Priest Lake 101

Priest Lake, Idaho has been my favorite place on this earth ever since I became old enough to choose favorites.

Tucked snugly in the woods just beyond Washington state’s eastern border, Priest is close enough to be easily accessible, while still far enough away from the big city experience to allow visitors to feel sufficiently unplugged. I learn something new with every visit, making Priest not only a lake above all lakes, but a sort of outdoor educational conduit for my own personal growth. Besides learning that my favorite place on earth boasts of more than seventy miles of shoreline ripe for recreation and relaxation of all types, the last few years I’ve come to understand that when you mix my family and friends with Priest Lake, laughter induced stomach aches, life lessons and interesting occurrences abound. Following is a selection of wisdom I acquired this past weekend spent lakeside:

Cheetos brand cheese puffs, always a good idea. Sitting on a pontoon boat with fifteen people who think watching a fast approaching lightning storm from the middle of the lake an ideal plan, not such a great idea.

When you hear the same song six times in the span of two days you just might start paying attention to the lyrics.

Routinely leaving at least one window open at your lake cabin is a good idea, especially in the case that minutes upon arriving at 11pm one of your friends decides she’s going to lock and close the front door, with all of the keys, cell phones and warm clothes tucked, and now locked, safely inside. As a side note, watching that same friend try to wedge herself through a window about 8 feet from the ground, Charlie’s Angels style, does prove quite entertaining.

Quoting SNL skits and movies like Zoolander, The Royal Tenenbaums, So I Married An Axe Murderer, and The Rundown can make an afternoon raft-lounging on the lake pass ever so quickly. So quickly, in fact, that you don’t realize until it’s too late that you could look the part of the lobster on the Long John Silver commercials without ever donning a costume.

Don’t argue with the birthday girl. It can only end in tears.

Biff remains a better name alternative than Clifford. Well, naturally.

Water in northern Idaho is still /take your breath away/ cold in June. But never does that deter the extreme lake fan from taking a pain staking plunge at midnight.

The deepest question of the weekend: “Do you think Ronald
Reagan really liked everyone calling him Ronnie?” My answer: Nah.

Do A Big Sister A Favor?

Today is babycarrot sister’s 26th! Day of Cake. Being that my sister happens to be (awesome, yes! and) one of my favorite people on the planet, I think instead of being here, you should go here, and read all about what made her day great. (Seeing as how we’re all very visual learners around these parts, I will tell you that there are most definitely pictures. Of cake, even!)

You could even wish her a happy! birthday. You know, if you → Read more...

My Heart Is A Nautical-Themed Pashmina Afghan

We interrupt copious amounts of Asia recapping this broadcast for a maritime digression of sorts.

You see, I’ve been a lover of the ocean, and of all things aquatic and nautical-inspired, ever since I can remember.

My love for sea-faring-everything might very well have been fostered during the myriad spring breaks spent exploring quaint coastal communities in and around Port Ludlow, Washington. Some of my fondest childhood memories spring forth from days spent poking my curious face into every trinket shop in → Read more...

Paint By Numbers

Or, My Asian Adventure, Numerically Speaking.

1: Raw Ginseng root eaten after being offered by a kindly man with wrinkles showcasing his eyes at the Yangyang market. Also the number of photos I was asked to be in with total strangers (at the Forbidden City in Beijing).

6: Times I was asked to take pictures for total strangers.

2: Cups of mineral water I drank directly from a spring in the ground (in Osaek).

3: Flights (out of 5) wherein I had two (or → Read more...

Eggers-How We Are Hungry

I knew the Red Pyramid had just been reopened, or was about to be reopened, though I didn’t know why they called it Red. I wanted to ride on a horse through the desert. I wanted to see if this man–slight, with brown teeth, wide-set eyes, a cop mustache–would try to kill me. There were plenty of Egyptians who would love to kill me, I was sure, and I was ready to engage in any way with someone who wanted → Read more...