Hard to believe that a year ago, I was already à Paris, soaking in all things Parisian and completely forgetting it was the Fourth of July.

I had more important things on my mind, like pain au chocolat and capturing sunsets and roaming random streets for full on French discovery.

Miss you, Paris. But, it’s a lot easier to forget that you miss a place when you’re in a beautiful place. Another one that speaks strongly to your soul. And where Hemingway was.

Today will be full of mainly hiking. Brother and I don’t have too many industrious plans — those have been put on the back burner for tomorrow.

We’re ready for more nature and trail. Endless miles of trail. Bring it, North Woods.

Yesterday we did 10+ miles on a North Country Trail stretch that was rather … strenuous, shall I say. The first two miles were grueling. The kind where I felt like my legs would barely move and I had to keep forcing myself forward. To not stop, just keep moving. Keep moving.

Always does take me a good hour or so to warm up. Once the blood got moving, I was good to go. And jacked by nature and scenery. I became downright giddy with excitement when we roamed off trail to see where a former, now overgrown path, took us.

I wish you could have seen the look on my face when we were dumped out on ancient sand dunes and a completely empty stretch of Lake Michigan.

Me shouting out in joy and jumping up and down. Running to the water. Exclaiming over and over again, brother does it get any better than THIS?! THIS, all for us!

Yeah, really doesn’t take much to get me going.

It seemed like just as I was starting to get into my hiking flow, tragedy struck.

My shoes. I could just feel the blisters coming on. I didn’t dare say anything, for fear of giving life to the uncomfotability, and besides — what was there to do? When you’re over five miles in on a hike, there’s nothing to do but keep going.

So I did. Swatting mosquitos for a good mile and a half. We hit some lovely bogs and were just swarmed. Brother was able to run through it at a fast pace and there I was, feeling slower than hell.

Then having to hear Brother say how he really should start conditioning himself better. People, he could have schooled my ass. He easily could have left me within the first 30 minutes. Not that I’m that slow. It’s just that he’s that fast.

Doesn’t he just look like he could throw down? He’s obviously committed. I think it’s the floss. Anyone who carries floss with them everywhere should known to be trusted and a throw down-er. And I made him carry my girly Sigg and he didn’t even complain. Good Brother.

Wishing you all a very Happy and Safe Fourth of July. Filled with good food, friends, nature and the happy.