Friday, May 13, 2011

Jello Puddin' Pops.

For Easter we went to Jackson, WY.
We went snow-shoeing, ate at the Q, had drinks at the Cadillac, visited EGC... all the normal things. I tried to return some Chacos I had purchased the year prior at the Bootlegger, but they wouldn't let me so... I'll sell you a pair of size 10 women's Chaco sandals that have been worn three times by yours truly for a bargain basement price. Let's talk.
Going to Jackson is always a little bittersweet for me. I love that place. I'm not a good skier, I don't climb. I like to hike and kayak and snowshoe, but nothing too hardcore. Compared to most people my age in Jackson I'm more Gaper and less Local. I mean, they get crazy down there! But there's something spiritual about it. Something that makes me sit back and contemplate life's meaning in a non-cliche sort of way. Unless you've been there, you don't know. There's an actual aura that you feel coming from the mountains as you cross into Wyoming from Idaho over the pass. (Maybe it's nature's lovely song... maybe it's the drugs, I don't know.) The Grand looms over the valley like a god. It takes lives and yet many wouldn't be complete without it. To your right there are people risking sanity just for the rush of skiing down the pass and to your left you almost just hit a moos with your car.
I lived in Jackson a few years ago. A lot of life-changing things happened there and each year I make the trek back to pay homage to a new life born from such a beautiful place.
The first year I was away I brought back a tiny baby that bore its name. The second year I brought a couple close friends and a romantic hopeful. The third year I visited those close friends and brought my future husband. Each year my life is different. It's like introducing two people you know will hit it off. My ever-changing life and Jackson, WY.
I realize how strange it sounds to be so emotionally attached to a place. It's almost childish. And it's hard to explain. I go back each year and I come away renewed.
This year, I was doubly renewed. This year, I was not only in Jackson, but I also had three of my closest friends there with me. The four of us hadn't been in the same room together for over 2 years.
Enter: random sarcasm, excessive farting, illogical cause promotion, volleyball highlights video and froyo. Chris was a trooper. He even participated with his Bill Cosby impersonation.

Loves.