Well, I'm off to the Rockies in the morning, with my xenophobic man in tow. Rather than hire my usual house-sitter, who comes in every couple of days to tend to the plants indoor & outdoor and collect the mail, I'm paying my 21-year-old niece to stay here. She's spending the summer crashing with uni friends here and there, and I daresay she's looking forward to a week of privacy, unlimited long distance calling, and Movie Central.

We'll be hiking (of course!) and relaxing, trying to lose some of the stress we've both been dealing with for months and months. I'll try to update re: scenery, hikes, and anything else remotely entertaining that occurs.