The Best Day

 

Hey friends!

It's been a hot minute. Or, not so hot if you summer at Candle Lake, Saskatchewan! Haha. 

Other than the temperamental Saskatchewan weather, summer was an A++. Overall, I felt pretty good physically, was able to participate in all the summer fun, and reunited with all my Canadian friends and family. I surfed with my buds, celebrated Canada's birthday, danced on boats, visited around the fire, reconnected with OG friends, spent time with aunts, uncles, and cousins, floated with my mom, coffee'd with my dad, shared Katie with the lake kiddos, shark week'd with the gang, watched the northern lights from my dock, paddled the creek, e-foiled around the lake, and soaked up every little bit of summer possible. But the icing on the cake was my sister's wedding at the end of our vacation in August. 

Kayla is 15 years younger than me. I remember when my dad informed me that I was going to have a sibling. I was very shocked (I think that he was too! Ha!). I had become accustomed to being the only child, but I was also really hopeful that I would score a sister who loved to play Barbies, read books, and dress-up in princess dresses with me! So, you can just imagine my joy when Kayla entered the world - a baby sister to do ALL the girlie things. 

It soon became apparent that Kayla was NOT into girlie things. I tried pushing Barbies on her, but as I sat alone on the floor brushing the Barbies' hair, Kayla was busy hopping around and around the room on her Skip-It. 

I tried reading my favorite childhood books to Kayla, but she was busy watching Shania Twain's music videos and copying the dance moves. 

I tried dressing Kayla up in beautiful gowns to play princess, but Kayla was busy crafting something she had seen on her favorite TV show, "Art Attack." 

Despite my best efforts, Kayla made it clear that she was not into my girlie shit, and I had to accept that Kayla and I were different beings. My dreams of having a "mini-me" sister faded.  

Until...I introduced Kayla to reality TV. 

Kayla must have been about 11 or 12 years old when we began watching a Canadian classic, "Degrassi Junior High". She was into the storylines, and I soon realized that watching TV together was a great opportunity to tackle some of the issues that she could be facing soon as she entered her teens. 

This progressed to "16 and Pregnant" on MTV, which spurred all kinds of conversations! Without directly tackling sex ed, I frequently commented on the scenes, hoping that my words would impact Kayla, leading her in a positive life direction, "Wow! Now that she's pregnant, she won't be able to finish her high school volleyball season. That must be disappointing." Kayla would nod solemnly, and I would silently commend myself on teaching Kayla major life lessons. 

As she grew, our reality TV repertoire grew as well. We loved watching "Laguna Beach" and then the "Hills." We observed and commented as the cast graduated high school and moved away to pursue college and adult jobs. We saw relationships flourish and then decimate in dramatic reality-TV fashion. Again, I'd subtly comment, hoping that somehow these life lessons were resonating with her, "Lauren should never have let Jason treat her like that. Boys should NOT treat girls they love like that!" 

I distinctly remember talking to Kayla before her high school graduation when she assured me, "Don't worry, I won't be the girl who drinks too much and cries at the party!" Oh, how proud I felt knowing that our hours of TV watching were paying off! :)  

Eventually we advanced to "The Bachelor," which is FILLED with beneficial life lessons. At this point, I could see that Kayla was beginning to think for herself and I listened proudly as Kayla began commentating on the relationships that she was observing on TV, "She quit her job? She should have never quit her job for this dweeb!"

When we were in the same city, our weeks consisted of scheduled reality TV nights, where Kayla and I would dance around the living room, singing the theme songs at the top of our lungs, "Feel the rain on your skin!" We wrapped ourselves in blankets, watched the drama unfold while discussing the ideocracy of it all, and linked it to our own life experiences. This was our "thing." We bonded over reality TV. 

So, it seemed almost serendipitous when, at age 28, Kayla became a contestant on a Canadian reality TV show called, "Farming for Love." 

I could see that Kayla was struggling to find her special person. Kayla dated and even brought a few boys home to meet the family, but despite being fiercely independent, it was evident that Kayla longed to meet her match. When her bestie secretly sent in her application for "Farming for Love," although initially skeptical and unsure, she became more open to the idea as the process unfolded. 

Kayla had essentially been preparing for reality TV her whole life! I reminded Kayla about the cardinal reality TV rules: "Don't cry on TV! Don't talk shit about the other contestants. Don't drink too much!" I flew back to Cayman just as Kayla was flying out to Vancouver to shoot the show. I sat on pins and needles waiting to hear how the experience was going. 

Kayla was not able to communicate much during filming, but she did send a few cryptic texts my way (they talked about checking the contestants' phones). I could tell from her messages that the process was exhausting, but she was meeting some interesting people. Then one night, a few days in, I received the message, "coming home." Kayla had been eliminated. My heart sank for Kayla, but I so admired her for giving it a shot. I couldn't have been prouder watching the way that she carried herself on TV. She looked so poised, confident, and spoke eloquently. I only found out after speaking with her that she had actually tripped while walking away from her elimination and had to re-film the rejection scene. Despite getting dumped (technically, twice), she did not cry on TV. She did not talk shit about the other girls. She did not sit on the dude's lap while he drove a tractor (Imagine Kayla? Sitting on a guy's lap? While he drove? More like, "Move over. I'm taking this for a rip"). Unfortunately, Farmer Doug was not the one. I knew that she would eventually find her person. She was putting herself out there and had grown so much from all of her travel and life experiences. In my eyes, she was so ready. Cue Jesse. 

Jesse fit in seamlessly, smoking brisket on the deck, entering the family fishing challenge, and happily participating in our shark week festivities. Jesse is kind, patient, easy-going, but also ambitious - his brain is always braining. Like Evan, he has this wicked, yet understated sense of humor that comes out quietly at the most opportune moments. But best of all, Jesse looks at Kayla the same way that Evan looks at me. I recognized immediately that he cared for her deeply, and I've seen this care grow into a beautiful love story over the past 2 years. They complement each other perfectly. 

I was standing in line at Foster's grocery store in Cayman one December afternoon when Kayla informed me that she and Jesse got engaged. I screamed with joy and cried tears of happiness as I showed the cashier my sister's engagement pic. As she rang through my groceries, I excitedly explained to the patrons behind me, "My sister just got engaged!" 

And in perfect reality-TV fashion, Kayla found the most unique way to ask me to be her bridesmaid by hiring one of our fav "Summer House" dudes to ask me in a cameo. 

It was an absolute treat to spend the summer at the lake, helping Kayla prep for the wedding (although she didn't really need any help). I was there to shower her with love and then celebrate the "last hoe down" with a peddle pub experience. We also planned a super fun Kayla and Jesse Shark Week celebration with all of our Candle Lake besties. I was present for the dress fitting, makeup and hair trial. I'm so happy that I was able to be a part of the lead-up to the big day. 

The wedding day was epic. Kayla and Jesse married at Fisher's creek, with the creek flowing beside them and Candle Lake as their backdrop. The weather magically cleared up just in time for their special day. The sun shone brightly as Dad walked Kayla down the aisle to Taylor Swift's "Love Story," followed by the touching vows that they wrote for each other. Kayla and Jesse were married by Kit, Kayla's childhood friend, and her brother, Jamie played the music for the ceremony, singing them out with "Jesse's Girl."  It was deeply personal. The reception was an incredible party with excellent food, so many laughs, and dancing until the wee morning hours. I danced ALL NIGHT LONG with a big, stupid smile on my face. It was awesome. 

When I watched Kayla and Jesse exchange their vows, the love that I felt was so overwhelming. I was instantly transported back to our wedding 21 years ago, but this time I was witnessing my little sister marry HER best friend. It was surreal. I spent the entire wedding day with this massive grin plastered on my face because I felt such immense joy and love for my little buddy and her new husband. I am so incredibly happy for Kayla. 

In the spirit of remaining present, I took a moment to look out from the head table and take it all in. My friends were participating in a "which table is more fun" war with my cousins' table - everyone was laughing and shouting happily. My dad was grinning from ear-to-ear as he conversed with Jesse's dad. My mom was ripping up the dance floor with Lani. Ev caught my eye and we shared a secret smile from across the room. Everyone was so damn happy. It makes me tear up just thinking about it. I now have this perfect memory that I can call upon during challenging times. I feel so grateful. 

Kayla and I decompressed a few days after the wedding, wrapped in blankets, watching "The McBee Dynasty." This reality TV show is quite fabulous and teaches us never to commit federal crop insurance fraud, which is quite appropriate given that Jesse has transitioned into farming, joining my dad at the family farm. Another life lesson. SEE how we've come full circle??!!!

What a summer!

We are back on island now. It was a rough 3-day adventure home for Paw Patrol, but we made it. 

I'm happy to be back. Goodbyes are tough, but the "welcome backs" with island friends feel good and ease the homesickness that I initially feel when I leave Candle Lake. 

This is our 12th year in Cayman and it's beginning to feel more and more like home. Candle Lake will always be home, but as our holiday came to an end this year, I caught myself thinking, "I'm ready to go home." It's a unique experience to have two very different and distinct "homes" with two different groups of people whom you love and miss. 

Cheers to fabulous summer memories and smooth back-to-school transitions!

Behold, a science experiment with surprising results!

 "Things have not gotten worse."

"Excuse me? Can you please repeat that?"

"Your hip looks the same as it did in October. No further deterioration noted."

This may be the first time in my loooong history with orthopedic surgeons that I have received a positive update about one of my joints. 

I brace myself for every ortho appointment, expecting the worst, but always hoping for less than worst, but never hoping for the best. That may sound a little pessimistic, but as you know, my history does not lend itself to best case scenarios when it comes to the health of my joints. 

In fact, I distinctly remember one gruff ortho with zero bedside manner utter, "This is the worst knee cartilage I've ever seen. It's just horrible cartilage." 

Um, okay? But I have so many other redeeming qualities. 

Regardless, Monday's ortho appointment marks an important date in my joint cartilage "journey." My left hip has been stable for more than 6 months after cartilage degeneration was detected. So that's cool. Typically, once the cartilage begins to deteriorate, it's a few months before everything falls into grade IV cartilage defect territory, requiring a joint replacement ASAP.

Aside: At this point, I do qualify for a hip replacement and experience some pain on a daily basis, but I'm managing it well, and opted to receive a hip injection last Monday. Hopefully the injection will improve joint function, with a goal of delaying a replacement until pain and mobility are impacting my life in significant ways. 

I've considered investigating the genetic cause of this cartilage disease. A few doctors have suggested that I do so, not in hopes of finding a cure, but more so to educate and inform myself. There's always the possibility of finding something that slows the disease process down. I've contemplated this for years but have run into some obstacles. After reaching out to a dozen or so medical centers and hospitals that specialize in cartilage disorders across the world, only one center expressed that they might be able to help, stating that they required all of my medical records and images from the past 47 fricken years. It just seemed like a lot of work. Okay, let's be perfectly honest, I obviously didn't want to investigate my weird disease, or I would have pushed harder. 

Delving deeper into cartilage diseases is not good for me, both mentally and physically. I've observed a correlation with deep diving and pain. If I spend too much time researching and discussing cartilage diseases with other cartilage "warriors" (I do not relate to this term. I am not fighting a disease. I am living with it), my pain increases. It's part of my pain cycle, which has taken me years to understand and accept.

Also, I don't want to relive it all again. Once I begin the process, I would be required to discuss the symptoms, surgeries, medications, etc. I just don't want to do that. I've worked through the past with my psychologist, I'm focusing on the present, and I don't think that it's healthy for me to dwell on the past. 

So that's that. I will likely never know the origin of this cartilage disease. And I'm cool with that. 

Now...can we please get back to this new and exciting news about my hip? 

I am like a walking science experiment, people! What changes have I made to positively affect this particular joint? Why is the left hip not following in the knees and right hip's path? (Thank you, left hip, for paving your own way!) Some friends have asked if I've started a new supplement or had a new injection. Nope. 

Let's take a look at what has changed in the past 1-2 years: 

1) Job Change

This is a BIG change. Although I loved the kiddos and really enjoyed my colleagues, I woke up every day in panic mode, wondering what the hell would happen on that particular day. I felt like I had very little control, especially when it came to the physical demands of each particular day. I wasn't sure if I would be chasing wayward children through parking lots or sitting for hours at desk. 

My current job allows me to choose the hours that I will work and the clientele that I will work with. I wake up every morning knowing exactly what the physical demands will be, and I allow myself time rest between clients. 

2) Psychotherapy

Although I've worked with my psychologist for many years, I did hypnotherapy for the first time this year in an attempt to end the horrible surgery nightmares that were leading to nightly panic attacks. 

The hypnotherapy has been effective in completely stopping the nightmares. I haven't had a panic attack in 5 months!

3) Meditation:

I participated in a mindfulness and meditation course and although I'm no Julia Roberts during the "pray" section of a very long movie, I now feel a pull to meditate daily. Where meditation was something that I felt I had to check off the list, I now crave a good 15-minute meditation. When I'm experiencing pain, I feel like I benefit from the meditations on the Curable app that are specific to pain. I've had a few meditation sessions bring my pain down from a 7/10 to a 5/10. Mindfulness has also contributed to feeling more present in all aspects of my life. 

4) Connections:

I've stated that my goal this year was to seek and strengthen connections. From anniversary parties to special visits from family and friends to fabulous weekend getaways and well-thought-out speech therapy sessions with clients and Katie readings with the kids, my type-A must be best childhood self feels like I deserve an A+ for this particular goal. How does this correlate to cartilage health? I'm not sure exactly, but connecting has brought me so much joy and satisfaction. 

5) Physical Activity:

Although I haven't really changed my routine at the gym (I typically work out 5 days a week, weights, elliptical, walking, and Pilates), I added more stand-up paddling and recently, e-foiling, to my routine. These particular activities require more core engagement, and for the number of times I'm wiping out on the e-foil, activation of all the muscles required to stand up on a moving board! Some might hypothesize that this could lead to more cartilage damage, but the images say otherwise. I think the greatest benefit of increased activity has been the positive effect on my mental health. I spent so many years feeling like I couldn't participate in activities like everyone else. It feels good to challenge myself with a new activity and legitimately enjoy myself while I do so. 

6) Downtime:

In my previous job, my downtime felt more like a crash. I often returned from work, crashed hard on the couch with pain medication, and indulged in Bravo for hours at a time.

Now that I don't feel the need to crash, I spend more downtime writing. I typically spend about 3-5 hours a week sipping my cup of tea and writing stories and ideas for new stories on my laptop. It makes me happy. I feel a rush of endorphins when I write, similar to the rush that I feel when I'm with friends! Isn't that cool? Also, without the pain medication, everything is clearer. 

Don't get me wrong, I still indulge in hours of Bravo; however, it's definitely less, and I'm fully experiencing the wrath of Ciara and the awkward "ear stuff" (Summer House! Anyone??) instead of zonking out, comatose on the couch. 

Katie made it to her namesake in Costa Rica!

That concludes my list of things that have changed in my life during the last 1-2 years. 

I totally understand how the above would change my pain levels; however, I'm still a bit perplexed as to how those changes possibly correlate to a sudden stop in cartilage deterioration. It's so interesting to me!

My hypothesis:

Overall, due to the above changes in my life, my nervous system is about a third as nervous as it was 2 years ago. Sleeping peacefully is a game changer. I think that the combo of what I've learned in therapy, along with meditation, physical activity, and writing has helped control the spiraling thoughts that I often experienced. My days are more joyful, and I just feel more chill. I spend way less time looking over my shoulder, waiting for the next ball to drop. Full disclosure: I am still the high-strung, worrying, people-pleasing Kirstie, but at like a medium level, as opposed to, you know, the upper DANGER DANGER level. 

There is more and more research connecting the nervous system to disease. The research talks about a prolonged state of sympathetic activation (flight or fight), which can lead to so many health conditions - perhaps my cartilage disease? Let's be honest, I was a poster child for sympathetic activation since the day I was born (ulcer at age 12, anyone? anyone?)

I'm not a doctor, but if you suffer from chronic pain, I highly recommend investigating ways that you can regulate your nervous system. Honestly, if you would have told me this 10 years ago, I would have told you to F off, as I was so focused on finding a cure or an "end" for the disease. I wasn't in a place to receive this. If someone suggested that I meditate more, I would have kicked him in the face with my very horrible knee cartilage.

However, I am now a scientific experiment with surprising results, so exploring ways to regulate your nervous system might be worth a try. 

nervous system: regulated. 

Janna Banana

 It was the mid-80's and life was much simpler. 

Without cell phones, we simply rode our bikes around the neighborhood searching for friends. Our parents rarely knew where we were, but we always returned home as soon as the first streetlight illuminated, which in June could be 11pm. ;)   

It was my first day of kindergarten and I had trained for this day all summer. I practiced the walk to and from school all summer with my parents, and now that I was officially a kindergartner, I was expected to walk the few blocks home from school independently. 

Amendment: Mom swears that she picked me up from school that day. But I prefer my memory...

I had other plans. 

I met Janna. I liked Janna. It was her first day of kindergarten too. At the end of the school day (I think it was a half-day, ending at noon), I asked Janna, "Do you want to come home with me?"

Janna said, "Sure!"

When we arrived at my house, my mom asked me who my friend was. I couldn't remember her name, but I liked her. She had a picture of a dancing banana wearing sunglasses on her shirt. Mom asked Janna if her mom knew that she was at our house. Janna assured my mom that her mom knew where she was. 

Janna's mother was not aware of Janna's plans to go home with a random classmate. 

When Janna failed to return home from school on her first day of kindergarten, her mother was frantically scouring the neighborhood searching for her daughter. 

The police may or may have not been called, but eventually my mom contacted Janna's mom (likely through a phone book), and all was well. 

singing banana shirt!!!

This one pivotal event cemented a very special 40 plus year relationship.

Fast forward to July 2025 - approximately 41 years later. 

Janna and I "whooooo'd" as we popped the second bottle of prosecco. 

"Hey, you want to go on a Dirty Dancing weekend?" I asked Janna as I poured the bubbles into our glasses. 

"Where is it?"

"Somewhere like Virginia or West Virginia - definitely a Virginia."

"Sure!"

"You want to upgrade to the cabin?"

"Like THE cabin where Baby lost her virginity to Johnny Castle?"

"Probably, yep." 

"Sure." 

Independently, Janna and I are very rational and conservative beings who weigh pros and cons, always making informed and sensible decisions. But ever since that very first meeting back in 1984, when Janna and I join forces, we suddenly possess this impulsive and spontaneous energy (which can be amplified with the presence of alcohol) and occasionally lose all sensibility. 

I feel so incredibly lucky to have a Janna a in my life. 

Janna and I essentially grew up together. 

Because I was an only child (for 15 years), Janna was always my "plus 1" for summer camping trips and family weekends away. 

We learned how to waterski together and experienced our first sleepovers with each other (her mom always made us crepes for breakfast!)

We went through some rocky middle school friendship stuff but came back together in grade 9, just in time to start our tumultuous high school journey. 

We both made the senior volleyball team in grade 10 and were on the court when we won the provincial championship. 

Janna was the first person to suspect that I liked Evan Linday. Despite protesting that he was "just a friend," Janna dialed his number, threw the phone at me and then giggled uncontrollably when I screamed and frantically hung up the phone.

 "If you don't like him then why do you get a big, stupid smile on your face when you say his name?" 

She always knew how I felt, sometimes even before I recognized my own feelings. 

Janna was my first and only roommate in university. We began university life in Saskatoon with a thud, living quite miserably in a dank basement with a very dodgy landlord upstairs whom we suspected was rummaging through our drawers in our absence. Together, spontaneous and impulsive, we decided to make a big move to Edmonton to attend the University of Alberta, where I was going to pursue admittance into the Master's Speech and Language program, and Janna was going to pursue an environmental science degree. 

Our life in Edmonton was a blast. We lived in this incredible old house just off of Whyte Ave, situated perfectly between school and the best bar hopping street in Edmonton. 

We met so many great friends, and quickly merged with Janna's cousin's friend group, which resulted in so much fun. Waaaaay too much fun. 

We also worked hard. I remember attempting to study linguistics in my room over the sounds of the bird calls emanating from Janna's room where she was studying avian biology. 

We also shared an unhealthy obsession with Dirty Dancing. We owned a dilapidated VCR that required one to hold a cord a foot about the machine the entire time that a movie played. Committed, one of us sat on the floor holding the cord while we watched Dirty Dancing on repeat, miming every line of the movie while practicing the lift on our hardwood floor. 

Janna and I somehow found the perfect balance of late-night, belly-laughing, chair dancing, shot-taking FUN with early morning calculus classes and straight A's. 

Janna was my Maid of Honor when I married Evan.

I was Janna's Maid of Honor when she married Preston. 

In the spirit of spontaneity and impulsivity, in our 30's, Janna and I both encountered unexpected debilitating medical diagnoses at the same time. Although this was most definitely not a bright spot in either of our lives, I distinctly remember our parents helping our fragile bodies out to the car so that we could go for dinner together and thinking how unlucky we were to be so sick, yet how lucky we were to literally lean on each other during such a shit time. 

Janna and her husband, Preston, now have two boys, aged 14 and 11.  The boys are heavily into hockey. If you are a hockey parent in Canada, you know that this means weekend tournaments all fall, winter, spring, and sometimes summer-long. To add to the hockey commitment, Preston also coaches one of his son's hockey teams, in addition to his busy full-time job. 

Janna has been shattering the glass ceiling, paving the way for women in the mining industry for many years; however, this has been a banner career year for Janna. Janna's team has recently received federal approval to construct the first Uranium mine in Canada that will utilize a new type of mining called the ISR method, which is much better for the environment than conventional mining methods (it is much more technical than what I've described here, but it surpasses my100-level geology course knowledge). The bottom line, Janna is a very successful and busy woman. 

Janna and I typically get a few afternoons each summer to catch up. During these afternoons we attempt to cover all of life's major categories, while also recalling and reliving our childhood memories. It's a whirlwind and often results in a wine headache the next day. But, man, I savor those days. 

So, you can just imagine how excited I was to spend 3 whole days with my Janna at the location where our most cherished movie was shot! What a memorable experience. 

The Mountain Lake Lodge in Pembroke, Virginia is location where most of the Dirty Dancing movie was shot in 1986. At that time the movie had a dismal budget of 7 million dollars and was unable to film in the Catskills, the setting of Dirty Dancing. One of the producers discovered the Mountain Lake Lodge on an in-flight brochure as they were scouring locations and after touring the property, they made the decision to film there. 

The Dirty Dancing weekend is s special event held multiple times a year that is jam-packed with Dirty Dancing events such as dance lessons, a character costume contest, trivia, dance parties, and a scavenger hunt which allowed us to discover the specific locations where memorable scenes were shot. There were about 130 people who attended our weekend, and I would guess maybe 12 of those participants were men. Haha! Evan would KILL me if I dragged him to that event!

But...It really is a Dirty Dancing fan's dream come true. 

As soon as you spot the iconic brick building from the driveway and hear the Dirty Dancing soundtrack blasting from the property speakers, you are instantly transported to Baby's arrival at Kellerman's Lodge in 1963. 

Janna and I enjoyed the events, and we especially enjoyed the people-watching/judging? Haha. There were some interesting people, to say the least...and a few couples who were really there to DIRTY DANCE! "How do you call your Loverboy?" "Come here, Loverboy!"

Our spontaneous and impulsive selves took over, and we even nailed the lift (we call it the "mini-lift") from the exact location that Baby and Johhny practiced in the movie (the lake has since dried up, so we persevered through rock and dirt). 

But, most of all, the biggest treat was hanging out together, without any time pressures.

There are not many people in your life with whom you can fill 3 straight days with constant conversation, flip-flopping between memories that span 40 years!!!

"Do you remember when the girls started freezing bras at that sleepover and I faked a stomachache so I could go home because I didn't have a bra yet?"

"How is your oldest kid enjoying his new school?"

"Yes! That was the night at the pipeline when X wanted to beat you up and I kissed Y!"

"What was the Premier of Saskatchewan like at your meeting last month?"

"Remember when we spent our last $20 on Ladies night at the Thunderdome. It was $1 highballs, so we drank all night AND got a cab home!" 

"Magnesium and CBD oil plus my bed cooler and lavender pillow spray has really improved my sleep score." 

(I highly recommend googling old classmates but be prepared for the occasional mugshot!)  

Between the 3-hour car ride each way, the lovely dinners, the slow morning coffees, and our "wine time" in our cozy cabin between events, we were basically living THE dream for 3 exquisite days. 

I'm so thankful that, with the help of prosecco, Janna and I became the impulsive and spontaneous versions of ourselves and pulled out our credit cards to book that trip back in July. Also, cabin upgrade...worth it!!!! The crooked wood floor really added to our lift-practicing experience.

I'm really proud of our friendship. Not many people have what we have. 

I'm so thankful for my Janna Banana. 

My goal for my 46th year was to connect in meaningful ways with others. Although this specific connection with Janna spilled over into my 47th year, it truly was the icing on my birthday cake. 

To be honest, there have been times in the past 15 years where I truly felt like the best days of my life might be behind me. My 46th year made me realize that the best is yet to come. It's time to get out of that corner and have the time of your life! (See what I did there?) 

Cheers to childhood friendships that endure through distance and time 💖

Argentina - The Travel Blog and the Good, the bad, and ugly

 Hey friends,

We've recently returned from an epic adventure in Argentina, and I can't wait to share it with you.

Firstly, am the only one who didn't realize how far south Buenos Aires is? When I saw that it was 9-hour fight from Miami, I was flabbergasted. Obviously, my geography leaves something to be desired. 

We had 2 full weeks in Argentina, and we decided to explore 3 areas of Argentina on our vacation: Buenos Aires, Mendoza, and Iguazu. We managed to slip in a 24-hour adventure to Uruguay, which was definitely a worthwhile addition! 

Here's what I'm going to do: I'll outline each section of our adventure with some recommendations/tips for anyone who might be interested in our itinerary - very travel blog-Esque

Once we get the facts out of the way, I'll provide you with the dirt of the trip. You know, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Feel free to skip to the dirt and maybe bookmark the blog if you ever decide to travel to Argentina and want some advice. 

Let's start with Buenos Aires!

The first and last leg of our trip took place in Buenos Aires. Although I'm not a big city person, I really enjoyed Buenos Aires and have locked it in as one of top 3 big cities (Edinburgh and Cape Town are also on that list). 

The first thing that I noticed when we arrived was that the Spanish language sounded much different than any other Spanish-speaking country we've visited. People spoke more with their hands, and the cadence was more melodic, as opposed to clipped. I immediately recognized it as having an Italian influence, which I later found to be true due to a massive immigration of Italians to Argentina in the late 1800's - early 1900's. Not only is the language influenced by the Italian culture (have you ever witnessed 2 Uber drivers argue explicitly with their just their hands, windows up? EPIC!), but the food also has massive Italian influence. 

During the first leg of the trip, we stayed in an area called Palermo Soho. This was the perfect starting place for us, as we felt very safe to wander around, exploring picturesque squares/parks, incredible restaurants, and cute boutique shops. 

On our last leg of the journey, we chose to stay in downtown Buenos Aires. We were within walking distance to the iconic monuments and architectural landmarks. This area was busier, and although I never felt unsafe, there were people sleeping on the streets and the traffic was less forgiving - like you may get clipped if you prematurely step onto the curb. It had a totally different vibe than Palermo, but I'm glad that we explored both areas. 

Here are things that we did in Buenos Aires:

• Walking Food Tour: DO THIS! This was one of the highlights, and perfect for our first night. Our host was super passionate about Argentina and food, and taught us so much about the politics, culture, and history of Buenos Aires. We visited 4 very different and delicious restaurants, where we began our obsession with the EMPANADA!
• Rooftop Asado Experience: This was another really fun experience where we attended a rooftop asado (Argentinian barbeque) at a local Buenos Aires home. There are spots for 12 people, and we lucked out with a very interesting and interested group of people. I would think that this experience could be lame if you were surrounded by duds. The food and conversation were really good! We're glad we did this one!

• La Recoleta Cemetery: This is where all the notable Argentinians are buried and often referred to as the most beautiful cemetery in the world! Honestly, I wasn't expecting to spend a lot of time here, but we happened upon a live ceremony, complete with a marching band, and it was quite extraordinary. We took the time to translate some of the plaques as well, which was interesting. I would check it out!
• Teatro Colon: This is a magnificent opera house, renowned for having the best acoustics. You need to sign up for tours, which filled up a day in advance during our trip. Check ahead to see if the main opera house has the lights on. Apparently, there are times when they turn the lights to the main opera theatre off in preparation for an opera. I'm not sure that the tour would be worth it if you were unable to experience the main opera house. 
• We did the hop on, hop off bus trip. I wouldn't recommend this. Ubers are super cheap, and I think it's a better use of your time to select a few areas of the city and take Ubers to the locations. 
• You must visit the San Telmo market on a Sunday! With a nice mix of tourists and locals, the market spans about 10 blocks and has such a great vibe! There are booths with local wares, as well as live music and SO MUCH DANCING! I loved this. People just toss their purses aside and dance in the streets. Ev and I grabbed a table at a small local restaurant, drank wine, and took in the view. I highly recommend!

• Take an Uber to Puerto Madera. There is a magnificent bridge, which is an iconic landmark. There are tons of fabulous restaurants and walking along the river in the evening is an incredible experience - again...more live dancing in the streets!

Mendoza/Uco Valley

The next leg of our trip was Mendoza. It's about a 2-hour flight from Buenos Aires, and located in western Argentina, near the Chilean border. Although we flew into Mendoza, we chose to rent a car and drive closer to the Andes mountains to an area called the Uco Valley. This area is known for its high-altitude vineyards that produce incredible Malbecs and Chardonnays. The wineries were not like any that I'd ever visited before. They were very sleek and modern - almost industrial looking! The wineries, called bodegas, are mostly family run, and it is apparent that the families take great pride in what they produce!

We spent one day driving around, taking in the beautiful Andes scenery and stopping at a cool city called Tunuyan. It was the Easter long weekend, and Argentinian people celebrate both Thursday and Good Friday - turning it into a super long weekend. We saw local families camping by the river with their horses, selling food and crafts at a market, and of course - dancing. I absolutely loved watching people just get up and dance. Dance truly is a symbol of the Argentinian identity!

We hired a private driver for our second day who took us to two incredible bodegas (wineries). Our driver spoke excellent English and had prior experience as a high school teacher, so she filled us in on all the history, as well as the backstories on all of the bodegas. We had an incredible day touring the wineries, tasting ALL the wine, and enjoying a beautiful lunch with the Andes as our backdrop. 

Tips:

• We decided to skip the city of Mendoza, as we were "citied out," and enjoy the quieter countryside of Uco Valley. If you do this, rent a car. It's easy to get around, and there are no Ubers or public transportation in the Uco Valley.
• Ensure that you pre-book your vineyard tours/lunches. There was no walk-up option; however, we were there during the Easter long weekend, which was a much busier time. 
• Arrange for a driver if you're wine tasting. You're driving on highways, and the police presence is high. Our driver explained that they will pull you over if they suspect you've been drinking. 

Iguazu

The next leg of journey took us to Iguazu, a city on the Brazil/Argentina border known for its spectacular Iguazu Falls. 

To get to Iguazu, we had to fly back to Buenos Aires and catch a 90-minute flight to Iguazu. There were no connections available out of Mendoza. 

As soon as we breathed in the humid air in Iguazu, we knew that we were in completely different climate. Iguazu reminded me of Costa Rica in this respect - lush jungles and a tropical climate. 

We stayed at a beautiful resort deep in the jungle, overlooking the Iguazu River. Although our resort was very family-orientated, there was a very special serene "Adults only" pool and bar with a fabulous river view. We spent a lot of time here!

We spent an entire day touring the Iguazu Falls. You do not need to book a private tour or a package, as you can pay at the gate, which gives you access to beautiful trails and a train that takes you to, what feels like, the top of the world. The trails are easy to traverse, and many people were pushing strollers with ease, although there were a lot of crying children, which makes me think that it's a long day for a baby/toddler. 

Iguazu Falls really are breathtaking. When the wind shifts, the water droplets soak your face. The air smells like the "fresh scent" that you aspire to achieve with laundry soap. The water is so powerful. It's just magnificent. 

Tips:

• Allow yourself a solid 6 hours to take in Iguazu Falls. Wear good shoes!
• Taxis are available and cheap. I recommend taking a taxi to The Triple Frontier, a cool spot in Iguazu where Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay all meet. We went at sunset, which was a great time to catch markets, and snap a great sunset view of this national wonder. 

 

Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

The last leg of our journey was a last-minute decision! We had 3 final days in Buenos Aires before we flew back to Cayman and decided to venture across to Colonia, Uruguay via ferry for one night. 

I'm glad we added this stop to our trip. I think it was worth it!

There are multiple daily ferry options, and travel to Colonia was a quick 90-minute ferry ride from Buenos Aires. 

Colonia del Sacramento was founded by the Portuguese in the late 1600's, and I could immediately tell that the Spanish language and the people were different than the in Buenos Aires. The pace was much slower and relaxed. 

The historic quarter of Colonia is a UNESCO world heritage site, featuring cobblestone streets, brightly painted colonia houses, and historical site ruins. It's a very quaint and picturesque city. This would be a fabulous stop for photographers!

Tips:

• We found that very few people spoke English, but that's cool. We used our Google Translate app and the people were so friendly and very willing to communicate with us, using any means possible!
• You can opt to go over to Colonia on the ferry for a day trip. We decided to spend the night in a really cute boutique hotel called Charco Hotel, right in the middle of the historic area. The restaurant was phenomenal, and perhaps one of our best meals. I highly recommend this hotel!
• Colonia Del Sacramento is not cheap - the hotels and food are slightly more expensive than Buenos Aires. This was the one place on our trip where we were unable to use our credit card for a taxi. They accepted American cash. 

THE DIRT!

If you've hung in here until now, thanks. 

If you scrolled down, skipping the travel blog, welcome to THE DIRT.

Let's break this into 3 sections: the good, the bad and the ugly.

Let's start with the bad. 

The BAD

Domestic air travel in Argentina is not for the weak-hearted. 

To be fair, I screwed up. I did a bit of research and knew that a few of the airlines were not reliable; however, when I saw that they offered multiple flights a day (like one every 2 hours), I assumed that if a flight was canceled, we could easily hop on the next. 

I was wrong. Very wrong. 

Our first domestic flight was from Buenos Aires to Mendoza. We arrived at the airport at 8am, 2 hours before our departure time to find everyone standing in a very long line at the Fly Bondi Ticket counter. We found another couple who spoke English and they explained that Fly Bondi had canceled the flight. I immediately was like, no biggie, this airline has 5 more flights to Mendoza today. 

Nope. Fly Bondi canceled all 6 of the flights to Mendoza that day. There was no reason given. The weather was perfect. Poof - the flights were just erased from existence. 

Panicking slightly, Ev and I got on our phones to look at other options. There were no other airlines flying that day and it looked like we wouldn't be able to get to our destination until the next evening, which seriously impacted this leg of the trip. We considered renting a car and driving 13 hours to Mendoza. I implored Chat GPT, "Is it safe for 2 non-Spanish speaking white people to drive from Buenos Aires to Mendoza?" (Apparently, it's okay-ish during daylight - not super convincing). 

By the time we reached the ticket agent, people were yelling at the agents and security guards were sent to de-escalate the situation. It was a shit-show. 

I approached the young ticket agent, who looked OVERWHELMED. I attempted to engage her in Spanish, and she quickly switched to English, after I butchered her language. 

I said, "This must be really stressful for you." 

The girl took a deep breath and her demeanor changed, "Hold on," she said. 

She returned a few minutes later and quietly said, "The 6am flight is still delayed and there are 2 seats available. Run, and you can catch it. Don't tell anyone."

We did as we were told and managed to get on that flight. 

I'm still thankful that she creatively solved our problem. 

And...just be nice. Everyone is going through something. Seriously, I feel like people turn into their most selfish version once they enter an airport.

Our second issue with Fly Bondi was when they sent an email about 15 hours before our return flight, stating that our flight time had been changed from 10am to 6am. This was a huge change, as we had a 90-minute drive from our hotel to the airport, which meant a 2:30am departure from our hotel after a full day of wine tasting.

OH MY GOD. 

I did not let the early departure affect my ability to down every single taste of wine that was offered to me. I gave zero F's. Zero. I wish I would have given like 2. 

This looks like regret 

I found myself walking around the rental car at 4am attempting to walk off the hangover at a gas station and not vomit en route to the airport. It was rough. 

After our 2 Fly Bondi experiences, I decided to rebook our next flights with the national airline, which is Aerolineas Argentinas. The cost was double, but well worth it. 

Also, passengers who fly with Fly Bondi are generally miserable. I mean, you would be too if every flight you booked was either cancelled or rescheduled. 

No! Just NO. 

Ev hilariously ended up breaking up in a fight in one the of the airport lines. 

Two ladies were arguing in Spanish - it appeared to be over one of the ladies trying to get ahead of the other in the "line" (these "lines" didn't actually exist, from what I could see). 

Ev was merely a foot between these two angry women, who were going at for at least 10-minutes, yelling loudly back-and-forth in Spanish across Evan's increasingly annoyed face. 

I was seated a few feet away but could see that Evan was quickly losing patience. 

He finally shouted, in the deepest, sternest, "dad" voice ever...."ENOUGH!"

The ladies appeared shocked, yet one attempted to convince Evan that she was in the right. Obviously, Ev had no idea what she was saying in Spanish, but he immediately cut her off, very calmly and slowly stating, "I.    DON'T.    CARE."

Everyone stopped in their tracks. The fight immediately stopped and everyone was silent. 

I noticed the husband of one of the fighting women nod respectfully at Evan. 

I choked on my water and began snickering uncontrollably. I couldn't believe what I had just witnessed. Evan and I laughed about this our entire trip. So funny. 

Argentina is a huge country, and the only way to explore other areas is to use the domestic airlines. Pay more and use the national airline. Do NOT make the same mistake that I made. Fly Bondi resulted in a lot of unnecessary stress on our vacation and caused me to reconsider whether I could ever drink wine again. Boo. Don't ever get between me and my wine. 

THE UGLY

Can we discuss the influencers for a minute or two?

I am so over this. 

You all know that I love a good picture. I want to capture memories! Seize the moment! 

But...I can also put my phone away and live in the moment as well. It would appear that this is becoming too challenging for some people, who choose to live through their phones. 

Iguazu Falls is a beautiful National Park with thousands of incredible photo-worthy spots. 

I observed so many beautiful people march up to a "photo spot," immediately set up their phone and then proceed to "create content" while removing clothing, striking ridiculous poses, and throwing their hands in the air with artificial joy, then immediately march on to the next spot to repeat the process.

Like are you even having fun? Did you actually "see" anything? Grrrr. 

I didn't want these people to detract from my experience, but I could feel myself becoming more annoyed as the day progressed.

When we finally reached Devil's Throat (the top of the falls), and entered the viewing platform, I was immediately awestruck by the incredible view. It was jaw-dropping. 

But then I looked around and all I could see were people creating content. 

One guy removed his shirt, groomed himself for a solid 5 minutes and then flexed. He literally flexed his muscles, high in the air, above one of the most beautiful natural wonders of the world. Ugh. 

I made a decision right there and then that I was NOT going to let these annoying people affect my experience. 

I've recently completed a mindfulness course and decided to put a lesson into practice. 

I stood at the railing over the magnificent falls, closed my eyes and practiced the "Five Senses Technique," where I focused on what I could see, feel, hear, taste, and smell.

It worked! I was lost in my senses for a solid 15-minutes. I could actually taste the water on my face when the wind blew the falls in my direction. The roaring of the water drowned out the noise of the other observers, and I was truly lost in the moment. 

When I opened my eyes, the only people I noticed were other people like me...people who were visibly moved by the scene. I watched one older man's eyes fill with tears as he approached the viewing area. I heard the quick intake of breath as people approached the falls and gasped. Wow. It was incredible and I may have enjoyed watching people's "first look" more than the falls themselves. So cool. 

My attempt at influencing

THE GOOD

Honestly, there was so much good to report from this holiday.

The food was incredible. 

The people (other than the Fly Bondi passengers) were kind, helpful, and welcoming. 

The areas that we chose to explore were a perfect mix of adventure and chill for us. 

Ev and I really enjoyed each other. It was so nice to get away and adventure together. I loved our time together!

Another win...my body did its job. Other than the always painful right knee, the prosthetic joints carried me through jungles, vineyards, and long airport lines. I have no idea why the left hip isn't following in the other joints footsteps, but it's hanging in there longer than anyone expected and I'm SOOOO grateful for that. 

But I think that the highlight of the trip, perhaps influenced by my mindfulness course, were the connections that I made (or felt) with people along the way!

I thought a lot about the Fly Bondi ticket lady experience. This poor girl was having a very bad day. She was being yelled at by multiple people and had a line 100-deep of angry passengers to deal with. We've all been there. Sometimes you just want someone to notice that you're a fricken human - notice that you're going through it and empathize with you. When I reached the front of the line, although I was stressed about our travel situation, I just thought, "Shit. This girl is struggling." Simply by noticing and commenting, I felt like we formed a (quick) human connection. In turn, she did us a solid. It was a good reminder to get out of my own head and pay more attention to my environment and the people in it. Be present with others. Honestly, it's helped a lot with my anxiety. 

While in Uruguay, Ev worked in a coffee shop while a toured about the city. When I met up with him at noon, he had just ordered quite a bit of food, and I reminded him that we didn't have a lot of time before our ferry left. As his food arrived, I encouraged him to pack up and eat quickly.

I could see that the servers in the restaurant were confused by our behavior. The food had just arrived and we were packing up. They were speaking quickly to each other in Spanish. I put on the google translator to eaves drop and could see that they were confused, "Did he order this? Did you bring him the right thing? Why are they leaving?"

I approached the servers, and translated the following to Spanish, "My husband has no sense of urgency. We have a ferry to catch, and he ordered this food not realizing that we don't have time. The food is great and the service has been excellent. He lost track of time."

The ladies listened to the translator and then nodded and rolled their eyes, saying, "Hombres!" ("Men!") 

One server attempted to tell me something in Spanish. I couldn't fully understand, but I knew that she was telling me about her "esposa" (husband), touching my arm gently, and laughing with me. 

Ev continued to pack up his computer while downing his Malbec, saying, "I feel like you're talking about me!" Bahaha. NOOOOOO.

I laughed with this group of ladies for a solid 5-minutes, and it occurred to me that being annoyed with your husband is universal. It transcends borders, languages and cultures. Humans are all the same. We really are. And how cool is it to travel 5000 miles to come to this realization!

Cheers to connections! (but not the cheap domestic airline connections) 

The leading cause of family anguish...the science fair project

 Picture it...Prince Albert, 1990 (Can you hear Sophia Petrillo?)

It's 10pm and air is thick with tension.

The basement carpet of the new-ish home on Eagle Cres is covered in cellophane, fragments of cardboard refrigerator boxes, and bright pink paint - the wrong shade of pink - which has dripped from the paint bucket, over the protective cellophane, and on to the light gray carpet. 

I am sobbing, desperately trying to blend the two shades of pink (that do not match!) onto the cardboard.

My mom is applying carpet spray and lightly dabbing the stain, attempting to remain calm but exhaling loudly with each dab. 

My dad is recutting the cardboard with his exacto knife, while checking on the status of his carpet every 2-minutes and grunting with frustration.

I am whimpering, "It's not the right colour. I need to start over!"

This, my friends, was science fair project time in our home. 

In retrospect, I should have a frank conversation with my mom and dad and question whether this led to the demise of their marriage? Haha. Joking. Sorta. 

You guys, I had a love/hate relationship with the science fair. 

I hated the process. I hated the planning, the experiments, the display. I hated attempting to raise the bar each year, surpassing last year's project. The pressure was immense. Pressure from whom, you ask. Me. The pressure from ME was immense. In fact, I developed an ulcer right around the year that the science fair began and it's definitely a contributing factor. 

But I loved the positive reinforcement. The happiness that the A+ I inevitably received for these projects outweighed the tears, sleepless nights and ulcer-ridden stomach. 

I loved watching the judges' eyebrows raise in surprise when they noted the effort and dedication that was devoted to this project. I always advanced to the city-wide science fair, and although I didn't win that one (for some reason, I was okay with that), I was gifted a special day off of school to hang with the other type-A stress ball nerds of Prince Albert. 

I know that my parents disliked science fair season as well. They always jumped in, offering to help in any way that they could. They did their best. My dad may have overstepped a few times (like whittling an airplane wing from a two-by-four for my "lift" project). Although every year and project was slightly different with different challenges, the one constant remained...anguish and tears. 

Fast forward to 2026. 

I was asked to be a guest speaker at an event called "Cayfest," showcasing children's book authors on island. I was also asked to produce a booth showcasing my book. 

My eyes lit up when I began picturing an extensive science fair display donned with colorful Katie the Caiman posters. I had matured extensively in 35+ years. This was my chance to overachieve in a calm and non-painful way, without harming the ones I love. 

I rushed to the office supply store, as I know the materials sell out quickly during science fair season on island, and I found the magical tri-fold displays...in multiple colors! Selling for $12!

Can you believe this? In the 80's my parents were dumpster diving in the back of furniture stores trying to find these damn things and now one can purchase an already painted tri-fold display. It's not even fair. 

I quickly found the perfect green for Katie and assisted a woman in finding a bright blue one. 

"Book fair project at Prep?" the mom questioned. (Cayman Prep is a private school on island). 

"Huh? Oh. No, this is for my own project," I laughed nervously. 

"Oh," replied the mom. "I just assumed you were a Prep mom. We're all trying to buy these for our kids before they sell out."

"I'm sorry," I replied, "I remember how hard these projects were on my parents. I wish you the best of luck."

"We all know it'll just be me doing the project," she laughed. 

I wanted to shake this woman and tell her how lucky she was that she didn't have to rummage through dumpsters and deal with drippy pain cans. But I held back, wished her the best, and carried on. 

I began to build my display when Evan suggested I could make it even bigger and more impressive by refiguring three of the tri-fold cardboard displays. 

YESSS! Bigger and better!

After collecting more tri-folds (sorry Prep moms!), I began planning my posters. We would need more printer ink and special paper for that. 

In typical island fashion, every office supply store on island was sold out of my printer ink. I was placed on special lists with other desperate printer folk awaiting the coveted ink. I waited on bated breath for days until I received that call that my ink had cleared customs. Once I received my ink cartridges (max 2 per person, people!), I began printing up a storm, filling my extensive science fair project with bright, beautiful posters.

Feeling satisfied with the result, I messaged the organizer of Cayfest, ensuring that I had table space for my science fair project extraordinaire. She informed me that I had about 3-4 feet to work with. 

My heart sank. I frantically got out a measuring tape and determined that my monstrosity was nearing on 6 feet. 

I could feel that familiar science fair lump of despair form in my throat. 

Why won't they just let me overachieve????

"No. You are 46 years old. You will not cry over another science fair project," I told myself sternly. 

Ev entered the kitchen just as I was on the edge of, as the kids call it, "crashing out." 

"I don't know why I care so much. No one else is going to care. This is ridiculous," I sighed as Ev gave me a tight squeeze. 

I took a deep breath, tabled my thoughts, (scribbling and underlining "self-compassion" in my notepad for my next psych session), and proceeded to downgrade the science fair project into a manageable 3 feet. 

This, my friends, is called "maturing." I've obviously reached peak adulthood. The daily meditation is paying off - perhaps not achieving zen status but remaining calm when core childhood memories attempt to derail my emotional stability is a step in the right direction. 

In the end, Cayfest was really fun. I was the only author who created a science fair display, but that's fine. I officially achieved child entertainer status when I was asked to join Ms. Izzy on stage for a "Katie the Caiman" rendition of "Down by the Bay." For those of you who don't know who Ms. Izzy is, let's just say that I scored major street cred with the 2–6-year age bracket. 

I donned a Britney Spears headset mic and moved across a stage, reading excerpts from Katie while demonstrating strategies for parents. The crowd was less than impressive in size, but they were interactive, attentive, and I had a lot of fun! Ev was in the front row, smiling encouragingly, Kris Jenner-style. I had visitors at my booth after the show and sold some books. Overall, it was a solid experience, despite the tri-fold disappointment. 

Cheers to mending childhood trauma. Joking! Sorta. 

It's adequate. Note the fold in the top center poster. That almost killed me. 

Actual footage of Evan