Another Birthday has bit the dust

The last 2 years I have tried to find something cool to do for my birthday. Last year I found this sort of Open house of various artists workshops in Boston and I just walked around these buildings peeking into the spaces where they did their magic. It was really cool.
This year I tossed around a few ideas depending on money, time, ect.
I had many hiking ideas:
Lantern hike at the Flume in NH but I wanted to bring Lilly and no dogs allowed at the Flume.
Sunset hike of Blue Hills but I had hiked Blue Hills many times and was looking for something different.
How about a hike at Mount Monadnock?
Load up, ride up, arrive at 10:30 Saturday morning to find a sign-No Dogs Allowed in the Park.

Luckily they were kind enough to provide a map to Miller State Park about 20 minutes drive that did allow dogs and we could hike up Pack Monadnock. When we arrived we found we were one of many dog families looking to hike but she did great. People were friendly and we allowed passing or they allowed us to pass as she is kind of a mover and a shaker. We had beautiful views at the top including the Boston Skyline. She had a very calm and cute exchange with another dog so everyone got good kid biscuits and he headed back down.

 I love the climbing trails and so does Lil.

 This was the view at an outcropping on the way up.

 Incredible color everywhere.

 You can't really see it in the photo but Boston is out there I promise.

 We took Yellow up as it was more rocky and covered in leaves and the blue trail down as it was a little longer but more gradual. Rangers are great advice givers. :)

 Back at the parking lot we once again met the woman who loved Lilly when we arrived so I asked for some advice about sleeping arrangements for us and she shared that she would be working at Greenfield State Park campground at 5pm and they welcomed pets. Only cost $25 a night too.

If only I hadn't gone out Friday night I might have been a little better prepared. It was in the back of my head to "maybe" camp but in the morning I just wanted to be on the road.

After lunch at a diner I got a dinner plate to go. I hit a Walmart and Job Lot purchasing a lighter, tin foil, sleeping bag and cheap camp chair and we were camping.
This may sound crazy but only because I am speed typing. These errands afforded me beautiful drives thru sweet towns full of foliage and Halloween decorations.

Petersborough, NH

After chilling at our campsite, cooking dinner over the fire and coloring a little we hit the hay. Falling asleep to the sound of rain on our roof.
Romantic sounding right?
Until the dog is now walking circles in your car and you need to pee. Now I am fully aware of a stressed and frigid dog in a 29 degree campground. That rain was now a nice sheet of ice.
I stood in the cold fog and thought....I want one of my goals this year to be to live the life I want with no regrets so I used my flashlight to collect our last few items and we headed home.
We were back in our warm bed by 4:55am.

I do not feel bad. I had a freaking awesome time, still camped and enjoyed the fire and still got a few hour nap before my birthday continued on Sunday.
I know this is weird to some that I traveled on my own but really I find it so much easier. I do whatever the fuck I want. I mean Lilly doesn't complain as long as she is with me. In fact I have a constant list of things I want to do and most of them are alone.
Sunday night I got to eat dinner with Ava and Chelsea at Red Robin-Our go-to birthday place. My mom wasn't feeling well so she didn't join us but she did buy me a nice bike and bike rack. So excited!
My sister got me a beautiful coloring book which I am sooo in love with. I actually had to buy more pencils because 12 just wasn't enough. It is a Secret garden with birds, bugs and animals hidden in each page.
So between the Internet at work bouncing and the Coloring book I have not had time to blog but have a few more things to share. Maybe tomorrow but now I have 50 colored pencils calling me.