could only possibly have said "you hate me. why do you hate me. what did I ever do to you. Please don't take me to my death" started shortly after that.

We took her into the bathroom, locked the overly curious dog out, and made sure she couldn't get out. We then, being the awesome pet parents we are, ran her a luxurious, warm bath just for her. Did she appreciate it? No.

When we take her to the vet in her crate we usually have to trick her or chase her down and do some pretty impressive acrobatics in order to grab her and not get scratched and then actually get her in the cage when she has all 4 paws outside the opening and is pushing with all her furry might. We thought this was exactly how the bath would go.

She went fully in the opposite direction. Natasha went full deer in the headlights and stood absolutely still. I'm pretty sure she thought we couldn't see her if she stood still. We always make fun of how much she eats since she is constantly screaming for more food even though her bowl is full. We didn't realize just how big her gut was until we washed her.

Cats are super pitiful looking when you get them wet no matter what, especially when they are really fluffy to begin with. Natasha has extremely skinny limbs, tail and face. Her tummy....not so skinny. It looks like a very skinny cat swallowed a softball.

During her bath she made weird chirping noises that sounded like Beeker from the Muppets.. we were expecting incessant screams of protest and grumpiness like we get on the way to the vet, but we were pleasantly surprised. She did really really well. After the bath was over we dried her off and pampered her to her delight and even gave her treats.

Just remember, bathing your cat might not be the safest idea you've ever had, but your cats might decide to just sit there and be nice...for once. Or it's a tactic to lull you into a false sense of security so they can further their plans of world domination. Either one.

The Joys of Having Pets

"Wilderness is not defined by the absence of certain activities, but rather by the presence of certain unique and invaluable characteristics."--Nick Rahall


My once 8lb little ball of fluff has now become a 53lb giant ball of fluff and energy. He is probably the best dog imaginable, which I know anyone with a dog who is reading this will instantly disagree because they have the best dog, but let's agree to disagree :)    Atlas is my best friend, partner in crime, fluffy child, and can be annoying while at the same time being as cute as possible, which is an accomplishment in itself.

Atlas usually needs to burn off a lot of energy and LOVES walkies. He was practically born for walkies. We go for walks in a nearby neighborhood about 5 days a week depending on weather. For him, the colder the weather the better...for me? Not so much, but I do it anyway. I bundle myself up so I end up looking like that poor, unfortunate child from "A Christmas Story" who couldn't put his hands by his side because of the billions of layers he was forced to wear in the snow.

Today we went for a walk right as it started to flurry. There was a winter storm warning, so I wanted to get the walk out of the way before we couldn't drive safely anymore. Atlas was trotting along being ridiculously cute and well-behaved while enjoying the weather immensely. I was bundled up and enjoying the snow that we had FINALLY gotten. For about a week now, there has been a flattened, desiccated, (obviously) dead squirrel carcass sitting in the middle of the sidewalk where we pass by. Atlas knows the command "leave it" and whenever I see it I always make sure to tell him that and he usually, keyword there, USUALLY leaves it alone.

Today? Not so.

Today, I saw "Atlas. Leave it." What does he do? He pretends he can't hear me, walks up to it, and grabs it by what I can only imagine was a leg...Everything after this happened so fast that I'll just give you a play by play.

Me: Atlas NO.

Atlas: Screw you mom. This is delicious. Can't you smell this beautiful aroma?

Me: DROP IT

Atlas: What mom? I couldn't hear you? Yum yum yum

Me: Atlas no. Drop it right now.. don't you dare...

Atlas just gives me this look that can only be described as "hmm... I wonder what would happen if I shook this with all the energy I have right now. Mom would really like that"

Me: EWWW NO. Please for the love of everything just drop it.

Atlas: Okay I'll drop it... AS I SHAKE IT VIOLENTLY. HAHAHAHA

At this point he finally listens and I get exactly what I asked for in the form of a disgusting, partially rotted, road killed squirrel carcass flying at my face at full speed while it was simultaneously exploding fur ALL OVER THE PLACE.

If I hadn't been paying attention and ducked at the last second like a super awesome ninja with moves straight out of The Matrix I would have gotten a face full of dead squirrel. Thanks Atlas...


It's days like these that make me wonder how I got through life without things like this happening on a daily basis. With Atlas, things like this happen ALL THE TIME. Oddly enough, I couldn't imagine my life without it.

On a MUCH cuter note...Later that day we decided to cut our cats' nails. We could tell wherever they both were in the house by the clicking noises their nails made on the floors so we decided it was time to break out the clippers. We have one cat, Boo Boo,  (no we didn't name him that god awful name) who HATES having his nails cut with a fiery passion that could only come from the 7th circle of hell. We have to wrap him in a blanket or as we like to call it  "A Purrito" so we don't get disemboweled, bitten, scratched, etc. All went pretty well after much screaming on his part. This entire time Atlas was by his side with his nose right up against Boo Boo like he was comforting him. Once we released him from the purrito Atlas chased him down and laid down next to him.

That's not even the cutest part. Our other cat, Natasha, is much better about getting her pedicure so we don't have to wrap her up. She grumbles, but she's all talk. Boo Boo is a newer addition to the fur family, so Atlas is much more attached to Natasha. Will was cutting her nails, and I was holding her in my arms while we sat on the bed. Atlas jumped on the bed next to us and would cry at us every time she meowed. Once we let her go she jumped down and tried to fix the hair that had gotten all crazy. Atlas went in to the other room and started bringing her his toys to cheer her up. He would follow her around and make sure he was in between her and us for a little while to make sure he protected her.

My dog can be the most annoying thing on the face of the planet one minute and then do something so sweet the next. Needless to say, this guy has stolen my heart. I have, by far, the best dog in the universe.



"As one who has often felt this need, and who has found refreshment in wild places, I attest to the recreational value of the wilderness."--George Aiken

Virginia Safari Park

"If we kill off the wild, then we are killing a part of our souls."--Jane Goodall

Ever been to a drive-thru zoo? We have! My boyfriend and I drove from Virginia Beach to West Virginia for a good friend's wedding. On the way back we saw a sign on the highway that said "Virginia Safari Park". After a brief look on our phones to figure out just what the heck it was we decided we absolutely had to make a detour!

The VA Safari Park is exactly what it sounds like. It's an out of this world drive through zoo with tons of exotic animals, and many no one has probably ever heard of much less seen up close. The best part? We were given a bucket of feed and were told we could feed any animals we wanted, but we had to stay in our cars. Driving through a zoo at our leisure with animals surrounding our car sounded amazing by itself, but getting to touch them and feed them!? Even better.

They had TONS of watusi (an African cow) with enormous horns, llamas were scattered everywhere, water buffalo, wildebeest, emus, ostrich, zebras, shaggy cows, camels, bison, and elk! That's not even all of the species. They were scattered throughout the park with lots of free roaming areas and obviously they didn't have a shortage of food!

We drove along with our windows down and we were nothing short of bombarded by beautiful, awkward, and just plain cute and odd animals. The second we stopped for the first time sever wildebeest flocked to Will's window and stuck their heads in our car demanding food. Several bison visited me on my side.


Several animals knew just the right place to stand so they could maximize the amount of food they received instead of having to share it. We encountered the smallest long haired cow we'd ever seen near a clearing in the trees just patiently waiting for someone to drive by. The second we stopped it would meander up to our car and look up at you trying to convince you to feed it. That guy had adorable begging down to an art.

About halfway along our journey we came to a road block. Apparently an ostrich got disgruntled when a car didn't have any food for it. It was prancing around the field in an angry fashion and decided it would take out its anger on several other cars. Luckily the animals are closely monitored, as well as the people driving in the park to insure safety for everyone, human or not. One of the workers had the lovely job of shooing the ostrich away from the cars. It was quite the spectacle to watch!

As our journey slowly came to an end we came upon another road block. This time two different watusi families were trolling the exit hoping to get whatever was leftover from peoples' buckets of feed. They walked casually up to each car in front of us and stuck their heads right in the cars from both sides if the windows were open! They knew how to get what they wanted! Plus when a gigantic cow with horns spanning 8 feet stick its face in your car you listen. Two cows had finished with the car in front of us and wandered over to my car and repeated the process.

This is such a fun detour on our otherwise uneventful 6 hour drive home that we still talk about it over a  year later. The area is known for hiking and of course the famous natural bridge along a hiking trail and the infamous skyline drive. If the hiking along isn't enough to convince everyone you know to head out there, then the safari park should seal the deal!

"Travel is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer."--

Alaska Part 5-Chena Hot Springs

"One thorn of experience is worth a whole wilderness of warning."--James Russell Lowell



Chena Hot Springs is a warm oasis in a very cold Alaskan wilderness. Mid way through my trip with my best friend in Alaska we decided to spend the day exploring museums and spend the afternoon at the hot springs thawing ourselves out.

Chena Hot Springs is located about an hour outside of Fairbanks, AK. There is a very expensive resort attached to it, but it's not the typical resort. They grow their own food in greenhouses and even use geothermal energy to power their buildings, or at least some of them. They even have an ice museum! They sponsor activities that change with the season such as dog sledding, aurora sighting trips, glacier tours, horseback riding, etc.

The indoor swimming pool area and hot tubs are the first stop before the hot springs and the only way to access the outdoor hot springs. The pool area itself is a bit old, but in good condition. It's not an upscale pool by any means, but it's fun! he corridor leading outside is unheated and picturesquely covered in frost, ice, and snow. It was quite pretty besides the fact it was -20F outside and we were in only swimming outfits... after much cursing, running, trying not to trip and fall, and more exclaiming about freezing to death we ran right in to the hot springs!

There a ramp that gradually goes deeper along with a railing. Whatever you do don't touch the railing! I got my hand stuck for half a second and immediately thought of "A Christmas Story" and thought I would have to have my hand pried off. Luckily that didn't happen.

We went to the springs in mid-afternoon, but most people go at night so they can float in the hot water and watch the Aurora Borealis. We enjoyed flopping around and swimming in very very hot, but comfortable water. It was such a surreal experience to be outside in mid winter in Alaska of all places and actually be warm. The contrast in temperatures was so great and there was so much steam that I could barely see anything around me in a few places.


Make sure you bring lots of water! The elements in the water can make you dehydrated and light headed as an effect, so bring and drink lots! Don't wear any jewelry either as it might get tarnished. We stayed in for about 2 hours and enjoyed being warm for the first time in days. It was a really fun experience and would definitely be a phenomenal place to watch the northern lights.



We didn't stay to eat at the resort restaurant because of the prices, but if you have the means I'd give it a go! It definitely smelled delicious! Everything about the resort was very overpriced in my opinion with the exception of the activities and the hot springs. Definitely don't miss taking a dip in the hot springs, especially if you visit Alaska in the dead of winter!










"Wilderness is not a luxury, but a necessity of the human spirit."--Edward Abbey

Alaska Part 4--Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum

"It is not ignorance, but knowledge which is the mother of wonder."--Joseph Wood Crutch

I know most of you are thinking "Oh noooo. Not another car museum story! All car museums are boring unless you're really in to cars!" Think again my friends! While I was in Alaska a few weeks ago my friend Sarah and I had a spontaneous day trip to the museum. Neither of us are car enthusiasts by any means, but we do love older cars and cars that are a bit different from the norm.

That is EXACTLY what this museum was like. Each car in there had something unique about it either in appearance or something innovative and different for its time. Accompanying each car were outfits showcasing the fashion of the decade/year the car was from. I'd never seen this done before and thought it added a very nice touch, especially for women who were dragged in by their significant others. They would at least enjoy looking at odd cars and really gorgeous antique clothing.

Each car had a plaque next to it describing just what was unique and especially interesting about each car, which was extremely helpful for non car enthusiasts like myself! Not only did they have cars, but they also had antique snowmobiles and bicycles. They even had a car you could sit in and take pictures with. Next to that was also clothing you could try on from the different decades represented by the antique cars.




Several of my favorites were cars that had umbrellas instead of roofs, fringe lined roofs, all wooden bicycles, the first steam powered car, very old electric cars, and of course the very first snowmobile. We spent a surprisingly long time in there, about 2.5 hours. There was so much variety that we didn't pass up looking at a single car. The shapes and sizes of cars today have become so streamlined and no car is really all that different from the next. However, this museum had such a crazy amount of variety that I had no idea cars were so different even from one model to the next. Antique cars were truly a work of art. I genuinely wish that there was so much variety today. You can really tell how much fun the engineers had designing these cars.



There's no doubt in my mind how the Fountain Head Antique Auto Museum become the number one attraction in Fairbanks according to yelp. The variety and quality of the cars and antique clothing was nothing short of astonishing. The museum was very fairly priced and the staff were extremely knowledgeable and you could really tell that they cared about their work. While you peruse the museum you can even see through the gigantic windows into the shop where they work on restoring the antique cars. Definitely don't miss out on this, even if you aren't a huge fan of cars. This place will give you a very pleasant surprise.

"It's no wonder that truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense."--Mark Twain

Alaska Part 3--Aurora Borealis

"Look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see, and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious."--Stephen Hawking

Seeing the Northern Lights aka Aurora Borealis has been on my bucket list ever since I saw them in a documentary in middle school. I knew my chance was fast approaching as I had recently booked a light to see my best friend, Sarah, in Alaska.

There is a website where you can check the intensity of the Northern Lights each night on a scale out of 10. We saw the forecast for the entire week and knew there was only one good chance of seeing them. That night they were going to be a 5 out of 10. Here's the website if you're interested! http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast

Sarah lives in Fairbanks, which is quite a large city, but not anything like what comes to mind when you think big city. Alaska's population is very sparse. They have lots of people, but everyone is so spread out and environmentally friendly that it is hard to tell that you're in a very large city. There is very little light pollution so spotting the lights when they are out is not too difficult.

We drove to a spot away from all the homes and the school on a little side road where there was a nice clearing and no trees to block out view of the sky. We were one of two cars there and both of us were intent on getting some great photography shots! We had some difficulty in setting my camera on the correct shutter speed and aperture, but after some fiddling and trial and error we were able to get some great shots. They aren't professional by any means, but I'm proud of them.

In every photo or documentary the lights always seemed to burst out of the sky and were so vibrant, however they seem to be dull in color until I edited them in my computer. I'm guessing the location was the reason for this.

Fairbanks isn't the only place to see the Northern Lights. The farther north you go the more likely you are to see more vibrant colors and the lights more often. Norway is well-known for Aurora adventure tours. In addition, any location near to the Arctic Circle will provide lots and lots of opportunities! The winter is also a much better time to go see them.

If you have the chance, definitely take the opportunity to see the Aurora Borealis. There really is nothing quite like it anywhere else on earth.

 "You cannot rob me of free nature's grace, you cannot shut the windows of the sky through which Aurora shows her brightening face. " --James Thomson

Alaska Part 2--To The North Pole!

"The larger the island of wonder, the longer the shore of wonder."--Ralph Sockman

I never thought I would get a chance to go to the North Pole, but somehow we ended up there by chance. I was visiting my best friend who had recently moved to Fairbanks, AK. We had already had some amazing adventures and along the way we learned of an ice sculpting contest that was about to end. We thought it would be a lot of fun to make the short trip from Fairbanks to the North Pole.


When I think of an ice sculpting contest only a few things come to mind, such as really neat ice sculptures on display and maybe lights illuminating the creations. That in itself was reason enough for us to want to visit, especially knowing how much effort and talent goes in to making an ice sculpture. If I ever tried to make an ice sculpture it would look like an amorphous blob, so I have a lot of respect for those who can turn a block of ice into art.

We were 1000% blown away by what we saw there. It was so much more than just ice sculptures in a row lit up my brightly colored lights. The variation of sculptures was amazing. No two were anything alike. We saw a penguin, trains, abominable snowman, Groot, minions, and Christmas themed sculptures. Check out my pictures to get a better idea. Words just don't do that justice.

Not only were there dozens of amazing works of art to look at, but there were sculptures you could interact with. Before you even entered the area with all of the art there was a gigantic ice sleigh with a giant ice santa and reindeer that you could stand in, climb on, and take pictures with. Inside there were 3 ice slides you could go down as much as you wanted and all were varying lengths and heights. There were also sculptures that had a hole where the faces were so you can stick your face in to take funny pictures. They even had a walk in igloo and made it so you could pose with several of the sculptures.

Not only was the outdoor experience much more than we anticipated, the activities inside the main building also exceeded our expectations. The staff were all extremely friendly and more than happy to help. There was an area where kids could sit down and color while their parents relaxed and warmed up after being outside. You could also buy delicious hot chocolate that the staff were kind enough to make us.






The North Pole has a lot more going for it that just the Ice Museum with the ice sculpting contest. They take Christmas seriously there. Christmas decorations and lights adorn the town year round. They even have a gigantic "Santa's House" that you could go in and explore. If you love Christmas and gorgeous lights and a town that has no shortage of Christmas spirit, the North Pole is the place for you.




"Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man's desire to understand"--Neil Armstrong