I cannot bear the white noise and suburban static for one moment more. I swear to you not one more. Not with the sky so blue, the sun so bright, my heart fit to burst. 

Saturday March 12, 2016

-Late night layover

Headed to Utah for a bridesmaids weekend of pirating and pillaging. Delta sucks- 8 p.m flight out of MKE (my home for now.) Chance and circumstance over-nighting it in Denver- Late night cab ride to Howler at the Moon. City streets shut down and my heart met me on a corner road under the streetlights, just like the first time. Drinks with my dirty blonde friend and his debonair accomplice, tall, dark and devious. Shots, laughter, and a few stray drops of rain. Dunk, he says…(our code for three sheets to the wind or something like that.) Missed that- wolfy grin and boozy brain. Maybe no time had passed at all, or maybe it had passed all at once and here we were reliving our greatest hits on replay. Alarms the rudest awakening. “Come back to bed,” he says, as if we’d ever gone. To no avail- I smile slightly, turn away. Britney Spears as we fly down the highway in the breaking dawn- his pick not mine. For this and a thousand reasons, the only exception. Another goodbye. I look back, as always. May we meet again.

Sunday March 13th, 2016

Still buzzing from Denver… No sleep for the wicked 😉

Breakfast and finally reunited with my girls =) Tiger Lily the Unicorn and Miss Michele. Nestled in cozily at the bottom of a mountain diner, running on energy drinks, fumes, and good karma. Coffee bar in the crisp morning air keeps the girls going and fights off the slight chill. Heavy lids from the red-eyed airborne all-nighter, yet the comfort of present company settles over me like the familiar weight of a worn wool blanket. Then dig in to corned beef and hash with warm buttered corn bread. Two women breathed harmonies and thrummed good vibrations towards the smallfolk on their guitars.

Later…Keep on keepin on

Zoo day! Rescue zoo- two wolves, one white, pacing causally. Caged, yet mighty in his elegance. Marks the fence, steady stream as I walk by, noting my presence. One wolf to another, attentive, not threatened.

Bridesmaids pillaging and found my dress! Our “young Mormon hipster” cashier a.k.a the “YMH” fretted frightfully over our trying on dresses. He was dreadfully fearful of technology and apparently of us. Wary our scallywagging fingers may waggle and wander recklessly through meticulous racks of his wares. As if these fabrics were the Queen of England’s own finery.

“I’d hate to have to charge you for damages.” sincerely – the YMH

Best side note of the day…

Cousin Michele while wandering through a very different sect of the store.- “Oh, you’re clearly making fun of me because this is so obviously the wrestling section.” she said, surveying the lingerie and open butthole underwear aisles. Whole foods, patio snacks- pizza and curry. Then home and fall finally into sleeps sweet oblivion.

Monday March 14th

Angela, oh Angela, where art thou Ang?

Breakfast = eggs and parmesean, the sweetest succulent honeydew, bananas and a thick, tart berry juice down the hatch. Shopped around, then went highhhhh into the mountains. No words to do them justice. So incredibly thankful for this new experience in the beautiful Rockies with my best friends. Love love Love <3.

Pizza Place- apps and beer (can’t order drinks without food, God forsaken Mormon rules) under the subtle rain drops pattering against roof panes. Shop around. Wait for Angela. Alas, her train had broken down. Sammi loses dollars betting impatiently on which bus will bare our dear friend. Then there she was, bags in hand. Get riggght and readdddy and we’re off.

Tuesday March 15th

Hiking, Hot Springs and Peach Champagne

Loving lounging the morning away under the fuzziest blankets outside in the garage/fort…five little adventurers (Lovely Luna Lovegood of the four pawed variety included) all lined up on the couch. Three hours late hiking to Diamond Fork- morning people we are not…

Finally out the door, Jaime = navigator = what the hell were we thinking #worst idea ever. Lost in the mountains, however breathtaking, anxious to arrive. Too many girls. For far too long. In one sweaty rental car. Finnnallllly find trail head. Trekkin’ and stompin’ through the rising, shaded hills, blanketed by looming rock giants (rock biters of Fantasia… yumm limestone ;)) and towering tree lines. Burst into glades of sunlight. (Imagine a Twilight Cullen’s pale, glistening vampire skin- akin to our lackluster tans reflecting sunbeams off sweating skin.  Snow clung to the dregs of a receding mountain March winter, paving a slippery slope upwards, making the sun and drier earth all the more sacred.

Shed layers, breathe deep, climb higher. Turquoise hot springs. At last. Peach champagne and toasts to Sammi’s impending marriage (and inevitable divorce- per the ever optimistic Jaime.) Jewelry and sterling change Technicolor in sulfur springs then black as coal. Walk back down the mountain through light flurries. Purely Magical. Jaime a bit buzzyyy on the ride back…Nahko and horrendous rap blasted blue tooth vibrations in the rental car. Epic snowstorm through winding hills all the way to Park City, takin’ it slow and easy to our destination. Wasatch Brewery- eating, drinking and merriment… tensions cooled by ales and cocktails. Jaime and Michele mildly boy crazy and a mile a minute. Love them dearly.

Ride home. Fall into bed, sulfur stink stuck to skin and sheets. Not a care. Heady and fullfilled.

 

Wednesday March 16th

Mellowing Out

Straight chillin’. Bud Lite for breakfast. Musik and smoke rings. Basketball in the driveway, competetive game of Lion/Wolf i.e “horse.”Later… Funk N’ Dive in the P.M. More beer and met some Wisconsin boys, Appleton specifically. Shot some pool-9 ball…a few balls were m.i.a. Rocked some Pacman. Blue ghost nom nom domination. Jam sesh with everyone at home. Bunnies and Luna Lovegood. Michele asleep again. Lights out.

 

Thursday March 17th

Hangover. Sushi. Death… and Finding the Inner Wolf

Hangover. Sushi. Death. Damn shitty beer and day drinking. Driving to Eden, out onto the plains between the slopes, farmland, whole communities hidden amongst the mountain’s secluded rises.

Later, waterfall hike. No headphones, but Mitakuye Oyasin Naahhhko streaming through my gray matter. I matter, we matter, we are alive. Feeling the ache deep as my muscles and tendons strain against the slope of the mountain- footfalls on uneven surfaces. Out of breath. Enter the seclusion of the woods, the shade a safe haven from the mocking, vengeful sun.

Rest, water, snacks.

Thunder across a little foot bridge, stream rushing beneath. Find my wolf, breathing my fire, life granted and remembered. Running now, no-racing. Can’t stop, can’t slow down, leaving the mortals behind. Burst into clearing, breath catches, enter paradise. 

Icy kool spring water, gushes, and then trickles from the adjacent cliff face. A rainbow smiling upside down from the bottom, spanning a layer of crunchy snow- slowly melting, feeding the runoff.

Mountain goers cleared out and we gazed into dusk within the valley – between two sheer cliffs. The city below sparkled with wonder as the sun descended upon rooftops, reflecting diamond arrows of shimmering light back into the atmosphere. Warmth spread through my cheeks and hands. “I am flying.”

Munchies, (guilty pleasure) selfies, and at last the descent. Aching knees and air cooling. Blisters and bloody cuts- the Earth pushing back. I am so alive.

Bar hopping for St. Patrick’s Day later. Amaaaaaazing 7 piece band, sax and allll. Take me to Church rock cover was phenomenal. Drinks and dancing. So. Much. Love.  Then home and in trouble with officer Eth…for staying up into the wee hours. Finally out, rest. Pack for the inevitable a.m.

Ride and goodbyes, see ya on the flipside.

Wait for flight outta Salt Lake. Write down my thoughts. Dream while I’m awake.

-With Love,

Analise Elle