365 days ago, there was one thing I was looking forward to above all others: moving out of the San Francisco Bay Area and back to my home state, Washington.

By January 1st, I knew our move was imminent, so I started preparing. For January, February, and March, my camera roll is littered with photos of furniture and personal belongings I was hocking on Facebook Marketplace.

I sold furniture, made repairs at our Redwood City Rental, and did a lot of mechanical work on my van (hitch install, ball joints, tie rods, differential fluid, etc.) to ensure it could make the 830-mile journey up I-5, pulling a U-haul trailer, packed to the gills.

In the midst of the preparations, we took a trip to Washington so I could attend the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) Solo and Small Practice Retreat at the Suquamish Clearwater Casino. The ferry trip across the Puget Sound was beautiful - a clear winter’s day. Looking at the snow-capped Olympics and Cascades reaffirmed (in my mind at least) that we were making the right decision. At some point, we also made it up to Mt. Diablo in the Bay Area.

The move was a comedy of errors. When I hooked up that U-Haul trailer, the jump wire they gave me had a short in it. When I pulled up on the street in front of our house and kicked the hazards on, it blew a fuse, the same fuse that allows the gearshift to come out of Park (of course, I didn’t know that). I spent about two hours tearing apart my dash in the middle of the street before I managed to manually release the mechanism holding it in park

By April 1st, we were in a new rental. Thanks to departing from the madness of California, our rent dropped $250 per month. We went from an 850sf house - crammed between two apartment complexes in a questionable neighborhood - to a 2500sf house on 5 acres. Hopefully, in 2026, we’ll be departing from the rental market, but … this house has been wonderful! Aside from the move, April’s highlight was that I was featured in the WSBA’s Monthly magazine’s “Beyond the Bar Number” column. I also went turkey hunting in the Collville area - but forgot to take any pictures.

The Month of May brought many firsts! I published my first book. Gretchen ran her first Spartan Race. I attended my first CougsFirst! tradeshow. I also made my first trip to Wisconsin to attend Gretchen’s grandmother’s surprise 90th birthday (Yes, you read that right. We said surprise and everything! Before I’d met her, I thought it sounded like a recipe for a heart attack. Now that I know her, I’m pretty sure she’ll be up for another one in 10 years).

In June, Gretchen climbed her first mountain (Tiger Mountain near Issaquah, WA) and went for her first backpacking trip (up the Myrtle Lake Trailhead in the Entiat River Valley). I see more mountain climbing in her future. More backpacking, you ask? That’s a tough sell.

June also saw a trip to Pullman, my first Mariner’s game of the year, and the beginning of my project on The Longhair Lifestyle International Headquarters to advertise the commencement of my construction business, The Longhair Laborer.

July started with wakesurfing and fireworks at Long Lake near Spokane, WA. It quickly turned to snowcapped mountains and crisp air with a one-day trip up and down Mt. Adams.

August saw the commencement of The Longhair Laborer’s first construction project. It was filled with concerts, baseball games, and one of my favorite events of the year, The Ritzville Rodeo.

Last September was one to remember: two incredible outdoor adventures with a whole lot crammed in between! A trip to the Mariners’ “Hit it Here Cafe” with Gretchen’s company and two weddings. Somehow, I also managed to place 3rd in my age group in a 10K Spartan Race and wrap up that first construction project.

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I kicked October off by attending a career fair at my former high school and having some great luck on opening day of deer season. After that, The Longhair Laborer’s business started to take off. I worked on a commercial kitchen, a retail space in the same building, and roto-tilled a yard. I ended October like I always do, chasing after elk above Ellensburg and only finding elk I’m not allowed to shoot. What a beautiful place to trapse around!

November started off with a trip to Washington DC, which Gretchen was gracious enough to allow me to tag along for. Upon our return, I spent a few days in conference mode, attending the WSBA Solo and Small Practice Conference in Bremerton and the CougsFirst! Tradeshow in Spokane. Don’t ask me how I did it. I wrapped up November with The Longhair Laborer’s first cabinet installation!

For The Longhair Laborer, December brought on another cabinet install. This time, it was much closer to a full-blown kitchen remodel (sheetrock, insulation, blocking, countertops, and crown molding). I underestimated the project but managed to get it done in time for Christmas. The year ended with Christmas in Ritzville, a fabulous wedding in Walla Walla, and a tuna cutting party at Trapper’s Sushi in Tukwilla.