What's my life like right now? Well, I work three jobs. With the little time I have left, I actually do have a life. I do lots of fun and interesting things. And my three jobs, they're fun and interesting also.
I work as a Pastry Chef for a restaurant group. There, I bake for three different restaurants. It's where I've met my family. My co-workers at that restaurant group are the friends I've made and will keep forever. All of the six days a week I work there, I walk in feeling like I'm going home. It's more familiar than my home, I spend more time there, and I'm happy to see everyone. It's a joyous place of work, with a great boss to boot.
My second job is with Teton Valley Creamery. There, I help manage the retail store, work with wholesale customers and take charge of the Farmer's Markets, which ended last week for the Winter. This job closes for the off-season soon and I couldn't be more glad, on account of I need some rest like never before. It will be nice to have that extra time off. However, it's bittersweet. I've met some wonderful people at "the Creamery" as well. I'm not used to working in the front of a business, with people and customers. But I've been having a great time doing it. I've got my "regulars" now. There was a family from Baltimore that lives in Idaho only during the summer months that came in every single day I worked. They came and got ice cream, sure, but they kept coming back to chat with me and hang out for a bit. It was their ritual and it began to feel like mine.
Then, there's two men, well into their 70's, that are attached at the hip. They've been best friends for 40 years and they work together still. They also visit me and get a cone just about every shift I work. The married one makes fun of the divorced one and the divorced one constantly asks me out on dates. It might be the cutest couple of customer's ever. We laugh and chat about the old fashioned things we have in common. I have a few other folks that come in as part of a routine and it feels like they're apart of my life. Characters in my book, if you will. I'll miss them. Until next year.
My third and most recent job is writing for Dishing. Which is a food magazine and blog here in Jackson Hole. Or as they call it, "the foodie guide to Jackson hole and Teton valley". My column is called "Will Hunt for Food". It's a series of articles based on my experiences hunting and I always follow it up with a recipe for wild game. I'm in love with this job. I couldn't think of anything more exciting for myself. It's broadened my daydreams and career path ever so much. A whole new window of opportunity has opened up and I'm gladly stepping through. I post articles on the site bi-weekly and I just finished a very large story for their magazine, which is published twice a year. My story was on cheese making and dairy farming in the valley. I had so much fun researching and interviewing for that story, I'm almost sad I finished it. But, I look forward to future stories alike.
The fourth biggest part of my life right now, is my Endometriosis, recent chemotherapy treatment, and the conditions that came with it. I honestly can't believe I've been able to battle this illness and still work three jobs. But that's what kept me going. One day, I'd like to be able to tell someone who's going through similar struggles that "I went through the same thing and still came out on top". That will make it all worth it for me. I also had decided at the beginning of my struggle that I didn't want to let it consume my life. I wanted to still live a life and have reason to be happy. Although it's been tough, and probably exhausted me to worse health, It's been a great journey and I wouldn't trade it all for anything. Post about the battle coming soon. When I have time off from my hectic work schedule and am not resting, I'm spending time with my dear friends I've made in this beautiful place. I tend to spend a lot of time on my porch, drinking wine or whiskey. When it's warm outside, I go fishing in between jobs. Or hiking. This is a splendid place to hike. And for the sake of a little consistency, I still work out and I still enjoy my black and whites. Some things never change.
So that's what I've been up to. And in typical fashion, it will all change soon. I'll be on to bigger, better and different things. I'll be sure to share it with you. Here's some pictures from my summer.
Music on Main in Victor was a great time. Every Thursday, free concert in the park.
The Creamery is on the main street in Driggs, in a 1930's art deco building.
Whiskey. I drank a lot of whiskey this summer.
I was the subject of two Dishing articles before I was a contributor and here's a picture of me in the Teton Valley Newspaper.
This is from the top of Snow King. For a while during this summer, I hiked to the top twice a week before work.
I had several steak dinners at Mill Iron Ranch.
Rodeo
Lots of fly fishing after doing it for my first time.
And lots of dinners with fresh cutthroat cooked over an open fire.
Lots of target practice outside. Waiting for hunting season.
This was the start of the Turkey run in Victor.
And the 25 layers and 25 roosters.
A week later, I got 125 broilers.
Moved into my new cabin! The porch is the best part.
Cheese making, cheese selling and cheese writing.
Mom and Grandma came for a visit! I showed them around Idaho and we took a trip to Yellowstone.
That's a short summary of my summer in pictures. Sadly, I don't take as many as I should. But I'm usually selfishly taking in the views for myself. It was a great summer and I can't wait til next year. In the meantime, Winter. Bleh.
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