the after 30 part...

As most of you know, I do not get squirmy when it comes to matters of the body. However, what happened yesterday was disgusting. Why was it disgusting? I'll tell you a bit later in this long blog about digestion. We had a workshop on the colon, what we are trying to do while we are here, how toxins hurt our digestive system and how to do the enema. Let me just say that I hope that everyone is able to do a cleanse at least once in their lifetime. This retreat I'm doing is the most intense and full on cleanses one can do for themselves. I'm 99% sure, by the end of the retreat, that all my digestive problems and, hopefully, my esophagus issues will be cured. I'm going to be much lighter, have more energy, clearer skin, and be glowing. They did take a before picture, and will take an after pic so I can prove it. So what is it we are doing? Listen up folks, because this is good stuff. If you want to skip all the details and get the gist, scroll down to bottom where the tex...

Bali isn't quiet. Ever. Even in the middle of the night, which is a vast difference than Alaska life, where one small hike can put you in a place of no noise. I remember hiking with my Spaniard friend, Marcos, in Skagway to lower lake, a few years ago. He stopped and put his hands up, eye brows raised, and said "Cole, stop, LISTEN!" I immediately thought he heard a wild animal, or some weird bird call. But then he said "It's soooo quiet! You can't hear anything!" For me, that is the way I grew up, but apparently, in other parts of the world, quiet is a luxury. I thought the noise would be a problem for me, but I am surprisingly enjoying it. Every morning I have a team outside of mostly critters, birds, and roosters, buzzing, tweeting and crowing me out of bed. The rooster is the real eye opener at 4:30 am "Cock a doodle your butt out of bed Cole Doooo"! There is, however, one beetle that is the worst sound ever. It's like having tinnitus,...

Detoxing is hard. It's day two here of smoothies and broths, which is our transition into the 10 day fasting detox. I'm grateful for these two days. It has allowed us to start shrinking our stomachs, and going through the emotions of not putting food in our mouths. I can't imagine just going straight into the fast. The daily schedule also keeps us busy, so that we aren't thinking so much of how hungry we are. Today has been lovely, but not easy. The day started for me at 5:30am. Yes... I know, big SHOCK here, but I attribute it to the rooster next to my room and jet lag. I meditated and read until the scheduled events started at 8 am.  8am Juice & activated B tablet 8:30am Walk through the rice paddies (exercise) 10am Liquid Breakfast - Papaya smoothie Dry skin brushing 11am Sauna/steam and cold baths - Get super hot, and then dip yourself in cold water.  1pm Liquid Lunch (Pineapple and cucumber frothy drink) 2pm Massage Parasite Zapping - This is pretty a...

First flight of 12 and a half hours went surprisingly fast. I watched two movies, took a five hour nap, and visited with the passenger next to me, who is a fruit broker (is that such a thing?). My layover was four hours in the Tawain airport, which is equivilent to Hello Kittyville... or duty free and snobby rich boutiques. Second flight was five hours, in which I watched Gone Girl Gone, and then immediately wished I had chosen Frozen instead. Aaannnywaaay.... Before this retreat I was provided with a pre-fast information to help acclimate to a sugar free diet. I did the exact opposite of what the pamphlet said. Instead of eating an alkaline diet (avoiding meat, alcohol, processed food, caffiene, sweets, etc), I drank chai teas, ate cake pops, bought cookies for the plane, ate red meat, and drank wine (it was free, how could I resist?) all the way up until I got to the gate. Literally, I was shoving a cookie into my mouth as we pulled into the driveway. You have to understand that ...

It has been forever since I sat at my laptop and typed a blog.  Seven months = forever.  But this girl is busy!  Fish Pirate's Gifts and Skagway Mining Company are both keeping me in full swing.  Someone told me today that I was like a ping pong, going back and forth, back and forth.  It's true. I pretty much live out of my suit case. Skagway Mining Co. couldn't make me any prouder.  They are rocking this season.  Sarah is managing for her 13th year at SMC, and her small team of seven is killing it.  Yep, I only have eight employees this year, which is my smallest full time staff ever in our history.  But they are all amazing, and I can't be more grateful for them. Skagway Mining Company Staff From left to right: Zane, Lois, Jamie, Nicole (Snell), Rob, Sarah, Nick, Marcela 4th of July Fish Pirate's Gifts had a hit this summer with the Carnival Miracle not coming to port all of June, July and August.  Their reasoning, I heard, was...

When Barbie asked if I wanted to go away for three days to a cabin in the mountains with the girls, drink wine, hot tub, work during the day, and giggle, my reaction was similar to a teenage girl excited about a boy band in the mid 90's. No really, I jumped up and down and squealed! Working from home the last two months in utter seclusion, I often found myself chatting to Max, or watching TV shows incessantly on my ipad, just to hear conversation. Totes the truth. Plus who doesn't want to spend four days in the woods with a bunch of silly girls, bonding, and making hilarious memories. Megan Keller , Krista Simons , Laura Marchbanks , Barbie Hull , Kelli Bielem  and I (all business owners) drove to Cle Elum for a four day workation #twerkation, #operationfatpants. We rented a cabin, with a cozy wood stove, five beds and an out door hot tub.  Fully stocked with bottles of red wine, champagne, Fireball, cheese filled hot dogs, chips, and lots of chocolate, we drove up the mount...

Most of you have heard of the Chilkoot Trail .  If you haven't, please read about it's history, it's unbelievable what gold rushers went through on that trail in 1898.  I hiked it years ago with four friends, and remember it being some of the most beautiful nature and landscape that I have ever seen. Just a little run down.  The Chilkoot trail starts in Dyea, and runs 33 miles to Lake Bennet.  It's highest point is 3,000 feet in elevation and goes from plush temperate rainforest, with Sitka Spruce, and Alaska Hemlock, to glaciers, lakes, rock boulders, to a scene out of Lord of the Rings.  I'm not kidding. This trail never looks the same. Around every corner is a new surprise.... snow, glaciers, wildlife, fjord like cliffs, different colors of lichen, rivers, lakes, wildflowers... *sigh, it's just gorgeous. Mariah, my dear friend from DC, who has the best attitude about life and all it has to offer, asked me if I wanted to hike it again with her for her 42nd...

I totally forgot that I had a blog this summer (and a life), until someone commented on one of my posts and it notified me through email. Where've I been? I've been BUSY!! Fish Pirate's Gifts expanded the store this year from 1,500 square feet to about 4,500 sq. ft. and the restaurant moved back upstairs (Fish Pirate's Saloon). I started my season in Feb., two months earlier than usual, and luckily had the help of Sarah, Lauren, Terry and Hannah. It was a hellish process of going through Dock Sides's old inventory (pulling red tags until our fingers bled) and receiving new goods for the season. Hannah Martin is the new manager this season at Fish Pirate's and doing an AMAZING job!!! Not only does she have an eye for merchandising, she is on top of things without me having to ask. I'm very lucky to have her. Starting in April, I have been going back and forth between Ketchikan and Skagway working at each store.  Sarah is still the manager at Skagway Mining...

Happy Holidays from Seattle, WA!  I just arrived home from Ketchikan, Alaska, where I spent Christmas with Mom and the family.  It was lovely.  We had some snow, ate a lot of Christmas cookies, and enjoyed watching Avery open her presents.  However, this blog isn't about home.... it's about the five days I spent in Fargo, ND and Minneapolis, MN, before I flew up north. Nate, my boyfriend, (Yes, boyfriend!), invited me to come meet his family before the holidays.  Nate is from Fargo.  Most of you, I'm sure, have seen the movie Fargo.  I was anticipating what the movie depicts, and to be quite honest, it wasn't that far off.  It was snowy, and flat, and people talked with Canadian accents.  Everyone I met was super pleasant, people opening doors and saying hello as you passed.  I even got a photo of me in front of a wood chipper that they have outside the visitors center. Nate's family is incredibly nice.  I met his parents, hi...