Welcome to issue #252 of My Monday Memo
by Rachel Brandes
Quote of the Week
“We must be willing to get rid of the life we’d planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. The old skin has to be shed before the new one can come.”
– Joseph Campbell
Today is Monday, March 24, 2025
National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day
Happily Ever After
https://www.everafterphotographypnw.com/
Ever After Photography PNW is owned and operated by photographer extraordinaire, Mira Nachtigall. Mira specializes in birth, maternity, and newborn photography. She shares her art each week to help beautify the My Monday Memo. Mira and Rachel’s friendship spans back to 2007 in Las Vegas. They now reside very close in Washington.
Random Photo of the Week
This view never gets old. A shot taken last week of Mount Rainier from Point Ruston in Tacoma, Washington.
Feline Tomfoolery
with Brady & Belichick
Dear Humans,
It’s Playtime! This is a progression shot by my clever human during playtime in my colorful tunnel. I’m like a little Jack-in-the-Box. She has taken to providing me with more one-on-one play time recently, as my incessant meowing for her attention the moment she tries to relax is apparently annoying. Score for me.
Much Love, Belichick
Brady & Belichick are Rachel’s adorable felines. Brady is a short hair and very dominant and athletic, much like his namesake (Forever Patriots). Belichick, aka Beli, the long hair, was the runt of their litter and is much more passive, until provoked. These two cute boys turned one on May 4, 2024.
This Week’s Long Run
If you read last week’s issue, you read about a long, hilly run. An 8.5-mile run to be exact. Rachel, along with friends, Bill and Jennie (missing Alanna due to an unfortunate delay that morning) set out for another long run that was meant to be a 9-mile run.
Meant to be but wasn’t. You see, Rachel misheard Jennie and thought they were to run a 9.5-mile route, which is what she mapped. When the morning came and this was discovered, Jennie said, “Well then, we run 9.5.” Bill and Rachel quickly agreed, of course. Why not, right? At least it would be a flat course.
Pictured below, after the run from left to right is Bill, Jennie and Rachel with the beautiful Puget Sound in the distance and both Bill and Rachel having a little fun posing at the top of a slide. Next week… 10 miles. We will see if they are still smiling after that one.
Zoo Day- Visit 4 of 25
at
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium’s Pacific Seas Aquarium
Oh, Jellyfish, how mesmerizing you are. On Rachel’s 4th visit to the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium (PDZA) this year, she spent extra time at the Pacific Seas Aquarium enjoying the varieties of jellyfish. On her last visit, she had spent time at the Tropical Reef Aquarium. She finds the Pacific Seas Aquarium much more enjoyable due to the jellyfish.
Rachel found so many interesting things when reading about the jellies at PDZA, she thought including a link for anyone interested would be a good idea. If you’d like to see the variety of jellies found at PDZA, visit this link: Jellyfish – Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium.
Below you will find two of Rachel’s favorites, the Egg Yolk Jellies and the Japanese Sea Nettle. This week, the photos will do most of the talking. Enjoy.
Aren’t they lovely? Throughout her years in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, Rachel has participated in several polar plunges. You know, those crazy folks that enjoy jumping in to freezing water. Rachel thought she’d try it out and ended up loving it. There were several times she was in the water with jellyfish floating nearby. The below video was shot by Rachel as she stood in the Puget Sound.
Next up is the Japanese Sea Nettle. Rachel has never seen one of the beauties in their natural habitat but sure enjoys them at the aquarium. With the blue background (and soft music playing in the exhibit area) it’s a meditation-like experience staring at these jellyfish. Meditation-like until the little humans come running through with youthful, and loud, excitement. That is just fine though, sometimes watching the little humans enjoy the jellyfish is just as fun as the exhibit itself.
Rachel hopes you enjoyed seeing these beautiful jellyfish from the PDZA’s Pacific Seas Aquarium. Until next time, be well.
Rachel’s goal for 2025 is to visit the zoo at least 25 times. This shouldn’t be tough with her annual pass to the beautiful Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium (PDZA) in Tacoma, Washington.