Alas, I have hit a bump in the road. The last time I gave an update regarding climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, things were looking good. I was exercising regularly, getting stronger, and even planning to run the Tacoma City half marathon on May 3. But I caught a cold two weeks ago which has since morphed [...]

I remember once telling someone that I had spent several months preparing for a trip to Africa in 2007. This elicited raised eyebrows, followed by an unspoken vibe: “Geez Louise. Talk about overkill. Should be a snap. All you have to do is throw clothes and toothbrush in a suitcase.” I found myself explaining, but [...]

Progress Update: Okay, last week I was a total superwoman. I worked out everyday at the gym, lifted weights, did the stairmaster, ran for miles on the hamster wheel, until my knees finally reminded me that I’m no spring chicken. “Hey,” my knees protested, “Just who do you think you are? A spring chicken?” So, [...]

Here’s my dirty secret. I’d rather read a good book, write a good book, or watch a movie than go climb a mountain. Especially a mountain that’s so high there’s really not much oxygen at the top to go around. (Yes, there was a time in my teens when I indeed did climb mountains and [...]