Axe Of God

First off, I need to give a shoutout to Bentucky (Ben from Kentucky), the one who came up with the brilliant title of this post.

AMC holds a tradition to give old axes to trail staff (and maybe others? I'm not sure) that we give some TLC to (and by some I mean a lot), use all season, and take home with us. I got my axe head up at Dodge during training, but we were so busy and the tool shed was so crowded that I didn't get to do any work on it. I picked out one of the last decent handles, but today is the first day I've been able to start work on the restoration.

MY AXE! It needs a name.

I spent four hours sanding rust off of the head by hand. I haven't even really looked at the handle. It needs to be sanded down to fit the axe head, so that'll be another process. I've been told that it was hand forged, which gives it distinct features that happen to be incredibly difficult to get rust out of. It should last longer than factory-made axes, but it will take a lot of care. I plan on having it SHINY by the end of the season.

Rust: Off the Axe and on My Pants

Week One

Week one is done!

My week started with a crazy whirlwind of moving out and getting a sublettor. I was lucky enough to get everything squared away before we left. Adam and I made the 2.5 hour drive to this neck of the woods Sunday night, arriving to our destination late at night. We camped at the base of Mt. Everett since the KCC doesn't allow guests. It was a cozy last night together.

Goodbyes are never easy, but I was occupied with getting to know everyone on our 5.5 hour drive up to Joe Dodge Volunteer Center in the White Mountains. Our first day there is a blurry distant memory now. Most of the seasonal staff was there (over 100 people) including caretakers, hut crew, trails, etc. It was a bit overwhelming, especially since a lot of people either already knew each other or had been together for a few days.

Our week of training was mostly administrative and policy related stuff, including but not limited to: AMC policies,  drivers training (so we can drive the company vans), a million different types of forms/reporting systems, child abuse awareness, basic tool work, outdoor leadership, safety, etc.  That doesn't even scratch the surface! Our "work day" was 8am - 4:30pm, but between breakfast and dinner our days were more like 6am-7pm.  We were all exhausted by the end of the day.

It took a few days to get settled in, but as our numbers dwindled (some departments left earlier) it was a bit less chaotic. It was good to get to meet people from different areas and departments. Unfortunately we didn't get out to enjoy the Whites because the weather didn't really agree with us. It was FREEZING and raining the first couple of days, to the point where I saw frost on the picnic tables in the morning. The rain finally cleared for our last full day, so we were able to get good views of Mt. Adams, Madison, and Washington.

Today's Hike up Jug End on the AT

There have been some tough moments. It's been a big adjustment, and I'm working hard to fill my "down time" with the company of my teammates. The administrative side of training is always less exciting, so I think the next two weeks will be more engaging. I'm surrounded by a good but whacky group of people here in the Berkshires  We've got two more weeks here before my co-leader and I go to Noble View, our home for the summer. But for now - two days off!!

This morning (our first day off) we went to the store to supply ourselves with food to eat in our off time, checked out a farmers market, and went on a short hike. It looks like the weather is improving and we'll have a nice stretch to enjoy before we start up with training again!

Just A Few Hours...

The day is here!

After much planning, anticipation, and stress, my last day has finally arrived. It's been quite a roller coaster leading up to this moment!

My tooth (or lack thereof) is finally on the mend and healing properly. Getting that taken care of was a huge stress off of my back, but also a huge dent in my wallet. Oh well, what can ya do?

I started the process of packing and moving my stuff a few days ago, and the whole process has been a blur. I can't even tell you when I started packing. Who knows. I thought I was in pretty good shape, but this past Friday was the first full day I spent packing and moving, and it was a big eye opener. Up until this point in my life I only ever moved what lived in my bedroom. I bought a living room and full kitchen set off of my old roommate, so this is my first move with an entire apartment worth of crap. I simply don't have enough time to move it all. I got super stressed out about how I was going to do it all, but luckily Adam came to my rescue and recruited our beloved coworker Cam to move the big furniture this coming week. My SAVIORS!

Oh you fancy, huh?

I was lucky enough to get a last-minute invite to a friend's wedding (thanks Annie and Golgi!), so I was able to spend Saturday with Adam & friends at the wedding. It was a great distraction and break from moving stress, and more importantly it was a beautiful wedding. I was much happier to be there than in my disaster-area apartment.

This morning it was back to reality - my last day here! I had a cloud looming over my head about getting my apartment rented. I turned the reins over to my realtor to get a new lease started for June 1st, but it had only been shown a few times. I know how last-minute many apartment hunts are, but I'm leaving a week before the end of the month. I felt like I needed to get everything secured before I left, otherwise I was at risk of owing rent until I could find someone.... and would have to find someone... while I'm in the woods.... yeah, no thanks. You may realize I'm talking in past tense, because (drum roll please) I found a sublettor TODAY. Today. I leave in, like, three hours. This is ridiculous. He's moving in a few boxes as I type this. It's a little crazy and super last-minute, but it's my best option at this point. I feel much better than waiting for the realtor to potentially get someone secured into a new year-long lease in the next 5 days. My sublettor will be living here under my lease until the end of the summer, that way I don't have to break my lease or risk paying while I'm not living there (yes, there's a risk that my sublettor sucks and skips town and I'm screwed, but hey let's give the kid a shot).

Turns out, I HATE packing!

What's left? Well, I spent all day packing up the odds and ends and taking some more stuff to the storage unit. It has been more miserable than usual because I had a flare up of an old injury (bulging disc) in my back, most likely due to moving almost an entire apartment by myself in one day. I've been hobbling around like an 80 year old woman for the past two days. But, sadly, stuff doesn't pack itself. I also finally packed up what I'll be taking this summer, a MUCH easier task than apartment packing. There's only so much you can fit in a 70L pack + day pack. I'll leave here in a few minutes to get Adam at work, go to his house and get the bike rack on the car, take a beloved shower, then come back here to load up the car and hit the road! We're going out to a campsite near the Center tomorrow so we don't have to wake up as early. What's one more night in a tent, right?

A summer's worth of stuff, ready to go!

Bon voyage!

Starting My Goodbyes

Time is suddenly flying by, especially after coming out of my post-tooth-extraction haze. Speaking of which, I went back to my dentist and she confirmed that I do have dry socket. Thankfully it's not infected, so it's a minor complication (all things considered). They put in medicated gauze, which I'm going back today to get removed/replaced. I was a little sore, but the constant pain subsided within an hour or two. HALLELUJAH! Unfortunately I had to go to work with a mouth full of gauze...

... my last shift at REI! A mouth full of gauze! The first day of our biggest sale of the year! Thankfully it wasn't too crazy, but it was quite the way to go out. A group of my coworkers came out last night to a BBQ feast in Brighton for a going away shindig. I hate to just call them coworkers, because they have all become my great friends. I was excited when I started working at REI, I knew it was a cool company and I would meet some interesting folks. I never expected to meet and become friends with so many genuinely great people. They're a misfit family that kept me smiling on the hard or crazy workdays. I'm sad to say goodbye to them, but it's only temporary!

Finish line!

While this weekend was great overall, I also had some really tough moments. Adam participated in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, something that we had been working to do together. Unfortunately we weren't able to raise enough money for both of us to participate, which made me feel like crap. We later found out that many of those that donated thought they were donating to our team page and the donation would be split evenly between us. In the end it was better that it all went to Adam, because he was able to walk (if it was all split between us then neither of us would have met the goal). We were both really bummed we couldn't walk together, but I took out all of my building stress out on this one issue. I was a blubbering mess on Saturday, but I was thankful to meet up with Adam at his halfway point for the day, and for ladies night with Callie and Kelsey. I met Adam at the finish line on Sunday, and I could not be more proud of him. I'm so grateful for all of the people that opened their hearts and donated to a great cause. And I'm grateful that I was there at the finish line to celebrate with him! He walked to celebrate the life of his mom, and while I never had the chance to meet her I'm confident she would be proud of his accomplishments.

Next on the to-do list is to go up to New Hampshire for my Wilderness First Aid + CPR class tomorrow. I'll be in class 9am-9pm for two days, with Ladies Night: Wilderness Edition at a campground with Callie & Kelsey in between. It only seems appropriate to stay in the wilderness while earning a WFA certification.

One more week. Holy crap.

A Few Speed Bumps

T minus 10 days until I ship out, and things have been less than smooth sailing!

I figured once I left my tutoring/teaching job things would be a little more manageable, as I would finally have some days totally off. I routinely had 7-day workweeks and considered my "days off" as days I would go in at 5:00pm. I knew my days off would be hectic, but I underestimated what life would throw at me. Murphy's Law, I suppose.

Thank you, Hyperbole and a Half.

A tooth of mine decided to revolt. A few weeks ago I was told I would either need a root canal (about $3,000) or get the tooth pulled (about $300). Spoiler alert: I don't have $3,000. I don't even have, like, $10 (only a mild exaggeration). I wanted to save the tooth and get the root canal, so I looked into getting the work done at a local dental school. Unfortunately for me, the process would take several appointments that were around 3 hours each. It wasn't a guarantee that I would be able to get it done, and with a time crunch I decided to pull the tooth since it's not visible when I talk or smile. I wasn't happy about it, but it was better than putting myself into a $3,000 hole or going out into the woods with an infected tooth.

Lesson learned. 

I scrambled to get an appointment to get it pulled, and luckily was able to with plenty of time to recover. The dentist tried to numb me a million different ways, but my roots were so deep that he couldn't numb me enough to pull it without a lot of pain. I had to be put to sleep to have it yanked out, an option that scared me, but I was able to do it the next day. Being put under wasn't bad at all, but it was an extra $350. It was a miserable 48 hours after the appointment, riddled with gauze, pain, narcotics, and the occasional tears. I kept up with the post-op care instructions, but unfortunately I think I have a "dry socket", meaning the blood clot didn't form properly and the healing process is being delayed. The complication happens pretty rarely, but I fit all of the categories that make it much more common (complicated extraction, lower back molar, taking certain medications). After a week of pain I'm going back to the dentist to figure out what treatment I need to do. Hopefully it will be what I've been reading online, which is a medicated cream and gauze that helps the healing process along.

I'm hoping (praying, begging, whatever) that today is step one in getting the issue taken care of. I know my healing will be slower and that I'll still be in pain, but I just want there to be an end in sight; especially since I still have to move everything I own into my storage unit. I also have to go up to New Hampshire for a Wilderness First Aid course in a few days, so I need to get back with it! The combination of the stress of working, moving, being in pain, and being extremely stretched thin financially has made it really hard to stay positive, but I'm trying. Thank goodness for Advil, Adam, and great co-workers that have kept me smiling and have picked up hours that I wasn't able to work (looking at you, Callie).

Today's lesson? Treat your teeth like they're made of gold.