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I guess it’s finally time for an update. Sorry guys it has taken me a while, but a lot has happened since the last one.

Ville, the Hamptons, and I made it on an all day excursion over the border to Nicaragua by chicken bus and to San Juan Del Sur, a town right on the beach. We stayed there for a few days bodysurfing in the waves, burning our pale skin, and hiking a bit in the hills. From there, it was a couple buses and a long ferry (full with bugs) to Isla de Ometepe (or in English, the big island in the middle of Lake Nicaragua). We made it off the ferry a short walk to a private oasis, Playa Venecia, right on the water and we had our own bungalows to watch some amazing lightning storms and swim in the lake. After a few days of relaxation, we bused it around the island to Finca Magdalena, where we stayed at the base of Madero, one of the two large volcanoes on the island. Very early in the a.m, Ville and I, along with two new friends from Antarctica, hiked to the top of the volcano and Ville swam in the muddy lake in the crater. We saw howler monkeys, parrots, coco plantations, and coffee plantations on the way up and down. While our bodies were covered in mud, our guide somehow remained completely clean (guess it comes from hiking it every day). We had a blast and made our way back to Playa Venecia to spend another night and meet up with the Hamptons.

The next day, we took a ferry back to the mainland, and bused it up to Granada, a town up north still on Lake Nicaragua. After checking into a hotel, I made it to internet and found a bunch of terrible e-mails from my parents that my dog Timber (who many of you know has been struggling with cancer for a year now, but was doing amazingly well) was not doing so well. Ville, because he is so great, came with me and we were lucky to get on a full fast bus the next morning for a 10 hour push back to San Jose, Costa Rica. There were no flights out, but we stayed near the airport and found a flight back to DC the next day. After arriving late in DC, we made it to a bed, and started our long drive home the next day. We stopped in Chicago, North Dakota, Idaho, and the last push into Bend on the fourth day. Across the U.S. in 40 days and back in 3 in a half. It was rough, but Timber was so happy to see me and was starting to do better.

Ville, Timber, and I have been staying at my parents in Bend and we made a couple short trips to Portland for a soccer tournament, and camped for a day at Camp Sherman on the Metolious River. Unfortunately, the last week Timber took a bad downturn, and after many sleepless nights sitting up with him, he passed away the day before yesterday. For those of you that know me, Timber and I always came in a package and he was my sidekick and best friend so this has been extremely difficult for me. Timber was never just a dog, he was special and my best friend. I feel so lucky to have had him for the six years we had, and he was such a fighter to make it a year with cancer. He is greatly loved and will be missed. Please say a special prayer for him.

Before I left on this last odyssey, Ville and I finally graduated from college. I completed my BS in Liberal Studies and he a degree in International Business. The plan was to not be home yet, but I am planning to now attend my graduation here in Bend this next weekend on the 13th. Anyone interested in coming, is welcome to attend, it is at 2 o’clock in Drake Park, and there is free food. Those who (I don’t blame) can’t make it, there is also an after party out at my parents house after. I am working on getting those dang announcements out before the event. The original plan was to stay in Bend the summer, but my parents are buying me a plan ticket to Finland to head there for the summer with Ville when he goes back for work and family. We leave June 29th and will be back in a few months. Ville is trying to find a job in the States, but of course, who knows where life will take us.

Thanks for reading all my stories, and hope to continue them soon. Hope you all are happy, healthy, and loving life. Hope to see and hear from you all soon.